The superhero genre has been changing lately, particularly on the DC side of things. Co-CEO James Gunn is crafting a new shared universe, with the first slate of projects titled Gods and Monsters. Fans have countless questions about which actors might take major roles in upcoming DC movies, and some epic fan art has imagined Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower as none other than The Joker. Let's break it all down.
The first three titles in the DCU are currently streaming with a HBO Max subscription, and fans are especially curious about which actors will eventually play Batman and The Joker. There are all sorts of names being thrown around online, and now we can see what Bower might look like going from Vecna to the Clown Prince of Crime. Check it out below:
I mean, how cool is that? While there's been no indication that this casting is actually happening, you can't deny that Jamie Campbell Bower looks awesome in full Joker regalia. He's already played villains in a variety of projects including Stranger Things, and the Twilight movies, so he's certainly got the resume to support taking on a big DC role. But whether or not James Gunn is actually considering him is another question entirely.
The series finale of Stranger Things just arrived for those with a Netflix subscription, meaning that Bower's schedule should presumably be freed up quite a bit. Taking on the role of The Joker would likely include multiple titles across years of time, so it's going to be a big undertaking from whoever James Gunn casts in the role. Although exactly when the iconic DC villain will enter the burgeoning shared universe is currently a mystery.
While the DCU announced its first slate of projects upon its inception, there was no title that explicitly was focused on The Joker. But whoever lands the gig is going to have some big shoes to fill, considering how many Jokers we've already gotten on the big screen. That includes Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, who both earned Academy Awards for their portrayals.
Of course, there is the potential of seeing a version of Joker on the big screen in just a few years. Matt Reeves' The Batman introduced Barry Keoghan's Joker in a brief cameo, and fans are curious to see if he'll return in the sequel Part II. Unfortunately, that movie isn't expected to hit theaters until 2027, so we might be waiting a while before any casting announcements are made.
The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Jamie Campbell Bower, his tenure as Vecna in Stranger Things is available on its entirety on Netflix.
