Jared Leto as the Joker; a nerd girl reaction

Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, released back in 2008, changed how comic book films are not only presented, but how these films are embraced by movie fans all around the world.

While Nolan made a strong debut with Batman Begins in 2005 by rebooting a character that seemed to have lost all energy when Batman & Robin came out back in 1997, it wasn’t until The Dark Knight that the comic book movie genre became what they are today.

From the first trailer to the final credits, Heath Ledger as The Joker captivated, mesmerized and terrorized me as an audience member. From his subtle spine-chilling movements to his character’s disturbing back-story, Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker, in combination with the vision of Gotham that was created by Nolan, changed how I viewed comic book movies forever and helped to launch me into the full blown comic book nerd girl I am today.

The Dark Knight was a gritty, realistic look at what a civilization would be like with characters like Bruce Wayne/Batman living in it. Ledger’s Joker was terrifying because of how real his character felt and the underlying theme of how terrorism has impacted the 21st century. Ledger took one of the most iconic characters in comic book history and translated that into one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history.

Now the D.C. cinematic universe is changing hands and is re-launching with Batman v. Superman, Justice League and a number of spin-off films, including the highly anticipated Suicide Squad.

The cast was confirmed for the upcoming villain-centered project, which includes: Tom Hardy returning to the D.C universe as Rick Flagg, Will Smith as Deadshot, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Jared Leto as The Joker.

It was the last casting announcement that I paused after reading. How will such a talented actor as Leto, coming off of an Oscar win, take the most iconic D.C. villain and make it his own?

Image courtesy of INFphoto.com

As a huge fan of the Nolan series, I had to ask questions: Is it too soon to see this character again on the big screen? Will I instantly compare Leto to Ledger and will that distract me from this new universe? How will Jared Leto be able to make this character his own and get out of the shadow from Ledger’s performance?

What Ledger did with The Joker will never be forgotten and can be credited for helping to take comic book movies to a new and realistic level, but like in comic books, things have to change and evolve. I believe Leto will have to approach this character with new ideas and energy, but in the end, D.C. can’t ignore their most famous villain, and they shouldn’t, even though it seems like a quick turn around from Ledger’s performance.

I had to remind myself that in comic books, characters change and have even been known to cross over between Marvel and D.C. The D.C. cinematic universe is embracing this need for constant evolution and change, and I applaud them for that. It is a natural part of the story telling process.

I will never forget that iconic laugh that haunted Batman and Gotham, but by the time Suicide Squad is released in August 5th, 2016, I will be ready to embrace this new portrayal of such a famous face in comics.

This new portrayal doesn’t mean that I will have to pick between Ledger and Leto, it simply provides another view on a character that can translate from the pages of comic books to life in 2014. It seems that in this age of breaking news and fans judging every casting move on the Internet, a reminder must be said that this isn’t a competition.

It’s about telling the best story possible and bringing these characters to life in new and unique ways.

As a fan of comic book films in general, I had to take a moment to remind myself that this is all about D.C. and Warner Bros. making the best cinematic universe possible, and that has to include The Joker. A D.C. world without The Joker isn’t true to the comic books or the storyline of Batman.

This transition does seem sudden and carries added emotional weight because of the fact that Ledger passed away at such a young age, but the character of The Joker should and will live on. The best way to honor the brilliant work that Ledger left us with is to remember that this character can live on.

When conversations about The Joker continue for years, Ledger will always be remembered, talked about and honored. The Joker is iconic, and hopefully Leto can make his portray unique and join the conversation of great actors who have brought this character to life.

Image courtesy of INFphoto.com

As I was reading the breaking news about Squad, I reflected upon when Ledger was announced as The Joker; many critics and fans seemed to be off put by the idea. It wasn’t until the first trailer that these skeptics seemed to come around to this idea.

So for now, I will reserve judgment until a trailer is released and understand that just like in the comic books, things have to change and be re-imagined. The Joker will always be the best class of criminal in the D.C. universe.

After all, The Joker said it best himself, “This city deserves a better class of criminal. And I’m gonna give it to them!”