Unlike the beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC’s own shared universe has been a messy affair full of movies that range from decent to downright insufferable, some iffy casting choices and lack of cohesion. This inconsistency between the films has really hurt what could’ve been something beautiful, and though everyone has their own opinions about what’s worked and what hasn’t, there’s one thing most moviegoers have agreed upon – Jared Leto‘s unconventional portrayal of the Joker was incredibly awkward.
But regardless of if you liked Leto’s version of the villain or not, he’s setting a new record as the only person to play the character in more than one live-action movie. That’s right, he’s returning to Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which is currently undergoing reshoots for its future release on HBO Max. It’s certainly strange to see that the most divisive take on the iconic villain is the first one to make into two live-action films, but it’ll no doubt be exciting for Leto, who’s been hoping to get a second shot at the role.
His Joker first appeared in 2016’s Suicide Squad, which saw a government agency recruit a group of supervillains to save the world in exchange for reduced prison sentences. Though critics praised Margot Robbie’s casting as Harley Quinn – a part she later reprised in Birds of Prey – Leto didn’t get quite the same warm reception as his deranged lover.
Suicide Squad‘s version of the Clown Prince of Crime was a significant departure from what most DC fans expected, ditching the flamboyant clothing that’s become synonymous with the villain for a noir-style gangster aesthetic full of hokey face tattoos and a grill. Worse yet, Leto played him more like a psychotic romantic who was more concerned with being cool than sowing his usual chaos. For many viewers, all of this simply felt off-kilter and discomforting to watch.
Still, this is happening, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. If you were a fan of Jared Leto‘s first appearance as the Joker, you’ll be happy to hear the news, but as for the rest of us, we’ve just got to start preparing ourselves.