One of the most memorable characters in American cinema is the Joker. When you think of the Joker, you are haunted by his laughter and his love for chaos. He is the perfect example of the ultimate villain. There have been some great performances by actors who have played the Joker.
In Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, the Joker is played by Jack Nicholson, who set a very high standard for others to follow. Nicholson’s Joker is very comic booky with his over-the-top performance and throughout the movie, you can tell it has a comic book feel with the camera shots.
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight brought Heath Ledger’s Joker, which in my opinion, is the best Joker by far. When the world first heard that Heath was being cast as the Joker, the word “skeptical” was an understatement. However, when the movie was over, audiences were blown away by Heath’s performance. Rumor has it that Heath spent months in isolation preparing for this role and it almost broke him, mentally. It would be one of his last roles before he passed away. Heath’s Joker loved chaos and really had no motive other than to destroy the city. Heath Ledger won the Oscar for his performance which was well-deserved.
Jared Leto’s Joker in The Suicide Squad resembles the Joker from the video games, like Arkham Asylum. He has around 10 minutes of screen time in the movie.
Finally, Joaquin Phoenix in the Joker. He comes a close second to Heath’s performance. The Joker tells the origin story of Arthur Fleck who is a failed comedian who becomes the Joker. This film shows how mental illness and being misunderstood can sometimes lead to craziness. You feel for Arthur throughout the movie.
I’ll be really interested in who becomes the Joker next. I’m hoping Johnny Depp or Tom Hiddleston will eventually.