Swapping a Marvel role for a DC one and vice versa is nothing new in the age of superhero films. Plenty of stars have played multiple characters across both cinematic universes. It’s (seemingly) been a while since Andrew Garfield donned a Spider-Man costume. After being unceremoniously let go, one might believe Garfield would never want to put on another spandex outfit. But that might not be the case as a notorious DC villain came up on his radar. The Tick, Tick… Boom! star shared whether he’d be interested in playing The Joker.
Going from Spider-Man to The Joker might be jarring for those who loved Garfield as the Queens web-slinger. Some fans were looking forward to his rumored cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Given the commitment he gives to his roles, Andrew Garfield could pull off The Joker. He would join a lineage of amazing actors who portrayed Gotham’s Crown Prince of Crime. After stumbling upon a tweet during GQ’s Actually Me, The Eyes of Tammy Faye star gave his thoughts on playing the notorious DC villain.
No, no way. I wouldn’t go near it. Sweet of you to think that it’s possible. I don’t think I could ever do it because of what Heath [Ledger] did, what Jack Nicholson did. And, but then, of course, Joaquin [Phoenix] did his own genius thing.
Andrew Garfield’s perspective on playing The Joker make a ton of sense. He would have some big shoes to feel. While Jack Nicholson’s portrayal was more than three decades, Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix’s takes were more recent and still beloved by audiences. Even Jared Leto got a chance to play the DC supervillain. So, the market is already saturated with multiple Joker interpretations. Garfield would likely be unfairly compared to those three stars with Ledger and Phoenix receiving Oscars for their performances. There would be a lot of pressure for him to turn in a film performance on their level. And that would be stressful for the actor.
Facing tremendous pressure from a superhero role is nothing new to Andrew Garfield. The Amazing Spider-Man star has spoken on the difficulties of playing Peter Parker. Of course, that hasn’t stopped moviegoers from asking him to return to the Spider-verse. With Spider-Man: No Way Home’s release weeks away, fans are waiting anxiously to see if he pops up in the film. But, even if he doesn’t appear in the film, fans could live out their Spider-Man fantasies courtesy of Garfield and Tom Holland’s GQ adorable meetup.
Andrew Garfield might be past playing superheroes or villains at this point in his career. Over the years, Garfield has turned to smaller and intimate films like The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Tick, Tick… Boom! But things could change if the right DCEU or MCU role comes along. If you need your Garfield fix, you can check out Tick, Tick… Boom! currently streaming on Netflix.
