When David Ayer’s Suicide Squad was released in 2016, one of the most divisive elements to be featured was Jared Leto’s portrayal of The Joker. Following on from the legendary and critically acclaimed performance of The Dark Knight’s Heath Ledger, Leto always had his work cut out for him, being the next in line to bring Batman’s greatest nemesis to life.
When Suicide Squad finally hit cinemas, reviews concerning both Leto’s portrayal were almost as mixed as opinions about the film itself. Whilst some hardcore DC fans praised Leto’s Joker as paying direct homage to various iterations of the character in the original comics, others were considerably less sold on his character’s bold redesign, including the addition of multiple tattoos and a metallic grill.
David Ayer later stated that the released film was vastly different to his original vision, claiming his version “was ripped to pieces”, and that Leto’s Joker was intended to have a much larger role which would have eventually been the stepping stone for multiple future appearances in the wider DCEU.
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In the aftermath of Suicide Squad, it seemed that Warner Bros. was ready to move away from Leto’s version of the character, green-lighting the solo Joker film starring Joaquin Phoenix, which earned the actor an Academy Award, and focusing instead on the vibrant ensemble of anti-heroines, both returning and new, in last year’s Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn.
However, the fickle winds of the DC cinematic universe seem to be shifting once more, and whispers are that, following Leto’s return to the role in the upcoming Snyder Cut of Justice League, Warner Bros. might actually be looking to bring him back into the fold once more.
So, what’s the goss?
With Leto recently reprising his role of the Joker in reshoots for Zack Snyder’s upcoming version of Justice League, word is that Warner Bros. is reconsidering moving on from Leto’s Joker and are now in talks to bring him back with another role in the upcoming The Flash, potentially leading to his broader return to the DCEU.
Amazing character you created. Honored to have our worlds collide. @DavidAyerMovies @JaredLeto pic.twitter.com/6FubzkPh4Y
— Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) February 2, 2021
Where did all this come from?
When the news broke that audiences would finally be able to see Zack Snyder’s original vision for the 2017 DC team-up, fans were ecstatic, but it seemed that was just the tip of the iceberg. We would later learn that not only was Snyder working towards a four hour-long cut, but that Jared Leto was set to return as the Clown Prince of Crime in one of two new scenes that were being added through reshoots, images of which were released earlier today.
Source: Vanity Fair
Now it would seem that certain corners of web are claiming that Warner Bros. are considering the Suicide Squad actor for the ever-growing cast of The Flash film, which has already confirmed both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton appearing as two different multiverse versions of Batman.
What’s the verdict?
So after we supplied the Supanova Scuttlebutt-o-meter©®™ (Patent Pending) with all the relevant details, it dyed its hair green, tattooed the word “damaged” to its forehead, and started laughing maniacally in our general direction.
Given we know that Leto is coming back for the Snyder Cut, and that The Flash is intended to introduce the concept of the multiverse into the DCEU, it’s more than likely we’ll see a whole number of cameos appearing from every corner of DC’s cinematic history. As such, it’s entirely possible we’ll see Leto pop up in The Flash opposite Ben Affleck’s Batman, the question will be whether or not we see any more of him after that.
In sum, it’s probably best to declare this rumour: it’s possible, though the extent to which may vary.
Lead image: Jared Leto as The Joker in ‘Justice League: The Snyder Cut’. Photo by Zack Snyder via Vanity Fair.
