When it comes to comic book movies, most fans don’t like their heroes and villains tampered with. Most prefer comic-accurate versions of the characters, which means race-swapping, changing a character’s origin and swapping out their powers are all taboo. Imagine the outrage then when actor John David Washington suggested that he would be interested in playing a Black Joker from Compton.
From Denzel’s Son to Hollywood’s Next Big Superhero?
Over the last few years, Washington (yes, he is the son of one of the best actors of all time: Denzel Washington) has been making a name for himself in Hollywood outside of his father’s shadow with strong performances in really great films like Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Netflix’s The Piano Lesson and David O. Russell’s Amsterdam. While he has certainly been on the radar for both Marvel and DC (why wouldn’t he be with those looks and superhero physique?), he has yet to commit to a role in either franchise – even if he has been fancast for multiple roles, including Superman, Green Lantern, Nighthawk and even Batman.
All of that said, don’t expect him to put on the cowl and become Gotham’s protector anytime soon. John David Washington is far more interested in taking on the role of the Joker than he is in playing Batman.
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Batman? Nah. Washington Wants to Be Gotham’s Chaos King
In a chat with Josh Horowitz on The Happy Sad Confused podcast, Washington confirmed that he has no inspiration to play Batman at this time. “We’ve got a great Batman right now. Rob Pat. No disrespect,” he chuckled. He clearly doesn’t want to step on anyone’s toes, which is fair, considering that he starred in Tenet alongside Robert Pattinson. The two are probably good friends.
Of course, that didn’t stop Washington from totally geeking out about Batman. “Tim Burton’s Batman was like, what I was all about. And then obviously, Chris Nolan took what he did with it, but, yeah, I loved Batman. I had the toys, I had the Batmobile, I loved—I didn’t know why, but I just love Michelle Pfeiffer. Her outfit…” he said, trailing off like someone suddenly remembering their first crush.
A Gotham Villain With Compton Swagger?
When the conversation shifted to other Gotham characters he would be interested in playing (possibly in the DCU), Washington had a rather interesting take on the Joker. “You know, if there was, if there was a, you know, a Joker from Compton or something. South side of Gotham, south side of, you know, Chicago, you know, I would explore,” he mused.
And suddenly, a thousand fan-casting lists were rewritten. Boom!
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Wait… A Black Joker? DC Already Tried That (And It Didn’t Go Well)
An African American Joker? Actually, this wouldn’t be the first time DC experimented with a different (and, yes, controversial) take on the Clown Prince of Crime. The final season of Batwoman introduced a Black Joker (played by Nick Creegan), and, well, let’s just say Marquis Jet (a character who reinvents himself as the new Joker after being attacked by the original Joker) didn’t go down so well. But Washington’s concept—a streetwise, South Side version of the character—definitely sounds more intriguing than the failed CW experiment. Also, anything is better than Jared Leto’s pimp gangster Joker in Suicide Squad, right?
Another Black Actor Wants to Be Joker Too
Let’s not forget, Washington isn’t the only Black actor who is interested in playing Joker either. LaKeith Stanfield has also publicly campaigned for the role. And much to everyone’s surprise, the Atlanta actor proved that he had a naturally eerie energy that could bring something uniquely unsettling to the character.
Over the years, Batman has been a Black character in comic books, and we’ve even had Black actors voice the Gotham protector in animated shows and podcasts. But we’ve yet to have a Black Joker – and no, the Diddy Halloween cosplay of 2022 doesn’t count.
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Will DC Ever Cast John David Washington as Joker?
If DC was looking for someone with gravitas, charisma, and, let’s be honest, those strong Washington genes, John David could be a fascinating choice. However, though it’s a fun idea to think about, the chances of Washington actually landing the role and donning the purple coat and sadistic grin are slim to none.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe already has Barry Keoghan lined up as Gotham’s laughing lunatic, and James Gunn’s The Brave and the Bold will likely introduce a new Joker down the line. Could Washington fit into that world? Maybe. But given that Gunn’s DCU seems to be fairly comic book accurate, it isn’t likely. A Joker from the South Side of Gotham or Compton probably isn’t high on the list of priorities for the DCU right now. Perhaps if Pattinson put in a good word for his bestie?
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Tell us, do you think John David Washington should play Joker from Compton or does this sound like another Joker: Folie à Deux to you?
