It feels like we’re in a golden age of actors for superhero roles. No matter who your favorite character is there’s someone perfect out there to be cast. Some of them have already been given roles. You don't have to look any further than Superman to see how true that is. Actors like Rachel Brosnahan playing Lois Lane and Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner are two perfect examples. Most recently, it was confirmed that Jason Momoa would play Lobo in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
With James Gunn’s DCU still in the early phases, actors have taken the opportunity to make their intentions known. Bill Skarsgard is the most recent performer to voice their interest. During the Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, the Nosferatu star said, "I have a really f***ing cool Joker in me." and this writer believes him.
It doesn’t take long to see that the 34-year-old Bill Skarsgard has a long, bright future ahead of him. No matter the role, he’s going to be memorable. He excelled in both chapters of It and did a great job in Boy Kills World. He’s also gotten amazing reviews for his role as Count Orlok in the aforementioned Nosferatu. Those three different roles combined show that he has everything needed to play the Clown Prince of Crime.
As Pennywise in It, he showed the skills to portray creepy with dark humor. He also has a very Joker-like smile and there’s certainly a chill-sending laugh inside him. Boy Kills World proves he knows how to be amazing in an action movie. And if he’s as good as the reviewers are saying on Rotten Tomatoes, then he hasn’t lost a step since The Crow (a movie we won’t discuss).
You can also look at John Wick 4. The way he carries himself is something Joker does when he wants to terrify someone. He’ll drop the laugh and remind his enemies that he’s not to be messed with. People forget that Joker's more than the clown gimmicks. He has a nightmarish side when he leaves the extended grin behind.
There will be people who think someone else is more capable of playing Batman’s most infamous villain, but this writer is drawing a blank. Not only is he young enough to play the role for an extended period, but Bill Skarsgard is the right actor to make people forget the amazing ones like Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson, and the very bad (looking at you, Jared Leto). In short, we should get on board and hope this happens. Stay tuned to Caped Crusades to see if Bill Skarsgard’s wish comes true.
What do you think? Is Bill Skarsgard the right actor to play Joker in James Gunn’s The Brave and the Bold? Let us know on the Bam Smack Pow Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.