5 Theories About What’s Next For Jared Leto’s Joker After Suicide Squad

Say what you will about Suicide Squad, but the movie did do an excellent job of introducing us a to some great new characters who have the potential to make an impact in the DC Films Universe for years to come. Among them were the likes of Deadshot and Harley Quinn, but arguably the divisive movie's standout was Jared Leto as The Joker. Yes, most of his performance ended up on the cutting room floor and his particular interpretation of the Clown Prince of Crime wasn't for everyone, but the potential for him to really steal the show somewhere down the line definitely exists. However, given how things played out in Suicide Squad, when and where we'll see that happen isn't particularly easy to predict. The future is a mystery for The Joker it seems, but what you'll find here is a look at 5 possibilities for what's next for this version of the iconic bad guy. From cameos to what would be a very shocking move on Warner Bros.' part, any one of these could happen, and they're all exciting for very different reasons... 5) The Big Bad Of Suicide Squad 2 Despite the mauling Suicide Squad received from critics, the fact that it has now grossed over $600 million worldwide makes a sequel very likely. It remains to be seen which villains end up taking centre stage in that, but Warner Bros. will have surely taken notice of the complaints levelled at both the lack of screentime for The Joker and the pathetic excuse for big bads in the form of Enchantress and her brother. So, with that in mind, why not make the Clown Prince of Crime the foe that Task Force X needs to bring down? He would be outgunned, yes, but that may not matter. After all, The Joker could very well put together a team of his own (something which would lead to the introduction of more great characters from the comic books), while making him the threat that Amanda Waller needs to take down might open the door to her having to enlist Batman to help stop the villain. The mid-credits scene for Suicide Squad obviously revealed that she knows it's Bruce Wayne under the mask, and assuming Ben Affleck would say yes, pairing up the members of Task Force X with Batman to fight The Joker would be a guaranteed box office hit. 4) He Makes His Presence Felt In Justice League Jared Leto visiting London a few months back led to speculation that the actor may have been there shooting a cameo in Justice League. There were obviously theories that he would show up in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (which didn't happen), but seeing as the Dark Knight appears to be the focal point of this team-up movie, it's possible that the villain could appear in some form. The most logical idea would be to have him show up during a flashback, perhaps during a scene featuring Batman and Jim Gordon reflecting on a past encounter with the insane gangster. A more unexpected approach to this appearance could be a scene featuring The Joker crossing paths with Lex Luthor. Those two have teamed up a fair few times in the comics books (often not with very good results), but with the Ultimate Edition of Batman V Superman revealing that the Caped Crusader has sent Lex to Arkham Asylum, it's possible that they could end up meeting. However, with Steppenwolf set to serve as the big bad - before Darkseid presumably appears in the sequel - throwing those two in the mix might be a bit much, so we'll stick to a flashback. 3) A Battle With The Batman After the mixed response to The Joker's role in Suicide Squad (which was mostly caused by decisions made in the editing room it seems), the best place to redeem him may very well be in Ben Affleck's upcoming solo movie for The Batman. While rumours have pointed to that movie featuring several villains - possibly as the Dark Knight makes his way through Arkham Asylum - the Clown Prince of Crime being the lead bad guy makes the most sense, and it's easy to imagine Jared Leto being able to really show off his stuff under the direction of a filmmaker like Affleck. Those two butting heads as these larger than life characters would be nothing short of amazing regardless of the storyline. Ideally, Warner Bros. will adapt Under the Hood, a tale which revolved around the return of former Robin Jason Todd (who had seemingly been killed at the hands of The Joker years earlier). Alternatively, just seeing The Joker causing chaos in Arkham as he attempts to take out Batman could be a lot of fun, especially if he brings Harley Quinn with him after the way things ended in Suicide Squad. 2) A Cameo In Harley Quinn's Spinoff Movie Regardless of the many criticisms levelled at Suicide Squad, it seems like everyone loved Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. It's not a surprise then that a solo outing for the character (or possibly a female led team-up movie of some sort) was confirmed to be in the works earlier this year, and assuming it definitely happens, then The Joker has to appear in some form. Based on what we've heard about earlier versions of Suicide Squad, it was supposed to end with two parting ways, but given the ending of that movie, we'll need to see their relationship touched on in some way. Whether it's them breaking up or even working together before parting ways for a spell to give Harley chance to go off on her own, it simply wouldn't make sense for The Joker not to show up in this movie. Of course, given the way the villain was handled in Suicide Squad, Jared Leto may not be that willing to make any sort of cameo appearance, so it's at least possible that he could be given a leading role here instead (though it's hard to say how that would work). Either way, if and when this spinoff does happen, expect to see Harley's Puddin' in some way, shape, or form. 1) He's Recast This is the most disappointing possibility when it comes to what's next for The Joker, but it could very well happen based on recent comments from Jared Leto. He's made it clear that he wasn't happy with the way his performance ended up being handled by the studio, and it could very well now be an uphill struggle for them to convince him to return. After all, the Oscar winning actor has now learned that even a role which appears to be meaty on the page can end up being turned into a cameo in the editing room, so getting him to say yes to another round will be tough. If The Joker is recast, that obviously leaves us with a lot of questions. Will his controversial appearance be ditched for something a little closer to the comic books? The tattoos and grill suddenly vanishing wouldn't make a whole lot of sense in terms of continuity, but the character's appearance has constantly evolved over the years, so it's possible. Not many actors will want to come in and basically dress and act like Leto though, so it will be interesting to see how this new Joker would be approached. Hopefully it won't come to this, but as with all things Hollywood, you never know. For more on both the Joker and Suicide Squad, be sure to check out the video below!