@OldMan, those movies were not flops. Underperformed, as in maybe they wanted to pass the billion dollar mark, but didn’t get there, maybe, but there’s no possible way you can argue they flopped. How on earth can Suicide Squad, for instance, with a $175 million budget and ~$750 million box office, be considered a flop?
And if you’re going to cite one of those lazy entertainment blogs that tried to claim that these movies needed to make a billion dollars each just to break even, don’t bother. I saw various bloggers spouting out ridiculously exaggerated figures like that myself, usually just to say whatever they can to bash DC movies as usual, but I can point you to better written box office analyses debunking those kinds of absurd exaggerations.
Confession: Suicide Squad was not a great movie, but whenever it’s on, I tune in if there’s a Harley or Joker scene. Was he the greatest Joker? No, but as a big-screen version of the complicated Harley/Joker dynamic, I actually thought it was intriguing.
But let’s be real: the key factor in the next DC movies will be the WRITING. The casting has not been the problem in any of the DCEU flicks, with the possible exception of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex (and even that I sort of like in theory, the Facebook-is-the-new-evil approach, he just played it too manic). The issue is scripts that don’t seem to get the essence of the characters (e.g. Superman needs to smile and have values), dialogue that’s full of cliches and exposition (half of Suicide Squad is Rick Flagg explaining shit) , characters being thrown into movies they have no business being in (Doomsday should not have been a tack-on character; why the heck was Katana in Suicide Squad at all?) and generally bad planning in the films (Why introduce wonder woman before her solo film? Why waste Justice League on a lame villain only to cheat us out of Darkseid by not having a follow-up movie? Isn’t it a bit much to make BvS the Death of Superman story AND a Frank Miller adapatation AND the Justice League setup movie?) If DC can pin their universe on somebody other than Zach Snyder and spend half as much time on the story as they do on the CGI, then maybe the actors performances will actually matter.
In my opinion, he and Jesse Eisenberg were neither one very enjoyable. Leto’s Joker fit into the world and style they were trying to create, I just didn’t like it lol. For some though, I’ve got no doubt he will be their definitive Joker
Jared Leto had what a near 10 minutes total of screen time (my guess). Either way, yes… it was different, but he never really got the true chance he deserves.
I just didn’t like anything about any of Leto’s Joker. I really hope he’s actually just some brainwashed schmuck that the real Joker used to fool Batman and all the good guys … probably most of the baddies too. It was kinda like, “EWW, Crazed Pimp Joker!?”
Yeah, I didn’t really like how he was shirtless all the time. I could live with some of the tattoos. But my Joker needs a suit. Also, the teeth kind of freaked me out a bit.
While I give Leto credit for at least trying to be different, imo it was a failed attempt. I didn’t care for the look at all. The laugh was not winning me over either. I missed the funny Joker that we all love. Even when Heath Ledger took MrJ to a more serious place he was still humorous. Idk if that’s a Leto problem or a director problem(Lord knows the movie itself has way more issues than just Leto), but if they were to use JL again in a stand-alone Joker film, they’d have to redo the entire approach in such a way that it’d be like SS didn’t happen. He’d need the proper look and attire, more cackling, and comedic energy as well as the menacing, vindictive attributes. Otherwise, idk how it would work
I thought he was a breath of fresh air. We’ve seen so much of the same from superhero media. I’m glad to see characters reinvented and modernized. I really wanted to see more of Leto and I’m disappointed we’re not able to see more of him.
Not going to shed any tears over the Leto Joker being buried. I didn’t like much of the portrayal or the look. Though that one image of Joker surrounded by sharp objects and other things was, though over the top, cool.
I also didn’t like all the tats. I thought Joker would be a straight up character who relied on his own self to be intimidating and edgy, not a bunch of tats. Besides, who would do tats on Joker? If he felt a bit peevish at the pain, you might wind up with the needle shoved down your throat.
Same for Harley. I don’t like her tatted up. I like her as she was introduced in DC Batman Animated. Ledger is about as edgy as I ever want Joker to be. Way better than the Nicholson Joker, which looked forced and unrealistic.
