It's been one whole year since the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League, which saw the director release his lengthy, intended version of the film. While he didn't appear in the theatrical cut, Jared Leto filmed a few scenes as the Joker for the project, and in a recent interview, reflected on the "special" experience.
"It was great. Working with Zack [Snyder] is a beautiful thing. I adore him," Leto told ComicBookMovie while promoting his new movie Morbius.
"I really loved the opportunity. It was really special and I enjoyed it a lot. It's a unique thing to have been part of DC and to now have been part of Marvel. It's pretty amazing."
In the four-hour movie, the Knightmare sequence sees Leto's iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime – who was introduced in 2017's Suicide Squad – meeting Ben Affleck's Batman for the first time on screen. The conversation that takes place between the pair is loaded with references to other DCEU films and storylines, including the deaths of Bruce Wayne's parents, Robin, Lois Lane, and Harley Quinn.
Explaining why he brought back the Joker on the Snyder Cut's press tour, Snyder said: "[It] was a thing I had wanted to do, because frankly, the ultimate conflict in a universe where Batman exists is for him to confront Joker.
"I was afraid that if this was the last Justice League with Ben [Affleck's Batman] and Jared, it would be remiss if I couldn't figure out a way for them to come into conflict," he told Total Film.
"Also, it was a wish of mine to bring Joker into the continuing storyline. I hinted at it in Batman v Superman – when you see Batman's gun in the post-apocalyptic world, it has a Joker playing card taped to it. This has a little bit to do with that concept."
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If you fancy revisiting Zack Snyder's Justice League in honor of its first birthday, then make sure to check out where it fits in the timeline via our handy DCEU movies guide.
I am an Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.