This Joker design is really growing on me. I hated the tats at first, but now I'm either getting used to the idea or like it. I can't tell which.
i never dislike the design bar the damaged tat,
but imho it just isnt joker.
BUT having that said,
perhaps we should reconcider what 'needs' to be canonical.
Batman, Superman have conical 'origins', so their path and persona
is more or less pre-determined for any movie. I don't like the Batman
and Superman kill 'change', but quite frankly, that was all that could
be done 'creatively' with the characters.
The joker is another story alltogether. he has no origin story, he is simply
completely deranged and a lethal psychopath. Frankly you can go a lot of ways there.
I feel like they went a little too 'ghetto pimp' as the design 'feels' more fit for a non-caucasian type - im probably gonna get labeld discriminatory for that but its not.
BUT, where the joker also has been played in various 'characteristics', this one has not been 'delved into' yet, so it 'renews' the character.
Also, it is worth thinking about the mention this joker could be 'much older' then assumed - as stated before. Since the Suicide Squad movie revolves around people with 'special abilities', perhaps this joker has the 'ability' to renew its cells without breaking down - thus not ageing, perhaps due to the jump in the toxic stuff? who knows!
if so, then joker has portrayed possibly several character palletes before (the knife scene is a hint at that), so this moment might just be that he enjoys delving into this 'persona'.
i'm sure there is a clear moment to note that the joker has 'changed'.
the knife scene suggest it's a flashback, and whether he has or does not have that face tat there,
his dressing code there is beyond different to the leather pimp-style with the shiny trainers.