A new fan theory has emerged in recent months suggesting that Jared Leto’s version of The Joker in Suicide Squad is actually Jason Todd — a hypothesis that gained a little traction when it was revealed that the Robin suit featured in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice belonged to Todd. If you subscribe to this particular theory, then David Ayer has some disappointing news for you.

During an interview with WSVN-TV (via THR), Ayer responded to a question about the most absurd Suicide Squad rumors by dismissing the Jason Todd / Joker fan theory. The director of the upcoming DC film shouted, “It ain’t the case! He’s not!” while addressing the camera directly.

The rumor started with Batman v Superman, which features a scene in which Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne mournfully glances at a suit that once belonged to his deceased sidekick. Covered in The Joker’s taunting graffiti, the suit sits in his Batcave as a grim reminder. Not long after the film hit theaters, it was confirmed that this Robin costume belonged to Jason Todd, who was famously killed by The Joker in the comics and later returned as the vigilante Red Hood.

From there, the fan theory got way out of hand, with bizarrely elaborate analyses of Jared Leto’s Joker, his tattoos and various “clues” hidden in Batman v Superman and the Suicide Squad trailers. It all felt like a major stretch.

So no, Leto’s Joker is not Jason Todd. But you will get to see what sort of tricks the Clown Prince has up his sleeve when Suicide Squad arrives on August 5.

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