Suicide Squad director explains why Jared Leto's Joker has those tattoos

'I took a lot of inspiration from drug lords on Instagram'

Since DC announced Suicide Squad was happening, there’s been a lot of speculation over Jared Leto’s Joker, mainly because Heath Ledger’s iteration of the character is still so raw in fans’ minds.

When the first image of Leto as the villain emerged, the reaction was mixed; some enjoyed the new, tattooed style, while others hated the modern retelling.

Speaking to Yahoo! Movies, director David Ayer explained his decision to reimagine the character once more: "A lot of it has to do with creating a character with some kind of history and footprint in our world.

"If a guy like him really existed today, where would he come from? How would he do business? Who would he know? What would he look like?

“In my mind, I took a lot of inspiration from drug lords on Instagram. It's a great way to understand the lifestyle of a villain.”

He spoke about the tattoos directly as well, stating they tell a "very specific story” while also including numerous Easter Eggs to excite fans.

“And even his teeth,” he added. “There's an entire story behind that, which is absolutely canon. It's putting his history on his body. This Joker is a little more working class, who I believe could live in our world.”

New footage from the film was recently released online, emphasising the humorous side. Suicide Squad hits cinemas 5 August.