Is Jared Leto's Joker Inspired in Part By Batman Beyond?

Even after having done a pretty in-depth look at The Joker's tattoos, hairstyle and the like when the first official photo of the character debuted, there are things that are still occurring to us weeks later.

The slicked-back hair and dark nail polish we've seen Jared Leto sporting on the set of Suicide Squad are a fairly new look for a live-action version of The Joker...but not so much in the comics and some other media.

Given the character's penchant for wearing suit jackets, it's been easy to point fingers at Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, known to be a major influence on Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, as the inspiration for The Joker in Suicide Squad.

But there's something else, isn't there?

In the animated series Batman Beyond, we got a Joker from the not-too-distant future who, like Leto's, wore black nail polish and had slicked-back hair.

He was also -- being from the future and all -- somewhat older than the Joker we were used to, whichLeto's character is aswellbeing part of the grizzled, middle-aged approach to Batman.

While a few fairly minor physical characteristics aren't much to base any real assumptions on, it's worth noting that there were early rumors of a Batman Beyond movie being something that Warner Bros. was mulling following The Dark Knight Rises and the departure of Christopher Nolan from the DC Universe. That certainly indicates that people in the know at Warners are aware of Batman Beyond, and when they were looking for a visually distinct-but-recognizable older Joker, it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch that this could be something that informed their decision.

In any event, Suicide Squad is shooting now and will be in theaters in August 2016. Batman Beyond just got a new comic book series as part of DC Comics' new DC You publishing initiative, and the first issue is on the stands this week.