Suicide Squad, The Joker (Jared Leto)

Report: Jared Leto's Spider-Man movie won't affect his role as The Joker

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June 27, 2018

Earlier today it was announced that Suicide Squad star Jared Leto will star in Sony's upcoming Spider-Man spinoff, Morbius. Many fans have wondered if this will affect his role as The Joker in the DC Extended Universe, and Variety's sources have an answer.

According to Variety, Leto's upcoming Spider-Man role will not affect his role as The Joker. While it's rare to see the same actor star in major comic book franchises for competing companies, it's not unheard of. Just this year, Josh Brolin starred in Avengers: Infinity War for Marvel Studios and Deadpool 2 for Fox. Yes they are both under the Marvel banner, but Brolin was working for two completely different companies with different contracts (Marvel's movie rights are split among Disney, Fox, and Sony).

Earlier this month we learned that Leto would produce and star in his own Joker movie. It's also possible we'll see him show up in Birds of Prey, which begins filming early next year. Suicide Squad 2 is also expected to shoot next year, and seems like a good movie for The Joker to be a part of.

For more on Leto's future as The Joker, keep it locked to Batman News.

SOURCE: Variety

This is an archive of Batman-News.com from 2010 to 2025. For the latest news, check out BatmanNews.com

81 comments

Kerk Lastnameless
June 27, 2018
Not much to affect there.
Anthony Soprano
June 27, 2018
I think they should erase jared leto joker and let him go to marvel forever
1. Jay Pay
  June 27, 2018
  Agreed
2. Sisyphus
  June 27, 2018
  Yep
3. Real Royal Ruler
  June 28, 2018
  yes
Seb
June 27, 2018
What a shame. Would've been better if he left. Can't stand his Joker.
1. Jay Pay
  June 27, 2018
  His joker is an embarrassment. Its a shame cuz he’s a decent actor.
  1. ItzSilentStorm
    June 27, 2018
    i mean he won an oscar and I think might have been nominated once before so ya he is pretty strong. And for that reason is why I am personally of the opinion that his joker can be "fixed". Im not even sure why people thought he was SO bad tbh. Like jeez. It was far from anything special but i see plenty of potential. I am more concerned with his physical appearance than his performance tbh. They definitely need to move away from the bling bling gangsta look imo. But aside from taht why did people hate it so much? His mannerisms? His laugh? His voice? Well whatever it is, Leto seems like a strong enough actor imo to pull this role off really well. Just give hime a stronger director with better writing, tweak his performance a bit, change his appearance a bit, and I think he could be really cool honestly. He had SO much working against him in Suicide Squad imo. Like the editing for example. I loved that scene and his delivery of the "im just gonna hurt ya" line in the first trailer a lot more than than in the movie. But all the spastic LSD colors and quick cuts and song choices messed up a lot of it I think.
    1. UltimateEdition
      June 27, 2018
      you nailed it. you really can’t have a proper assesment of Letos joker based on anything in suicide squad
    2. NinjaGamer13
      June 27, 2018
      Why are we the only people (on this site - I think he’s actually pretty well liked amongst the GA) who get this?
      1. Seb
        June 28, 2018
        Get what? That he's a fine actor? Literally everyone knows that, kid.
        The thing is, his Joker performance was garbage regardless. He had his shot and screwed it up, and just saying "give him a better director" fails to get the point because Leto had a TON of input and created this particular Joker with Ayer. It wasn't just about looks, it was his acting. It sucked, he tried way too hard and was nowhere near Ledger or Nicholson. So you're wrong, as per freaking usual. I'm so tired of you pretending you're the only one with the right answers and the correct world perspective. It's so fucking condescending.
      2. StarTheory
        June 28, 2018
        The guy doesn't even watch his own movies. So how do you fix a problem that he doesn't want to recognize?
      3. NinjaGamer13
        June 29, 2018
        Not really, no. He had a TINY part in a BAD movie under BAD direction with a BAD look. It’s not fair to have any sort of strong opinion on his portrayal at all under those conditions, frankly. And it’s especially unfair to so harshly judge him when he IS a good actor and the GA DID seem to like him and he DID at the very least seem to nail the character’s creepy and crazy vibe with what he had. I don’t see realistically what there is to complain so much about. It was fine for what we got. And this complaint I keep hearing on this site of him being “over-the-top” cannot be anymore ridiculous; since when can THE JOKER be too over-the-top? I’ve never heard of such a thing. He’s an inherently over-the-top character, and people have been begging for his portrayal in the movies to be that way for years pretty consistently. And to say he was not as good as Ledger, seriously? Ledger was literally legendary. Saying a later performance was not as good as his says NOTHING, and it certainly is not a fair criticism, my Lord. I’ll stop acting like I know I’m right when I stop being right.
      4. Seb
        June 29, 2018
        Anthony Hopkins had a tiny role in Silence of the Lambs, what's your point? He still won an Oscar.
        Being in a bad movie doesn't stop you from giving a good performance, period.
        He worked alongside Ayer to create the look and direction of this Joker. So he's partly responsible.
        It's extremely fair to have an opinion on his portrayal. You you are just incapable of dealing with criticism, like always.
        No, he was a TERRIBLE Joker. Most people didn't like him, at best they were indifferent. He also didn't nail the creepy side, he just came off as a wannabe gangster. If Leto's Joker were in front of me, I'd laugh so hard I'd shit my pants. He doesn't scare me. If Ledger's Joker were in front of me, I'd take a gun and kill myself before he could do it. Most people agree Leto just wasn't frightening at all, he just came across as laughable, in a very bad way.
        If you can't differentiate over-the-top, aka over-acting, then again I can't help you. But that doesn't change the fact that he was trying WAY too hard. Ledger's character was over-the-top, but his performance wasn't. He actually showcased great subtlety.
        "Saying a later performance was not as good as his says NOTHING"
        I'm not asking he should be "as" good. But the difference is so fucking huge, it's worth mentioning. Nicholson also wasn't as good as Ledger, but he still stands on his own as a great Joker. See? That's the difference.
        "I’ll stop acting like I know I’m right when I stop being right."
        That says it all, doesn't it? You always think you're right, even after the countless times I have literally proved with evidence that you are objectively wrong.
        This is just more proof of your arrogance and delusions. You are unbelievably petty, kid.
      5. NinjaGamer13
        June 29, 2018
        *uses an example of a fantastic actor in one of the best movies ever that featured a good script and director*
        Perhaps he was, but that’s still on the director for giving him too much freedom. Directors are there to properly guide their actors and sometimes need to rein things in. It’s again down to bad direction to not do any guiding or to let one’s actors go too off the wall with a performance or characterization (though I really can’t see what it is exactly you consider of his portrayal drifted into this zone).
        We know Leto is a good actor. We know SS was a bad movie, from the script to the directing to the editing. We know his character only had a small presence to begin with. So, put him in a good film, with a good director, and I am sure he has the potential to give us a very good Joker.
        It might be fair to have an impression on his take of the character that realizes the negative external factors that are limiting it, but, once again, it is entirely unfair to have such certain and harsh judgment on it considering the circumstances.
        There you go again with baseless and extreme claims. I have nothing against healthy criticism. I do, however, get absolutely sick of the toxic hyperbole you haters constantly spew about things that are sometimes at worst only mildly bad. Heck, I didn’t even like SS and here I am defending it. It’s absurd you people are so desperate to hate anything you can with such irrational passion. Most of the GA seemed to like him. He was one of the most popular Halloween/convention/etc. costumes, SS was a great success (even though it was a bad movie), and there was so much begging for additional scenes with him online it was ridiculous. That’s a cute hypothesis, but I guarantee if someone ACTUALLY had you surrounded by gun-toting thugs while he threatened you with bombs or tortured you with electrodes or acted incredibly invasive and unstable, you would not, in fact, laugh. And let’s not forget the Joker is often portrayed as a gangster. This desperation of yours to hyperbolically hate is just getting funny at this point.
        And often the Joker entirely lacks all subtlety in every one of his actions and is just completely out there and a total freak. Often times he acts similarly to how Jared Leto did, you could say. ._.
        Nicholson was good. Not nearly as special as Ledger either, I would argue. But I’d never complain about him like you people are complaining over Leto.
        Yeah okay.
      6. Seb
        June 29, 2018
        "*uses an example of a fantastic actor in one of the best movies ever that featured a good script and director*"
        So what?
        Are you saying it's impossible to give a good performance if you're in a bad film? You're wrong. Your argument is already refuted.
        Out of the Furnace was met with mixed critical reception, but that didn't stop Christian Bale from giving a fantastic performance. Despite an uneven script and self-important direction.
        Come back when you actually know what the fuck you're talking about, in your case that means you should probably never come back.
        "Perhaps he was, but that’s still on the director for giving him too much freedom."
        Lol, you genuinely know fuck all about filmmaking do you?
        "Directors are there to properly guide their actors and sometimes need to rein things in."
        If you knew ANYTHING about filmmaking and directing, you'd know that most high class actors don't really require that much directing in the first place. If you've ever been on a movie set, you'd know that.
        "It’s again down to bad direction"
        But it was 50% Leto's direction. You're proving my point, dumbass.
        "We know SS was a bad movie"
        Just playing devil's advocate here... I just think it's funny you're allowed to say SS sucked, despite better audience reception than BvS, but when people rightfully point out the fact that BvS was shit, you act like that opinion is objectively wrong and most people thought BvS was a masterpiece. You're so biased, hypocritical and inconsistent, it's really growing tiresome friend.
        "We know his character only had a small presence to begin with."
        Irrelevant.
        "So, put him in a good film, with a good director, and I am sure he has the potential to give us a very good Joker."
        AGAIN, just because you're in bad film, doesn't mean you're going to have a bad performance by proxy. It's fucking idiotic to say so.
        "There you go again with baseless and extreme claims. I have nothing against healthy criticism."
        Is that so? Then explain to me why you LITERALLY called someone quote: "SADASTIC", for merely saying they didn't like Snyder's vision. Get the fuck out of here, troll.
        "I do, however, get absolutely sick of the toxic hyperbole you haters constantly spew about things that are sometimes at worst only mildly bad."
        Who is "you haters"? And give me an example, liar.
        "It’s absurd you people are so desperate to hate anything you can with such irrational passion."
        Don't you see the irony here?
        Two seconds ago you were saying how much you approve of "healthy criticism"... but when I do so, you immediately get angry and call us desperate to hate anything with a passion. It fucking astonishes me how you truly lack a shred of self-awareness.
        I've been reading some comments lately, and lots of people are really getting tired of your shit, biased nonsense and lies. Do you think that's just a coincidence?
        I'm accused of being rude, yes. I know why. That said, I'm not accused of being a liar or hypocritical.
        I'd rather be rude but right, than a sanctimonious hypocritical liar who pretends to be morally superior.
        "Most of the GA seemed to like him."
        On what basis?
        "He was one of the most popular Halloween/convention/etc. costumes"
        Dude... What people dress up as during conventions doesn't prove anything.
        "SS was a great success (even though it was a bad movie)"
        Again, it's a bad film because you say so... But if people say BvS was bad, you call us "SADISTIC". Fuck outta here.
        "but I guarantee if someone ACTUALLY had you surrounded by gun-toting thugs while he threatened you with bombs or tortured you with electrodes or acted incredibly invasive and unstable, you would not, in fact, laugh."
        If it were Leto's Joker? Yea I would. He's a wannabe thug. Total pussy.
        "And let’s not forget the Joker is often portrayed as a gangster."
        Yeah... not really. Then again, you've explicitly said that you don't read comics, so I'm not surprised.
        "This desperation of yours to hyperbolically hate is just getting funny at this point."
        What the fuck. How is me saying I don't like his take, "hyperbolic hate".
        Again, I'm just saying his Joker was trash and you are triggered and accuse me of toxicity simply for stating an opinion. Do me a favor and look in the mirror, boy.
      7. ShobiNaq
        June 28, 2018
        Dude people trashed his joker... Which general audience are you talking about???
      8. NinjaGamer13
        June 29, 2018
        You mean the one that everyone and their brother dressed up as for Halloween who’s all over social media and everyone begged for more scenes of? SS was a hit with the GA, and the Joker was part of that. You and I both know it wasn’t a good movie, but that doesn’t change the facts of its reception.
    3. ShobiNaq
      June 28, 2018
      I get he's a good actor and has a lot of accolades but his joker just missed the mark. It was too metrosexual tranny gangster and not much joker to it. My main issue is that if the general audience didn't like it (which they didn't, there's a reason majority of videos on YouTube about Leto's joker are people making fun of it) then why give him another chance rather than fix it? We saw WB try to fix Snyder's shit show and it arguably made it worse.
      1. ItzSilentStorm
        June 28, 2018
        that because it was rushed and cobbled together. They were attempting to fix it on the spot. Thats why it didn't work.
      2. Rust
        June 30, 2018
        It was also misguided on top of all that. ;p
      3. NinjaGamer13
        June 29, 2018
        Metrosexual tranny gangster? I don’t think we watched the same movie, lol
        (Not by what I’ve seen on the internet. Like I said, most seemed to be fine with him).
        We know Leto is a good actor. We know his Joker got only a tiny amount of screentime in a bad movie with bad direction. Those things considered, it’s unfair to make such harsh judgments on his portrayal. Put him in a good movie with a good director and proper screentime, and you’ll have a good Joker, I’m quite sure.
      4. Rust
        June 30, 2018
        I think it's a pretty easy fix, and obviously Leto's capable. The problem is WB's competency in executing the fix. lol
        It's not like they haven't heard exactly what they need to do. It's so clear that there's really no excuse not to try.
        From what I've seen, the reception to Leto's Joker has been mixed, with what you said being true of fans, and what Ninja said being true of less hardcore folks who just think it's cool, and there are a lot of both of those kinds of people.
      5. ShobiNaq
        July 6, 2018
        I think you're putting too much faith in WB. This is now clearly a movie studio that cares about monetary gain rather than generating good fan reception
      6. Rust
        July 6, 2018
        On the contrary, I've been saying that WB's incompetency and greed are the main thing in the way. We agree here.
    4. Knom
      June 28, 2018
      Hardly a smile is why I didn't like it much. Not even drawn on his face the whole time. The hand tattoo was a poor substitute. The actors face does not have a natural 'joker grin' even when he is smiling. He is just not as interesting without his almost constant creepy smile.
      1. ItzSilentStorm
        June 28, 2018
        i remember him smiling a good bit
      2. Rust
        June 30, 2018
        Ledger got the same criticism. I don't think it's a very potent complaint to have, even if it were true. The character is still there regardless, and his sense of humor is represented.
        Obviously you're right either way. Leto does smile a lot, and Ledger cracks dark jokes and laughs a lot. People remember what they want to when they're angry.
      3. ItzSilentStorm
        June 30, 2018
        people justify the Ledger thing because it was different take and and he had the scars which made it "look" like he was smiling all the time.
2. Nahuel Benvenuto
  June 27, 2018
  We never saw his Joker, they gave us a butchered mess with SS just like they did with JL, remember?
  1. Shadowknight1
    June 27, 2018
    Yeah, though JL felt more coherent and almost less wasteful. I mean, yeah, Steppenwolf was a waste, especially since they're probably ditching Darkseid for a while. Say what you will about BvS, at least Lex wasn't creating a beam of light towards the sky.
Kaingerc
June 27, 2018
Or maaaaybe, they could combine the characters and create "Vampire Joker"!!!
https://www.youtube.com/wat...
The Doctor
June 27, 2018
That's assuming they will ever make another film featuring his Joker. WB has cancelled DC projects in the past, wouldn't be a shocker if they did it again.
Kouglof
June 27, 2018
Jared Leto is a great actor, he can do a great job as The Joker, unless they cut too much and let him a screetime of 7 minutes like in Suicide Squad again.
1. ItzSilentStorm
  June 27, 2018
  it wasnt just the cut scenes though. The writing was bad, the direction was poor, the editing was atrocious, and even the scenes he did appear in had a lot of context missing. I also think he could be a great joker
  1. Nahuel Benvenuto
    June 27, 2018
    The editing was bad because it was edited by a trailer company, that affected EVERYTHING in that movie, so we will never know
SexyLexy
June 27, 2018
Well that's disappointing.
Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
June 27, 2018
Sony wants out of the movie business so you never know.
1. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
  June 27, 2018
  They really wanted to before teaming up with Marvel with Spiderman but not sure what's going on now.
Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
June 27, 2018
I rather see Man-Bat to be honest.
Kouglof
June 27, 2018
"One day, Disney should buy Sony and clean up this mess lol."
Like they did for Star Wars?
1. FUN
  June 27, 2018
  Tell the fool again.
2. Rust
  June 27, 2018
  Exactly like that.
  At the very least, they should have all of Spider-Man's characters in the MCU with Spider-Man, where they belong.
3. Shadowknight1
  June 27, 2018
  Lucas would've been worse. Unless you think Anakin turned evil because microscoping lifeforms living in his midichlorians decided to be jerks to the entire galaxy.
myzterius
June 27, 2018
Naw, DC will forever take the cake for having the best characters, but aren't able to make a good shared universe, while having every character at their disposal.
1. ItzSilentStorm
  June 27, 2018
  so you think DC will never be successful?
  1. myzterius
    June 27, 2018
    No, i think they'll be successful. I believe that shazam,aquaman, and wonder woman will be great and well received, but as far as box office, i dont know. A lot of people lost faith in DC, the question is, can they bounce back? If aquaman or shazam fails, then there's no coming back.
  2. ZaQueerdo
    June 27, 2018
    I think Aquaman, Shazam and Wonder Woman 1984 are gonna be a turning point.
2. Nahuel Benvenuto
  June 27, 2018
  They actually did with MoS and BvS and WW
  1. myzterius
    June 27, 2018
    Not trying to argue with you, but even though i liked mos, it was divisive and underperformed. BvS on the other hand was hated by most and underperformed as well, not to mention that its the movie that got us to where we are, in deep shit.
  2. ZaQueerdo
    June 27, 2018
    You can argue the quality of the individual films, but I definitely don't think they constitute a successful cinematic universe.
    1. myzterius
      June 27, 2018
      Exactly!!!
El Murcielago
June 27, 2018
Fuck!!
Half life 3 confirmed
June 27, 2018
Well as long as he still around to be the Joker that's cool, but WB got to start rethinking the contracts they right. Maybe it cost more money to have someone work exclusively for you? Maybe the AT&T money can help with that. I'm just glad that Mr. Leto is getting work to do.
I'm open minded for different interpretations of characters and Mr. Letos Joker portrayal and look was interesting. It's just I wonder if they will at least tone down with the metal teeth and remove the forehead tattoo. I recall reading that the metal teeth would be annoying for him to have on or he had to show them off, so that's why he had his mouth open a lot? A soft reboot of the look would be for the best. Mr. Leto is a hot looking man. When he was first casted, I was expecting a hot looking Joker for the ladies to enjoy.
I really like the look of the Joker from Injustice 2. If they are planning a soft reboot of the look hopefully they look at this for inspiration. https://orig00.deviantart.n...
1. myzterius
  June 27, 2018
  Looks too much like gambit.
2. NinjaGamer13
  June 27, 2018
  I would just be fine if they kept him how he was and rid of the grill and forehead tattoo. I mean, still not ideal, but those are really the most annoying parts.
Nahuel Benvenuto
June 27, 2018
lol what
Half life 3 confirmed
June 27, 2018
The original Captain Marvel is my favorite hero. If I was a super rich billionaire I would buy Sony. Then trade the Spiderman movie licenses for the Captain Marvel name. Or I would buy Fox instead and trade the Xmen and Fantastic Four.
ZaQueerdo
June 27, 2018
I was hoping this would mean we were rid of him.
Henry Carloto
June 27, 2018
I think you may need to write another more simplistic article about this subject. Some fanboys don't understand that THESE ARE ACTORS. THEY WORK FOR WHOEVER PAYS THEM.
1. StarTheory
  June 27, 2018
  Not if they are bind by a contract.
  1. Henry Carloto
    June 27, 2018
    A contract that says no actor that works with WB can work with Sony......?
    1. StarTheory
      June 28, 2018
      Well that's obviously not the case here. I meant more with a direct competition like Marvel. I don't think Marvel will allow their main cast to get anywhere near the DCEU.
      So an actor doesn't always have the luxury to just choose.
      1. Henry Carloto
        June 28, 2018
        No, you don't think.
      2. StarTheory
        June 28, 2018
        More than you apparently.
Henry Carloto
June 27, 2018
I say this about DC; they've been making Oscar award winning hit movies for 4 decades.
Nuff said
Sense
June 27, 2018
What in the fk is going on with all these heroless villain movies in development.
lowdevil
June 27, 2018
Universal and their Dark Universe may have something to say about that..
lowdevil
June 27, 2018
I honestly just want to know something/anything about the Phoenix Joker.
Leto's Joker may be unfixable unless the director has a CLEAR vision on acting and dialogue.
Mike 201
June 27, 2018
In other super hero news.......
Queef Police
June 28, 2018
He gone folks. bye bye
1. thefallen83
  June 28, 2018
  No. He's not.
Real Royal Ruler
June 28, 2018
Bye Bye
Guy
June 28, 2018
Good. I really want Leto to have a FAIR chance at proving his Joker is worthy to be among Ledger and Nicholson's.
1. Skandov
  June 28, 2018
  If they're ditching the gangster theme and his lame ass jacket and bare torso, then he might have a chance. In my opinion.
StarTheory
June 28, 2018
Isn't that almost the same thing Warner is doing? They want to create a Batverse with Nightwing, Batgirl, Joker movie(Leto), Birds of Prey and what will Batsy's role be? No history has even been established with any of these characters.
So if Reeves really want to go with a younger Batman than this Batverse will be no different than Sony's mess.
lowdevil
June 28, 2018
Marvel is now fazing out villains from their films.
FOR A COMIC BOOK MOVIE.
Yet, they cant get a score under 90.
Interesting.
ShobiNaq
June 28, 2018
Aww that's a shame. I was hoping they'd replace him
Ravager
June 28, 2018
I'm excited to see more of him as the Joker
MISTER MANIAC
June 30, 2018
🤣🤣🤣

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