Suicide Squad News: Jared Leto Considered for Joker?

[Silver Nemesis]

Leto discusses his predecessors in an interview with Rolling Stone:

"Heath did an impeccable, perfect performance as the Joker," says Leto. "It's one of the best performances ever in cinema. I had met Heath before. I didn't know him well, but he was a beautiful person."

Leto had his moments of doubt about taking up Ledger's mantle, but was buoyed by the fact that the character had already existed in multiple incarnations before him, from the original comic books to Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson to Mark Hamill's cartoon voice-overs. "I think had it only been portrayed by Heath and it was never a comic book, maybe I would have felt that would be inappropriate," Leto says. "But I thought that given the history, it was OK. The good thing about other people having done this is that you know what direction not to head in."

Meanwhile David Ayer has dispelled one of the more unsavoury stories surrounding Leto's method approach:

"Look, they weren't used condoms," says Ayer. "Let's be real here. They're removed from their packages, but it wasn't actually used. And, of course, I was mortified. Like, 'Jared, put that stuff away — get that out of here, what are you doing?' "

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/features/jared-leto-the-unlikely-triumphs-of-a-rock-star-movie-star-w430833

[Silver Nemesis]

Leto doesn't sound too happy about the final cut:

We also asked Leto if he was upset about any of his scenes getting cut – as previously reported – to which he responded.

"Were there any that didn't get cut? I'm asking you, were there any that didn't get 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.

"If I die anytime soon, it's probably likely that it'll surface somewhere. That's the good news about the death of an actor is all that stuff seems to come out."

As IGN left the room we told Leto we hope he doesn't die anytime soon, to which he rather darkly responded "We all die."

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/08/05/jared-leto-unsure-about-jokers-journey-in-suicide-squad

[The Joker]

There's alot of stuff that was glaringly missing from Leto's Joker. Especially if you've been following the production, or even just paying attention to the promotion!




Ultimate Cut? Maybe so!

However, the fan service was quite evident. Anyone who has seen the film knows what I'm referring to.

[The Laughing Fish]

There's alot of stuff that was glaringly missing from Leto's Joker. Especially if you've been following the production, or even just paying attention to the promotion!

sh*t, they didn't even include Joker smacking Harley in the final cut?

This must've been an executive decision following the criticism that MOS and BvS recently over their darker tone. But my question is, why is this backlash happening? Lots of Batman (and even Superman) movies in the past managed to get away with provocative material without this level of scrutiny.

[The Joker]

sh*t, they didn't even include Joker smacking Harley in the final cut?

This must've been an executive decision following the criticism that MOS and BvS recently over their darker tone.

No doubt!

But my question is, why is this backlash happening? Lots of Batman (and even Superman) movies in the past managed to get away with provocative material without this level of scrutiny.

That's true. My guess, is that the current climate doesn't exactly lend itself for WB to go the provocative route anymore, since it's quite evident that it does them absolutely no favors with the current movie going crowd. Sure, it's open season on anything DC, but given the 1st teaser trailer was quite dark in tone, it's ok to assume Ayer was indeed going for a more provocative route. However, any hopes WB had with BvS getting a more welcomed reception than MOS was quickly dashed, and being aware of the success of Guardians, and later, Deadpool, those films more or less became the influence/tone WB wanted for Suicide Squad in order to appeal those crowds. As it stands, it's easily the most Marvel-like DCEU movie yet. Guardians with the music and b list characters most people are not familiar with. Deadpool with the visuals. Oh yeah, and there's alot more humor too.

Unfortunately, like the theatrical cut of BVS, the pacing and edits did the movie absolutely no favors, and like I said, with what was missing from the trailers and such was very glaring to me. As it wasn't just one thing, but several instances. On the positive side, I was entertained, never bored, and didn't find any of the casting absolutely underwhelming or cringeworthy as I did with BvS.

If anything, I felt the casting was strong in this, and saved it.

[The Laughing Fish]

That's true. My guess, is that the current climate doesn't exactly lend itself for WB to go the provocative route anymore, since it's quite evident that it does them absolutely no favors with the current movie going crowd.

Then the current movie going crowd are being foolish. If people are suddenly going to write off a movie for being too dark, then they should hold that criteria for everything else. As I said elsewhere, it makes me laugh that people deride BvS as "joyless, bleak and miserable" when the same thing can be applied to TDK, even more so. But I see some people praising TDK as "uplifting" despite how the ending paves the way for disastrous chain of events in TDKR, yet BvS gets ignored for its character arcs in redemption and sacrifice. It's an absolute joke.

But putting that little tantrum aside, this is the trend going on and the movie studios have to deal with it. Still, WB can't afford to meddle with the film if it's going to affect the quality. I've seen many people who were scathing of the theatrical cut of BvS come around and say they really liked the Ultimate Edition, which was the original version that Snyder made. Either put the movie out to the public how it was intended to be made, or don't make it at all.

[The Joker]

Then the current movie going crowd are being foolish. If people are suddenly going to write off a movie for being too dark, then they should hold that criteria for everything else. As I said elsewhere, it makes me laugh that people deride BvS as "joyless, bleak and miserable" when the same thing can be applied to TDK, even more so. But I see some people praising TDK as "uplifting" despite how the ending paves the way for disastrous chain of events in TDKR, yet BvS gets ignored for its character arcs in redemption and sacrifice. It's an absolute joke.

Never let it be said people don't enjoy or gravitate towards a pile on.

But putting that little tantrum aside, this is the trend going on and the movie studios have to deal with it. Still, WB can't afford to meddle with the film if it's going to affect the quality. I've seen many people who were scathing of the theatrical cut of BvS come around and say they really liked the Ultimate Edition, which was the original version that Snyder made. Either put the movie out to the public how it was intended to be made, or don't make it at all.

That would be the ideal scenario, but like anything else, if you continually get overwhelmingly bashed for your vision or approach (see MOS and BvS), it's eventually going to have an affect going forward. Especially when there's millions of dollars on the line. I'll give WB some leeway in that regard, but do agree some decisions they make, like the theatrical cut of BvS, was nonsensical. With the DCEU, I don't really have a big issue with the director's and actor's involved, well most of them anyways, but attempting to put out a focused product on WB's perception of being on shaky ground is completely ineffective. Though the online critics, and their influence, certainly have to be factored in as well. If you have enough of them, modern day masterpieces like Iron Man 2+3, Ultron, and Thor 2 are praised like new born babies, but when it comes to Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, those films are all garbage? Yeah right.

[The Laughing Fish]

Though the online critics, and their influence, certainly have to be factored in as well. If you have enough of them, modern day masterpieces like Iron Man 2+3, Ultron, and Thor 2 are praised like new born babies, but when it comes to Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, those films are all garbage? Yeah right.

You'll definitely hate Devin Faraci from Birth.Death.Movies then. He is a perfect example of those online critics you're talking about, who praises everything that Marvel has done and trashes MOS and BvS (although I heard he gave SS a surprisingly positive review). To be fair, he had been very critical of the Nolan trilogy as well, but he never dared to give any of those films an outright negative review like he did to the first two DCEU films. On top of that, he praised the failed Fantastic Four reboot last year.

As much as I love the MCU, I think the series hit its peak in Phase 1. The only real standout in Phase 2 for me is The Winter Soldier. I liked Iron Man 3 but I will admit that I felt misled by the serious tone of the trailers, whereas I disliked Iron Man 2 completely. Thor 2 was enjoyable, but doesn't touch the first one for me. I enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy more than I expected, but I don't think it's one of the MCU's best by any means, and I thought Age of Ultron was a disappointment. Even Ant Man was better than that movie. Civil War was somewhat a mixed bag for me. I did like it, and I'll admit that I enjoyed it even more than BvS, but I didn't like the ending, and I thought Spider-Man had no reason being there. It was still a better Avengers film than AOU, but I thought it came third best out of all the Captain America solo movies.

I remember four or five years ago, the Marvel films weren't exactly being taken seriously as the golden standard for adapting comics on films, even after The First Avenger and The Avengers. In fact, many derided Marvel for being "kiddie friendly" and called them "fast food cinema" in comparison to the "cerebral" treatment of TDKT (which I think calling it "cerebral" to be an insult to the meaning of the word). But now they're conveniently trashing the "dark, mature tone" of MOS and BvS while championing the Marvel approach, both in tone and formula? Others say DC should've copied the same formula by having solo movies first and then the team-up, but if they did people would complain they're being copycats and have no vision. You can't win.

I'll repeat: if people are only dismissing MOS and BvS because of their darker, serious tone then they should apply the same thing to TDKT or anything else. If they're dismissing the first two DCEU films in favour of TDKT because of the writing...well, I could explain why the writing quality in TDKT is highly debatable, to put it nicely. But I've already exhausted myself by explaining why I didn't like those movies on this forum, so it's redundant by this point.

Of course, if there are people who just didn't like the films without any bias then that's a different story and totally understandable.

[phantom stranger]

An extended version with all the cut Joker scenes would certainly be a huge moneymaker. But it would also lead to a bajillion articles about how WB just doesn't "get it" and relies on the blu-rays to fix their mistakes.

So I doubt it's going to happen, especially with Ayer stating that the theatrical version is his final cut.

[The Joker]

You'll definitely hate Devin Faraci from Birth.Death.Movies then. He is a perfect example of those online critics you're talking about, who praises everything that Marvel has done and trashes MOS and BvS (although I heard he gave SS a surprisingly positive review). To be fair, he had been very critical of the Nolan trilogy as well, but he never dared to give any of those films an outright negative review like he did to the first two DCEU films. On top of that, he praised the failed Fantastic Four reboot last year.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't like that guy.

As much as I love the MCU, I think the series hit its peak in Phase 1. The only real standout in Phase 2 for me is The Winter Soldier. I liked Iron Man 3 but I will admit that I felt misled by the serious tone of the trailers, whereas I disliked Iron Man 2 completely. Thor 2 was enjoyable, but doesn't touch the first one for me. I enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy more than I expected, but I don't think it's one of the MCU's best by any means, and I thought Age of Ultron was a disappointment. Even Ant Man was better than that movie. Civil War was somewhat a mixed bag for me. I did like it, and I'll admit that I enjoyed it even more than BvS, but I didn't like the ending, and I thought Spider-Man had no reason being there. It was still a better Avengers film than AOU, but I thought it came third best out of all the Captain America solo movies.

I remember four or five years ago, the Marvel films weren't exactly being taken seriously as the golden standard for adapting comics on films, even after The First Avenger and The Avengers. In fact, many derided Marvel for being "kiddie friendly" and called them "fast food cinema" in comparison to the "cerebral" treatment of TDKT (which I think calling it "cerebral" to be an insult to the meaning of the word). But now they're conveniently trashing the "dark, mature tone" of MOS and BvS while championing the Marvel approach, both in tone and formula? Others say DC should've copied the same formula by having solo movies first and then the team-up, but if they did people would complain they're being copycats and have no vision. You can't win.

You really can't, and people wanting to add to a pile on should never be underestimated. But you're exactly right. What was praised overzealously during the Nolan years, seems to be the bane (no pun intended) of WB's DCEU currently. If it's not bright, colorful, fun, and comedic, all of which I really wouldn't attribute to the Nolan Batman films, it's garbage. All while said Trilogy remains a darling of the internet community. Interesting. To say the least.

I'll repeat: if people are only dismissing MOS and BvS because of their darker, serious tone then they should apply the same thing to TDKT or anything else. If they're dismissing the first two DCEU films in favour of TDKT because of the writing...well, I could explain why the writing quality in TDKT is highly debatable, to put it nicely. But I've already exhausted myself by explaining why I didn't like those movies on this forum, so it's redundant by this point.

Of course, if there are people who just didn't like the films without any bias then that's a different story and totally understandable.

Yeah, that's a factor as well, and one that is essentially impossible to calculate. While I personally do believe there are people that are easily influenced and swayed by critics and the popular consensus towards whatever movie, there are indeed those who could care less about those opinions, and just don't like, or actually like a film based entirely on it's own merits even if it doesn't fall in line with the favored viewpoint.