From the offset, Zack Snyder’s Justice League (also known as the Snyder Cut) has done things a little differently. Given $50m and free-reign to make the DCEU team-up film that he always wanted, Snyder has revamped and retooled nearly every part of his original 2017 film. From Superman (Henry Cavill) finally getting his iconic black suit to Cyborg (Ray Fisher) actually being given a side-plot of his very own, every character in the film looks to be getting something special in this upcoming mini-series… and the Joker is no different.
Not originally in the 2017 film, Jared Leto’s Joker has not only been confirmed to appear in the Snyder Cut, but he’s been given a fresh new look as well. When Leto’s version of the character first premiered in 2016’s Suicide Squad, fan response was decidedly negative. Taking the Joker in a far more metropolitan and ‘gangster’ direction than he’d ever been before, Leto’s outfit included slicked-back, bright green hair, a purple nylon trench-coat, fake teeth and shoddy jewelry so that he looked like a SoundCloud rapper, and even (bizarrely) the word ‘DAMAGED’ tattooed across his forehead. Needless to say, fans didn’t like this fresh take on the character, with many negatively comparing it to Heath Ledger’s comic-accurate depiction of the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight.
So, when Snyder first tweeted a brief, albeit blurry, picture of Leto in what seemed to be a new get-up, audiences were intrigued. Their hopes were confirmed when Snyder later released a more detailed photo of Leto’s new look: long, loose hair, what looked to be a stained straight jacket, and make-up smeared across his face. This not only looked better than Suicide Squad’s Joker, but perhaps even better than Ledger’s Joker – a twisted mad-man haunted and worn-down by his own insanity. This look was once again confirmed in the first trailer for the Snyder Cut, released on February 14.
However, this new trailer did more than just show Leto’s new look in action, it actually contextualized and explained it. After all, if the Snyder Cut is supposedly in the same universe as Suicide Squad, why would the Joker have changed his look? What would have prompted such a drastic transformation in his appearance? The answer, seeming, is nothing – he hasn’t changed his look at all: it’s just part of a ‘Knightmare sequence’.
One of the most beguiling parts of Justice League’s predecessor, 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was the so-called ‘Knightmare sequence’. A prophetic dream of Batman’s (Ben Affleck), the sequence showed the Dark Knight fighting off against a series of aliens and Nazi-like soldiers who carried Superman’s insignia, as well as observing Darkseid’s famous symbol. The dream served to not only set up Justice League (the aliens Batman fought as well as Darkseid’s sign both appear in this later film), but also support Batman’s resolve to fight Superman: he had to stop the Kryptonian, as otherwise, this dream would happen. Visually, this sequence was distinct from the rest of the film, given its sepia tone and Batman wearing a weird hybrid of his usual costume and a leather duster with dust goggles.
So, in the February trailer for the Snyder Cut, fans were quick to notice that the Joker seemed to be part of a follow-up to the ‘Knightmare Sequence’: the section his appearance is in has a sepia tone, and Batman is once again wearing his hybrid costume. Therefore, given these clues, many have worked out that Joker’s appearance is part of an extension of the ‘Knightmare sequence’; it’s not really happening.
This would explain a lot. For one thing, it contextualizes why the Joker’s appearance could’ve changed – the sequence is supposedly set in the semi-distant future (a not-too-far-off dystopia), giving the character time to grow out his hair and ditch the kitschy nylon. Equally, this also explains why the character’s outfit would change: it’s the end of the world. In a planet ravaged by alien invaders, Nazi-like soldiers, and all-powerful dictators, Leto’s old get-up wouldn’t make sense, as it’s suited to urban crime. This new look, on the other hand, fits the dystopian ‘Knightmare sequence’ perfectly; who isn’t crazy at the end of the world?
Needless to say, there are plenty that fans still don’t know: how will this follow-up work? Will the Joker appear in any other parts of the film? If he does, will he still be wearing this new outfit, or will he revert to the version he wore in 2016’s Suicide Squad? How did he get the ‘DAMAGED’ tattoo removed from his head (was it a laser removal?)? Either way, viewers can at least know that a ‘Knightmare sequence’ is involved in some capacity, and it won’t be long until they get all the answers; the series is released on the 18th March, so less than a month to go!