The first official photo of Jared Leto as The Joker has been released and the results are… interesting. David Ayer, director of the upcoming villain-centric film Suicide Squad, shared the photo over Twitter to celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Clown Prince of Crime. But the new look for the character doesn’t have everyone smiling.
The Suicide Squad wishes you a Happy Anniversary Mr. J! #Joker75 #SuicideSquad @WarnerBrosEnt @DCComics pic.twitter.com/LZXz0x947Q
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) April 25, 2015
The interpretation is a clear step removed from Heath Ledger’s unforgettable portrayal in The Dark Knight, which was itself a massive departure from Jack Nicholson in 1989’s Batman. But there’s something creepily cohesive about this Joker and Jared Leto’s outlandish personality that makes you feel lightning could strike thrice for the character.
We’ve seen the Oscar-winning actor tease his metamorphosis over social media the past few months, but this is our first real glimpse of Leto as the infamous villain. Sporting pale skin, wild eyes, metal grills and a green hipster hairdo, perhaps the most distinct feature of this new Joker is the motley collection of tattoos scraped across his body: grinning skulls, playing cards, a laugh track scrawled across his chest and perhaps most sinister of all, the classically sadistic Joker smile embedded in his forearm.
Naturally, fanboys across the Internet went into conniptions with the photo release. Some on social media were enthralled; others tentatively optimistic. And, as is generally the case, some were so enraged they swore a blood oath to boycott the release of Suicide Squad and cursed the names of those who ruined their implausibly high expectations of the film.
We at FIB aren’t much to speculate on a film over a year from release; however, we are content to speculate on the speculators. Here are some of our favourite reactions courtesy of Twitter:
The Joker: Origins pic.twitter.com/nMUz2k2YiH
— Tom Butler (@TomButler) April 25, 2015
Does anyone know what stage the new Joker is playing at Warped Tour this year?
— Jensen Karp (@JensenClan88) April 25, 2015
Jared Leto as the Joker could be the reincarnated corpse of Heath Ledger’s Joker and people would complain about it. Such is the Internet.
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) April 25, 2015
— Herr Dumpidump (@Grabcocque) April 25, 2015
Suicide Squad is due for an August 5, 2016 release and also stars Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Cara Delevigne as Enchantress, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.
