It was recently announced that Jared Leto would be returning to the role of the Joker in DC's upcoming Snyder Cut, which will be released on HBO Max. Fans are excited about the news, but there's potential for this move to be the start of something much bigger.
DC Comics are currently running a storyline that features three completely different Jokers crossing over. It's a story that they have been building to for years and one that could someday be adapted to live-action. There's potential for the on-screen universe to be moving towards a Three Jokers story, but there's also a number of reasons as to why this seems quite unlikely.
Seems Unlikely: Overshadow Leto's Return
It's huge that Jared Leto will be returning as the Joker once more. His performance was perhaps one of the most controversial in history, with everything about the character splitting audiences, from the voice to the look of the clown prince of crime.
Since this iteration of the character is getting another go, it seems silly to bring in other versions as well. There's plenty of actors that could play the Joker in the future, but right now Leto's return shouldn't be overshadowed, especially since the actor is seemingly looking for redemption.
Could Attempt It: Plenty Of Jokers
There are a great number of actors who have portrayed the Joker in live-action in the past, that could certainly be brought in for a Three Jokers story. Each has their own unique backstory and mannerisms that define them.
A couple that could certainly be used are Jared Leto's Joker, Joaquin Phoenix's, and perhaps even Cameron Monaghan's take on the character. The devastating loss of Heath Ledger impacts this heavily, as his Joker is perhaps the most well defined.
Seems Unlikely: Takes Away From New Batman
Since there's also a new Batman heading to screens, which is already being overshadowed by the return of Ben Affleck to the role, it seems unlikely that Warner Bros. would want to do anything else major that could divert attention.
One of the biggest mistakes with the new film would be to overshadow it with what's to come, concerning an even more exciting story. It may mean audiences miss out on the potential brilliance of this new Batman film, because they are anticipating something ground-breaking.
Could Attempt It: Existing Multiverse
There's actually an existing Multiverse in the realm of live-action, which means there can certainly be a crossover of some kind. While the Three Jokers story in the comics might not include the Multiverse, the live-action version certainly could.
What's more, Jared Leto's Joker at the very least is contained within that Arrowverse, as two versions of the Flash crossed over in Crisis On Infinite Earths. There's sure to be a variety of others out there that could be brought into the fold.
Seems Unlikely: So Many Villains
There are a great number of villains from the Batman universe that really haven't had their chance to shine on screen. Matt Reeves is trying to showcase just how brilliant a character The Riddler is with his new film and that should be DC's core focus.
The Joker has been put to screen so many times, why not bring other dark knight foes to the film universe instead? Projects like the Mr. Freeze spin-off movie could actually end up being more compelling because it is at least something completely fresh.
Could Attempt It: Interesting Dynamics
The dynamics of all these different Jokers would certainly be quite compelling to explore, if they were put on screen together. While Leto's iteration is a little crazy and over the top, Phoenix's is almost more subtle in some of his performance.
One feels like a genuine criminal boss while the other seems more like a patient in Arkham Asylum. Depending on the other Jokers brought in as well, there could certainly be some unique situations put on screen for the first time.
Seems Unlikely: Story Isn't Finished
The comic book story is still ongoing at the minute and it's unclear whether fans will eventually deem it a success or not. It seems very unlikely that DC and Warner Bros. would therefore move forward on developing a project that might actually end up being disastrous.
What's more, it's difficult to adapt a story that doesn't necessarily have its ending completed. The Three Jokers arc could play out for years past the initial comic run, so it's perhaps too complex to bring to the screen in some way.
Could Attempt It: Fans Would Love It
Fans would be absolutely thrilled by the prospects of multiple versions of the harlequin of hate being brought together in the same film. There's also room for some unlikely cameos that could make the movie even more legendary.
Jack Nicholson's take on the character, for instance, is simply iconic. While it's hard to imagine he would be a large part of any future movie, it would be fun to have some kind of cameo of an older Joker who's still not given up his criminal ways.
Seems Unlikely: Needs An Established Batman
While multiple Jokers that are already established sounds like a lot of fun, for it to work there needs to be an established and definitive Batman for them to go up against. That's a very difficult thing to choose, though.
There have been so many versions of the character on screen over the years that it's hard to know which would be best for this story. Christian Bale is one of the most well known but has stepped down, Ben Affleck is the current one but seemingly won't be around for much longer, so perhaps it falls to Robert Pattison who is yet to be seen as the caped crusader.
Could Attempt It: Bringing New Versions To Big Screen
There are a few Jokers that have not been seen on the big screen that could be brought in as part of this story. An obvious one would be Mark Hamill's appearance as a live-action Joker in a film for the first time, which fans would love.
Cameron Monaghan's version would also really pop on the big screen and there's likely a lot of other versions of the character who could be showing up on the TV soon; the Arrowverse is still yet to cast a Joker despite now having a Bruce Wayne.