AI art inspired by a Podcast X suggestion imagines Joe Keery perfectly recast as the Joker. Keery is best known for his role as Steve Harrington on Netflix's hit series Stranger Things, receiving much critical and audience acclaim. Steve has become one of the most beloved characters, and his growth over the series from bully to friend is certainly one of the highlights of the show.
Keery is a musician too, formerly of the rock band Post Animal, and he is currently releasing music under his stage name Djo. He has acted in several independent films in recent years, including the 2020 satire movie Spree about a rideshare driver who kills his passengers for social media views. Keery has now gained more mainstream success by starring as the brilliant game developer Walter "Keys" McKey in 2021's action-comedy Free Guy, which also starred Ryan Reynolds and has became a box-office success. As of May 2022, Keery was just cast opposite Liam Neeson in the upcoming sci-fi film Cold Storage, so his fame will only continue to rise in the coming years.
Using the AI rendering system Craiyon, Keery is now pictured as the Joker. Keery's distinctive grin and full, wavy hair are rendered with the Joker's red smear of a smile and signature green locks. As usual with these AI renderings, not all the images are super clear, but there is enough to see how the actor might look if he took on the role of the infamous Batman villain. Check out the pictures below:
Keery definitely looks at home in the Joker makeup, comfortable and creepy. His smile compliments the character's iconic look, and he has the cool and powerful presence to pull off the villain's menace. Indeed, his role in Spree shows he can play a crazy, obsessive, and murderous person, which are all vital characteristics for the intense role of the Joker.
Sadly, there are no immediate plans for Keery to take on the role of the Joker, but that does not mean it is impossible. With the DCEU creating and rebooting all the time and the concept of a multiverse being introduced, a new version of the Joker could appear in a future installment. The Joker movie's upcoming sequel has fan theories about a young person inspired by Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, so he will better match timelines and ages with Batman. Thus, it is within the realm of possibility for Keery to be cast as the Joker, especially if fan demand is high enough.