For nearly as long as DC Comics have been translated to film, the villain that has continued to appear throughout it all has been Joker. Batman's number one foe has had multiple takes on the big screen, and even more when other forms of media are added. Throughout it all, Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger each made their respective marks on the character, but it was Ledger who has been put as the benchmark for future portrayals to hit. Warner Bros. newest comic book universe has once again brought the Joker to the big screen with Jared Leto getting the role for Suicide Squad.
The third film in the DCEU history featured a heavy marketing push that put Leto's take on Joker in the forefront. The film brought a completely different take on the iconic villain. But now, if his final look was not crazy enough, alternate designs have revealed even stranger possibilities were once considered.
Tina Charad (via io9), the costume designer for Suicide Squad, recently revealed alternate costume and tattoo designs for Leto's Joker. While the full-body tattoos are not shown, his chest shows a version of the character that has even more of them and is not afraid to show it. As for the costumes themselves, brighter colors and custom boxing shorts continue to show an attire that is far removed from what was expected.
[vn_gallery name="Suicide Squad Alternate Joker Designs" id="854180"]
It isn't hard to imagine the reactions that this look would have received. No matter what design would have been chosen, it would have been difficult for viewers to look past what Ledger did in The Dark Knight. To be fair, even if his look was more traditional, the way in which he acted and the small role he had to play still would have added conflicting views by audiences.
Despite the response that Leto's Joker had, it's unlikely this will be the last time audiences will see him again. Outside of the possibility of a Suicide Squad 2 happening, he very well could find a role in Affleck's The Batman, the Harley Quinn-led Birds of Prey movie, or even in the packed cast of Justice League. Whenever he does return, it should be interesting to see if Warner tweaks his character to have a better response from audiences and makes them eager to see even more of him moving forward.
Source: Tina Charad (via io9)