Suicide Squad may have received mix reviews from critics and fans, but the DC Comics film still brought in a ton of cash. On a budget of $175 million, Suicide Squad brought in $746.8 million worldwide.
The film’s success can most likely be attributed to three things. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Will Smith’s Deadshot, and Jared Leto’s Joker. The rumor mill has already placed Robbie in a spinoff film, and Smith’s Deadshot has been speculated to make an appearance in a Batman film, although that has yet to be confirmed. Now, Warner Bros. is confirming that Leto will be receiving a film for the Joker, something that fans are on the fence about.
Leto’s Joker was going to be met with criticism no matter how well he performed. Following in the footsteps of Heath Ledger was no easy task, but Leto’s Joker was cut from a different cloth than Ledger’s anarchist twist on the villain. According to Variety, Leto is set to star and executive produce a standalone film based on the Joker. Allegedly, Warner Bros. is looking to expand the DC Universe that was introduced in Man of Steel, and the Joker is one of their most lucrative options to do so.