We still have until March of next year before Batman v Superman hits theaters. The buzz and anticipation for what Zack Snyder is calling the sequel to Man of Steel is very high indeed. However, it feels like the social media teasers and tidbits for David Ayer’s Suicide Squad movie has made even more people excited — or nervous, angry, disappointed, disgusted, you know…there are many options to choose from — with Jared Leto’s turn at The Joker.
The fan reaction thus far to the actor’s tatted up Joker has been a bit reminiscent of the internet backlash that went down when Heath Ledger was first announced to play the role in 2008’s The Dark Knight. But if it’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it’s that every iteration of the iconic villain has peeled back a layer and given us something new, different, and interesting. So what will Leto bring to the table?
According to Heroic Hollywood (Via The National), Leto recently performed with his band 30 Seconds to Mars at a concert in Dubai and addressed the crowd regarding his on-screen performance, which he allegedly thinks is pretty insane:
I can’t wait for you to see this – they’re going to lock me away in a box after this movie comes out.
Sure, this is an Oscar-winning actor tooting his own acting horn about how hard he’s acting in the new movie, but let’s not forget how far down the method actor rabbit hole Leto has gone here. He’s sent his co-stars gifts that featured live rats and bullets, made a video for everyone that featured a dead hog, and succeeded at scaring the crap out of co-star Margot Robbie while on set. If anything, that’s dedication to the craft. And since this iteration of the Joker seems to be mentally manipulating the likes of Harleen Quinzel — who becomes Harley Quinn (Spoiler?) — maybe these behind the scenes antics have helped everyone else involved get further invested in their own on-screen roles.
There’s been some talk comparing Leto’s Joker to that of Hannibal Lecter, and while I do not believe he will be straight up eating people, it feels like this comparison may actually ring true. Given how amazing Mads Mikkelsen was at reinventing that character on the small screen, it is very possible that Jared Leto will bring a new level of mind f*ckery to the Joker we haven’t already seen. Suicide Squad hits theaters on August 5th, 2016, so…until we’re given some new detail to obsess over, let the fervent speculation continue.
(Via The National H/T Heroic Hollywood)