Four years after Zack Snyder’s Justice League premiered on HBO Max, the director continues to feed the enthusiasm of his loyal fanbase with unseen glimpses from his magnum opus. His latest treat? A haunting new photo of Jared Leto’s Joker — shot with Snyder’s signature 50mm dream lens Leica camera — that has reignited demands for Justice League 2.
Jared Leto’s portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime was always divisive, but in Snyder’s “Knightmare” sequence, he brought a grittier, apocalyptic energy to the character. Now, with Snyder’s latest behind-the-scenes reveal, fans are once again campaigning for Warner Bros. and DC Studios to let the “SnyderVerse” live on.
The Latest Joker Photo — A New Look at the Knightmare
Zack Snyder shared the new Joker image via Instagram, capturing the eerie, battle-worn version of the villain from his 2021 director’s cut. The Knightmare version of Joker was part of additional footage filmed exclusively for Zack Snyder’s Justice League — footage that gave fans a glimpse into a dystopian future where Superman, corrupted by grief, becomes Earth’s greatest threat.
In the photo, Jared Leto dons a Gotham City Police S.W.A.T. vest and brandishes a weapon, his face marked with exhaustion and menace. It’s a look that perfectly encapsulates the tone of Snyder’s darker, more mythic vision for the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Snyder himself said in a 2025 interview with The Film Journal:
“I love sharing these moments because they remind people what we built — not as nostalgia, but as proof that a shared vision can still mean something in this industry.”
Overview of Zack Snyder’s Justice League
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Film Title | Zack Snyder’s Justice League |
| Release Date | March 18, 2021 (HBO Max) |
| Runtime | 242 minutes (4 hours, 2 minutes) |
| Budget (for completion) | Estimated $70 million |
| Key Cast | Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher |
| Joker’s Appearance | Knightmare timeline sequence |
| Snyder’s Equipment | Leica 50mm dream lens |
| Fan Movement | #RestoreTheSnyderVerse campaign |
What Made the Knightmare Scene So Special?
The Knightmare sequence remains one of the most talked-about elements of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Set in a bleak, alternate future ruled by Darkseid, the scene brings together unlikely allies — Batman, Joker, Deathstroke, Mera, and Cyborg — as they attempt to resist a tyrannical Superman.
This scene marked the first and only interaction between Ben Affleck’s Batman and Jared Leto’s Joker in the DCEU, a cinematic moment fans had long clamored for. Their tense dialogue hinted at their shared history, including Joker’s murder of Robin, and revealed the mutual disgust and dependence that defined their relationship.
Film analyst Dr. Lena Marsh, author of The Psychology of Supervillains, noted:
“Snyder’s Knightmare Joker embodies trauma and survival — he’s no longer chaos for chaos’s sake, but the echo of a man who has lost everything. Leto’s performance in that brief scene remains one of his most haunting.”
Fan Reactions: The Cry for Justice League 2
As soon as Snyder posted the new photo, fans flooded the comments with excitement and longing.
One user wrote, “We need Justice League 2 — the world deserves to see the Knightmare come full circle.”
Another comment read:
“Would love to see the Knightmare pick up right where ZSJL left off.”
Others expressed their desire to see more of Jared Leto’s take on the villain, especially within Snyder’s vision. The most liked comment summed it up perfectly:
“I want to see more of that Joker in your Knightmare environment just as badly as I wanna see him in the Ayer Cut.”
It’s clear that the appetite for a Justice League sequel has not faded — if anything, Snyder’s photo drop has reignited the movement.
The Return of Snyder’s Iconography
Snyder’s Instagram presence has given fans an ongoing peek into his creative process. In the past month alone, he’s posted unseen images of:
- Henry Cavill as Superman in test footage never used in the final film.
- Concept stills from Rebel Moon: Part Two.
- Behind-the-scenes shots from The Last Photograph, his next project.
For this latest photo drop, the Leica 50mm dream lens — a favorite of Snyder’s — adds a cinematic depth and natural blur that evokes both realism and fantasy, mirroring the tone of his DC films.
A former DC executive, speaking anonymously, added:
“Zack’s cut changed how studios view fan engagement. The movement behind Justice League showed that passion can alter corporate decisions, even if temporarily. His aesthetic still influences every DC decision that follows.”
Zack Snyder’s Upcoming Projects
While fans continue to petition for Justice League 2, Snyder remains focused on his non-DC projects. His next film, The Last Photograph, marks a return to grounded storytelling.
| Project | Type | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebel Moon: Part Two | Sci-Fi Epic | Post-production | Premiering mid-2026 on Netflix |
| The Last Photograph | Drama / Thriller | Filming | Co-written with Kurt Johnstad (300) |
| Untitled DC Project | TBD | Rumored | Speculated DC Elseworlds film |
The synopsis for The Last Photograph teases a journey of redemption and grief:
“Enlisting the help of a washed-up junkie war photographer, the only person to have seen the face of the killers, he sets out to find the truth and his missing children — a descent into the unknown where reality and memory blur.”
The Legacy of Jared Leto’s Joker
Jared Leto’s portrayal of Joker has always divided audiences. His initial appearance in Suicide Squad (2016) was criticized for its erratic tone and limited screen time. However, Snyder’s Knightmare sequence gave Leto’s version a second life — darker, more introspective, and stripped of the neon chaos.
Pop culture critic Andrew Lee summarized it best:
“Snyder’s Joker isn’t a gangster — he’s a ghost. He’s the Joker after the joke has ended.”
Why Fans Want Justice League 2?
The ongoing #RestoreTheSnyderVerse campaign is proof of the DCEU fandom’s longevity. Fans believe that Snyder’s cohesive mythos — centered around themes of divinity, morality, and redemption — remains unmatched.
The proposed Justice League 2 was rumored to continue the Knightmare arc, culminating in Batman’s sacrifice and Superman’s redemption through Lois’s child. Though Warner Bros. shelved the project, Snyder’s teases continue to fuel speculation that the story could still find life, perhaps through animation or a limited series.
Entertainment journalist Clara Winters wrote:
“Every new photo from Snyder is like a flare in the dark — not just nostalgia, but hope that unfinished art might still find its ending.”
The DCEU and the Dawn of the DCU
James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DC Universe has moved away from the old continuity, but even within the new framework, echoes of Snyder’s style persist — from darker character arcs to mythic visual storytelling.
With the upcoming The Brave and the Bold still uncast, some fans even speculate that SnyderVerse alumni could return in Elseworlds stories or multiversal cameos.
FAQs
It features Jared Leto’s Knightmare Joker in tactical gear, holding a gun, taken using Snyder’s Leica dream lens.
There are no official plans, but Snyder’s teases have kept hope alive among fans.
Currently, there are no active DC projects involving Leto’s Joker.
He’s directing The Last Photograph and finishing Rebel Moon: Part Two.
His cinematic vision and mythic storytelling resonate deeply with audiences, creating one of the most loyal fan movements in modern cinema.
