Cesar Romero. Jack Nicholson. Mark Hamill. Heath Ledger. Now we have Jared Leto. The rock star turned actor has already carved out a perfect niche for himself as one of the weirdest Jokers of all time, and we cannot wait to see what else he does when David Ayer's Suicide Squad hits theaters. He seems to be doing something entirely different with the role, while still honoring the contributions of those who came before him. Leto recently posted a new picture of himself as Mr. J to his Instagram, and it's one of the most dapper Joker photos we've ever laid eyes on. Check it out below to see for yourself.
Jared Leto posted the above photo to his Instagram account, captioning it with a green heart, a snake, and an apple. That seems to play into his idea of The Joker as an evil figure of almost biblical proportions. He stares deadpan into the camera -- this Joker seems much less encumbered by the need to smile than his predecessors -- while wearing the same black tuxedo that we've seen him wear throughout several sequences in the trailers for Suicide Squad.
Although plenty of people initially had reservations regarding The Joker's tattoos when we first got a good look at him over a year ago, by now we have really become used to them. Following the Batman V Superman debacle, DC has really gone all out with regards to framing the DCEU with a more manic, energetic, and generally fun sensibility. Leto's Joker represents a cornerstone of that idea in the sense that he embodies the punk rock-cartel lord sensibilities that the Joker could realistically possess.
Of course, above all else we cannot go any further without bringing up the fact that this particular image seems to definitely invoke iconic imagery from deep within the DC lore. Although certain changes have been made to match the aesthetic of David Ayer's Suicide Squad, this picture of the Joker is still a dead ringer for one of Alex Ross' now famous paintings of the Clown Prince of Crime.
If there's one thing we have to say about Jared Leto and his take on The Joker, it's that he clearly has had an amazing time playing the part. That palpable sense of fun is instrumental to the character, and we have a feeling that his sick enjoyment of portraying the iconic psychopath will bleed into his ultimate portrayal of the villain.
We will bring you all of the latest and greatest Suicide Squad details as more information becomes available to us. The long-awaited DC supervillain team up will hit theaters on August 5. Stay tuned for more details!
