Usually when an actor wins an Academy Award, he or she can pick and choose which future film project he/she would like to be in. But after actor Jared Leto won his Oscar, for Dallas Buyer's Club, he went out on tour with his band 30 Seconds to Mars.
Over the past few months it has been reported that Leto is very interested in being in a super hero movie franchise and he was actively pursuing the leading role of Doctor Strange. Now that Benedict Cumberbatch is in negotiations for that role Leto has reportedly shifted his focus on a role that is quite daunting.
According to TheWrap, Leto is "circling a key role" in Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment's Suicide Squad movie as the Joker. Again, a daunting role to take on after actor Heath Ledger brilliantly and terrifyingly portrayed the villain and won a posthumous Oscar for it.
If it takes another Oscar winner to step in and give his own version of the Joker, then Leto could be a great choice... in theory. However, many fans will most likely hate the thought of Leto as Joker even before its official or scenes are filmed. Exactly like what happened with Ledger being cast as Joker.
Leto is the newest name rumored to be looked at for a role in Suicide Squad along with: Tom Hardy, Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne (she is rumored to be in the running for Harley Quinn) and Ryan Gosling — who was reportedly ready for a franchise role but now Gosling is reportedly not interested in one, via TheWrap as well.
In the comic book universe, Suicide Squad is a group of villains who get their chance at redemption and are sent on missions they will likely not survive.
Suicide Squad is set to release in theaters on August 5, 2016 so official casting announcements should come in the next few months because it will need to begin filming sometime in the first half of 2015 to hit its summer 2016 release date.
And check out this fan art of Leto as the Joker.
Joker @JaredLeto pic.twitter.com/1l8aQGzJ6h
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) November 8, 2014
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To read more about Suicide Squad, click right here.
(Attached image is fan art found via Google image search and not an official title card.)