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A handful of Gunn’s MCU collaborators, including Bradley Cooper and Pom Klementieff, find themselves playing minor roles in Superman. Another Guardians of the Galaxy star is shooting for something bigger, hoping to nab the Joker role in the DC Universe. While it would be great to add another talented performer to the impressive list of actors to play the Clown Prince of Crime, they’re a little bit off the mark, as they’re perfect for another DC villain role.
Chukwudi Iwuji Sees Something Special in the Joker
The superhero genre is very familiar with Chukwudi Iwuji. In Peacemaker Season 1, he plays A.R.G.U.S. agent Clemson Murn, who turns out to be more than just a pawn for the government to use. His body is taken over by an alien being called a Butterfly, which attempts to prevent the other members of his race from conquering Earth. Murn doesn’t last long, but he makes an impact, which is the same boat that Iwuji’s MCU character finds himself in. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 makes Iwuji its villain, the High Evolutinary, who is responsible for the creation of Rocket and countless other creatures. His ultimate goal is to create the perfect being, which is a daunting task. All the failed experiments leave the High Evolutinary feeling lonely, and Iwuji sees that same quality in another bad guy.
While discussing his future, Iwuji mentioned that he finds himself drawn to the Joker, Batman’s archenemy. “There has to be something maniacal about the Joker, right? But ‘maniacal’ has such a huge range,” he explained. “The part of Heath Ledger’s Joker that moved me most was when you realize that he keeps making up a story about his father each time. And when I asked myself, ‘Well, why would you do that?’ Again, that loneliness and that he’s covering up with this flamboyant thing, but he keeps making up a story about his father.”
There’s no doubt that Iwuji would be a fine choice to play the Joker, as he understands the character’s need to be accepted on a fundamental level. But there’s another role that should be on his radar, as it’s one that he could take in any direction he wants because no one has ever done it before.
