Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) came out in theaters this past week, catching us up on Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and her adventures after breaking up with The Joker. Oscar-winner Jared Leto played the Clown Prince of Crime in Suicide Squad, but his performance didn't go down that well with fans or critics, and his notorious method acting on set didn't help much. Leto didn't return for Birds of Prey though, with Suicide Squad footage of him used and his face otherwise not being shown.
If Birds of Prey sequels (or any other Harley Quinn-focused films) are made, sooner or later The Joker will need to get back in the picture, whether to try to manipulate Harley again or serve as an antagonist. With Leto off doing Sony's Morbius and his return uncertain, there's a possibility that another new actor may step in to cause mayhem in Gotham (Joaquin Phoenix's Joker is in a separate reality, so it's probably not him). So with that said, here are 10 Actors Who Could Replace Jared Leto (If They Needed To).
10 Adrien Brody
A fantastic and underrated actor who isn't working as much these days, Brody just needs the right role for a comeback. Playing a well-known character like The Joker wouldn't be a bad start.
Believe it or not, Brody had expressed interest in playing the role around the time of The Dark Knight before Heath Ledger got the part. Maybe now is the time he can prove himself in the role. Not only is he adept at being both intense and funny, but Brody also has the right wiry frame for the role, not to mention a face that could look great with the right makeup.
9 Neil Patrick Harris
While he's played dozens of comic book characters (including The Flash and Music Meister) in animated projects, Neil Patrick Harris has curiously never played one in live-action. Since The Riddler role he's been suggested for is being played by Paul Dano in the upcoming Batman film, he could do just as well, if not better, as The Joker.
As the nefarious Count Olaf on Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events adaptation, Harris displayed the right kind of darkly comic attitude and theatricality that has always made The Joker great, so there's no doubt he could be a lot of fun in the role.
8 Rami Malek
No doubt one of the best actors working today, Malek has earned acclaim for his role as Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot and his Oscar-winning performance as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, and he's set to appear as the antagonist in the next James Bond film No Time to Die. He's one of those actors that's sure to be offered a role in a comic book movie at some point soon, and we think he'd kill it as the Jester of Genocide.
Malek has this charismatic, yet offbeat air to his performances that just feels suited to The Joker, and he could toe the line between charming and scary in this role quite easily.
7 Bill Hader
Hader's killed it for years as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and has proved his dramatic chops in the HBO series Barry (which he co-created), as well as in films like It: Chapter Two.
He is so expressive and fluid as an actor that it's hard not to see what makes The Joker feel like a natural role for him. His natural comedy chops would only help in keeping his Joker entertaining to watch, and he could just as easily slip into more intense, action-heavy moments if he needed to.
6 Alan Cumming
Aside from playing Nightcrawler (and quite well at that) in X2: X-Men United, Cumming is another actor who has altogether avoided the urge to jump into comic book movies lately. Seeing how Nightcrawler will be recast for the MCU, there are thousands of other characters Cumming could play, though The Joker might be the one that fits best.
Cumming has always excelled at playing eccentric yet complex characters, and one can certainly see shades of the Clown Prince of Crime in Cumming's iconic role as The Emcee in the Broadway production of Cabaret. It wouldn't be hard to see him laughing maniacally or electrocuting someone with a joy buzzer. Plus, he's got the smile for it.
5 Kieran Culkin
While most of you know him as Scott Pilgrim's hilarious roommate in 2010's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Kieran Culkin (younger brother of Macaulay) has been stealing scenes on HBO's Succession as the frustratingly conniving and lovably obnoxious Roman Roy.
It's a role that isn't too far removed from The Joker's mentality of being the smartest man in the room, and Culkin could really pull off that devilish charisma and smarmy condescension as Mr. J were he given the chance.
4 Domhnall Gleeson
Gleeson has carved out a great career for himself, from playing Bill Weasley in the final two Harry Potter films to his scene-stealing roles in projects such as Ex Machina, The Revenant, and Goodbye Christopher Robin (where he starred alongside Margot Robbie, one of a few collaborations with her), not to mention as General Hux in the Star Wars sequels.
As Hux, Gleeson has shown a raw, commanding intensity, but it's in other roles like Bill Weasley and in films like About Time and the aforementioned Goodbye Christopher Robin that he's shown he's equally good at being eccentric and charming. Perhaps combining all three traits, combined with his lanky build, could make for an interesting Joker. Plus, his past experience working with Robbie would make for an easier Joker and Harley relationship behind-the-scenes, compared to the uncomfortable air Jared Leto brought on set.
3 Glenn Howerton
Howerton at first might not seem like a viable candidate for Batman's nemesis, but believe us when he say that he could be an inspired and fun choice. His character Dennis Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has had his fair share of eerie and psychotic moments on that show, especially this one.
The way he goes from casual one minute to bone-chillingly threatening in the next is a testament to his acting abilities, and to see him put them to use as The Joker could be a perfect match.
2 James McAvoy
As great as he's been as a younger Charles Xavier in the recent X-Men films, McAvoy is unlikely to reprise the role when the character is brought into the MCU. But being the incredibly talented actor he is, there's no shortage of roles he'll be offered going forward, and the thought of him playing The Joker sends our imaginations to the moon and back.
One need only look at McAvoy's performances in both Filth and Split for an idea of what he could bring to the psychotic villain. His role in the former showed his ability to be charming, devious, and manipulative, while the latter role showed that he can handle the intensity and anger that The Joker often shows.
1 Alan Tudyk
One of the most underrated character actors working today, Tudyk is probably the ideal actor to play Joker. In his long career, which encompasses roles in Firefly, Dodgeball, I, Robot, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, not to mention as fellow maniacal DC villain Mr. Nobody on Doom Patrol, he has proved to be expertly skilled in comedy, drama, and action. Seeing him in this role would be an absolute marvel (no pun intended) to see. But what edge does he have on the others on this list?
He currently voices the Clown Prince of Crime on the Harley Quinn animated series and does a phenomenal job. Why not just get him to do it in live-action?