In the past week, a flurry of new and occasionally conflicting announcements have arrived regarding the future of The Joker on the big screen. Over the years, Warner Bros. and DC have realized a number of Jokers on film and television, with Jared Leto the latest to portray the character. After being teased in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad debuted the new take on the Clown Prince of Crime, portrayed by Jared Leto. Since then, it's been assumed that the actor would continue playing the character across the growing DCEU, but this past week's reports have brought that into question. As of now, multiple movies seem to be in development prominently featuring the Joker”but not necessarily Leto. The Oscar winner is expected to reprise the role in two films, with rumors swirling that his presence may extend even further into the DCEU. In an effort to keep track of all the information out there, let's break down each of The Joker's potential future appearances across the DC film universe.

Untitled Joker Origin Movie

The Joker in the Killing JokeThe-Joker-in-The-Killing-Joke

For months now, rumors have been going back and forth about whether or not Jared Leto will return as the Joker in a future DCEU movie. So far, the actor has been quiet on the subject. He did, however, recently state he's still committed to the role”without confirming which projects he may appear in next. Muddying the waters further was the announcement earlier this week that Warner Bros. and DC are developing a Joker origin movie said to be outside of the DCEU.

While information is still scarce on the film and the project hasn't yet been confirmed by WB or DC, it appears the movie will be a gritty crime film focusing on Joker's rise to power in the 80s. Aside from sitting outside the current DCEU, another actor will tackle the role. Interestingly, the film is said to be produced by Martin Scorsese, with Todd Phillips (The Hangover) directing and co-writing. While the pair may seem like unlikely bedfellows, perhaps their separate aesthetics could lead to an interesting film.

It seems that DC may be taking a cue from their Elseworlds comic line and diving into side stories featuring alternate versions of their biggest characters. There have been rumors of the graphic novel Superman: Red Son getting a similar treatment, so we could see a separate line of DC and WB films free from the constraints of continuity.

Of course, DC starting a new Joker franchise shortly after Leto infamously stepped into the role would be an odd move. After all, the recent solo film announcement has been confusing enough for die-hard fans, so it's tough to say how general audiences will react to so many separate stories and actors tackling the character. And to make matters more complicated, the potential Joker solo film isn't the only movie that will prominently feature the supervillain.

Untitled Joker & Harley Quinn Movie

Back in July, we broke the story that that a romantic team-up movie starring the Joker and Harley Quinn was in development. The news seemed to come out of nowhere, indicating that WB and DC were keen to cash in on two of their most popular IPs. More recently, multiple sources finally corroborated our original story saying the film is in fact underway.

The movie is set to be directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, known for the films Crazy, Stupid, Love and I Love You Phillip Morris. They're also responsible for the acclaimed NBC series This Is Us, set to sweep the Emmys, which is executive produced and directed by the pair. Along with helming the Joker and Harley Quinn film, Ficarra and Requa are set to write the script.

All signs seem to point towards Leto and Margot Robbie reprising their roles from Suicide Squad as the Joker and Harley Quinn, respectively. That said, the news of the non-DCEU Joker movie has made things a little less certain. The news was accompanied by rumors that Gotham City Sirens is being scrapped in favor of the Joker/Harley film, but the films remain two separate projects - for now, with David Ayer still set to direct the former - for now. Still, DC's film slate has been notoriously malleable over the years, so anything's possible at this point.

Gotham City Sirens

Gotham City Sirens featuring Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn

Once considered a sure thing, the lack or recent news on Gotham City Sirens keeps its future to be up in the air, but as of now it's still in development, and Leto has also declared an intent to return. Shortly after Suicide Squad proved to be a success, WB announced the Harley Quinn spinoff that would bring Poison Ivy and Catwoman into the DCEU. Fans seemed quite keen on the project, though the return of David Ayer was met with a mixed response. For awhile, things seemed to be moving along fine, but the past few months have thrown things into uncertainty.

Ayer has confirmed it's on track and he will still be directing it, so it's possible more news is coming after his new movie, Bright, premieres on Netflix this December. Regardless of the Joker's potential involvement, all signs pointed towards the movie arriving within the next few years until Comic-Con. There, WB announced their DC film slate and Gotham City Sirens was nowhere to be seen. Given, other in-development projects like Nightwing and Black Adam were also notably absent, so there's clearly some confusion to be resolved around these tentative projects.

Suicide Squad 2

Suicide Squad 2 Story

Out of all of the potential Joker films, Suicide Squad 2 seems to be the most likely to arrive in theaters. The first film was a hit and word is that Warner Bros. is fast-tracking the sequel's development. The same report that said Leto would be back as the Joker in Gotham City Sirens also confirmed he'd be in Suicide Squad 2, and Leto's recent confirmation of dedication to the character makes it seem as if he's keen to continue working alongside Margot Robbie.

This being a DCEU film, however, there's still been plenty of setbacks. Currently, the movie doesn't have a director, with multiple rumors being floated before being debunked or the directors passing. Still, the franchise is ripe for development and WB is unlikely to let it die on the vine. It's clear that the Joker's presence in the first film helped to make it a hit, so his return seems all but guaranteed. The sequel to last year's hit film was also on the WB's recently announced slate, so all signs seem to point towards its imminent arrival. Whether Leto and the Joker will be involved, however, remains to be seen.

The Batman

Jared Leto wants Joker to be in Ben Affleck's Batman movie

Out of all the potential DC films in the works, The Batman seems one tailor-made to include the Joker in some capacity. After all, he's faced off against the Dark Knight in two previous franchises and is his stalwart antagonist in the comics. While WB may want to distance the current DCEU from things like Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, it's not hard to imagine a solo Batman movie - especially one focused on Bruce Wayne/Batman's character - featuring his nemesis, at least in spirit.

There's currently no indication that the Joker will show up in Matt Reeve's The Batman. Despite recent rumors that the movie will be unconnected to the DCEU, that doesn't appear to be the case. Still, Reeve's seems keen to distance his film from the existing movies, both in and out of the DCEU. As such, we can likely expect a brand new villain to face off against the Caped Crusader.

-

In all likelihood, the coming years could see four different films featuring the Joker. And while only two separate takes on the character appear to be on their way, we could see WB and DC follow the lead of the comics and introduce multiple Jokers. For now, we'll have to wait for further clarification on the fate of the Clown Prince of Crime in the DCEU and beyond. But if all goes according to plan, The Joker may be in for a busy few years.

Next: How DC Movies Can Have 3 JOKERS Like DC Rebirth

Key Release Dates