The DCEU should retcon Jared Leto’s Joker to be Jason Todd

Retconning Jared Leto’s Joker to be a version of Jason Todd could be a DCEU game-changer.

When news broke that the Snyder Cut of Justice League would be releasing on HBO Max, some fans had begun to double down on their luck and start another movement to release the Ayer cut of Suicide Squad. There was apparently a lot of great moments left on the cutting room floor, including a lot more of Jared Leto’s Joker. But instead of rehashing that Academy Award-winning mess, the DCEU should take a much different direction.

Given the always-changing atmosphere the DCEU continually finds itself in, the powers that be should consider retconning Jared Leto’s Joker to be Jason Todd, the second person to take on the mantle as Robin. While this theory spread quickly online after the Suicide Squad trailer debuted, it was debunked by the filmmaker. But it’s not too late to make this incredibly ideal turn of events canon.

We do know that the Robin suit seen in Batman V. Superman in the Batcave belonged to Jason Todd, and the graffiti sprayed over it indicates the Joker was the killer. But there actually hasn’t been much clarification as to what went down when the second boy wonder bit the dust. So there is a lot of fo room to play around with regarding this bold transition.

While this move may seem too crazy, it has happened several times in the source material. In the comics after Joker kills Jason Todd, he is resurrected in the Lazarus Pit. But it is known that the effects of the Lazarus Pit drive people insane, which could very well justify Leto’s over the top approach to the DC villain.

There is plenty of groundwork, surprisingly already in place, for this epic change. For instance, in a pivotal scene in the supremely flawed film, Batman v. Superman, Bruce Wayne asks the question: “Twenty years in Gotham. How many good guys are left? How many stayed that way?” Many believe this could be alluding to one Jason Todd.

The Joker’s appearance in the Suicide Squad film also somewhat assists this epic change to take place. In the comics, The Clown Prince of Crime knocks Todd’s teeth out with a crowbar, which could explain why the grill on Leto’s version reflects that. There are also some cryptic messages with his outrageous tattoo choices, including one on the bicep being a feather, possibly from a robin’s wing.

While these bits help, the big question left is what to do about the person who is utterly obsessed with Joker? Thankfully there is a pretty easy workaround. Harley Quinn’s mental state is, without a doubt, a mystery, and she has been known to hear voices in her head.

Her relationship with Mr. J is all kinds of toxic, and the mental abuse the Clown Prince of Crime has put her through has probably taken a very traumatic tole on the former psychiatrist. She very well may not be able to tell the difference between the two. If she was involved in the character’s initial murder, as stated in the opening of Suicide Squad, it’s not crazy to see her taking up with another incarnation of Gotham’s most notorious psychopath.

And technically fans only saw the two together during a flashback and during the events of Suicide Squad. So its entirely possible that Harley wanted to make her puddin’ jealous by going after a younger better Joker, especially if he’s certifiably insane, a trait which seems to drive Ms. Quinn wild.

Even though it seems this turn of events was destined to occur, there is still one big hurdle to overcome. Leto reportedly wasn’t happy about how things went down with his role in Suicide Squad, claiming the studio wasn’t exactly forthcoming with their plans for his character. He also allegedly tried to stop Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker from happening, possibly indicating he really wanted to go further with the role.

While it may be a stretch thinking, the Academy Award-winner would return, considering he has taken his talent to the competition playing Marvel’s Mobius, The Living Vampire. But there is no denying, if accepted, it could be an enticing opportunity. It could be what brings him back to the DCEU and allow him to go all out without having to worry about his efforts becoming eclipsed by past iterations. This would be something never before attempted in live-action.

Solidifying his Joker’s place in the franchise is one thing, but possibly introducing the Red Hood down the line would be something fans have been wanting to be on the big screen for some time now. This dark, brooding antihero of the Gotham’s criminal underbelly with a tendency for hyper-violent vigilante Justice would be a killer role for Leto. They could even experiment with a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde dynamic between the two mindsets.

It seems like a real waste having a talented guy like Leto playing such an iconic role, only to never touch upon it again, especially since there is so much potential to keep things going. Even if it never happens, we can always imagine what could have been had those in charge of the DCEU seen the real big picture. Fingers crossed this impossible idea makes the cut some time down the road.