Zack Snyder's Justice League: Jared Leto Speaks on 'Laughter' His Joker Brings On Set

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Updated:
Jared Leto as Joker, Justice League

The anticipation surrounding Zack Snyder's Justice League is sky-high considering it is only a matter of months before fans will get to witness the new and improved version of the 2017 superhero team-up film. The road to the eventual premiere of the Snyder Cut wasn't smooth sailing since it took a lot of time and effort from both the director and his legion of fans to get the attention of Warner Media. 

Last May 2020, the clamor from the fandom ultimately led to success, with HBO Max confirming that the Snyder Cut will arrive on the streaming platform this 2021. From that point on, the visionary director didn't waste time in peppering viewers with tidbits of information about the brand new Justice League, releasing trailers and promotional images to hype up the film's debut

As part of Snyder's wide array of teasers, it was also revealed that several DCEU actors will return, including the likes of Amber Heard's Mera, Harry Lennix's Martian Manhunter, and Jared Leto's Joker. The latter's inclusion was a surprising one as few expected Leto's character to be revisited after the backlash he received from 2016's Suicide Squad

Now, Leto shares more details about his return as the famous DC villain in the upcoming 4-hour film. 

NEWS

While speaking with Jake's Takes, Jared Leto opened up about returning to play the Joker during the reshoots for Zack Snyder's Justice League. The Little Things actor first described Snyder as a “warrior” and a “madman” while also sharing the roles that he'd like to explore if given a chance: 

“Well, you know, Zack Snyder is a warrior. He's a madman. I really love him. With every character I play, I didn't know if it's because I work so intently and I intend to dig really deep and put a lot of time and energy into it. When I'm done playing the parts, I do miss them a little bit. And you do all this work anyway, and it'd be nice to go back and explore other...like Niandre Wallace of Blade Runner. I would love to play that part again in a prequel or some...even Albert Sparma I think would be amazing to see in another movie or a prequel.  You do all this work and then you're done.

Leto also admitted that it's always “nice to revisit" roles like the Clown Prince of Crime as they often produce “lots of laughter” on set: 

“It's nice to revisit things. Parts like the Joker, like Sparma, what's really great about those roles is they can be intense and dark but there's also a lot of freedom and abandonment there. That's really fun for me, it's fun for the other actors, and it's fun for the crew. And with both of those roles, there was lots of laughter on the set, and a lot of joy because you would improvise or say something really funny. It's always fun when you hear people cracking up on the other side of the camera and I like that quite a bit.” 

WHAT THIS MEANS

It's no secret that Leto's Joker was a victim of studio meddling that eventually led to a disappointing finish to the actor's short DCEU career. However, Leto will have an unexpected return in Zack Snyder's Justice League, and it looks like a well-deserved redemption is in order for the actor. 

Leto's remarks about Snyder aren't surprising due to the pair closely working together in the past months in order to create a compelling comeback for the character. In addition, the actor's excitement about revisiting the Clown Prince of Crime should mean well for the Snyder Cut since his enjoyment could very well translate on-screen. 

It remains to be seen how Joker will fit in the much-improved narrative of Justice League, but the four-hour run time should give the character a good amount of scenes to establish his presence. 

Thankfully, it's only a matter of time before fans will once again witness the different brand of laughter that Joker will bring on HBO Max via Zack Snyder's Justice League this March. 

- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.