Here's the actor who's taking over the role of the 'Batman' Joker
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
We now know for sure what actors will be starring in the upcoming DC Comics film "Suicide Squad," including who's taking on the iconic role of the "Batman" villain the Joker.
According to the , actor Jared Leto, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar last year for his role in the film "Dallas Buyers Club," will play the Joker, as was previously rumored, while "After Earth" actor Will Smith will take on the role of Deadshot, who also often goes up against Batman. "The Wolf of Wall Street" actress Margot Robbie will portray Harley Quinn, the love interest of the Joker, while "The Drop" actor Tom Hardy will take on the role of Rick Flag, who heads up the group. (Yes, 鈥淏atman鈥� fans, Hardy has previously played another DC character, the villain Bane in the 2012 Christopher Nolan film 鈥淭he Dark Knight Rises.鈥� However, this isn鈥檛 the first time this has happened 鈥� remember when actor Chris Evans, who currently plays Captain America in the Marvel movies, was the Human Torch in the 鈥淔antastic Four鈥� movie series?)
Jai Courtney of "Divergent" will play the villain Boomerang, a frequent enemy of The Flash, while "Anna Karenina" actress聽Cara Delevingne will play the character Enchantress.
In "Squad," supervillains take on jobs for the government and receive more lenient punishments in return (think the film "The Dirty Dozen"). The movie is set to be directed by David Ayer, who was also behind the October film "Fury," and Ayer will also be penning the script, according to the Hollywood Reporter.聽
Predictably, the decision to cast Leto as the Joker is receiving the most attention. Actor Heath Ledger last took on the role for a big-screen 鈥淏atman鈥� adaptation, portraying the villain in the 2008 movie 鈥淭he Dark Knight鈥� and winning a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work.
writer Josh Wigler was pleased with the decision, writing, 鈥淭his is going to be fun.鈥�
鈥淟eto transforms himself for his roles,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淗e鈥檚 up for anything, and that鈥檚 what you need from your Joker鈥� How can anyone follow Heath Ledger鈥檚 iconic turn as the Joker?... If nothing else, [Leto is] confident enough to take this legendary character for a ride. Let鈥檚 see what he鈥檚 got.鈥�
However, writer Justin Moyer wrote that 鈥淗eath Ledger鈥� has been dead for six years, but it feels too soon for this.鈥澛�
鈥淪quad鈥� will be released in 2016.聽
