Gotham actor Cameron Monaghan finally got to become the Joker last night, and he used the opportunity to poke fun at Justice League’s CGI issues and the infamous Snyder cut. Fans have been waiting for years to see Gotham finally adapt The Joker - or at least confirm Jerome was the show’s Clown Prince of Crime. But the past few weeks have finally promised to do so. After a fake-out last week, we theorized Cameron Monaghan would still play The Joker in the form of Jerome’s twin Jeremiah. And sure enough, this week finally introduced the villain.
Gotham homaged The Killing Joke last night in its final moments as Jeremiah was doused in a special version of Scarecrow’s laughing gas. The scene clearly sets up the character’s future, as we see him contorted as his lips turn red and his skin turn white. Though Jerome already looked a lot like The Joker, it appears Jeremiah will take on a more classic version of the rogue (even if his backstory is drastically different). But the brief moment of VFX-assisted mutation led to Monaghan channeling his character and throwing some shade at DC.
Cameron Monaghan tweeted out an image of himself from last night’s Gotham as Jeremiah, noting that DC has a penchant for using CGI on its characters mouths. In the process, he gently ribbed Justice League’s use of CGI to remove Henry Cavill’s mustache and even took a shot at fans demanding a Zack Snyder cut of the maligned film.
Gotham is hardly high-art, but its ability to utilize camp and not take itself too seriously has made it an enjoyable spin on some classic Batman elements. Monaghan’s portrayal as Jerome has especially elevated the show, and we’ve made it clear that DC fans should be watching Gotham. We don’t know what the future of Jeremiah will be on the series, but Jerome’s dying message to Gordon about him being an idea and the hints at his brother’s dark tendencies seem to indicate The Joker has finally arrived in Gotham.
We’ve already seen set photos of Monaghan in a Joker costume, proving Jeremiah will quickly take up a life of crime and continue his brother’s legacy. Of course, this could all be yet another troll by the producers and Jeremiah will prove to be just one more inspiration for a future Joker. But with the fate of Gotham uncertain, here’s hoping the iconic villain will get his due on the series.
MORE: Gotham Season 5 ‘Should Have a Place’ on FOX, Says Chairman
Gotham season 4 airs Thursdays on FOX.
Source: Cameron Monaghan
