When it comes to the world's most despicable — yet most loved — comic book villains, none surpass the Joker.
The character is so popular that he's getting star treatment in two movies this summer: the animated Batman: The Killing Joke and Suicide Squad.
However, it's Jared Leto's take on the character in Suicide Squad that has people talking: not only is his strange new look for the character creating a controversy with fans, but some question his portrayal of the infamous Joker.
A new Suicide Squad trailer shows more of Leto's take on the character, which actually seems spot-on: the insanity of the Joker shines through Leto's white makeup and silver teeth. The clip also hints at Joker's relationship with Harley Quinn, and features a quick look at Ben Affleck's Batman and the Batmobile.
Many stories came out of the production of Suicide Squad about Leto's total immersion in the role. The method actor participated in some rather bizarre activities and even sent some strange (and often disgusting) gifts to his co-stars. At first, Leto terrified fellow co-star Viola Davis, but then she realized that he was doing everything it took to take on the persona of one of Batman's most infamous villains.
"I'm terrified, just as a person, thinking, 'Is he crazy?' but the second part was, 'Oh, s--t! I've got to have my stuff together ... talk about commitment!" Davis said.
Leto also gave Harley Quinn actress Margot Robbie a live rat, which she kept and raised as a pet.
Leto committed to reinventing the Joker, particularly since the character has appeared multiple times on television and in films. The last iconic portrayal of the character was by the late Heath Ledger, who turned out a star performance as the Clown Prince.
"You just knew you had to do something different," Leto said to Entertainment Weekly. "You had to make it your own. That happens all the time. 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."
Suicide Squad explodes onto theater screens on Aug. 5.
