Joker is a villain that many have attempted, and no one has really nailed the portrayal. Why? Well, because Joker is a really impossibly character to completely understand. There are so many origin stories and so much lore surrounding the character, but one thing is always true: He’s chaos. But apparently, the Justice League “Snyder Cut” will give it another try, and we’ve got the pics to prove it.
It’s why I had such a problem with the 2019 movie Joker. They gave the chaos another backstory and I don’t want that for this villain. I like that you never know what he’s going to do or what’s motivating him. But to Joker‘s credit, it was an incredibly cool design for the character.
Flashforward to 2021, and we’re getting more of Jared Leto’s Suicide Squad Joker in the “Snyder Cut” of Justice League. So much for this being him finishing the movie he originally set out to make! (Leto’s Joker was not originally in his plans). Talking to Vanity Fair, Zack Snyder talked about how he thought about the character after the fact. “The Joker is really the only thing that I thought of in retrospect. But I will say that it was always my intention to bring Joker into that world,” Snyder said, and to that, I offer this gif from The Dark Knight.
The pictures of Jared Leto as the Joker in the Snyder Cut are fine. They’re fine. That’s what I have to say about it.
Zack Snyder shares first official look at Jared Leto’s Joker in #JusticeLeague. 📸 pic.twitter.com/1N2uqGfhVp
— Complex Pop Culture (@ComplexPop) February 9, 2021
Look, all the behind-the-scenes nonsense aside, I thought Leto’s take on the character left a lot to the imagination and someone I discussed this news with reminded me that they had to cut a lot of Suicide Squad and Leto’s performance, so we only got an edited down version of the original storyline. Fine, I’ll give Leto a chance, but I’m focusing more here on why Joker is even showing up in this new Justice League.
As far as I’m aware, he’s not the go-to when it comes to taking down Steppenwolf. I’m sure there are storylines with the Joker and the New Gods and what have you,, but it’s not the first thought I have, especially in a movie about the Justice League. Joker is a Batman villain, one of his biggest foes, and sure he’s fought the Justice League, but I had hope that he’d say in Gotham.
Alas. So why is he in the Snyder Cut? Maybe the Justice League needs the Joker to do something to take on Steppenwolf that they either cannot or are not morally willing to do. Fine, okay, but then why couldn’t they have gone to Harley? Give us the Harley Quinn/Diana Prince moments we long for and stop making us see the clown over and over again.
My love Harley Quinn said it best when she said, “I’m so f***ing over clowns,” because I really am. Can we do any other Batman villain? Please, I’m begging.
I’m both excited and exhausted by the Snyder Cut. I have very little hope that it will do right by my baby girl (a.k.a. Diana), but I’m hoping that it will at least be better than whatever Joss Whedon did to her. That being said, I’m so tired of Joker and everyone hyping up this four-hour Justice League movie, and I just want it to come out so we can move on from this. And please, I’m begging everyone, let’s let the clown die in this and never go back.
(image: Warner Bros.)
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