First official image of Jared Leto's Joker from Suicide Squad released

Leto is the first to take on the role of The Joker since Heath Ledger acclaimed performance in 2008's The Dark Knight

Jared Leto will play The Joker in Suicide Squad (Getty Images)

Today marks the 75th anniversary of The Joker’s first appearance in the Batman comics and, to mark the occasion, Director David Ayer has shared the first official image of Jared Leto’s portrayal of the character in the upcoming Suicide Squad film.

Leto will be the first actor to play the role of the Joker since Heath Ledger in 2008’s “The Dark Knight.” The process he underwent to play the role is widely thought to have contributed to his suicide later that year.

Suicide Squad is due to be released on August 5, 2016 and concerns a group of supervillians recruited by the government to carry out under-the-radar missions that the superheroes won’t go near.

Leto when not portraying a villainous psychopath (Getty Images)

The film will also star Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Cara Delevingne.