James Gunn Addresses the Joker’s Place in the DCU
Every great Batman universe eventually needs a Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime has been played on screen by Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix and Jared Leto, and each version became its own cultural moment. James Gunn’s DC Universe has built plenty of its world since it launched, but one question about the villain has hung over it for years, and the latest comments on the Joker in the DCU finally address it.
The Batman side of the DCU is still taking shape. ‘The Brave and the Bold’ is in development with Andy Muschietti directing, no actor has been cast as the Dark Knight, and Gunn has been careful about what he reveals. That makes any hint about Batman’s rogues gallery worth paying attention to.
The remarks came on ‘The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? — The Official Podcast’, where Gunn joined Jennifer Holland and Steve Agee to work through the 2021 film’s place in the DCU. A fan question relayed by Agee asked whether Harley Quinn and the Joker are already split in the new continuity, since the 2016 ‘Suicide Squad’ film states their breakup outright. Gunn’s answer was that the DCU hasn’t established the Joker at all, and that he doesn’t know if the character exists yet.
He noted that Batman has been established, since he’s been glimpsed in ‘Creature Commandos’. But the Joker is a different matter, and he is a big part of Harley’s past.
That explains why the podcast turned into a conversation about Harley Quinn. Gunn called her one of the harder characters to justify as canon, precisely because her history with the Joker hasn’t been laid out in the new universe. He also said that if Margot Robbie doesn’t return, he might go with someone else, so he wouldn’t have to stay attached to what happens to Harley in the film.
He confirmed as well that the old boyfriend mentioned in ‘The Suicide Squad’ wasn’t necessarily the Joker. That detail loosens the ties between the DCEU’s version of Harley and the new continuity, which gives Gunn more room.
The Joker has been seen in recent years, but not in the DCU. Phoenix’s version and Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ belong to the Elseworlds label, which Gunn created for stories outside the main continuity. Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ films sit under the same banner.
That means the DCU is free to introduce its own Joker, with no existing baggage. It also means the character is one of the most obvious missing pieces in Batman’s world.
A Joker would likely come after Batman. Gunn has said the DCU’s Batman is close to being cast, and the actor will be roughly the same age as David Corenswet’s Superman. SuperHeroHype reports that the person chosen will play the role for at least a decade, which suggests long-term planning for the whole Batman side of the universe.
‘The Brave and the Bold’ centers on Batman and his son Damian Wayne, so it isn’t obviously a Joker story. Still, the film is set to establish the Dark Knight in the DCU, and any villain would naturally follow.
Interest in the role is already high. ‘Peacemaker’ star Chukwudi Iwuji has said he’d like to play the Joker, though no official casting has been announced. A report last year suggested that director Zach Cregger might pitch a Joker and Harley Quinn movie, though that project hasn’t been confirmed, and Gunn has said films only move forward with a strong script.
Those threads show how much appetite there is for the character. They also show that nothing is locked in.
For now, the Joker’s status remains an open question. Gunn’s answer was honest rather than a tease, and it signals that the studio isn’t rushing. Given how closely he tracks the DCU’s timeline, it’s likely the character will be introduced only when there is a story that needs him.
That patience may be the best sign yet that the Joker, when he arrives, will be built with care.
Who would you most like to see become the DCU’s Joker?
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