Jared Leto's Transformation Into The Joker Is Here

I like to consider myself a woman with nerves of steel. Okay, that's a lie. The first photo of Jared Leto as the Joker in the Suicide Squad is unsettling, to say the least, and downright creepy, to say the most. The picture is so unsettling that it took me a moment to even notice that Leto isn't wearing the familiar clown make up that would immediately identify him as the Joker. Honestly, I don't even think he needs it. He's already fully embodying the spirit of the Clown King of Crime — even though there's really nothing funny about the photograph aside from the fact that it's, well, Jared Leto looking nothing like you've ever seen him before.

The photo was shared by David Ayer on Twitter on Thursday night, and it was simply captioned "#WhereIsJared #SuicideSquad." It features Leto with a camera held up to cover half his face, one that is pointed at the camera that no doubt took this photograph of him. So, you know, it's all very meta. However, the half of his face that we can see is haunting. His face is blank, slightly blurred, his eyes such a deep black that they look almost reptilian. This is not a villain that you ever want to have you in his sights — and he's staring out at all of us with a camera pointed our way to immortalize us in his mind forever. Creepy.

Of course, I could just be being harsh on the Joker. Who's to say he can't be a regular old Joe, taking pictures with his camera and having a good old time? He might be the Joker, and starring in a film based around the Suicide Squad, but... No. Nope. Everyone better run as fast as their legs can take them, because, if this is our first taste of the Joker, then it's clear he is going to be on the terrifying side of the Joker scale rather than the silly side. Either way, I am beyond excited to see how Leto does in the role.