6 actors who could replace Jared Leto as The Joker in the DC Universe

Willem Dafoe

If you asked a group of DC fans who should play The Joker in a Batman movie, there is a pretty good chance that more than one of them would say Willem Dafoe. The veteran actor has been fancast as the Clown Prince of Crime countless times over the years because fans have been wanting it to happen for so long now. And the truth is that he would be the perfect choice to play a veteran Joker in the DC Universe.

Dafoe is considered one of the all-time great performers of his generation. An esteemed actor who gives his all to the roles that he plays, it’s quite easy to imagine him giving life to an unhinged and maniacal Joker in The Brave and the Bold or a different DCU film. He’s such an expressive actor, who says so much with his face, so you can see why he’s such a fan-favorite for this particular role.

Moreover, he knows all about playing comic book movie villains. He is perhaps best known to a whole legion of fans as Norman Osborn in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. His return in the latter was welcomed because he is considered one of the best movie villains of all time. And all he would need to do is channel that to give us an equally legendary Joker.

This one has been a long-time coming. Now is DC Studios’ opportunity to make it happen.