It seems as if there”s a new theory about the nature of Jared Leto”s Joker in “Suicide Squad” nearly every day.
Just last week, Leto”s hat selection while on vacation fired up the rumor mill. The hat had a similar look and feel to the Joker”s silhouette in Alan Moore”s “The Killing Joke,” leading fans to speculate on the possible link between the graphic novel and his backstory in the DC cinematic universe. It”s certainly possible that there”s a connection, but sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and sometimes a man wears a hat to avoid a sunburn.
Having said that, speculation can be one of the more rewarding parts of the pre-release anticipation. So, let”s do some more of it!
This particular rumor is drawn from Frank Miller”s “The Dark Knight Strikes Again,” and focuses on the Joker”s backstory in Zack Snyder”s “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which would of course tie into Leto”s portrayal in “Suicide Squad.”
GeekTyrant points to “new evidence” to support the fan theory that postulates that the Joker, in this universe, will in fact be Batman”s one-time sidekick Robin.
Now, in “The Dark Knight Strikes Again,” Dick Grayson — the original Robin – goes insane after subjecting himself to gene therapy and takes on the appearance of the Joker. Zack Snyder was influenced by the Miller's Batman comics, so there”s certainly the possibility that he”s drawing from that one — at least in part. However, this particular fan has come to his conclusion from one small detail in two images: one of the Joker in “Suicide Squad” and the other of Robin”s suit from the “Batman V Superman” trailer.
If you look closely, it appears that there are two points of damage on Robin”s suit that match two scars on the Joker”s shoulders. It”s also notable that “Hahahaha Joke”s on you Batman” is scrawled across the Robin suit.
We also see Batman say, “20 years in Gotham, how many good guys are left? How many stayed that way?” to Alfred in the “Batman V Superman” trailer. As many have theorized, it”s possible that he was referring to Robin — among others. In any event, the rumor has been around for awhile, and it”s certainly a fun one to think about.
Now, Margot Robbie”s Harley Quinn stunt-double from “Suicide Squad” posted (and immediately deleted) an image that confirmed that Ace Chemicals would appear in that film. Ace Chemicals is where the Joker fell into a vat of chemicals, giving him his signature look. We also know Ben Affleck has shot flashback sequences as Batman in “Suicide Squad,” so it”s certainly a possibility that they”ll explore their connection further in that film. Or, that could end up on the cutting room floor. Time will tell.
There are certainly those who feel that this Robin/Joker theory holds absolutely no water. The folks over at Den of Geek had this to say about it:
“Zack Snyder is a comic book literalist” and “the Robin costume that's enshrined in the Batcave and defaced by Joker graffiti is intended to evoke the second Robin, Jason Todd, who was beaten to death and left in an exploding warehouse by the Joker in the story 'A Death in the Family.'” Thus, they conclude, this fan theory “holds not water.”
I think it's hard for any of us to take a definitive stance on what we'll ultimately see on screen. Snyder wasn't alone in this creative process, and it”s likely that both of the DC/Warner Brothers films are pulling from a variety of sources to create these latest iterations of the characters. Ultimately, we”ll likely see an amalgamation of various elements.
Here's why we think “Suicide Squad” is either going to be the best or worst comic book adaptation of all time in the video below:
What do you think? Does this theory have any merit? What do you want to see from the Joker? Sound off in the comments below!