Joker Is Definitely Not In Batman v Superman

Zach Snyder says Joker and one other Batman villain were considered for Batman v Superman, but ultimately not used

For months now, there’s been rumors that Joker was involved in Batman v Superman in some way. Most likely in a flashback scene detailing just what happened to Robin and that suit. But Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder clarifies that while the Joker, along with one other classic Batman villain was considered at one point, he thought throwing two Batman villains in Batman v Superman on top of everything else going on in the film would take to much focus away from what the movie is really about:

"The Joker and The Riddler both came close to being in this movie,” the filmmaker confirmed. “We talked about the possibility of putting them in. [Screenwriter] Chris Terrio and I talked about it a lot and felt that their mythological presence is felt in the movie and that’s cool, but I didn’t want to get my eye too far off the ball because I needed to spend the time, frankly, with Batman and Superman to understand the conflict."

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Well, it looks like you’ll have to wait until August when Suicide Squad comes out to get a full impression of Jared Leto as the Joker. And this is a surprising amount of restraint that I really agree with. I mean, Batman v Superman seems like a jam-packed movie already with all it has to deal with and set up. Adding in two Batman villains that might be better served in say a solo Batman film would just probably feel like overkill. Wonder who Snyder had in mind for the Riddler, though? He had to at least be thinking about who would be good for the role. Mads Mikkelson? Hugh Laurie? Neil Patrick Harris? Hopefully we’ll see Riddler pop up in the DC Cinematic Universe soon, but don’t expect to see him or Joker in Batman v Superman this Friday in theaters.

h/t CBM