Summary
James Gunn has ignited the fan theory machine with a cryptic tweet about Batman villain, theJoker,as details of his planned DC Universe reboot emerge and take shape in the public eye.
Hailing from the pages of DC Comics, theJokeris perhaps the company’s most iconic villain, sitting atop the rogues' gallery of the ever-popular Batman. The Joker has appeared in numerous adaptations alongside his caped adversary, from animated shows to video games and in live action, with many talented actors giving their unique takes on the villain. Most recently, a different take on the Clown Prince of Crime’s origin was given to audiences in 2019’sJoker,starring Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role to massive acclaim, includingpositive comments fromDeath Strandingcreator Hideo Kojima.
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Ever since it was announced thatGunn would be running the new DC film divisionalongside Peter Safran, fans have been focused on the filmmaker’s social media for insight into his plans for the DCU following his reboot of the formerly Snyder-led franchise and trying to intuit his intent to varying degrees of success. Recently, the DCU boss sent out a seemingly innocuous tweet containing four images of vintage actor Conrad Veidt, with a caption that reads, “Conrad Veidt in Paul Leni’s ‘The Man Who Laughs’ (1928), based on Victor Hugo’s novel. The film was a silent romantic melodrama - Veidt’s character was the hero; the smile was carved into his face as a boy by a Comprachico (a fictional group of people who reshaped the physical appearance of children like a pruner would a Bonsai tree). Bill Finger, Kane & Jerry Robinson couldn’t agree on much, but they all agreed Veidt’s portrayal was the inspiration for the Joker in the comics.”
The images, which are black and white and depict Veidt in 4 different scenes with an eerily unsettling grin that proves Gunn’s statement all on its own, caused an immediate stir in the comments and beyond. Fans began discussing everything fromThe Batman Who Laughsto a Joker appearance inThe Brave and The Bold,aBatman project that received a disappointing casting updatefrom Gunn.With no follow-up from the man himself, the fans have taken over the discussion.
Despite the excitement surrounding the possibility of the Joker appearing in more upcoming projects, some still think Warner Bros needs totake a long break from the Joker character. While the villain is iconic and almost synonymous with Batman, a must-have for any iteration of a DC Universe, the Joker is only one of several villains that the Dark Knight (or any related characters) could take on for the big screen. How Gunn and Safran choose to handle this double-edged sword brought about by theJoker’s insane popularity and easily ill-received portrayals remains to be seen.
