The first real trailer for Zack Snyder’s Justice League hit the internet on Sunday morning, with many small details included in the two minutes that preview what promises to be a much longer take on the 2017 DC film. But one moment fans latched onto in particular came with the reveal of Jared Leto’s new look for the Joker, which seems to pay a strong homage to Heath Ledger’s version of the character.
The biggest thing fans reacted to, though, was what Leto’s character said. The moment came at the end of the trailer, with Batman and Joker on the roof of a building at what appears to be sunset.
“We live in a society where honor is a distant memory,” a voice says as Batman turns to see a figure, revealed to be Leto’s new Joker, comes into focus. “Isn’t that right, Batman?”
“WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY” immediately started to trend on Twitter, in all-caps, as fans reacted to several different accounts tweeting out the video.
When Jared Leto’s joker finally gives us the “we live in a society” that we’ve all been yearning for #SnyderCut pic.twitter.com/HiMZWP6vmc
— Zac Burns (@ZacBurns9) February 14, 2021
Zack Snyder really had the Joker say ‘We live in a society’
#SnyderCut pic.twitter.com/qkS1yPUicg
— Culture Crave
(@CultureCrave) February 14, 2021
Mfs trying to explain how Zack Snyder is actually a terrible filmmaker because he used the “we live in a society” line
pic.twitter.com/QxWBggkx3b— rand (@LogainTT) February 14, 2021
Now he did. And leto joker did that.
We live in a society. #SnyderCut #ZackSnydersJusticeLeague pic.twitter.com/gmCn05anl5
— ★ Mister J ★ (@ColdBloodedJoke) February 14, 2021
And Leto himself chimed in on Twitter, retweeting the trailer with that same phrase.
We live in a society https://t.co/3OaJxZlfOy
— JARED LETO (@JaredLeto) February 14, 2021
The reason fans are so exited about the line is that it’s pretty popular meme when it comes to the Joker, though he’s never said it in a movie or show before. There was even a petition to have Joaquin Phoenix say the line in the Joker movie, too. It’s basically a Joker-based meme that has many meanings to many different people. For some it encapsulates the hyperbole of praise for dark Joker movie portrayals, while others just think it would be funny if he said the line. And so when it popped up in the trailer, it seemed as many people were laughing at its inclusion as there were people excited it made the… cut.
Funnier than I could have possibly imagined pic.twitter.com/AoeWzLGjC0
— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) February 14, 2021
zack directing jared leto on set of #ZackSnydersJusticeLeague:
“now tell him that we live in a society” pic.twitter.com/zwpt1eNoAx
— Hadeed Butt (@mhadeedbutt) February 14, 2021
credit where credit’s due: having Leto Joker actually say “we live in a society” in that trailer is some grade-A trolling and I respect it
— Scott Wampler
(@ScottWamplerBMD) February 14, 2021
Zack Snyder will go down as the Madman who actually made Joker say “We live in a society” lmao. Man’s on a whole new level of trolling
pic.twitter.com/k7Solmr1ri
— Bruised Wayne (@Cruelfilm) February 14, 2021
Not everything new in Zack Snyder’s Justice League is getting high praise from fans, but the inclusion of an iconic line from Joker history certainly had fans talking on Sunday.