Suicide Squad was negatively received when it was first released largely due to Jared Leto's depiction of the Joker, but it might have been totally different if Ryan Gosling hadn't turned down the role. The 2016 comic book adaptation is part of the DCEU and introduced Harley Quinn and a new version of the Joker to moviegoers. It follows the titular team as they're recruited by Amanda Waller to stop Enchantress. In return for completing the mission, they would have a few years taken off their prison sentences.
Despite being the lowest-scoring DCEU movie on Rotten Tomatoes, Suicide Squad was a huge financial success, grossing almost $750 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). Still, viewers responded unfavorably to the movie, resulting in a low audience score, as well, and it's curious to wonder if the reception would've been better with another actor in the part of the Joker — particularly Ryan Gosling, who nearly took the part but didn't for a very specific reason.
