‘Suicide Squad’: Jared Leto’s Joker is ‘Transcendent’

Image from Empire Magazine (via Comic Book Movie)

Image from Empire Magazine (via Comic Book Movie)

While we may have only had a single trailer to hold us over for “Suicide Squad, “and while that trailer only has around two lines of dialogue from Jared Leto’s Joker, that hasn’t stopped anyone from having an opinion about the latest interpretation of Batman’s arch nemesis. Some are absolutely thrilled by what they’ve seen, while some can’t stand the punk rock vibe. But both opinions, at this point, are a little unfounded, as we know next to nothing about the character. Regardless, Leto seems to have really taken a leap of faith with the Joker, putting his all into his role. 

In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Leto went into greater detail about the process of becoming the Clown Prince of Crime.

For starters–as we’ve already heard from Will Smith–Leto revealed that he didn’t really break character while on set. While this may seem harmless, it apparently meant a great deal of hassle for Jim Parrack, who plays Leto’s henchman in the film. Throughout the day, Parrack would apparently get phone calls from “the Joker,” ordering him to do things like spray paint roses black and fill a backpack full of nine inch nails.

“I took a pretty deep dive. But this was a unique opportunity and I couldn’t imagine doing it another way. It was fun, playing those psychological games. But at the same time it was very painful, like giving birth out of my prick hole.”

That’s definitely a very interesting way Leto stood in character. Even more interesting, perhaps, is how revealing this is of the character itself. Of course, no matter who would take on the role of the Joker, they would undoubtedly be compared to Heath Ledger’s Joker in “The Dark Knight,” and I feel qualified to say that that particular Joker would not spray paint roses black. While Ledger’s Joker was a bit more straightforward withhis violence–what with his love for dynamite, gun powder, and gasoline–Jared Leto’s Joker seems more like the kind of guy to go the extra mile and make a kill not just effective, but funny. Perhaps we’ll be seeing a small hint of a more traditional Joker this time around.

Also, rest assured that Leto is putting everything he can into this role–not that anyone thought he was phoning it in. And in his deep dive into the Joker, he’s discovered something about the character.

“I always get the sense that The Joker may be much older than people think. It’s something different. If you don’t break rules, you’re not going to strike new ground. I think I’ll be cooling down for the rest of my life.”

But Leto isn’t the only one who had some things to say about the Joker. “Suicide Squad” producer, Charles Roven, even presented his two cents.

“[Leto’s Joker is] more social…a very successful and smart businessman besides being a sociopath.”

This is a far cry from the socially awkward Joker we got in “The Dark Knight,” who would awkwardly say “no, I’m not,” when called a freak. That particular Joker, you could imagine, got picked on as a kid. This one…not so much.

Finally, director David Ayer had a few things to say regarding the character.

“The Joker is the third rail of comic book movies. There’s a power to that character, and by some freaking miracle, through the incredible things Jared has done and the photography and all the other millions of things that went into it, we’ve cooked up something transcendent. He’s scary.”

Are you excited about the new Joker, or are you still hesitant after seeing the initial “Suicide Squad” teaser? Let us know your thoughts down below!

SOURCE: Empire Magazine (via Comic Book Movie)

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