The Joker isBatman’smost famous antagonist and the fact that the character has been played by so many talented actors has only boosted his image. However, the Joker role is currently vacant after Jared Leto’s stint, meaning some artists are already coming up with plenty of capable replacements to giveBatmansome trouble.
Leto is technically the last actor to have played the character after coming back to shoot new footage forZack Snyder’s Justice League, though Joaquin Phoenix’s award-winning performance inJokerwill probably be more memorable. That of course is only a small part of a legacy that includes the likes of Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, and the late Heath Ledger, yet this piece of fan art focuses on a candidate that’s already related to a couple of previous jokesters.
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See, for artist Skull101ify (@skull101ify) Ledger’s co-star inBrokeback Mountain, Jake Gyllenhaal would actually make a phenomenal Joker, a statement that’s not hard to believe given his performances in films likeNightcrawler. Here, the artist has gone for a unique style to suit Gyllenhaal’s Joker, more clean-cut than Ledger or Phoenix’s though without all the tattoos Leto showed up donning inSuicide Squad, all making for a pretty sophisticated look.
Despite Gyllenhaal being no stranger to the superhero realm after starring inSpider-Man: Far From Home, playing Joker is an entirely different ordeal, even ifLedger’s essence inBatman: The Dark Knightcan’t ever be replicated. The Joker’s wide grin does fit Gyllenhaal, although that may be partly down to the slight resemblance he bears with Leto, his co-star 2002’sHighway.
As Matt Reeves’ new take onThe Batmannears its premiere date, and despite that film’s choice to stay clear of the rest of the DCEU, it’s only a matter of time before a new Joker is cast. In fact, judging from some of the fan speculation floating out there, the Joker may have beenspotted inThe Batman’sJapanese trailer, with some pointing atEternals’Barry Keoghan as the new green-haired villain.
Another superhero who has distanced himself from contention in that race is Andrew Garfield, who simply stepped aside by claiming he could never do it due to the amazing work done by Ledger, Nicholson, Phoenix, and maybe even that guy who was runningfor office in Japan dressed as the Joker. Still,The Batman’strailers are having no problem building up tons of hype for the film without the Joker, so it looks like there is no rush to find the next one.
