The Joker: the five most iconic on-screen appearances

Ash Walker • 16 Oct 2024 Features

Ha ha ha.

It’s a good time to be a Batman fan. Not only did the Caped Crusader recently celebrate his 85th anniversary, but villain-centric series The Penguin is getting rave reviews on Sky Atlantic.

And then there’s Joker: Folie à Deux. The sequel to Todd Phillips’ Oscar-winning look at Batman’s greatest nemesis hasn’t exactly been well-received, but it has got us looking back at the on-screen history of the Clown Prince of Crime.

Now we’re counting down the top five most memorable Joker appearances of all time.

5 - Joker (2019)

Played By: Joaquin Phoenix

It’s a divisive take - especially after the much-maligned sequel - but you have to admit that Joaquin Phoenix’s 2019 version is a swing for the fences. Less a supervillain, more a very sad man with severe psychological issues, this Joker is barely recognisable as Batman’s archnemesis.

Arthur Fleck, as he’s named here, is a down-on-his-luck birthday clown and aspiring stand-up comedian. He’s all skin and bones, pale, sickly skin and straggly hair, and his ‘condition’ forces him to cackle at the most inappropriate times.

Pathetic and frightening in equal measure, Fleck is a deeply unpleasant character in a deeply unpleasant world. But at least he’s more interesting than Jared Leto’s version.

4 - Batman (1966)

Played By: Cesar Romero

The OG. The first Joker ever committed to screen, and the benchmark for more than twenty years.

With his colourful makeup and zany schemes, Cesar Romero’s Clown Prince of Crime is wonderfully goofy, and a perfect foil to Adam West’s Batman. He takes his cues from the old Golden Age comics, more of a silly trickster than a murderous psychopath - and a billion miles away from Joaquin Phoenix’s interpretation.

Fun fact: Romero famously refused to shave his moustache for the role, so just covered it in white greasepaint - something that’s glaringly obvious in modern day HD, but somehow only adds to his Joker’s manic charm.

3 - Batman (1989)

Played By: Jack Nicholson

“You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?”

With this random (but undeniably cool) line, the Joker unwittingly reveals to Bruce Wayne that he is the one who killed the billionaire’s parents, all those years ago. It’s an interesting wrinkle in the classic Batman/Joker dynamic - one of many liberties taken by Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster - but it does rob the villain of some of his mystery.

This Joker is just a regular gangster, driven a little mad by a disfiguring accident and bent on revenge against his former boss. He’s even given a name - Jack Napier.

But despite the attempts at an origin story, this version of the Joker is still plenty effective. He’s got the style and the sense of humour, and he’s brought to malevolent life by a terrific Jack Nicholson performance. Not to mention the great makeup, that enhances Nicholson’s already Jokerish smile to ghoulish proportions.

2 - Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

Played By: Mark Hamill

The quintessential depiction of the Joker. He’s goofy, manic and actually quite sinister. Also, crucially, he’s very funny - something that tends to be a bit neglected when bringing the Joker to the screen.

He’s got the look, too. Close your eyes and picture the Joker, and this is probably what you’ll see: the green hair, the long white face, the wide red grin. And don’t forget that impeccably sharp purple suit.

This Joker also gets bonus points for being the first to have a sidekick/love interest called Harley Quinn. And he’s effectively the same version that appears in the popular Arkham video game series, complete with a bonkers Mark Hamill voice performance.

Just excellent stuff, and that iconic laugh has never been bettered.

1 - The Dark Knight (2008)

Played By: Heath Ledger

Mark Hamill’s Joker might be the purest distillation of the character, but this version surely has to be the best. Heath Ledger turns in a career-defining performance - maybe one of the best of all time - creating an unforgettable foil to Christian Bale’s dour, growly Batman.

He’s freakish, dangerous, unpredictable and - most importantly - he’s got a sense of humour (albeit a very dark one). He’s chaotic, a self-described ‘dog chasing cars’, but increasingly driven by a need to corrupt and ruin the great and good of Gotham. Batman included.

He’s dripping in mystery, too. No one knows who he is or where he comes from; his ‘origin stories’ are all probably lies.

Like all good Jokers, he just is.

Joker: Folie à Deux is in cinemas now. And while you’re at it, why not check out our rundown of the top five on-screen appearances of another of Batman’s great nemeses - the Penguin.