I’m just gonna hurt ya, really really bad.
After 2008’s The Dark Knight became a phenomenon, thanks in large part due to Heath Ledger’s portrayal as the Joker, we all knew the Clown Prince of Crime would return to the big screen in the future. We just didn’t envy whoever would take on that challenge following (in my opinion) the greatest take on the character.
Enter Jared Leto. The Oscar winner, and musician, stepped up to the plate without much (if any) backlash. The latest interpretation will debut in August with the release of David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, to which all comparisons will start being made to Ledger, Jack Nicholson, and Cesar Romero.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Leto said he found it special to be next in line to take on the character, and knew he had to do something special.
“You just knew you had to do something different. You had to make it your own. That happens all the time. Whether you’re a composer working on a piece of music that was written a century ago, or you’re an actor on stage, reinterpreting a play, it’s very common these days. Directors take on great works of cinema, actors reinterpret roles, that’s been going on for a great deal of time. From Scarface to Hamlet. In some ways it’s really interesting to reinterpret, redefine.”
There’s something to love about Ledger, Nicholson, and Romero when they put on the makeup and I’m really looking forward to Leto’s take.
Suicide Squad hits theaters on August 5th.
