2) Jake Gyllenhaal
One name that you’ll see on many wishlists of actors to play the Joker is Jake Gyllenhaal. The hugely versatile performer has had a variety of roles over the years – from his breakout turn in Donnie Darko to his acclaimed part in Nightcrawler – so you know he could challenge himself yet again and don the white face paint and green hair of the Joker.
Like DiCaprio, Gyllenhaal is also an actor who’s been skirting the comic book movie world for so long that he deserves to finally nab a role in one. He has, in fact, been in the running to play both Batman and Spider-Man before – something not many actors can say.
And if you think the reason he hasn’t taken those roles is because he’s one of those people who turns their nose up at superhero movies, that couldn’t be further from the case. “Superhero movies have inspired me,” he once said. “They are so moving and important.”
Are you listening, WB? Someone give him a call. We’d like to think he’d have the stamp of approval of his old Brokeback Mountain co-star Heath Ledger as well.