As Warner Bros. and DC move forward with their future films, The Joker factors heavily into their plans, and plans -- its safe to say -- are changing every day. We do our best to keep track of the movement of each DC project, from directorial changes (hello Matt Reeves) to the departure of possible villains (so long, Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke). But Jared Leto the current Joker, is always keeping us on our toes with his running commentary on his Clown Prince and the DCEU, overall. Even today's comments, about how his words are perceived, are maddeningly vague. (Head over here to check them out.) And it got us thinking about all of the weird shit Leto has said about his Joker, David Ayer's Suicide Squad, his co-stars, and the DCEU as a whole. Like this gem, about how disturbing it was to PLAY the Joker on screen:
I took a pretty deep dive. But this was a unique opportunity and I couldn't imagine doing it another way. It was fun, playing those psychological games. But at the same time it was very painful, like giving birth out of my prick hole.
Man, Jared, you were doing great. The first part of that quote, while vanilla, is right on target. Then, you took a hard left into some uncomfortable territory. The words "Prick Hole" shouldn't be used in too many sentences, and rarely do I want to hear them when I'm thinking about superhero movies. But Jared Leto loved stirring the pot by disturbing media members who asked him about The Joker and his role in the DCEU. He even happily threw his own movie under the bus, telling IGN how bothered he was by the number of scenes that were cut:
There were so many scenes that got cut from the movie, I couldn't even start. I think that the Joker... we did a lot of experimentation on the set, we explored a lot. There's so much that we shot that's not in the film.
Jared Leto kind of knew that his experimental portrayal of the classic DC villain would be met with a mixed reception, telling 30 Seconds to Mars fans:
They're going to lock me away in a box after this movie comes out.
And then there were his co-stars, who claim that they never actually "met" Jared Leto on the set of Suicide Squad, because the dude plunged himself to deeply into the role of Mr. J. Will Smith recounted, during a radio interview:
I've never actually met Jared Leto. We worked together for six months and we've never exchanged a word outside of 'Action!' and 'Cut!' I literally have not met him yet. So, the first time I see him will be 'Hey, Jared. What's up?' He was all in on the Joker.
Maybe Will Smith was hesitant to embrace Jared Leto as a colleague because the latter was sending him gifts like anal beads, used condoms, dead pigs, and rats. That would freak me out.
But then, the movie came out. And some fans were disappointed. And Jared Leto himself might have been disappointed, as one fan who attended a 30 Seconds to Mars rock-star camp posted on Tumblr that Leto, in a moment of honesty, opened up to the attendees and said he felt "tricked" by the process of playing The Joker, thinking he was signing up for something different. Was his time in the purple suit short-lived?
Apparently not. The news this week is that there is going to be a Joker and Harley Quinn movie that's due to be led by co-directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love), as well as a role for Leto's Joker in David Ayer's Gotham City Sirens. DC loves announcing movies that might not ever happen, but it sounds like Leto is part of the studio's long-term plans. Which can only mean a steady stream of amazing soundbites from the controversial Method actor (and Oscar winner) who's never afraid to speak his mind.
