File this one strictly under the speculation category for now, but it seems as if Jared Leto has just teased his return as the Joker. After first appearing in Suicide Squad last year to mixed (but mostly negative) reviews, we weren’t sure what Warner Bros. would end up doing with the character. While many felt it’d be best if they simply moved on without him, leaving him in his own little corner of the DCEU to be forgotten about, that was never going to happen. The Joker is far too iconic to just fade away, but seeing as he won’t be in Justice League or Wonder Woman, the Clown Prince of Crime’s fate is very much up in the air – or is it?
Taking to Snapchat earlier today, Leto posted the two photos you’ll see in the gallery below. Before we dive into this, know that it could very well mean nothing, but fans have already begun putting the pieces together and they think that something’s up here. The first image is a cover of Batman: The Killing Joke, a controversial yet widely loved comic book that recently found itself the target of an animated adaptation last year. The second photo is a little more mysterious, but as you can see, it appears to be a gold capped tooth in a Gucci box.
So, what does it all mean? Well, The Killing Joke could be a hint that the next time the villain appears, it’ll be in a film that draws from that particular story arc. Seeing the comic brought to life in live-action would be a real treat for fans and while it’s unlikely that we’ll get a direct adaptation, as we just had the animated version last year, perhaps The Batman, or even Suicide Squad 2, will heavily feature elements from it.
As for the tooth, that’s a little harder to decipher. We know that Mr. J wears a metal grill in Suicide Squad, so perhaps this signals that we’ll find out a bit about why he has one and what led to him getting it in the first place. Then again, this could all just be Jared Leto trolling us – we certainly wouldn’t put it past him. For now, all we can do is speculate and wait for the actor to divulge more.
Unfortunately, it may be a while before we get anything concrete, but this mysterious tease from Leto begs the question of whether or not he should be back on screen so soon. Fans weren’t terribly pleased with the performance or portrayal of the character in Suicide Squad and with the DCEU in the rough shape that it’s in right now, perhaps it’s better if the Joker remains in the shadows for a while, until things get back on track at least. Then again, a small cameo to set up a larger appearance in the future probably couldn’t hurt. Either way, it’s pretty clear that we haven’t seen the last of the Clown Prince of Crime just yet.
Tell us, what do you make of Jared Leto’s mysterious tease? Is the Joker due for another showing in the DCEU, or is this just the actor’s way of having fun with his fans? Sound off in the usual spot and let us know!