As James Gunn continues to extend the DC Universe (DCU), one Marvel star has his sights set on the role of the Joker. Batman’s’ archenemy has been brought to life in live-action adaptations by actors including Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix. After portraying one of the most notorious Marvel villains since Thanos, one Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) star is hoping to make the move to the DCU to portray the Joker.
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In a new interview with Daniel Merrifield, Chukwudi Iwuji revealed his hopes to portray the permanently smiling criminal mastermind in an upcoming DCU project. The actor is no stranger to villainous roles, having previously portrayed High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As he reflected on his desire to take on the Joker, Iwuji offered some insight into how he’d portray the character, sharing that he would look to “ground” the Joker in an exploration of his “deep sadness.”
“There has to be something maniacal about the Joker, right? But ‘maniacal’ has such a huge range. The part of Heath Ledger’s Joker that moved me most was when you realize that he keeps making up a story about his father each time. And when I asked myself, ‘Well, why would you do that?’ Again, that loneliness and that he’s covering up with this flamboyant thing, but he keeps making up a story about his father.” Here’s the full interview:
Also pointing to Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker and the specific scene in which the Joker is seen “dancing on the steps with the music and the water splashing,” Iwuji said he would “look to, borrowing a word from James Gunn, really ‘ground’ him.”
“I think it comes from a guy that feels the need to make up a story about his father and that there’s a guy that wishes he could be dancing on the steps with water and not give a shit, but he has this mantle of being the Joker to play. So there’ll be a deep sadness in him,” he said. “I just feel there’s so much richness about sadness with the Joker. And when you’re so laser-focused on your inner turmoil, the things you could do to other people without even it counting is very scary.”
Chukwudi Iwuji Would Make an Exceptional Joker
Iwuji has a solid case to put his name in the running for the Joker. The actor already has cross-universe experience and connections to the DCU after portraying Clemson Murn/Ik Nobe Llok in the HBO Max series Peacemaker, acting talents that have been praised by Gunn, and a history of playing incredibly complex villains.
As Clemson, Iwuji delivered a strong, grounded, and incredibly nuanced performance as a character whose past as a ruthless mercenary contrasts with the deep emotion of a man haunted by his host’s memories. The role showcased the actor’s capabilities to portray a wide range of emotion, something that would be crucial with the Joker’s unpredictable nature and Iwuji’s own desire to further explore the character’s sadness.
After Iwuji’s performance in Peacemaker clearly impressed James Gunn, he was quickly cast as the High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, a profoundly damaged character who is driven to madness and irredeemable villainy, just like the Joker. In the role, Iwuji brought a god-like arrogance, an extreme lack of empathy, extreme unpredictability, and overall terrifying psychology, characteristics required to tackle a complex villain like the Joker.
DC fans will ultimately have to wait to see if Iwuji gets to bring his villainous talents to the Joker, but he already has a proven ability to portray dark characters that are both nuanced and compelling.
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