Jared Leto's Joker has been one of Suicide Squad's major selling points from the get-go.
Leto's portrayal of the character will be the first since Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and countless stories have been written about his disturbing on-set antics. Whether it was staying in character once the camera stopped rolling or mailing his co-stars bizarre (and creepy) gifts, Leto's Suicide Squad Joker seemed set to shock audiences worldwide.
It's for that exact reason that more than a few reviews for the film seemed disappointed in how little the Joker actually is in the film. He makes a few appearances here and there, but according to many critics, he seems like an afterthought. That's definitely a bummer, given how the movie's marketing made Joker out to be a major piece of the movie.
According to a Telestar interview with Leto (via ComicBookResources.com), Joker's afterthought status could be because "a lot of" Joker scenes were cut from the final film.
"Oh there are a lot of scenes," Leto says. "There are a lot of scenes that didn't make it to the final film. Hopefully they will see the light of day. Who knows?"
So far, there's no word on whether or not Suicide Squad might receive an extended cut when it eventually arrives on Blu-ray and video on-demand, but it certainly seems like a possibility, given the recent release of the three-hour-long Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice extended edition. Many fans found the longer version of the film to be superior to the theatrical cut, and it seems possible that it could be the same with Suicide Squad.
Since the arrival of early reviews for the film, numerous outlets have reported on behind-the-scenes drama on the film that may have led to its lukewarm critical reception. Re-shoots and attempts by Warner Bros. to avoid repeating the mistakes of the critically-lauded Batman v Superman may have ended up making Suicide Squad worse in the long run, with numerous critics pointing out the film's inconsistent tone. However, until fans get the chance to see everything that was left on the cutting room floor, the verdict is still out on whether or not additional scenes could improve the film.
Suicide Squad is in theaters Aug. 5. For more on the movie, be sure to read why some critics are comparing it with the original Ghostbusters.
