With several years having passed since the disastrous 2017 release of Justice League , original director Zack Snyder is preparing to bring his vision of the DC superhuman team to life this month on HBO Max.
Zack Snyder's Justice League has more than doubled the length of the film into a four-hour epic with a multi-chapter saga of new footage . A notable addition to the film is the new Knightmare vision sequence for Ben Affleck's Batman that was recently filmed during the director's reshoots.
The sequence was created to foreshadow Snyder's scrapped plans for a Justice League sequel and will feature appearances from several major DC heroes and villains, including the return of Jared Leto's controversial Suicide Squad Joker .
JARED LETO'S JOKER RETURNS
A limited-time exhibit in Downtown Dallas called “The Dreamscapes of Zack Snyder's Justice League ” featuring many costumes and props from the upcoming film has recently opened its doors. The exhibit notably includes items from the new Knightmare sequences that were recently filmed for Snyder's upcoming re-cut of the 2017 film.
Images shared on Twitter taken in the Dallas event showcase a new look at Jared Leto's “religious-inspired” Joker costume he will don in the movie for his long-awaited return to the role. The new attire also features the character armed with weapons previously carried by Joker and Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad .
Holy shit Joker's Knightmare outfit! I was right about him using his gun from Suicide Squad. He also has Harley's gun!#ZackSnydersJusticeLeague https://t.co/bm2JpT08XO pic.twitter.com/KFTb3GzJCr
Joker's costume is shown to feature a holster carrying the same Royal purple decorated gun he used during his brief role as an antagonist of the 2017 Suicide Squad movie.
The well-decorate prop has previously been shown through concept art from Leto's original appearance in the role. Zack Snyder's take on this version of the Joker appears to be drastically different from how David Ayer previously explored the character, so the use of a classic weapon provides a nice callback to his roots.
Additionally, the Joker can be seen with Harley Quinn's gun holstered that she carried in the same film before turning into a DCEU hit favorite.
Harley Quinn's revolver was shown to be a key part of her arsenal in Suicide Squad , with the gun's cylinder marked with the words “love” and “hate” on each side. The Joker's accomplice was first introduced to the DCEU after Zack Snyder's tragic departure from the world, meaning he has never had the chance to work with or mention the character since she became a household name.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE JOKER?
Snyder's choice to include Leto's Joker in the Justice League reshoots four years after the film originally wrapped production suggests the character may have played a major role in the planned sequels . The exact meaning of the “Jesus-inspired” outfit for the Joker is likely to be one of the more cryptic elements of the superhero epic that fans will be discussing for some time to come.
The relationship between Ben Affleck's DCEU Batman and the Joker has yet to be properly explored on-screen, and while fans will unlikely ever see a full film of the conflict, the new scenes will offer a taste of it.
It's clear this version of the Joker has been around for some time now and is believed to have killed a previous version of Robin in the DCEU. Scenes shared between the two could be used to shed further light on this and offer hardcore fans the answers they've been waiting for .
Additionally, it's exciting to see a reference included to Harley Quinn, who has grown into one of the standout stars of the DCEU thanks to Margot Robbie's well-received portrayal. It's unlikely the character will make an appearance in the film, unless in the form of a surprise cameo. However, she may briefly see some subtle mentions and Easter eggs.
Zack Snyder's Justice League will release exclusively on HBO Max in the U.S. on March 18, 2021.
