Jared Leto covers the new issue of Empire as the Joker to promote Suicide Squad, and as usual, DC Comics and Warner Brothers agreed to lay it on too thick. Do we really need the “psycho killer” label spelled out for us? Especially when it comes to readers of Empire, who are well-versed in comic-book lore. DC must assume their fans have never heard of the Joker because he has “damaged” literally tattooed on him too. Regardless of the lameness of the Joker’s promotion, I am looking forward to watching Leto in this movie. Margot Robbie even moreso, but Jared went deeper than his usual method-level deep for this role.
With his rat-gifting antics and the fact that Will Smith never met Leto himself (only the Joker), Leto himself is the best promotion this movie can hope for. Fans don’t need labels on magazine covers or in tattoo form, they want to know how Leto lost his mind like the Joker. Some interview snippets (courtesy of ComicBookMovie.com) provide that precise indication:
How Leto answers the phone “I was just thinking that the Joker would probably just say, ‘F*** you,’ and hang up.”
He’s SO method: “There was definitely a period of … detachment. 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.”
He tried to put a 1920s spin on the Joker: “I always get the sense that The Joker may be much older than people think. It’s something different. If you don’t break rules, you’re not going to strike new ground. I think I’ll be cooling down for the rest of my life.”
[From Comic Book Movie]
So … Leto thinks he gave birth out of his pee hole, basically. That’s a grand analogy, but one can only go so method. Leto has no idea what it feels like to give birth, and it gives me pleasure to know he’s probably upset about that omission. Leto’s intensity is marred by the fact that he can’t do everything, so he has to give birth from his wang. Nice. Although he is probably correct — he’ll never be able to find a role as intense as this one. Leto will be chasing the Joker dragon for the rest of his career.
Photos courtesy of Empire, Warner Bros & WENN
I’m not convinced about Leto’s Joker…although, I give him props…any actor to take on this role after Heath Ledger, has to know all the fans are going to be comparing him to Heath…and that a lot of people will never see anyone but Heath as the Joker…Leto’s Joker looks more like the Riddler to me!
Many people felt the same way about Ledger’s joker. How and why would they follow Jack Nicholson. Heath based his on The Long Halloween, I’m curious to see where Leto takes his version. Especially since this is the first time Harley Quinn has ever shown up in any movie.
I love Jack Nicholson but Ledger’s version of the Joker was world’s away from the almost comical version Nicholson portrayed. Ledger was absolutely astonishing and remains the reason I enjoy watching The Dark Knight. He was so gifted and sadly we’ll never know what other great performances he would have achieved. I doubt Leto will even come close.
I think it will all depend on how Leto’s Joker fits into the context and tone of the film that this Joker appears in. This is not going to be a Nolan Batman film, and from series to series, the Joker is different, even in comic canon.
So, I’m not yet ready to say this new incarnation of the Joker will be an automatic failure simply because no one can top Ledger’s Joker. No one could top Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight films. No one could ever have done that better. He astonished everyone with that performance, no question. But…in this new film, with a different script, a different atmosphere, and a different story to tell entirely, I’m ready to give it a chance to be great in a different way.
We’ll have to see (and the promo shots are encouraging because they look like the right palette and tone for the film they’ve put him in) if THIS Joker works as well in THIS film as Ledger’s Joker worked in the Dark Knight.
I’m not getting the hype. He needs to get over himself, it’s a movie role not a lifestyle
Joker Leto lost me at the ‘damaged’ forehead tattoo. Seriously, that is something an angsty emo puberty hormone ridden teen would do, not an evil genius.
And men shouldn’t compare anything to giving birth because that is something they will never know. Giving birth hurts like a bitch.
For me it’s the all too obvious “Ha, ha, has” all over his body. Ha, ha, ha…get it??!! He’s the Joker!
Seriously, until this dude gives birth, he can STHU.
1000+
Preach.
My sister is being Harley Quinn for Halloween (just like millions of other girls this year I’m sure), but I bet she wouldn’t want her boyfriend dressed up as Leto’s Joker. He’s frankly unsettling to look at and just completely gross. That said, I can’t wait to see what he does with the role.
He’s over selling this. The comparisons are inevitable, just accept it. So far Margot Robbie looks like the best thing about this movie.
She’s going to carry that film. I think she’s nailed her character.
When does this movie come out?
Hopefully soon, because Leto is going to give himself a hernia with all of this try-hard.
This comment just made my day. 😀
I mean, I think he will do well as the Joker. He was a good pick for the role. But the tattoo situation is tragic. It almost looks like a satirical version of the joker. It’s just unnecessary. I hope the movie is better than the budget looking costumes they all are wearing.
I hate him.
Ugh, me too.
LOL That’s a strong word and yet … I understand. What a self-absorbed tool. And the “like giving birth out of my prick hole.” will haunt me for the rest of my life. Gross. Goddamn it, actors are exhausting.
Me too. I used to love seeing him at films, because he’s really a gifted actor, but his histrionic ways in his awful band gave him away. From that on, no evidence of his annoying personality surprises me.
I’ll wait and see how he’ll do. Before the movie came out people weren’t feeling Ledger’s joker at all, his casting was deemed a terrible choice and early snippets of his performance weren’t well received. And we all know how that ended.
I have faith in Leto. He’s an incredible actor.
We’ll just have to see in the end..
ah so agree.
this whole movie, the characters, the promotions have been so LAME and try-hard.
“I think I’ll be cooling down for the rest of my life” ugh, that line sounds like he stayed up in his hotel room and thought of ‘deep, method’ things to say in interviews.
He is an incredible actor. He is just exhausting and über annoying, like he bought his own hype. Jared Leto loves Jared Leto as much as Kanye loves Kanye.
I agree.
I was just thinking if JL called me I would probably say “F*ck you” and hang up.
Ha, I love this.
I rather like that he always has such enthusiasm about his roles. You can tell he enjoys his job and doesn’t take it for granted. Unlike so many Kristen Stewarts of the world who suddenly are too cool for school, he throws himself into it and becomes magnetic. He could be quite pedestrian about them but he isn’t.
So, by “giving birth out his prick hole”, he means his mouth, right?
😀
I finally saw Dallas Buyers and he was outstanding in that, along with MM. But this type of movie is below his talent. Yet another over-the-top, intensely deep and dark psychopath villain? Yawn.