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WB took a big risk with Todd Phillips’ Joker film, but the move seems to have paid off what with rave reviews, and news that it’s on track to be the highest grossing R-Rated film of all time. You know who’s not happy, though? Jared Leto.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leto was apparently outraged when he heard the film was being made and tried to get the project cancelled.
According to sources familiar with Leto’s behavior, when the Oscar-winning actor learned of the Phillips project, he not only complained bitterly to his agents at CAA, who also represent Phillips, but asked his music manager, Irving Azoff, to call the leader of Warners parent company (it’s unclear whether it was Time Warner’s Jeff Bewkes or AT&T’s Randall Stephenson, depending on the timing). The idea was to get Warners to kill the Phillips film.
It’s also worth noting that several sources from Leto’s camp have denied that he made this request, and neither WB nor Azoff made a comment about Leto’s alleged behavior.
Then again, I can imagine that Leto would definitely be pissed when it comes to Joker’s success. He practically creeped everyone out on the set of Suicide Squad to get into character for his Joker, and yet most of his performance was cut from the theatrical version of the film.
For now, it looks like Leto is done playing the Clown Prince of Crime, but I’m actually hoping he gets to reprise the character sometime soon. Despite the hate, I think Leto’s Joker merely suffered from not being written well, and I’m sure Leto would have done a great performance if he was given the right script.
Hopefully they have a small part of him for Birds of Prey which comes out Feb. 7, 2020. Joker is now out in theaters.
