Actor Jared Leto was reportedly alienated and upset about Warner Bros’ decision to greenlight a solo Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix, which was released on October 2 in India.
According to a Hollywood Reporter deep-dive into the making of the standalone Joker movie, “(studio boss Kevin) Tsujihara greenlit Joker, which cost less than $70 million, leaving Jared Leto — who played Joker in Suicide Squad — alienated and upset by the move.”
Leto played the iconic Batman villain in 2016’s Suicide Squad, but his performance was met with fan criticism. It was later reported that much of his work had been left on the cutting room floor after the studio conducted large-scale last-minute reshoots. Leto, an Oscar-winner, had earlier said that he was also confused about the future of his involvement in the DC Extended Universe.
In an interview post the announcement of Phoenix’s Joker film, he’d said, “I’m a little confused, too. But yeah, there are a couple of things happening in the DC world.” He’d added, “I love the Joker. He’s a great character and really fun character to play. But it’s a big universe and when you play the Joker, there’s no ownership there. You have the honour of holding the baton for a little while and then passing it off. There are other films that are in development and I’m excited to see what comes from them.”
Two other movies featuring Leto’s Joker were reportedly in the works, but there has been no update about either of them. Phoenix’s Joker, meanwhile, has been met with divisive reactions, with praise directed at the actor’s performance. A soft-reboot of Suicide Squad is currently filming under the direction of James Gunn, but Leto has so far not been mentioned in any of the cast announcements.
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