Jared Leto's Joker could finally have his own standalone film through Zack Snyder's Justice League cut that is coming to HBO Max this year. One of the biggest villains to make it early into Warner Bros.' ongoing cinematic universe for their DC properties was the Clown Prince of Crime himself. After Ben Affleck was cast as the latest iteration of the Dark Knight on the big screen, it didn't take long before he got his Joker after Leto was cast in the part for Suicide Squad. However, despite the Joker's big status, the villain has had very little to do since 2016.
David Ayer's film had a similar situation as Snyder's Justice League did as it got tempered with ahead of its theatrical release. But just like with the Snyder Cut, a campaign currently exists to release the Ayer cut too which was set to be a darker tone for the Task Force X movie. One of the characters to be affected by the studio's interference was in fact Leto's Joker. However, as the DCEU franchise has gone through its many changes since 2017, it seems like Leto is finally going to get a chance to properly explore the iconic Batman foe.
Leto will be reprising his role as the Joker in the upcoming Snyder Cut that is arriving on HBO Max in March. This will be the first time he joins the Justice League characters ever since his brief interaction with Affleck's Batman in Suicide Squad. But with Snyder having already spoken in interviews about an idea he had for a comic wherein the Joker is part of a rag-tag team who fight through the apocalyptic world Darkseid had created, it seems that there is enough material to warrant Leto finally having a solo Joker film, with a Mad Max touch to it.
Jared Leto's Joker Never Had Time to Shine
One of the big reasons why there is a movement to release Ayer's Suicide Squad cut is down to how Leto's Joker lost a big chunk of his screentime in the version of the film that was released, to the point that Ayer has described the theatrical run of Suicide Squad to be unfair to Leto's Joker performance. But as a whole, his Joker hasn't really had an opportunity to shine in any other DCEU film. Despite being in Suicide Squad, the film was ultimately about Task Force X and not him. Even though he and Harley Quinn broke up in Birds of Prey, it wasn't even Leto during the Joker appearances. Instead, a cartoon stand-in was used for what was still a big moment between Harley and Joker in terms of their relationship.
Even with his return to the DCEU through the new version of Justice League, Leto still won't be the main star of the Snyder Cut. While he is teased through the first trailer and is going to be crucial to getting Flash the Mother Box so Barry can go back in time, Joker is still in the film as a supporting player. His screentime might be very limited even and that's simply because of the fact that this is a Justice League movie, not a Joker film. If Affleck's Batman gets some form of project, it would be natural for Leto to reprise Joker once more. But regardless, Leto's Joker has barely been given an opportunity to shine in the DCEU aside from appearing in only a few minutes of screentime.
A Knightmare Joker Movie Would Be Totally Different From Joaquin Phoenix
It's easy to forget that after his Suicide Squad debut, there were plans for Leto to star in a number of spinoff films where he would be the main focus. For starters, Warner Bros. was developing a Joker/Harley Quinn film that would reunite Leto and Margot Robbie as the infamous duo once more. Leto was also going to star in his own Joker film that he would also work on as a producer that never got a writer or director attached. But despite their interest in developing films involving Leto's Joker, the infamous clown got a different solo film in the form of Joaquin Phoenix's Elseworlds iteration. However, thanks to Joker's upcoming DCEU return, there is a way now to get Leto his film that doesn't conflict with Phoenix's version.
Leto's Joker movie could focus on his larger role in the Knightmare timeline, which would be completely different from the 2019 film. In Phoenix's version, it is an origin story that concludes with an open-ended finale. Leto's take is someone who has been The Joker for at least a decade in the DCEU, and who is now forced to actually help the heroes during Darkseid's invasion of Earth. It would also see Joker in a new light, as a live-action dystopian reality is certainly a new and interesting setting to place the character in.
Leto's Joker Look Would Be a Great Fit for a Mad Max Style Movie
When Leto's Joker was first revealed to the world, it was a very different look compared to other versions of the iconic villain. While he still had the white skin and green hair, it was still a visually different design that he was seen with in Suicide Squad. The tattoos were one of the biggest additions as there were even alternative looks for Joker before it was fully finalized. However, it has been confirmed that Leto's Joker will be getting a brand new look in the Snyder Cut of Justice League. Snyder has teased his new look to be "water has gone under the proverbial bridge" and there have been rumors that he'll have long hair as well as a "rugged" look in general.
This supposed design has a very Mad Max feel to it which is fitting as the Joker fans will see this year is from the Knightmare timeline. With that kind of look, a Joker movie with a Mad Max-style to it would be quite fascinating. To see Batman's most legendary villain having to deal with a dystopian future where he simply can't do all of his crazy shenanigans as he is used to. Having to follow a Joker who fights for his survival would be a fascinating take on a DC villain who has been depicted so many times on screen, but not in this way. There have only been a few times when the Joker has fought other DC villains in media adaptations. But to see a Mad Max-inspired Joker film would give Leto's version something unique.
It'd be a Perfect Low-Budget HBO Max Streaming Movie
While a Joker movie starring Leto should happen, the perfect platform for a film like that would be HBO Max. Warner has been open about having their bigger characters get the theatrical treatment while other characters like Batgirl get released as an HBO Max exclusive. Even though Phoenix's Joker made over $1 billion dollars at the box office, it's not a guarantee that Leto's would. But since Warner is investing a lot into HBO Max, especially with DC properties, a DCEU-Joker film would be perfect as a streaming product. Given the proposed premise, this kind of Joker movie would only need a low-budget.
Ideally, it would mainly focus on Joker and maybe a handful of other DC characters that aren't part of the Justice League. While Robbie's Harley Quinn doesn't seem to be back for the Snyder Cut, a Joker film in the Knightmare timeline could be a way to bring her back. Since Snyder's film isn't in the DCEU anymore, it would allow Leto's Joker project to feature an alternative version of Harley that doesn't have anything to do with the Birds of Prey or The Suicide Squad. It could explore their relationship in a new setting that is unusual for the two of them.
Only time will tell what Leto's future as the Joker will look like, especially after the Snyder Cut comes on HBO Max. But Leto has been on the record that more things are coming in the future from him and Snyder as they have plans together. It might all depend on how well Justice League does when the 4-hour cut gets released at last. But given that Snyder and Leto had a good collaboration together during their recent shoot, perhaps a Joker movie (with a Mad Max element to it) isn't as impossible as some might think, especially if it gets the HBO Max treatment.
