Jared Leto Puts The Role Of Joker In The Pantheon Of Great Characters Like Hamlet

Initially perceived as the antidote to "Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice," it’s going to be interesting to see how the narrative changes around "Suicide Squad," with word of extensive reshoots going on in order to make the film more fun. With Jared Leto reported to have gone to the extreme in his portrayal of the ultimate Batman villain, the Joker, will the shift in tone alter the performance or how it meshes with the rest of the movie? Those are questions we’ll have to wait to get the answers to.

In the meantime, Leto has talked with EW about his turn and the great responsibility he felt in taking on the character. And he puts the Joker in the pantheon of great roles, the kind that actors reinterpret and make their own, over and over again.

"You just knew you had to do something different. You had to make it your own. That happens all the time. Whether you’re a composer working on a piece of music that was written a century ago, or you’re an actor on stage, reinterpreting a play, it’s very common these days. Directors take on great works of cinema, actors reinterpret roles, that’s been going on for a great deal of time. From Scarface to Hamlet. In some ways it’s really interesting to reinterpret, redefine," Leto said.

"It a weighty thing to do. But it’s exciting. The Joker is one of those roles. He was written brilliantly when he was first shared with the world 75 years ago, or something crazy like that. And I think I’m just really grateful I had the opportunity," he added.

And that’s a smart way of approaching a character that is defined so clearly in people’s minds from past incarnations. It allows Leto to do what he wants, without being saddled by the baggage of his predecessors. And we’ll see what his inked-up Joker is like when "Suicide Squad" arrives on August 5th.