TheJoker, a character known for his chaos and madness, has been a beloved supervillain of DC Comics and the big and small screens. The character first appeared in a 1940 comic book titledBatman. Created by Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, and Bill Finger, the Joker is a criminal mastermind and a psychopath who likes causing mayhem wherever he goes. Sporting his clown makeup and maniacal laughter, he represents duality, nihilism, and destruction. From comic book pages to Hollywood films, the character has been adapted several times while staying true to his sadistic sense of humor and freak personality.
The Joker’s character has been played by many iconic actors, and some were even awarded an Oscar for their performances. Every actor’s interpretation added layers to his enigmatic nature, leaving a lasting impression on viewers' minds. The agent of chaos is not a cliché villain who seeks revenge and desires power. He is a madman who isn’t interested in killing his archenemy (Batman), but in creating havoc and making him question his own beliefs. He is a man with no plan but a master intimidator who has good manipulation skills and pain tolerance abilities.
The Joker made his debut on screen in the 1960s TV showBatman. Since then, many TV shows and films have explored his intriguing journey to delve deep into the complexities of his character.
6Batman TV Series (1966)
Cesar Romero portrays the Clown Prince of Crime in theBatmanTV series. The character appears in various episodes throughout the three-season run. His portrayal was more on the colorful and goofy side than dark. “The Joker is Wild” was the first episode to witness his unpredictable and notorious side. Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, the iconic duo, come to Gotham’s defense to save it from villains like the Joker.
In the debut episode, the Joker escapes prison and decides to create some trouble for his beloved archenemy, Batman. He decides to create a replica of the caped crusader’s utility belt in an effort to seek revenge and defeat him. All the episodes featuring the Joker had a similar concept: he plans a heist or criminal-minded plot and leaves behind clues; Robin and Batman have to crack those mysteries to stop him from being successful in his plans.
The Joker also teams up with other villains like Penguin, the Riddler, and Catwoman to take down Batman. Speaking of Cesar Romero’s physical appearance, herefused to shave his mustache, and it was a bit visible beneath the clown makeup.
Reimagined The Batman Trailer Brings 60s TV Show to The Big Screen
5Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
The 1992Batman: The Animated Seriesfeatures Mark Hamill as The Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman. The Joker’s story stands out from the 1960s shows as it explores the darker side of his DC stories. In the series, Jack Napier’s alter ego, the Joker, appears with white-painted skin, green hair, and a red smile. He has no empathy for people and uses his wicked schemes to achieve whatever he wants.
The Joker always hatches an excellent plan to put Batman in trouble and conquer Gotham City. But one of the episodes named “The Man Who Killed Batman” explored what would happen if the Joker eliminated The Dark Knight from the plot. What made this story arc interesting is that Batman’s existence gives the Joker a meaningful purpose to commit crimes, as he knows there is someone who is capable of stopping him. But a life without his nemesis sends him into despair and makes him question his own existence. Later, the Joker returns to his villainous plans after knowing that Batman’s death was a ploy. This episode highlighted how the presence of the caped crusader mattered in the Joker’s life.
Right from spreading laughing poison in the city to teaming up with his partner in crime, Harley Quinn, the series showcased his mastermind tricks and how successfully he cheats death.
4Tim Burton’s Batman (1989)
Tim Burton is popularly known for his gothic and eerie filmmaking style. He brought the dark DC stories to life through this featured film,Batman, released in 1989. The film focused on the origin story of the Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. According to the plot, a young mobster named Jack Napier transforms into the Joker after he falls into a vat of chemicals during his brawl with Batman. In order to seek revenge on Batman, he starts terrorizing Gotham with poisonous laughter gas, which leads to the deaths of many innocent citizens.
The terror and mayhem caused by the Joker grab the attention of the media and the people in Gotham City. He also becomes obsessed with Batman’s love interest, Vicki Vale, a photojournalist. His obsession turns into a cruel plan to use Vicki against Batman. He is successful in trapping Batman but faces defeat in the end. Throughout the film, his story arc displays the transition from a mobster into an evil force.
Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson once mentioned in the featurette (viaTHR) that he already knew children would love the darker version of his character. The film also received an Academy Award for Best Production Design.
Jared Leto stars as the Joker alongside Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn inSuicide Squad. The story revolves around Amanda Waller, an intelligence officer who gathers a team of supervillains to combat potential threats. The Joker is not a primary character in the movie, but his presence brings chaos and thrills to the film. The character had a unique sense of style, shiny silver teeth, and short green hair. Speaking of the Joker’s story arc, the film shows the dynamic duoHarley Quinn and the Joker’s love story origin.
As per the film, Harleen Quinzel is the psychiatrist of Joker and falls in love with him. In order to prove her love to him, she jumps into acid and transforms into his crazy partner. The criminal lord demonstrates his love and obsession for Harley Quinn as he goes to great lengths to save her. Even though he had a secondary role, his appearance left a lasting impact on the plot and other characters. His presence added a sense of danger, unpredictability, and chaos to the movie.
Suicide Squaddidn’t cover too much of the Joker’s individual story, as it was more focused on highlighting the romantic relationship between the partners in crime.
2The Dark Knight (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan,The Dark Knightholds a special place in viewers' minds with its perfect casting, dark nature, and realistic take on the characters. It introduced the late Heath Ledger in action as the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker, and Christian Bale as Gotham’s savior, Batman. Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker is considered one of the best to date and was inspired by the graphic novelsBatman: The Killing JokeandArkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.
The Joker proved to be a true embodiment of Alfred Pennyworth’s quote, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” He is a mysterious man who puts Batman’s morality to the test and shows the world that he can be corrupted too. He pushed his archenemy to his limits to blur the line between a hero and a vigilante. In the film, the Joker believed in the idea of anarchy and wanted society to confront its own fraudulent nature. Throughout the film, he sports his agent of chaos persona and creates widespread panic among the citizens. Right from blowing up the hospital to holding the prisoners and civilians hostage in two ferries, he goes to great lengths to bring the city to its knees.
His character in the film remains unpredictable and complex, but he derives pleasure from creating havoc and tearing down societal norms. Thelate Heath Ledgerwon accolades as well for his memorable villainous role inThe Dark Knight.
Related:Steven Spielberg Says The Dark Knight Would Have Been Nominated For Best Picture if Released Now
1Joker (2019)
The 2019 film dives deeper into the origin story of theJoker, played by Joaquin Phoenix. Mental illness and alienation serve as a backdrop to the Todd Phillip-helmed movie. Through the lens of Arthur Fleck, one gets to witness his rebellious behavior when society shuns him. The story is set in 1981 in Gotham and shows Arthur Fleck as the adopted son of Penny Fleck.
Arthur suffers from complex psychological conditions like pseudobulbar affect and schizophrenia. Initially, he takes help from social services for the required medication, but at one point the services shut down due to budget cuts. Further, in several scenes, he is seen attending psychiatrist Debra Kane’s therapy sessions, where she tries to help him deal with his mental struggles. He works as a clown and aspires to become a stand-up comedian. But at one point, when his performance doesn’t go well and his jokes don’t land, his confidence to pursue the dream is shattered.
Isolated and abandoned by society,Arthur Fleck transformsinto the merciless Joker, who brings a wave of violence and chaos to the city. His portrayal displays how tragedies and humiliations in his life push him to the brink of madness.
