The Clown Prince of Crime will have some serious ink in next year's 'Suicide Squad' film.
Director David Ayer tweeted the first official image of Jared Leto's version of the Joker on Friday, revealing a green-haired, white-skinned, tattooed take on the classic Batman villain.
Leto is shown shirtless in the photo, wearing a single purple glove and holding his head with both hands. His body is covered in tattoos, including a toothy Joker grin on one forearm, a skull jester on one side of his chest, playing cards across his shoulder and the letters "HAHAHAHA" written across the other side of his chest and up his forearm. His eyes are wide and his black-rimmed mouth is open, revealing a grotesque set of silver false teeth. The word "Damaged" is written in fancy letters across his forehead, and the letter "J" appears under one eye.
The Suicide Squad wishes you a Happy Anniversary Mr. J! #Joker75 #SuicideSquad @WarnerBrosEnt @DCComics pic.twitter.com/LZXz0x947Q
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) April 25, 2015
The Joker's inked-up look is a surprising twist, but the green hair and bleached skin are very much in keeping with comic book depictions of the character. Leto's pose is also clearly invoking the work of artist Brian Bolland, who illustrated the classic Joker story "The Killing Joke."
First Official Image Of Jared Leto As 'The Joker' In SUICIDE SQUAD pays homage to The Killing Joke pic.twitter.com/dsgYosuXNk
— Drunk Superman™ (@DrunkSuperman_) April 25, 2015
Leto's appearance is also a striking departure from Heath Ledger's greasepaint-and-scars look in "The Dark Knight."
Evolution of the Joker. #Joker75 pic.twitter.com/wQKHIXP3mW
— Beau Bradley (@cfb324) April 25, 2015
Leto and Ayer have been teasing the Joker's new look for months on social media. The teases started with Leto sharing an Instagram photo of a barber shearing off his long hair and beard in preparation for the role last March. A few days later, Leto was spotted with bleach-blonde hair at Paris Fashion Week. The bleach job was a necessary step to dying his hair green for the film.
Then, on April 9, Ayer tweeted an image of Leto holding a camera in homage to a scene from "The Killing Joke."
#WhereIsJared #SuicideSquad pic.twitter.com/D5tMnMGBop
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) April 10, 2015
Twitter response to the new-look Joker was mixed. Some were thrilled with the obvious "Killing Joke" inspiration, while others mocked the abundance of tattoos on Leto's body.
Joker looks like if Hot Topic were a person
— VoidBurger (@VoidBurger) April 25, 2015
Internet got jokes today on this Joker reveal pic.twitter.com/qZqBcxAThD
— Main Event TV (@MainEventTV_AKA) April 25, 2015
I don't get why everyone is mad about the new Joker he looks awesome: pic.twitter.com/brVhfEGzoK
— OHB (@ohholybutt) April 25, 2015
Look... I don't like the new Joker either. But I'm 34; I don't matter anymore. Accept it. Embrace it. Have a drink. Relax.
— Southworth (@southworth) April 25, 2015
the new #joker looks weird pic.twitter.com/Tkic6HnwIy
— Spencer Rothbell (@srothbell) April 25, 2015
"Joker why are you doing this" Joker slowly pushes back his bangs "Oh"
— Noelle Stevenson (@Gingerhazing) April 25, 2015
Based on the Leto Joker pic, I'm hoping Afleck Batman has "Justice" and "Punching" tattooed on his pecs.
— Sebastian Girner (@SGirner) April 25, 2015
"Suicide Squad" started filming in Toronto earlier this month for a planned August 5, 2016 theatrical release. The film brings together several DC Comics villains as a team of indentured agents working for the U.S. government. The cast includes Will Smith as the marksman Deadshot, Margot Robbie as the Joker's obsessed girlfriend, Harley Quinn, and Viola Davis as government agent Amanda Waller.