Article by Chris Foti
When Zack Snyder revealed he would be bringing his Director’s Cut of Justice League to HBO Max, we assumed it would just be a finished version of what already exists. It was then revealed that several actors were reprising their roles for additional photography with Zack Snyder in the fall. Probably the biggest surprise was learning that Jared Leto will be returning as the Joker.
The DCEU’s Joker was first teased in Batman v Superman, with “HAHAHA! Joke’s On You, Batman” spray painted on a Robin suit in the Batcave. We also see a Joker card on Batman’s assault rifle in the apocalyptic Knightmare. Leto would eventually appear as the villain in Suicide Squad.
For various reasons, neither Leto nor the Joker have been seen in the DCEU since. So it certainly turned people’s heads when Leto’s return was announced. The Academy Award winning actor recently appeared on the Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast to promote his film The Little Things. Of course, Zack Snyder’s Justice League came up, which Leto said:
I may or may not have shot something with Zack, but I love him. He’s just a maverick, and an incredible filmmaker. We get along great, have a great chemistry, and I look forward to working with him again in the future. We have lots up our sleeves, Zack and I.
Suicide Squad director David Ayer has defended Leto’s Joker in the past, and was happy to hear of his return in Justice League. Snyder also recently revealed that the Joker would be “road-weary” in JL.
The Batman and The Joker As Allies?
Based on Snyder’s comments and the Joker card appearing in both the Knightmare scene in BvS and the Justice League trailer, I truly believe the the character’s appearance will occur in the apocalyptic future scenes. Whether he’s allies with Batman or not remains to be seen, but there are so many directions they can take that relationship in a Darkseid and Superman controlled world.
The Joker Card in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Trailer
Whatever Zack Snyder and Jared Leto have planned for the Joker, the world won’t have to wait much longer. According to Snyder, Justice League will come to HBO Max in March.
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