For decades now, playing the familiar character of The Joker has been less like an acting project and more like performance art. Each actor is compelled to leave a lasting impression, to make the character his own yet play within the rules of the familiar foe. This is tough work and you don’t want to be caught lifting too much inspiration from the guy who came before you, nor do you want to seem like you’re not giving enough respect to the established rules of who The Joker is.
That is, perhaps in some part, why Jared Leto was upset that portions of his character were left on the cutting room floor during the theatrical release of Suicide Squad. He mentioned especially a scene where The Joker has a gun to his head (held by his doctor before she becomes Harley Quinn) and is able to crazy his way out of that bind. This establishment of character is essential to Leto’s depiction of the villain and he was outspoken about this and other parts that were left out.
Now, however, the extended cut of the film is getting ready for release. The Amazon page for Suicide Squad includes a trailer for the extended cut that shows scenes of The Joker that didn’t make it into the theatrical release. Will Leto be happier with this cut? Will fans? We should know the answer to those questions shortly, but you can see the trailer now.
