Shocking Revelation: Suicide Squad Director Reveals Unbelievable Reason Behind Jared Leto's Joker Regrets

Summary

Suicide Squad director, David Ayer, admits that the decision to give Joker tattoos was a bad idea and regrets the division it caused.

The inclusion of tattoos, especially the "Damaged" one, seemed to overly imply Joker's unstable condition, contradicting the principle of "show, don't tell" in storytelling. These tattoos marked a significant deviation from previous representations of Joker on screen, leading to contrasting opinions among the audience regarding his appearance.

Suicide Squad director David Ayer agrees that the inclusion of tattoos on Joker was a mistake. Joker, a character frequently portrayed in live-action adaptations, has made appearances in various DC projects throughout the years. In the film Suicide Squad, released in 2016, Jared Leto portrayed the iconic Clown Prince of Crime as part of the Task Force X's cinematic debut.

However, Leto's portrayal of Joker in Suicide Squad received mixed reviews from the audience, largely due to the visual changes made to his appearance. One of the most discussed aspects was the decision to give Joker tattoos, including the word "Damaged" prominently displayed on his forehead.

Why Joker's Tattoos Were So Hated In Suicide Squad

After nearly eight years since its release, the director of Suicide Squad now agrees with the audience that choosing the Joker for the film was not one of his best decisions. Recently, Ayer took to Twitter to address the matter, admitting that while he fully owned the idea of the tattoo, he regrets how it "caused hostility and division." Initially, Ayer had considered featuring "Blessed" as the tattoo instead of "Damaged," but ultimately, he recognized that not every idea turns out to be a good one.

Joker's appearance has undergone various transformations throughout his transition from page to screen. One notable change was the introduction of tattoos, a departure from the comic book version of the character who rarely sported them. It is important to note that Leto's rendition of Joker debuted eight years after Heath Ledger's iconic portrayal in The Dark Knight, and the character had been absent from the big screen until Suicide Squad. This explains why Leto's striking appearance, in stark contrast to Ledger's Joker, was seen as a significant departure in terms of design, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

Joker's tattoos, especially the "Damaged" one, were disliked for their overt representation of his unhinged state. This artistic choice in Suicide Squad went against the storytelling rule of "show, don't tell." Instead, Joker's actions should have been enough to portray his personality and defining traits without the need for literal tattoos on his forehead.

However, in Zack Snyder's Justice League, Leto reprised his role in the Knightmare timeline, showing the future state of the villain. Interestingly, this time the "Damaged" tattoo was absent, which was a better decision considering it was Leto's final time playing the character. It remains to be seen how future live-action projects will approach Joker after the events of Suicide Squad.

Source: David Ayer/Twitter