He looks like Edward Cullen. Those were my first thoughts when I saw Jared Leto dressed as the joker for the first time in a Twitter post over the weekend. I don’t mean he looks exactly like the sparkling vampire, who took the world by storm in 2009, but it looks like the director is trying to change up The Jokers image a bit to make him look more appealing to young female fans.
The new joker, played by Jared Leto, has more of a young and troubled look. From the many tattoos that are sprawled across his pale body, to the devilishly young and crazy look in his eyes during the picture that was posted on Instagram, you can clearly see that this character is going to pander to an audience of young impressionable girls, much like Edward Cullen and Jacob Black did in Twilight Saga.
While many might cringe at the very thought of a comparison between Edward Cullen and The Joker, one has to realize that directors choose to change looks for a reason. The reason for this is to appeal to newer and broader audiences, who may not have been interested in the new movie otherwise.
I’m not saying this as a good thing, nor am I suggesting to take a shot at Jared Leto’s portrayal of The Joker. I only say this, because in my opinion, the character looks like it was created to bring in a younger audience into the series of Suicide Squad.
Think about this. Remember when Charlie Sheen was fired from two and half men for his comments towards his boss during a radio interview? Remember how fans many thought the series would fall flat after the departure of their biggest star? Yes, it did destroy the show and most of the existing fans stopped watching the show. However, by casting a younger actor, Aston Kutcher, it did help to broaden the fan base by bringing in a younger crowd.
In other words, change is not necessarily a bad thing. Especially not pandering change like Jared Leto’s Joker seems to be. Those who may be uncomfortable or even dissatisfied by The Joker’s new look, need to realize that interpretations change and that characters evolve to reach broader and more calculated audience. Doing this will also help propel Suicide Squad into the main stream. With the new Suicide Squad movie coming out in August of 2016, change is surely going to happen whether fans like it or not.
Sure, the new joker might have a few things that could change as development for the film continues; his gold teeth and super pale skin being just two of them. The director might also want to consider putting The Joker in his original bright creepy clothing, instead of what I can only imagine is a leather pants rocker getup.
Here’s Jack Nicholson’s reaction to Jared Leto’s portrayal of The Joker:
What do you think of Jared Leto’s portrayal of The Joker? Will this make you want you want to see the movie in 2006. Or is the new joker too much to bear for fans of the original comic books? Do you think he looks like Edward Cullen from Twilight? Let us know in the comments below!
I truly agree with Brian’s sentiments that the new “Joker” played by Leto, will leave an impression on the young children who will watch the movie when it’s released in 2016. I believe this character alone will influence how the movie will be received since people will be keen to compare how this actor performs over Edward Cullen. It also remains to be seen whether the movie will be a hit like other Batman series such as the Dark Knight Arises among other notable Hollywood block busters.