There has been a lot of talk about who should play Batman in the DCU, but arguably, figuring out who could tackle the DCU’s Joker is considerably more difficult. While Matt Reeves’ The Batman cast Barry Keoghan to tackle the role of the Clown Prince of Crime, the mainline DCU needs to find its own version of the villain.

It’s unlikely that the DCU will share Keoghan with Elseworlds, though not impossible, but more than that, the DCU needs to set itself apart. The DCU is moving on from the flailing franchise that was the DCEU, which had its own version of the Joker as played by Jared Leto.

However, the DCU has a different style, tone, and sense of humor compared to its predecessor. Which makes it all the more necessary that it establishes a new actor to tackle the role of the Joker, who will not only fit in as Batman’s nemesis, but also make sense in the wider world of the DCU, which could prove challenging.

The DCU’s Joker Recasting Has Been Teased By Peacemaker Season 2

The DCU has not shied away from the fact that multiple characters will be recast. While a handful of actors will retain their roles, such as John Cena as Peacemaker, the majority are being replaced to fit into the new franchise. And interestingly, it’s Peacemaker season 2 that appears to hint at a Joker recasting for the DC Universe.

During the first episode of season 2, Peacemaker and Emilia Harcourt make references to the band, Thirty Seconds to Mars, which they both appear to have extremely negative feelings towards. Of course, Jared Leto is the lead singer of this band, which makes the reference feel pointed and intentional.

In addition, the episode doubles down on this being a reference when the post-credits scene revisits the scene and sees Peacemaker continue to highlight how awful Thirty Seconds To Mars is as a band. Ultimately, this appears to be a clear indication that Jared Leto is unlikely to return to the DCU to tackle the role of Joker.

Recasting The Joker Could Be A Harder Task For The DCU Than Casting Batman

But the thing is, casting the Joker could be an immense challenge for a franchise like the DCU. While most previous iterations of the character have only been concerned with being a villain to Gotham, and its Dark Protector, the DCU’s Joker will need to make sense in the context of a wider shared universe of stories.

On top of that, there have been some stunning takes on the character delivered in previous adaptations. Notably, Heath Ledger stands out for delivering one of the most iconic takes on the villain ever seen. But actors like Joaquin Phoenix, Jack Nicholson, and Cesar Romero have all contributed and redefined the character in various ways.

In addition, Mark Hamill’s voice defined the character in animated shows opposite Kevin Conroy’s Batman. And on the small screen, Cameron Monaghan played a captivating character who was strongly inspired by the Joker for Gotham. With so many stellar performances, it’s challenging to do something new that can stand out.

But somehow, the DCU needs to find an exemplary actor who can play the Joker as a character who fits into a wider world of stories, while still imparting something unique and new to the role that helps them to distinguish their version from others that have been seen in previous iterations. It’s a tall order all around.

What The DCU Joker Needs To Truly Work In The Franchise

While this version of the Joker will need to work in the wider context of the DCU, they still need to be a match for the DCU’s version of the Batman, who has yet to be announced. Similar to how Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor feels like a perfect match for David Corenswet’s Superman, these characters need to make sense together.

However, the DCU does appear to have a more blended tone of voice than the DCEU or even Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. While these earlier takes on DC Comics adaptations have leaned into dark or serious tones, the DCU is more humorous, while also confidently leaning into the dark and gruesome parts of the stories.

Interestingly, Clayface will be the first film in the DCU to center on Gotham, and that movie is set to be a horror, which could suggest that the world Batman and the Joker inhabit is considerably darker than other parts of the DCU. This version of the Joker also needs to be dynamic enough to work across various mediums.

James Gunn has made a point of saying that the DCU will connect across stories on the big and small screens, in addition to other formats like video games. The result is that whoever plays the Joker in the DCU will need to be flexible and dynamic in their approach to the character.

Getting the Joker right is incredibly important, and this will prove even more true in a setting like the DCU. But if the Joker has the right actor cast in the role, it could make the world of Gotham all the more compelling and exciting within the DCU.