suicide squad director David Ayer regrets a decision regarding Jared Leto’s Joker.
2016 suicide squad introduced audiences to an array of DC villains, including a now-beloved version of Harley Quinn by Margot Robbie, as well as a much less well-received portrayal of the Joker by Jared Leto.
The DCEU’s Clown Prince of Crime proved divisive to many due to his minor role, personality, heavily stylized tattooed appearance, and actor’s performance.
But that wasn’t enough to stop Warner Bros. from 2018 to begin development on a solo film starring Leto’s Joker, as well as a second film in which he would have faced Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn.
Suicide Squad Director Reveals Jared Leto’s Joker’s Regrets
In a recent Tweeter, suicide squad Director David Ayer has revealed a regret he had over Jared Leto’s controversial Joker in the 2016 DC blockbuster.
After a fan asked him why he decided to place the infamous “damaged” tattoo on Joker’s forehead, Ayer explained it was for “behind Batman” after losing his teeth to Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight:
“It was Joker trolling Batman after getting his teeth pounded by him.”
The DCEU filmmaker later expressed regret over the tattoo, calling it the “an aesthetic choice [he wishes he] had not done” because of the backlash it garnered:
“It’s the only aesthetic choice I wish I hadn’t made. I took a lot of smoke for that obviously.”
Commenting on the controversial tattoo in 2018, Ayer admitted he does “I like this,” but noted that “Originality and fidelity to the canon are often at odds:”
“I like it. In my mind it was aimed at Batman after he knocked out the Joker’s teeth for killing Jason Todd, some people found it alienating. Originality and faithfulness to canon are often contradictory. Batman and Joker are my two favorite characters.”
Interestingly, this tattoo was no longer present on Leto’s Joker when he made his second and final DCEU appearance during Knightmare’s ending. Zack Snyder’s Justice League. The rest of the Joker tattoos that covered the Clown Prince of Crime’s body were also covered in clothing on the scene.
Ayer also replied to another follower on Twitter who called leto’s joker “biggest disappointment since Crystal Pepsi,” to which the director blamed Warner Bros.’ studio interference that plagued suicide squad:
“That’s what happens when you hack a performance and a character arc to pieces. I’m sorry, that’s all you were allowed to see. Now your mind is closed to the truth.”
Why Jared Leto’s Joker Was Too Hated
The tattoos that covered Jared Leto’s Joker were mostly controversial as they marked a major departure from his comic design. However, they fit pretty well into the DCEU given that Ben Affleck’s Batman was extremely violent, so the “damaged” marker cleverly signifies all the heavy hits he probably received.
Unfortunately, Leto never seems to have had a good chance against the Joker, with his only somewhat major role coming in 2016. suicide squad. But even that was apparently torn to shreds by Warner Bros. as David Ayer said before that Leto was “mistreated” and his real performance was “ripped from the movie:”
“Jared was pretty roughed up during all of this. No one saw his performance. She was taken out of the movie.”
Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally gave Leto a real shot at being the Joker, without studio interference, as he got to play opposite Ben Affleck’s Batman, albeit briefly. This scene ultimately received much higher praise from fans and critics, leaving many wondering where her character might have gone.
But alas, that’s something fans will likely never know, as James Gunn’s redesign of Affleck’s Batman for the DCU points to the arrival of an all-new Joker. Whoever assumes this role is likely to exist alongside The Batmanis Barry Keoghan and Joker‘s Joaquin Phoenix, assuming their stories continue.
suicide squad is now streaming on HBO Max.