--- --- # Jared Leto Might Play the Joker in _Suicide Squad_ Movie  by [Nolan Feeney](https://time.com/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney Nov 8, 2014 5:40 PM UTC  by [Nolan Feeney](https://time.com/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney Nov 8, 2014 5:40 PM UTC Jordan Catalano grew up to have a sick sense of humor. [Jared Leto is in talks to play the Joker](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jared-leto-circling-joker-role-747552) in Warner Bros.’ upcoming DC Comics movie _Suicide Squad_, according to _The Hollywood Reporter_ and the Wrap. Representatives for Leto and Warner Bros. did not comment to either outlet. The film is set for an Aug. 5 2016 release date and follows a group of comic villains who get a chance at redemption in exchange for taking part in special government black-ops missions so dangerous they’re considered death wishes. Jesse Eisenberg, who will play the villainous Lex Luthor in _Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice_ in the spring of that year, [is expected to reprise the role](http://time.com/3542737/jesse-eisenberg-lex-luthor-suicide-squad/) for _Suicide Squad_. Other actors who are reportedly in talks for roles include Will Smith, Tom Hardy and Margot Robbie. \[[_THR_](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jared-leto-circling-joker-role-747552)\] Jared Leto in Talks to Play The Joker Role in 'Suicide Squad' ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3574124/jared-leto-the-joker-suicide-squad/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3574124/jared-leto-the-joker-suicide-squad/"},"headline":"Jared Leto Might Play the Joker in Suicide Squad Movie","datePublished":"2014-11-08T17:40:54.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T11:19:13.762Z","description":"The film is scheduled to arrive in August of 2016","url":"https://time.com/3574124/jared-leto-the-joker-suicide-squad/","keywords":["movies","jared leto","dc comics","Suicide Squad"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Nolan Feeney","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/nolan-feeney/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/movies/","name":"movies"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3574124/jared-leto-the-joker-suicide-squad/","name":"Jared Leto Might Play the Joker in Suicide Squad Movie"}}]}] ```