Who is Conrad Veidt? James Gunn Pays His Respects to the Man Who Inspired the Most Iconic DC Supervillain
James Gunn, the filmmaker and the co-CEO of the DC Studios, recently made a tweet paying tribute to Conrad Veidt. Gunn cited Veidt as an inspiration for the development of DC supervillain the Joker. The late actor is known for his iconic performance in The Man Who Laughs. His tweet has left fans speculating if the gesture hinted at the future of the Joker in the DC Universe.
James Gunn’s Tribute to Conrad Veidt Sparks Speculation
Released in the year 1928, The Man Who Laughs is considered to be a major inspiration for Joker. While the character was not the villain, the distinctive appearance he had influenced the creation of Joker, a renowned adversary of Batman.
Gunn shared images from the movie on his social media, along with the tale of how the portrayal of Veidt inspires the original design of the supervillain.
In the tweet, he says:
“The Man Who Laughs is a masterpiece, and Conrad Veidt is one of the greatest actors of all time. His performance was a huge inspiration for the Joker, and I’m so glad that I got to see it on the big screen recently.”
Conrad Veidt in Paul Leni’s “The Man Who Laughs” (1928), based on Victor Hugo’s novel. The film was a silent romantic melodrama – Veidt’s character was the hero; the smile was carved into his face as a boy by a Comprachico (a fictional group of people who reshaped the physical… pic.twitter.com/uc58cOO3nq
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 12, 2023
The homage he paid sparked speculation about the potential classic Joker design incorporation in the upcoming portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime, in DCU. Some enthusiasts have even theorized that a movie titled, The Batman Who Laughs, a darker alternate version of Joker, can be in works, drawing its inspiration from a comic book variant of Batman. And incorporating the Veidt’s portrayal elements in The Man Who Laughs.
Some believe that this was just an homage to the character’s origin, and there are no concrete plans for Joker in DC Universe as of now. Well, either be the case, the tweet has sparked discussions, and it will continue to remain until any new updates are made available.
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Who is Conrad Veidt?
Conrad Veidt was a well-known actor from Germany known for his roles in The Man Who Laughs, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Thief of Bagdad, and more. He was also one of the popular stage actors and appeared in many Broadway productions.
Now, his character and roles might have been many, but his role in The Man Who Laughs often gets cited as the inspiration for the character of Joker. Even today, he is considered an important actor of the silent film era, and the work of his gets celebrated by many critics and fans, including James Gunn himself.
James Gunn & His Priorities Amidst Uncertainty
As per reports, James Gunn is working on many projects for DC studios as of now, including the upcoming movie Superman: Legacy, wherein it’s quite unlikely for the story to center around Joker. It might be possible that the Clown Prince of Crime can appear in any of such projects. It is also possible that through his tweet, Gunn was teasing the character for the future. Either way, only time can tell what Gunn has got in store for Joker in DC Universe, and as of now, we can all just wait fort he new announcements.
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Source: X
