May 112017
 

Probably old news to most, but the original INJUSTICE:  GODS AMONG US game has released a new challenges based on the successful SUICIDE SQUAD movie.  The challenges will be slowly released and so far include Dead shot, Harley and of course the Joker.  Joker comes in a suited and shirtless versions. Dialogue and moves are not that different than the original Joker version of the game.

 

 

May 192016
 

SuicideSquadJKRandHQfeaturepic3On May 19, IGN reported that in in an interview, Jared Leto revealed that playing the Joker for Suicide Squad had been the most fun he had in film.  Here is an excerpt of the report by NICOLE CARPENTER:

Suicide Squad actor Jared Leto had a “blast” playing the Joker, despite having to shave his eyebrows off for the second film in a row.

Getting the call to play the Joker was “terrifying and exciting” for Leto. “It was a real honor to get asked to play the part,” he added. “These characters are so special to people and I have a lot of respect to that.”

During an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show, the actor told Degeneres filming Suicide Squad was “the most fun [he’s] ever had on a film.” And it sure sounds like he did; back in April, it was reported Leto sent a bunch of disturbing gifts to his co-stars.

Leto also became “part detective, part writer,” and met with actual killers and psychopaths when preparing for the role.

He’s not the only one who did weird things to get into character. Enchantress actress Cara Delevingne said she got naked in the woods and walked around howling.

Following is Leto’s interview with Ellen Degeneres :


(Original article HERE)

Apr 232016
 

SuicideSquadJKRandHQfeaturepic2COMINGSOON.COM, Silas Lesnick released an interested bit of an interview with Jared Leto and Margot Robbie talking about what it was playing the Joker and Harley Quinn.  Here is an excerpt of that article:

“I don’t think I’m allowed to talk about that so much,” Leto smiles, “But we walked in a completely new direction. I think we knew that we had to do that. It was important to do that. When the Joker has been done and done so well, it gives you a bit of an indication of where you shouldn’t go. There’s a bit of a map there. That’s the good part about it.”

As a fan of the character himself, Leto is thrilled at the chance to offer a brand-new take on a role that has become something much bigger than the sum of its parts. 

“It’s quite an honor,” Leto continues. “Joker has been written about in pop culture for 75 years. I’m just the latest in the long list of people who have redefined and reinvented this character. The actors, the voice actors, the television series, the writers, the artists and the fans. People have taken the Joker and reinvented and redefined for 75 years. It is really special to be asked to do that.”

Starring opposite Leto is Margot Robbie in the first ever big-screen depiction of psychiatrist turned psychopath, Harley Quinn. While the Suicide Squad Joker may be aiming for a brand-new take, Robbie suggests that what we’ll be seeing from her character is classic Harley.

“I did a lot of research on mental illness and codependency,” she says. “I was trying to access a way in to understanding why she’s so in love with the Joker. I kind of decided that she’s codependent on him. Now that I’ve done the research, I realize that that’s more of an addiction than an illness… You see many sides of her. Sometimes she’s really funny. Sometimes she’s really mean. She just enjoys everything she does. Whether she’s doing something good or bad, she’ll have an equal amount of enjoyment out of it. She’s not always the most likable character.”

(For complete article, please visit COMINGSOON.COM HERE)

Apr 162016
 

joker-is-front-center-in-new-suicide-squad-trailer-820751B. Alan Orange met with actor Jared Leto go get an interesting interview about the research he underwent when developing the personality of the Joker for the upcoming film SUICIDE SQUAD.  The article was published in the MOVIEWEB site and you can read it HERE.

Let me bring up some interesting excerpts:

Jared Leto’s acting methods on the set of Suicide Squad have become legend. We know that he stayed in character for most of the shoot. And that he sent his cast mates some very disgusting gifts, which included used condoms, dead animals, and sticky porno magazines. What we haven’t heard about yet is the extensive research he did before climbing into the pale white skin of this madman. And this consisted of meeting with real-life murderers, psychos and psychotherapists.

About crafting a new Joker, director David Ayer had this to say.

“The Joker has a lot of different looks, sort of built from the looks throughout the history of DC Comics but with a new sort of flair and flavor on him so he does feel like a modern-day gangster, because… he’s always been a gangster.”

 …

Until now, Jared Leto hasn’t publicly spoken out too much on his role. He wants to leave an air of mystery lingering around the performance. About making the character new for audiences again, he says this.

“We knew we had to strike new ground. There had been such great work that we knew we had to go in a different direction. So you had a kind of direction from the very beginning, knowing that you can’t go that way, so you have to head this way. That was really helpful. But the Joker is fantastic because there are no rules. The Joker operates from instinct. David and I had conversations and I think he trusted that I was going to go out and experiment and explore and come back with something for him to continue the collaboration with. And it was nice to have that trust from him. He really let me lose and encouraged me. That was a priceless thing when you’re working with a director to have that faith and trust.”

Jared Leto goes onto describe the kinds of research that went into finding who this version of the Joker is. This is no longer a comic book character in the hands of this Oscar winning actor. No, he insists that this is one of the most realistic versions of the villain ever seen in any medium.

“He became a real person. I don’t know if person is the right word. I think the Joker lives in between reality and another plane. Kind of a shaman in a way. It’s a very intoxicating role to take on. You have permission to break rules and to challenge yourself and anyone around you in a really unique way. I first started at the beginning, educating myself, researching, reading as much as I could, going back to the source material. And then at a certain point, I knew I had to stop doing that. Because the Joker has been redefined, reinvented many times before. I think the fun thing about it is when people have done it in the past, there is some spirit of the Joker essence that they keep, but they either build upon something or tear something down and start again at the beginning.

For me, I knew once I had gone through the process of educating myself, I had to throw everything away and start from the beginning and really build this from the ground up. It was a transformative process. There was a physical transformation. There was a physical conditioning. There are a lot of things [I did].

It’s probably better to not get into it but to the Joker, violence is a symphony. This is someone who gets an extreme reward from the act of violence and manipulation. Those are the songs he sings and he is very in tune with what makes people tick (love this quote). I did meet with people that were experts, doctors, psychiatrists that dealt with psychopaths and people who had committed horrendous crimes, and then I spent some time with those people themselves, people who have been institutionalized for great periods of time. I guess when you take on a role, any role, you become part detective, part writer, and for me that’s my favorite time of the entire process, the discovering, the uncovering, and the building of a character. Yeah, it’s really fun.”

Jared Leto goes onto talk about the character as though he is a person removed from the actor himself. He insists that he wasn’t present for the shoot. But that, depending on who you ask, The Joker did have a great sense of humor. The actor then went onto talk about the video he made, which was shown to the rest of the cast right before a big dead hog was dropped in the middle of the table at the script reading.

“I think in the beginning it was important to set up and define our relationship, so to speak. [laughs] There were a lot of things. It was fun. You’ve got to remember doing these things isn’t just about the result, it’s the process. It’s working with Mr. Frost, who is the Joker’s henchman. It’s making the choice and the decision of how am I going to introduce the Joker to the very first people who will meet him. So it becomes an exercise as much for me as it is for anyone else. And it’s as much about the process as it is about the results. How do you go about these sorts of things? How do you work with the people around you? It was a lot of fun. The attention to detail and the process that we went through helped to bring a life to the character for me. Those actions and those gestures-the joker loves a grand gesture. Those were really important. And they were fun. The Joker is someone who doesn’t take things too seriously.”

and from the site COSMIC BOOKNEWS (please read more HERE)…

…  As far as the look of the Joker, it was a collaborative process. There were things I brought to the table and things David brought to the table and it was a mashup of both of our sick and twisted minds. There were specific things that he liked and wanted and I was there to help bring them to life in the best way I could.

I think the most important thing I brought was probably not to do with the outside but with the internal. But you know David was specific with tattoos. They were his idea but there was a lot to play with. Who knows what will end up in the final film?

Apr 102016
 

SuicideSquaddatePerry Carpenter for the INQUISITR reported the following:

With Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice currently out in theaters, fans are already starting to look forward to DC’s next biggest offering, Suicide Squad. Although Suicide Squad won’t be out until later this summer, Ben Affleck recently opened up about his part in the movie and discussed Jared Leto’s performance as the new Joker.

…While the topic of conversation varied throughout the interview, Conan O’Brien eventually asked Affleck point blank about his time on the set of Suicide Squad.

“I’ve got to ask Ben, because Ben shot scenes for Suicide Squad, highly anticipated. You’ve seen several people play The Joker. Any comments on his performance?” Conan asked Affleck.

Of course, Affleck left out any major details because of contractual obligations, but he did comment on Leto’s performance.

“I think Jared Leto was a genius but I’m bound by more confidentiality agreements than you can shake a stick at. I’m just going about my business… He’s brilliant. Masterful. Brilliant, brilliant guy.

(Please read the whole article at the INQUISITR HERE)

Apr 022016
 

NRjrbjtEIb05_18aIl_VuimGKN7nG32FfLA04oKWOCsLucas Siegel wrote a  very interesting article for COMICBOOK.COM about Jared Leto’s approach to his characterization of the Joker for the SUICIDE SQUAD MOVIE.  Here is  what he had to say:

Jared Leto looks at The Joker as a Shakespearean level character. That’s the core of how he approached the Clown Prince of Crime for Suicide Squad, something he found important because of what’s come before at the talents of folks like Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Mark Hamill, and others.

“The work that’s been done on this character by so many people before me has been so impactful,” Leto told EW, “so incredible, so much fun, so profound, so risky, that it’s a very special thing to be asked to take on that responsibility.”

He looks at playing The Joker the same way someone might approach a role in a Shakespeare play that’s been so well-defined by many actors before him.

“Whether you’re a composer working on a piece of music that was written a century ago, or you’re an actor on stage, reinterpreting a play, it’s very common these days. Directors take on great works of cinema, actors reinterpret roles, that’s been going on for a great deal of time. From Scarface to Hamlet. In some ways it’s really interesting to reinterpret, redefine. It a weighty thing to do. But it’s exciting. The Joker is one of those roles,” Leto said. “He was written brilliantly when he was first shared with the world 75 years ago.”

He said that he “had to make it [his] own,” and ultimately, he’s “just really grateful [he] had the opportunity.”

(Lucas Spiegle’s article originally published in COMICBOOK.COM on March 31, 2016. HERE)

Oct 302015
 

Empire Magazine is releasing this month’s  magazine with covers depicting the cast of the upcoming SUICIDE CAST and include images of Jared Leto’s Joker, Harley Quinn, Dead Shot, and Enchantress… Click on the thumbnails for more covers.

EmpireJokerCVR02

EmpireJokerCVR01

EmpireHQCVR01EmpireDeadshotCVR01EmpireEnchantressCVR01

 

 

 

 

Jul 182015
 

NRjrbjtEIb05_18aIl_VuimGKN7nG32FfLA04oKWOCsI personally have stayed away of making final judgments on the Jared Leto’s performance and looks, just because the information available is kind of patchy and sparse. Still, I find this is an interesting little article that appeared in CINEMABLEND.COM comparing what we have seen from Jared Leto’s Joker with previous performances depicting the Clown Prince of Crime. The article, written by Mike Reyes covers all the Joker appearances since Cesar Romero and includes the animated version as well.  Enjoy the report (my comments are added in green and in parentheses):

With the first trailer for Suicide Squad being leaked out of Comic Con, it’s hard not to get excited about David Ayer’s entry into the DC cinematic realm. One aspect in particular that had audiences pleasantly surprised is the first official appearance of Jared Leto’s incarnation of The Joker. One of the reasons we’re so pleased with what we’ve seen is the fact that David Ayer’s Joker is familiar to die hard fans, yet different enough that everyone has something new to look forward to. With that in mind, join us as we take a look at Jared Leto’s Joker as he compares to the Jokers of the past.

1.  The Voice

If there was any one influence that could be singled out for Jared Leto’s vocal performance as The Joker, it would have to be Heath Ledger. While Cesar Romero and Mark Hamill took lighter pitched approaches to the clown prince of crime’s dialogue, Jack Nicholson started the trend of adding a more psychotic tinge to Joker’s one liners. While Nicholson still camped it up to a certain degree, he made the Joker a man to be reckoned with, and that’s something that even Hamill’s interpretation would build off of.

Of course, Ledger was the first to get truly disturbed with his voice, and Leto seems to follow a similar pattern of speech and cadence. The big difference in Jared Leto’s vocals though is that his laugh is more deliberate and drawn out. If anything, it almost sounds like a laugh being pushed through a sensation of physical pain, as opposed to the giddy or manic laughs his predecessors have displayed.  

(Definitely agree that Leto is pulling inspiration from Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker voice, but I’m not so sure that he is as effective.  Of course, it is very limited what we have heard the Joker say to draw a conclusion, but in my opinion, psychotic or not, Joker has always had a combination of wit, perverse and twisted sense of humor mingle with a sincere and terrifying sense of dread in his voice.  He is the Clown in your nightmares after all.  Unfortunately I think I will have to hear more of the dialogue to see if he is able to hit the Joker core.)

 

2.  The Clothing

The Joker in Suicide Squad is more of a fashion plate than any other portrayal. With Cesar Romero, all the way through to Jack Nicholson and Mark Hamill, The Joker has been a man of more gawdy tastes. Think of a tuxedo by way of a circus sideshow, and you’ve got The Joker’s usual flare for the theatrical. Heath Ledger, on the other hand, had a slicker look once he robbed the mob of their money – opting for a three piece suit that still flashed with The Joker’s signature mindset, but bringing him closer to reality in the process.

Jared Leto’s costume, from the snips we’ve seen in set photos, is definitely more of an ensemble of modern glitz. With a shiny suit and a nice red shirt, this Joker isn’t standing on ceremony. The absence of a necktie only further accentuates this nightclub-ready Joker. Not to mention, his Joker is so jacked we’re going to see him shirtless in Suicide Squad, making Leto the first Beefcake Joker we’ve ever laid eyes on.

(I’ve said it before, this Joker definitely makes a fashion statement on the screen.  Love the way Reyes calls his look as “night-club-ready Joker” it definitely suits the Clown well.  From what we have seen, there is definitely a departure from the classic purple tux to a much more modern look.  And with the Joker’s new  set of wheels (a bright purple Lamborghini with gold trims), this Joker promises to be also extravagant on its tastes (come on, like nobody is going to recognize that car as the Joker’s ride…)

 

3.  The Hair

Much like the costumes worn by the various Jokers in DC’s cinematic history, the hair is an integral piece that’s developed over the ages with the character. Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson really didn’t alter their hairstyles all that much for their incarnations of the role, except for the coloring. Both gentlemen had a light green that could stand out, but didn’t pop too much when set against anything other than the pale face of The Joker. Even Heath Ledger’s hair wasn’t particularly eye popping, but it was still noticeable as his incarnation for stringy, unwashed hair with an imperfect dye job.

Jared Leto’s Joker stands out like a neon sign that says, “Look at me!” Not only is his hair a bright, eye-catching green that you’d have seen on Nickelodeon in the 1990’s, but it’s also trimmed and extremely neat. Combined with the costuming choices they’ve made for his character, we can’t help but notice that Zack Snyder must have had some influence on the project, as this Joker reminds us of the one Frank Miller gave us in The Dark Knight Returns. In other words, the nice suit and the well-coiffed hair are mere distractions from the insanity that lies within.

(Interesting point Reyes makes here, about the nice suit and well coiffed hair as distractions of the insanity within, but in my humble opinion, the neon green color is just a tad too much for this character.  Why not go with a toned down green like Cesar Romero or even copy the green color from the graphic novel that Snyder seems to be influenced by?  I don’t know, it’s just…not attractive.  In my opinion it is distracting and turns the Clown into a caricature, taking away part of his presence.  Just like those gazillion of tattoos… it;s simply too much)

 

4.  The Makeup

Of course, when we talk about The Joker, the one thing we can never forget to discuss is the makeup. It’s a factor so key to the character’s background that you can tell what type of maniac the filmmakers are going for when you take a closer look. Heath Ledger has, of course, become iconic in his own right for the Nolan trilogy’s usage of a Joker whose makeup is as sloppy as his emotional state. But the character had always been a sort of traditionalist through the Romero/Nicholson/Hamill era. The only real deviation was the face that was wearing it.

Yet here comes Jared Leto’s Joker, with a look that both stands out and blends in. It stands out because the shades he uses do stand out when lit correctly. His red lips in particular stand out among the tattoos and the eye makeup he employs in his appearance. The big difference though is the white foundation the character has been known to use. In Suicide Squad, it doesn’t look like he depends on it all that much, as the glimpses we get of him in the trailer make him look more naturally pale than any other Joker out there. He may have less makeup, but that just makes his natural pallor all the freakier to look at.

(I personally like the idea of the whole body pallor.  It suits the Clown much better as it goes more in accordance with his origin.  Romero and Nicholson’s makeup was definitely that of the circus clown, and Ledger’s was more of the “war paint” referred to  in the Dark Knight prologue.  Leto’s makeup is more atoned with reality of what could happen to your skin after an acid bath.  What unfortunately for me takes away from the whole makeup is not necessarily the presence of the tattoos (which I’ve stated before thought was a great idea) but the fact that they were TOO MANY, poorly selected and some are even poorly placed.  Maybe moderation was the key word here.  The lipstick red lips I imagine are inspired in Dark Knight Returns, and suits this character, and one thing that is really freaky is the lack of eyebrows.  Another thing that I think is just filler without real purpose is the presence of the metal grill in his mouth.  Makes the Joker look more like the street pimp with no sense of fashion and just wants to show off.  I don’t know.  So far it really does not call me yet.)

I’ll simply wait for the release of the movie to make my mind.)

 

May 312015
 

tumblr_nncbxi0hcg1tmmk43o1_400_zpsuc3lwnadHere are more pics from the SUICIDE SQUAD set for your enjoyment.  Thanks to the “Instagramers” that are doing all they can to keep the fans informed…

Batman on the Jokermobile. 😍

A photo posted by Nebula* (@starrrs) on

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!! OMG Batman what chu doing?? #SuicideSquad #mrj #capedcrusader #harleyquin

A video posted by Nebula* (@starrrs) on