The Joker is one of the most complex characters in all of comic book lore; he has been depicted as - but is not limited to - a mindless psychopath, a jealous rival, a schizophrenic, and a criminal mastermind. Jared Leto, on the other hand, sees him as something else:
The opportunity to take on this nearly Shakespearean character - thats what graphic novels and comic books are becoming, right? this beautiful disaster of a character - what a big challenge.
Yes, Leto - when discussing his casting in the iconic role - described the Joker as "Shakespearean," which isn't the usual or common descriptive term you tend to hear when talking about Batman's arch nemesis ("absolutely mental" is arguably the most cited). What Leto likely means when he compares the Joker to a Shakespearean character, then, is the villain has a complicated, conflicted personality made up of torn, clashing traits that will ultimately lead him to a sticky end, much in the same way as the majority of Shakespeare's most iconic characters (Othello and MacBeth, to name but two tragic chaps). Given that Leto has approached his character using the greatest writer of all-time as a jumping off point, we can probably expect some pretty amazing results, though. What do you make of Jared Leto's Joker so far? Does he have what it takes to beat out Heath Ledger's iconic version? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
