--- description: The popular Suicide Squad fan theory about the Joker's origin story has just been shut down. title: Suicide Squad Director Shuts Down Popular Joker Fan Theory image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # _Suicide Squad_ Director Shuts Down Popular Joker Fan Theory  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Jul 27, 2016 5:34 PM CUT  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Jul 27, 2016 5:34 PM CUT The role of [the Joker](http://time.com/4417715/the-joker-suicide-squad-teaser-jared-leto/ "undefined") in [_Suicide Squad_ ](http://time.com/4397007/suicide-squad-the-joker-plot/ "undefined")has been attracting both media and fan attention since it was first announced that Jared Leto would be playing the iconic [DC Comics villain](http://time.com/4408639/suicide-squad-new-videos/ "undefined"). But with Warner Bros. keeping much of the Clown Prince of Crime’s storyline under wraps, people have been speculating over what exactly he will be up to in the upcoming antihero flick. One [theory that gained traction](https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/3gwfhs/batman%5Fvs%5Fsuperman%5Fdawn%5Fof%5Fjustice%5Fsuicide%5Fsquad/ "undefined") among fans revolved around the Joker’s origin story, positing that he is an adult Jason Todd — a.k.a. Batman’s sidekick Robin. This idea was centered on a scene in _Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice_ in which Bruce Wayne looks at a Robin suit containing bullet holes that appear to match up with scars on Leto’s Joker. “How many good guys are left?,” Wayne says. “How many stay that way?” > [](https://twitter.com/drewschmidt9/status/714327809431220224) However, when director David Ayer was recently asked about the most ridiculous rumor he heard while filming _Suicide Squad_, he wasted no time debunking this theory. “That the Joker is Jason Todd,” he told [WSVN-TV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSSNk5FZ2Jg "undefined"). “It ain’t the case. He’s not.” Watch the full interview below. _Suicide Squad_ hits theaters Aug. 5. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4426439/suicide-squad-joker-robin-fan-theory/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4426439/suicide-squad-joker-robin-fan-theory/"},"headline":"Suicide Squad Director Shuts Down Popular Joker Fan Theory","datePublished":"2016-07-27T17:34:20.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T23:35:25.479Z","description":"He's not who fans think he is","url":"https://time.com/4426439/suicide-squad-joker-robin-fan-theory/","keywords":["movies","jared leto","Suicide Squad"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"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/4426439/suicide-squad-joker-robin-fan-theory/","name":"Suicide Squad Director Shuts Down Popular Joker Fan Theory"}}]}] ```