While most of us are looking forward to Suicide Squad because its looks damn awesome, it’s really Jared Leto‘s portrayal of “The Joker” that is building the anticipation. While the stories about Leto behind the scenes, playing pranks, and remaining in his role while the cameras are off, we haven’t heard much from the man himself. I mean, taking up the role following the late Heath Leger‘s incarnation in The Dark Knight is no easy simple undertaking, right?

Leto recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about becoming the world’s most iconic supervillain:

The work that’s been done on this character by so many people before me has been so impactful, so incredible, so much fun, so profound, so risky, that it’s a very special thing to be asked to take on that responsibility,

He also discusses how he went about putting his own spin on it:

“You just knew you had to do something different. You had to make it your own. That happens all the time. Whether you’re a composer working on a piece of music that was written a century ago, or you’re an actor on stage, reinterpreting a play, it’s very common these days. Directors take on great works of cinema, actors reinterpret roles, that’s been going on for a great deal of time. From Scarface to Hamlet. In some ways it’s really interesting to reinterpret, redefine.

“It a weighty thing to do. But it’s exciting. The Joker is one of those roles. He was written brilliantly when he was first shared with the world 75 years ago, or something crazy like that. And I think I’m just really grateful I had the opportunity.”

Suicide Squad hits theaters August 5, 2016.