Justice League’s Jared Leto Compares His Joker in Suicide Squad and the Snyder Cut: “It’s an Evolution”

Suicide Squad star Jared Leto calls it a "treat" to play the Joker a second time in Zack Snyder's Justice League, saying the Bat-villain has undergone an "evolution" when he appears in the Snyder Cut. Years after he first portrayed the character opposite partner in crime Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) in the David Ayer-directed Suicide Squad, Leto reprised his role for a brief round of additional photography needed to complete Zack Snyder's director's cut of Justice League. For the first time, the Joker and the Batman (Ben Affleck) of the DC Extended Universe met on-screen in the post-apocalyptic Knightmare sequence ending the Snyder Cut.

"I think it's an evolution. [Suicide Squad and Justice League are] some years apart, and certainly different directors," Leto said during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. "When you collaborate with someone as well, just like every guest you have, it brings out a different side or a different joke or a different energy. And when you work with a different director, you bring out different things, or they bring out different things in you. So I loved working with [Snyder], I love his passion. He knows more about this world than almost anybody."

Leto appeared dressed in the fundraising t-shirt benefiting the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, quoting Joker's oft-memed but ultimately cut line — "We live in a society" — ad-libbed by Leto while filming Justice League.

"I always loved Zack Snyder, and I think that the story behind this Snyder Cut is really kind of one for the ages, how what happened around him kind of not finishing the first film," Leto said. "I'm actually wearing this shirt — 'We live in a society' — which was an ad-lib that I threw out on the day of shooting. It ended up in the trailer and then kind of went viral, and we're selling these on my band's website, and the profits are going to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention."

He added, "I know a lot of people know this story about Zack and how deep it runs, but I was just happy to be a part of his dream, and to get asked to play the Joker for a second time was just a treat. It's one of those roles that are just incredible."

Leto star previously revealed he's open to returning as the Joker after Justice League, telling Variety: "It's hard to say no to that character."