The Joker, a

supervillain A supervillain, supervillainess or supercriminal is a major antagonist and variant of the villainous stock character who possesses Superpower (ability), superpowers. The character type is sometimes found in comic books and is often the primary ...

DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...

and

archenemy In literature, an archenemy, (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) or nemesis is the main enemy of the protagonist — or sometimes, one of the other main characters — appearing as the most prominent and most-known enemy of the hero. Etymolog ...

of the superhero

Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...

, has appeared in various media.

WorldCat WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the O ...

(a catalog of libraries in 170 countries) records over 250 productions featuring the Joker as a subject, including films, television series, books, and video games. Live-action films featuring the character are typically the most successful. The Joker has been portrayed by

Cesar Romero César Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost 60 years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lover (stereotype), Latin lovers, historical ...

in the 1966–1968 ''

'' television series and the 1966 ''

'' film;

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...

in the 1989 film ''

'';

Heath Ledger Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, he moved to the United States in 1998 to further develop his film care ...

in the 2008 film ''

The Dark Knight ''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay co-written with his brother Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005), and the second inst ...

'';

Jared Leto Jared Joseph Leto ( ; born December 26, 1971) is an American actor and musician. Known for his method acting in Jared Leto filmography, a variety of roles, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Jared Leto, numerous accolade ...

in the 2016 film ''

Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...

'' and the 2021 director's cut ''

Zack Snyder's Justice League ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' (colloquially referred to as the ''Snyder Cut'') is the 2021 director's cut of the 2017 American superhero film ''Justice League'', the fifth film set within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), which is based ...

'';

Cameron Monaghan Cameron Riley Monaghan (born August 16, 1993) is an American actor and model. The accolades he has received include nominations for a BAFTA Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award. Monaghan is known for his role as Ian Gallagher on the ...

in the

Fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

series '' Gotham'';

Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Rafael Phoenix ( ; ; born October 28, 1974) is an American actor. Widely described as one of the most preeminent actors of his generation and known for Joaquin Phoenix filmography, his roles as dark, unconventional and eccentric charact ...

in the 2019 film '' Joker'' and the 2024 sequel '' Joker: Folie à Deux''. Ledger and Phoenix won the Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor, respectively, for their performances, making the Joker one of the only three characters played by two actors to be awarded an Oscar for both portrayals (the others being

Vito Corleone Vito Corleone (born Vito Andolini) is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel ''The Godfather'' and in the first two of Francis Ford Coppola's film trilogy. Vito is originally portrayed by Marlon Brando in the 1972 film ''The Godfath ...

from ''The Godfather'' and Anita from ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

'')."An offer they couldn't refuse: Joker enters unique Godfather club at the Oscars".
/ref>"Joker Accomplishes Rare Feat at the Academy Awards With Joaquin Phoenix Win".
/ref>

Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...

, among others, has provided the Joker's voice in animation and video games. __TOC__

Television

Live-action

* The Joker appears in ''

'' (1966), portrayed by

. During production of the series, Romero refused to shave his moustache, which remained visible underneath his facial makeup. This version is based on his 1960s comic book portrayal as an elaborate prankster who wields harmless weapons and Vaudeville-esque humor in his crimes. Additionally, despite his numerous attempts to kill Batman and

Robin Robin most commonly refers to several species of passerine birds. Robin may also refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), inclu ...

, he is not homicidal like his comic book incarnation."How The Joker Went From Cesar Romero to Jared Leto."
''Highsnobiety''. August 25, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015 * The Joker appears in the ''Batman'' OnStar commercial "Joker Face", portrayed by

Curtis Armstrong Curtis Johnathan Armstrong (born November 27, 1953) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the role of Booger in the '' Revenge of the Nerds'' films, Herbert Viola on the TV series '' Moonlighting'', Miles Dalby in the film '' Risky ...

. * The Joker appears in ''

Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...

'', portrayed by Roger Stoneburner and voiced by

. * The Joker's mythology is explored in '' Gotham'' via twin brothers

Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska are characters and antagonists in the Fox crime drama television series '' Gotham'' and associated media. They are identical twin brothers portrayed by Cameron Monaghan Cameron Riley Monaghan (born August 16, 1 ...

, both portrayed by

. Believing that the Joker should not precede Batman, showrunner

Bruno Heller Bruno Heller (born 13 January 1960) is a British screenwriter, producer and director. He is known for creating the HBO television series ''Rome'', the CBS television series ''The Mentalist'', and the FOX television series '' Gotham'', based on ...

initially did not want to use the character, but later decided to "scratch the surface" of his origin because "this is America — nobody wants to wait." Appearing in the first season, Jerome is the mentally unhinged son of a

nymphomaniac Hypersexuality is a proposed medical condition said to cause unwanted or excessive sexual arousal, causing people to engage in or think about sexual activity to a point of distress or impairment., according to the website of ''Psychology Toda ...

circus performer. Despite being killed at the start of the second season, he becomes a martyr for various Gothamites. While Monaghan was not comfortable drawing from the previous live-action actors who had played the Joker, he took influence from Mark Hamill in his performance as well as various comic books featuring the character. In the fourth and fifth seasons, Jeremiah was introduced, with the intention that he would represent different characteristics of the Joker. While it was never confirmed whether he would go on to become the Joker during the series, the

DC FanDome DC FanDome was a virtual event platform created by DC Comics and Warner Bros. Entertainment. Created initially as a virtual entertainment and comic book convention, the name is used for other online events centered on DC properties. The events ...

documentary ''The Joker: Put on a Happy Face'' included Jeremiah among the various iterations of the character adapted for film and television across his 80-year history. * The Joker makes a cameo appearance in the '' Powerless'' episode "Wayne or Lose". * The Joker makes cameo appearances in ''

Titans In Greek mythology, the Titans ( ; ) were the pre-Twelve Olympians, Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (mythology), Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). The six male ...

'', portrayed by Mustafa Bulut. * The Joker appears in flashbacks depicted in the third season of ''

Batwoman Batwoman is a name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies of Batman similarly to Batgirl. The original version of the character, Kathy Kane (eventually given t ...

'', portrayed by Nathan Dashwood. Similarly to Jack Nicholson's portrayal, this version's real name is "Jack Napier". Additionally, he was indirectly responsible for separating

Kate Kane Batwoman (Katherine Rebecca "Kate" Kane) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writers Greg Rucka, Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, and artist Alex Ross, Kane is a wealthy heiress who beco ...

from her sister and mother, Beth and Gabrielle Kane, before Batman killed the Joker years prior. Before then, the latter exposed

Marquis Jet NetJets Inc. is an American company that sells fractional ownership shares in private business jets. Founded as Executive Jet Airways in 1964, it was later renamed Executive Jet Aviation. NetJets became the first private business jet charter ...

(portrayed by Nick Creegan) to his joy buzzer, rendering him insane and leading to him attempting to continue the Joker's legacy in the present before he is defeated and has his sanity restored by

Animation

* The Joker appears in ''

The Adventures of Batman ''The Adventures of Batman'' is an animated television series produced by Lou Scheimer's Filmation studios. It consists of the 12-minute Batman segments from '' The Batman/Superman Hour'', which premiered on September 14, 1968, on CBS. The fo ...

'', voiced by

Larry Storch Lawrence Samuel Storch (January 8, 1923 – July 8, 2022) was an American actor and comedian known for his comic television roles, including voice-over work for cartoon shows such as Mr. Whoopee on '' Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales'' and his li ...

. * The Joker appears in ''

The New Adventures of Batman ''The New Adventures of Batman'' is an animated series that aired on CBS from February 12 to May 28, 1977, featuring the DC Comics superheroes Batman, Dick Grayson, Robin, and Barbara Gordon, Batgirl. The series was a Filmation and DC Comics pro ...

'', voiced by

Lennie Weinrib Leonard Weinrib (April 29, 1935 – June 28, 2006) was an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for playing the title role in the children's television show '' H.R. Pufnstuf'', Grimace in McDonaldland commercials, the title role i ...

. * The Joker appears in ''

The New Scooby-Doo Movies ''The New Scooby-Doo Movies'' is an American animated mystery comedy television series produced by Hanna-Barbera for CBS. It is the second television series in the ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise, and follows the first incarnation, '' Scooby-Doo, Wher ...

'', voiced again by Larry Storch. * The Joker appears in '' The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians'' episode "The Wild Cards", voiced by

Frank Welker Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...

. Disguising himself as "Ace", he manipulates the

Royal Flush Gang The Royal Flush Gang is a group of supervillains appearing in DC Comics. The group, which debuted in ''Justice League of America'' #43 (March 1966), use a playing card theme. Their code names are based on the cards needed to form a royal flush in ...

into helping him construct a portal to

Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...

before they are foiled and captured by Batman and

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...

. * The Joker appears in '' The Batman'' (2004), voiced by

Kevin Michael Richardson Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voiced Goro in ''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) ...

. This version sports a pronounced pointed-jaw, green dreadlocks, red eyes, and black fingerless gloves along with a purple and yellow straitjacket in his initial appearances. Additionally, he is more reliant on physical combat than his comical gadgets, using his feet as dexterously as his hands to increase his mobility. * The Joker, based on his Silver Age design as drawn by

Dick Sprang Richard W. Sprang (July 28, 1915 – May 10, 2000)Richard Sprang
United States

...

, appears in '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold'', voiced by

Jeff Bennett Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...

. This version is a member of the

Legion of Doom The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains who originated in '' Challenge of the Superfriends'', an animated series from Hanna-Barbera based on DC Comics' Justice League. The Legion of Doom has since been incorporated into the main DC Univers ...

and the Jokers of All Nations who was inspired to pursue supervillainy by the Weeper. Additionally, a heroic alternate universe variant of the Joker who utilized the Red Hood identity appears as well. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. * The Joker appears in ''

Young Justice Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen T ...

'', voiced by

Brent Spiner Brent Jay Spiner (; born February 2, 1949) is an American actor best known for his role as the android Data on the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (19871994), four subsequent films (19942002), and '' Star Trek: Picard'' ( ...

. This version is a member of the

Injustice League The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. 0-9 100 Originally based in Metropolis (comics), Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal un ...

. * The Joker appears in ''

Robot Chicken ''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animation, adult stop motion, stop-motion animated sketch comedy television series created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich for Cartoon Network's nighttime programming block Adult Swim. The twelve-minute ...

'', voiced by

in the episodes "But Not in That Way", "Catch Me If You Kangaroo Jack" and "Bugs Keith in: I Can't Call Heaven, Doug";

Aaron Paul Aaron Paul (born Aaron Paul Sturtevant; August 27, 1979) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Jesse Pinkman in the AMC series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013), for which he won several awards, including three Primetime Emmy ...

in the ''

Robot Chicken DC Comics Special ''Robot Chicken DC Comics Special'' is an episode of the television comedy series ''Robot Chicken'' and it was aired as a one-off special during Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on September 10, 2012. A DC Universe special, in collaboration with DC ...

'' via a deleted scene; and

Giovanni Ribisi Antonino Giovanni Ribisi (born December 17, 1974) is an American actor. He has appeared in the films '' That Thing You Do!'' (1996), ''Saving Private Ryan'' (1998), '' Gone in 60 Seconds'' (2000), ''Heaven'' (2002), '' Flight of the Phoenix'' (2 ...

in '' Robot Chicken DC Comics Special 2: Villains in Paradise'' and '' Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship''. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom. * The Joker appears in ''

Teen Titans Go! ''Teen Titans Go!'' is an American animated television series developed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Cartoon Network. It premiered on April 23, 2013, and is based on DC Comics' fictional superhero team the Teen Titans. The series ...

'', voiced by

Jason Spisak Jason Spisak () is an American actor, producer, and computer programmer. He is also the co-leader of the Symphony OS Project and the designer of Symphony's unique Mezzo desktop environment and wrote the Laws of Interface Design, to which the proje ...

. * The Joker appears in ''

Justice League Action ''Justice League Action'' is an American superhero animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero team Justice League. The series is produced by Jim Krieg, Butch Lukic, and Alan Burnett. The show debuted on Cartoon Network UK on N ...

'', voiced again by Mark Hamill. * The Joker appears in the ''

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? ''Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?'' is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Chris Bailey and the thirteenth television series in the ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise. The show first premiered on Boomerang's SVOD s ...

'' episode "What a Night, For a Dark Knight!", voiced again by Mark Hamill. * The Joker appears in ''

Harley Quinn Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, PhD) is a fictional American character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for ''Batman: The Animated Series'' as a henchwoman for the ...

'', voiced by

Alan Tudyk Alan Wray Tudyk ( ; born March 16, 1971) is an American actor. His film work includes roles in '' 28 Days'' (2000), '' A Knight's Tale'' (2001), '' Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story'' (2004), voice and motion capture for Sonny in '' I, Robot'' (2 ...

. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom. Throughout the series, he seeks revenge on Harley Quinn for leaving him to become an independent supervillain and join the Legion. However, his efforts culminate in him being exposed to acid that renders him "normal". While recuperating, he falls in love with a nurse named Bethany, who he pursues a relationship with despite eventually being turned back into the Joker. He would later be elected mayor of Gotham City and attempt to reform, only to return to supervillainy with support from his step-family. * The Joker appears in ''

DC Super Hero Girls ''DC Super Hero Girls'', also released as ''DC Superhero Girls'', is an American animated superhero web series produced by Warner Bros. Animation for Cartoon Network based on characters from DC Entertainment that launched in the third quarter ...

'' (2019), voiced by Jeremiah Watkins. This version is a teenager and inmate of the Arkham Reform School. * The Joker appears in ''

Batwheels ''Batwheels'' is an American animated Superhero fiction, superhero children's television series that premiered on September 17, 2022, on Max (streaming service), HBO Max. It made its linear premiere on October 17, 2022, on Cartoon Network's presc ...

'', voiced by

Mick Wingert Mick Wingert (born July 4, 1974) is an American voice actor and voice-over coach. He has played the voice of Master Po and Zeng in '' Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness'', taking over the roles from actors Jack Black and Dan Fogler, respecti ...

. This version sports white makeup instead of bleached skin and is accompanied by his Jokermobile Prank (voiced by Griffin Burns). * The Joker appears in ''

Suicide Squad Isekai is an anime television series based on the Suicide Squad from DC Comics. Presented by Warner Bros. Japan, it is produced by Wit Studio and directed by , with Head writer, series composition and screenplay by Tappei Nagatsuki and , character d ...

'', voiced by

Yūichirō Umehara is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Arts Vision. He is best known for his roles in ''Goblin Slayer'' as the titular protagonist, ''Ensemble Stars!'' as Keito Hasumi, '' Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious'' as Seiya ...

in the Japanese version and Scott Gibbs in the English version. * The Joker makes a cameo appearance in the '' Batman: Caped Crusader'' episode "Savage Night", voiced by an uncredited voice actor. * The Joker makes cameo appearances in '' Kite Man: Hell Yeah!''. * The Joker appears in DC's World's Funnest aired on

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...

voiced by Jake Burgess Rollo. * The Joker makes cameo appearances in

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...

. * The Joker makes cameo appearances in

South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand the ...

, in the three episodes from the Imaginationland story arc, based on Heath Ledger's portrayal.

DC Animated Universe

The Joker appears in television series set in the

DC Animated Universe The DC Animated Universe (DCAU, also referred to as the Timmverse or Diniverse by fans) is a Shared universe, shared fictional universe based on DC Comics properties and media franchise produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It began with ''Batman ...

(DCAU), voiced by

.Chrisman, Eric (July 17, 2015)
"Mark Hamill Would Still Love To Be In The Killing Joke".
Caped Crusades. Retrieved October 19, 2015.Kubin, Jacquie (April 1997)

''Animation World Magazine''. Retrieved October 19, 2015. * First appearing in '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992), the Joker gains a sidekick and lover named

. * The Joker appears in ''

The New Batman Adventures ''The New Batman Adventures'' (often shortened as ''TNBA'') is an American animated superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, which aired on Kids' WB from September 13, 1997 to January 16, 1999. Produced by Warner Br ...

'', in which he was redesigned to have less prominent lips, a purple and green suit, darker hair, and white eyes with black sclera. Additionally, a 1950s-inspired incarnation of the Joker appears in the episode "Legends of the Dark Knight", voiced by

Michael McKean Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician. Over his career he has received a Grammy Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

. * The Joker appears in the '' Superman: The Animated Series'' three-part episode "World's Finest". * The Joker appears in ''

Justice League The Justice League, or Justice League of America (JLA), is a group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). Writer Gardner Fox conceived the ...

''. In the two-part episode "Injustice for All", he joins

Lex Luthor Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor () is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (published on February 22, 1940, with a cover d ...

Injustice Gang The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. 0-9 100 Originally based in Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal underworld for years, i ...

. In the two-part episode "Wild Cards", he frees the Royal Flush Gang from

Project Cadmus This is a list of teams and organizations that appear in various DC Comics publications. Note: Please check :DC Comics superhero teams before adding any redundant entries for superhero teams to the page. 0-9 100 1,000 2000 Committee A ...

' custody and pits them against the

. Furthermore, an alternate reality variant who had been lobotomized by the

Justice Lords The Justice Lords are a fictional team of anti-heroes/anti-villains who first appeared in the two-part ''Justice League'' episode "A Better World", which was broadcast on November 1, 2003. The Justice Lords were brought into DC Comics' canonical ...

appears in the two-part episode "A Better World". * The Joker appears in the ''

Static Shock ''Static Shock'' is an American superhero animated television series based on the Milestone Media/DC Comics superhero Static. It premiered on September 23, 2000, on the WB Television Network's Kids' WB programming block. ''Static Shock'' ran ...

'' episode "The Big Leagues".

Film

Live-action

* The ''Batman'' (1966) incarnation of the Joker appears in the film of the same name, portrayed again by

. * The Joker appears in ''

'' (1989), portrayed by

in the present and

Hugo Blick Hugo Edgar Maxwell Blick (born 7 December 1964) is a British filmmaker and actor. He has his own production company, called Eight Rooks. Early life Hugo Blick studied in Cardiff at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Career He ha ...

in flashbacks. This version, previously known as Jack Napier, is a self-described "fully functional homicidal artist" who previously served as mob boss Carl Grissom's right hand and killed

Bruce Wayne Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. In t ...

's parents

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

and

Martha Wayne Martha Wayne ( Kane) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the mother of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and wife of Dr. Thomas Wayne as well as the paternal grandmother of Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin ...

years prior. While fighting Bruce as Batman in the present, Napier suffers a facial scar from a ricocheting bullet before falling into a vat of Axis Chemicals chemical waste, which turns his skin white, hair green, and lips red. Following a botched plastic surgery operation, Napier is left with a permanent rictus grin. Driven insane by his reflection, he becomes the Joker, kills Grissom, takes over his syndicate, and goes on a crime spree to "outdo" Batman, who he feels is getting too much press, in addition to seeking revenge on him for his disfigurement. Eventually, Bruce recognizes the Joker as his parents' killer and sends him falling to his death. The ''

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...

'' review of the film stated that the best scenes are due to the surreal

black comedy Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...

portrayed by the Joker. In 2003,

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...

ranked Nicholson's performance #45 on their list of 50 greatest film villains. * A young Joker appears in flashbacks depicted in ''Batman Forever'', portrayed by David U. Hodges. * The Joker was meant to appear in ''Batman Unchained'', with Jack Nicholson reprising the role, as part of a Scarecrow (DC Comics), Scarecrow-induced hallucination. Additionally,

was to appear as his daughter who seeks revenge on Batman for killing him. Due to the critical and commercial failure of ''Batman & Robin (film), Batman & Robin'', however, ''Batman Unchained'' was cancelled. * The Joker (The Dark Knight), Joker appears in ''

'', portrayed by

. This version is described as a "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy" influenced by his depictions in ''Batman: The Killing Joke'' and ''Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth''. Additionally, he sports smudged clown makeup that covers a Glasgow smile and embodies themes of chaos, anarchy, and obsession. As such, he expresses a desire to upset social order through crime and defines himself by his conflict with Bruce Wayne (Dark Knight trilogy), Batman. For his portrayal, Ledger drew on his past performances, such as in ''The Brothers Grimm (film), The Brothers Grimm'', and referenced paintings by artist Francis Bacon (artist), Francis Bacon, Anthony Burgess' novel ''A Clockwork Orange (novel), A Clockwork Orange'', and various punk rock musicians. Ledger's portrayal of the Joker is considered to be his finest performance, with Ledger himself regarding it as his most enjoyable. When the film was released in July 2008, six months after the actor had died from an accidental drug overdose, prescription drug overdose, the performance caused a sensation and received universal acclaim. Additionally, Ledger was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. * The Joker appears in films set in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), portrayed by

. ** He was originally set to appear in ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'', but was ultimately cut. ** The Joker first appears in ''

''. While most of his scenes were cut and omitted from the theatrical release, most of them were later included in the extended cut.

, the voice of the Joker in various DC projects, said that he "loved" Leto's take on the character. ** The Joker makes a non-speaking appearance in ''Birds of Prey (2020 film), Birds of Prey'' via a prologue, in which his history with and separation from Harley Quinn (DC Extended Universe), Harley Quinn is detailed; a flashback derived from archive footage; and Johnny Goth, who makes an uncredited appearance from behind in a separate flashback. ** The Joker appears in ''

'' via a post-apocalyptic premonition. ** In 2018, a film featuring the Joker entered development, with Leto attached as an executive producer in addition to reprising his role as the title character and hiring the production crew. By February 2019, the film had been canceled and a separate Joker film unrelated to the DCEU (see below) was released later that year. * The Joker appears in a Joker (2019 film), self-titled film, portrayed by

. This version is , a Clown, party clown and aspiring stand-up comedian who suffers from a mental illness that causes Pseudobulbar affect, pathological laughter, idolizes late-night talk show host Murray Franklin, and lives with his delusional and abusive mother Penny in a Early 1980s recession, recession-ridden Gotham City. After losing his job for bringing a gun to a children's hospital, Arthur kills three Wayne Enterprises employees in self-defense, sparking city-wide protests, and gradually descends into insanity. He later kills Penny and the colleague who gave him the gun before renaming himself Joker and appearing on Franklin's show, during which he rants about being disregarded by society and murders Franklin on live television. He is promptly arrested, but is rescued by protesters in clown masks and celebrated by them as a symbol. Prior to its release, in 2016, Todd Phillips began work on a standalone Joker film with the intent of launching a line of films unconnected to the DCEU called "DC Black". Development began in August 2017, with Philips attached to direct and cowrite with Scott Silver while Martin Scorsese was set to produce. For his performance and similarly to Heath Ledger before him, Phoenix was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor. ** The Joker appears in '' Joker: Folie à Deux'', portrayed again by Phoenix. Two years after the first film, Arthur is incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital while awaiting trial. During this time, he meets and falls in love with another patient named Harley Quinn, Harleen "Lee" Quinzel. However, various circumstances lead to him renouncing his Joker identity and confessing to his crimes before Lee leaves him and an unnamed inmate (portrayed by Connor Storrie) kills him and carves a Glasgow smile onto his face. * The Joker, based on Jack Nicholson's portrayal (see above), makes a cameo appearance in ''Space Jam: A New Legacy''. * The Joker makes a cameo appearance in ''The Batman (film), The Batman'' (2022), portrayed by Barry Keoghan. This version is a patient at Arkham Asylum, Arkham State Hospital who displays a permanent twisted smile, peeling skin, and a burned scalp with patches of hair. Director Matt Reeves described this iteration of the Joker as deformed from an early age like Joseph Merrick, the Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Phantom of the Opera, and Gwynplaine from ''The Man Who Laughs (1928 film), The Man Who Laughs'' (1928) and adept at using other people's horror to his advantage. Makeup artist Mike Marino (make-up artist), Mike Marino contributed to the characterization.

Animation

* The DCAU incarnation of the Joker appears in ''Batman: Mask of the Phantasm'', voiced again by

. In flashbacks, it is revealed he previously worked as an enforcer for the Valestra mob before becoming a supervillain. * The DCAU incarnation of the Joker appears in ''Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker'' (2000), voiced again by Mark Hamill. For this portrayal, his design resembles a combination of his appearances in ''Batman: The Animated Series'' and ''The New Batman Adventures''. In flashbacks, he and Harley Quinn kidnapped and tortured Tim Drake, Robin for three weeks. All throughout, they rendered him insane, secretly implanted stolen

technology into him that contained the Joker's consciousness and DNA, turned him into a miniature version of the Joker, and learned Batman's secret identity. Batman and Barbara Gordon, Batgirl eventually rescued Robin, who killed the Joker during the ensuing struggle. Forty years later, the Cadmus technology is activated, allowing the Joker to possess Robin's body and resurface to terrorize Neo-Gotham. However, he is defeated by Batman (Terry McGinnis), Batman II, who fries the technology with the Joker's joy buzzer and frees Robin. * ''The Batman'' (2004) incarnation of the Joker appears in ''The Batman vs. Dracula'' (2005), voiced again by

. After accidentally awakening Dracula (DC Comics), Dracula, he is converted into a vampire. Despite retaining his original personality and free will, his bloodthirst leads to him raiding a blood bank until he is captured, eventually cured, and sent to Arkham Asylum by Batman. * A heroic, alternate reality variant of the Joker called the Jester (Quality Comics), Jester appears in ''Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths'', voiced by James Patrick Stuart. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Under the Red Hood'' (2010), voiced by John DiMaggio. * The Joker appears in ''DC Super Friends: The Joker's Playhouse'' (2010), voiced by John Kassir. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (film), Batman: The Dark Knight Returns'' (2012–2013), voiced by Michael Emerson. * The Joker appears in ''Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite'' (2013), voiced by Christopher Corey Smith. * The ''Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint'' incarnation of Martha Wayne makes a cameo appearance in a flashback in ''Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox'', voiced by Grey DeLisle. * The Joker makes a cameo appearance in ''Son of Batman'' (2014), voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Assault on Arkham'' (2014), voiced by Troy Baker. * The Joker appears in ''Lego DC Comics: Batman Be-Leaguered'' (2014), voiced again by John DiMaggio. * The Joker appears in the ''Batman Unlimited'' films ''Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem'' (2015) and ''Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants'' (2016), voiced again by Troy Baker. * The Joker appears in ''DC Super Friends'' (2015), voiced by Lloyd Floyd. * The Joker appears in ''Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League – Attack of the Legion of Doom'' (2015), voiced again by John DiMaggio. This version is an aspiring member of the Legion of Doom. * The Joker appears in ''Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League – Gotham City Breakout'' (2016), voiced by

. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: The Killing Joke (film), Batman: The Killing Joke'', voiced again by Mark Hamill. * In 2016, comic book writer and ''Batman: The Killing Joke''s screenwriter Brian Azzarello expressed interest in adapting his graphic novel ''Joker (graphic novel), Joker'' into an animated film. * The ''Batman'' (1966) incarnation of the Joker appears in ''Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders'' (2016) and ''Batman vs. Two-Face'' (2017), voiced by Jeff Bergman. * The Joker appears in ''The Lego Batman Movie'' (2017), voiced by Zach Galifianakis. * The Joker appears in ''DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon'' (2017), voiced by Ken Yasuda. * The Joker appears in ''Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' (2018), voiced again by

. * The Joker makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in ''Teen Titans Go! To the Movies'' (2018). * The Joker appears ''Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash'' (2018), voiced again by

. * A Feudal Japan-inspired incarnation of the Joker appears in ''Batman Ninja'' (2018), voiced by Wataru Takagi in Japanese and Tony Hale in English. * The Joker appears in ''Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (2019), voiced again by Troy Baker. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Hush (film), Batman: Hush'' (2019), voiced again by Jason Spisak. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Death in the Family'' (2020), voiced again by John DiMaggio. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: The Long Halloween (film), Batman: The Long Halloween'' (2021), voiced again by Troy Baker. * The Joker appears in ''Injustice (2021 film), Injustice'' (2021), voiced by Kevin Pollak. * The Joker appears in ''Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!'' (2023), voiced by Nolan North. * The Joker appears in ''Merry Little Batman'' (2023), voiced by David Hornsby. * The Joker appears in ''Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two'' (2024), voiced again by Troy Baker. * An alternate universe variant of the Joker appears in ''Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three'' (2024), voiced again by Mark Hamill. * The Joker appears in ''Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League'' (2025), voiced again by Wataru Takagi in Japanese and Scott Gibbs in English.

Internet

Animation

* The Joker appears in DC Kids official ''YouTube'' channel. * The Joker appears in ''Imaginext'' official YouTube channel. * The Joker appears in Batman Black and White, Batman Black and White Motion Comic released on ''iTunes'' voiced by Michael Dobson (actor), Michael Dobson. It was produced in ''Motion comic'' format. * The Joker appears in the short brickfilm Minimates, Batman: New Times (2005), voiced again by Mark Hamill.

Video games

* The Joker appears in ''Batman: The Caped Crusader'' (1988). * The Joker, based on Jack Nicholson's portrayal, appears in the ''Batman (1989 video game), Batman'' (1989) tie-in game. * The Joker, based on Jack Nicholson's portrayal, appears in ''Batman: The Video Game''. * The Joker, based on Jack Nicholson's portrayal, appears in ''Batman (1990 video game), Batman'' (1990) for the Sega Genesis. * The Joker, based on Jack Nicholson's portrayal, appears in the ''Batman (1990 arcade game), Batman'' (1990) arcade game. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Return of the Joker'' (1991). * The Joker, based on the DCAU incarnation, appears in ''Batman: The Animated Series (video game), Batman: The Animated Series'' (1993). * The Joker, based on the DCAU incarnation, appears in ''The Adventures of Batman & Robin (video game), The Adventures of Batman & Robin''. * The Joker, based on the DCAU incarnation, appears in the ''Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (video game), Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker'' (2000) tie-in game. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Vengeance'' (2001), voiced again by

. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Chaos in Gotham'' (2001). * The Joker appears in ''Justice League: Injustice for All'' (2002) as a member of the

. * The Joker appears in ''Batman: Dark Tomorrow'' (2003), voiced by Allen Enlow. * The Joker makes a cameo appearance in ''Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu'' (2003). * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe'' (2008), voiced by Richard Epcar. * The Joker appears in ''DC Universe Online'' (2011), voiced again by Mark Hamill. This version is a leading member of the Secret Society of Super Villains, Secret Society. * The Joker appears as a character summon in ''Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure'' (2013). * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''Injustice: Gods Among Us'' (2013), voiced again by Richard Epcar. Additionally, an alternate universe variant of the Joker who tricked Superman into killing Lois Lane and their unborn child and destroying Metropolis (comics), Metropolis, for which he was killed by Superman, appears as well. * The Joker appears in ''Batman (2013 arcade game), Batman'' (2013), voiced by Dave B. Mitchell. * The Joker appears as an alternate skin in ''Infinite Crisis (video game), Infinite Crisis'' (2014), voiced again by Richard Epcar. * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''Arena of Valor'' (2016). * The Joker, initially referred to as "John Doe", appears in ''Batman: The Telltale Series'' (2016), voiced by Anthony Ingruber. This version is a patient at Arkham Asylum who provides Bruce Wayne with information regarding the Children of Arkham's attacks on Gotham City. * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''Injustice 2'' (2017), voiced again by Richard Epcar. * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''SINoALICE'' (2017), voiced again by Wataru Takagi. * John Doe / the Joker appears in ''Batman: The Enemy Within'' (2017), voiced again by Anthony Ingruber. After being discharged from Arkham, he and his former psychiatrist Harley Quinn joined a criminal cabal called the "Pact". * The Joker appears as an alternate skin in ''Fortnite Battle Royale, Fortnite'' (2017). * The Joker appears as a downloadable playable character in ''Mortal Kombat 11'' (2019), voiced again by Richard Epcar. * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''MultiVersus'', voiced again by Mark Hamill. * The Joker appears in ''DC: Dark Legion'', voiced by J. P. Karliak.

''Lego Batman''

* The Joker appears as a playable character in ''Lego Batman: The Videogame'' (2008), voiced by Steve Blum. * The Joker appears as an optional boss and unlockable playable character in ''Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes'' (2012), voiced by Christopher Corey Smith. * The Joker appears in ''Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham'' (2014), voiced again by Christopher Corey Smith. This version is a member of the

. * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''Lego Dimensions'' (2015), voiced again by Christopher Corey Smith. This version is a member of Lord Vortech's army. Additionally, ''The Lego Batman Movie'' incarnation appears in the associated DLC, voiced by Dave Wittenberg. * The Joker appears as a playable character in ''Lego DC Super-Villains'' (2018), voiced again by Mark Hamill. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom. Additionally, the DCAU incarnation of the Joker appears as a playable character via and the final boss of the ''Batman: The Animated Series'' DLC pack.

''Batman: Arkham''

reprises his role as the Joker in the main trilogy of the ''Batman: Arkham'' franchise while Troy Baker voices a younger version in the prequels ''Arkham Origins'', ''Origins Blackgate'', and ''Arkham Shadow''. This depiction of the Joker has received widespread acclaim as critics have lauded the voice acting and the exploration of his rivalry with Batman. In 2011, the Joker won the Spike Video Game Awards' "Character of the Year" award for his role in ''Arkham City''. * First appearing as the final boss of ''Batman: Arkham Asylum'' (2009), the Joker takes over Arkham Asylum, Arkham Island to work on the "Titan formula", a more potent version of Bane (comics), Bane's Venom drug, to create an army of genetically-enhanced henchmen before using it on himself, only to be defeated by Batman. Additionally, the Joker appears as a playable character via the Challenge Maps. * In ''Batman: Arkham City'' (2011), the Joker is transferred to the eponymous city prison, where he becomes embroiled in a gang war with Two-Face and the Penguin (character), Penguin. After discovering he is slowly dying due to the Titan formula, he infects Batman and several Gotham City citizens with his infected blood to force him to help find a cure. Despite Batman's best efforts, the Joker ultimately succumbs to the disease. * A young Joker appears in ''Batman: Arkham Origins'' (2013), in which he kidnaps and poses as Black Mask (character), Black Mask to hire eight assassins to kill Batman and later has his first encounter with the latter in addition to Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Additionally, the Joker appears as a playable character via the game's multiplayer mode. ** The Joker appears in ''Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate'' (2013). * In ''Batman: Arkham Knight'' (2015), the Joker manifests as a split personality within Batman and four civilians, Henry Adams, Johnny Charisma, Christina Bell, and Albert King, due to residual traces of the Joker's blood within their bodily systems, with Batman additionally seeing hallucinations of the Joker due to exposure to the Scarecrow (DC Comics), Scarecrow's new fear toxin while the civilians all take on aspects of the Joker's personality and appearance. Upon realizing Batman will become the best host for the Joker's return, Adams kills the other infected and himself. Eventually, Batman overcomes the Joker personality and locks him within his mind. * The Joker makes a cameo appearance in ''Batman: Arkham VR'' (2016) via a nightmare sequence. * An alternate reality variant of the Joker appears as a downloadable playable character in ''Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League'', voiced by J. P. Karliak. This version is a former member of his universe's Suicide Squad, who were killed by Brainiac (character), Brainiac, and sports a prosthetic leg and rocket-powered umbrella. * The Joker makes a vocal cameo appearance in ''Batman: Arkham Shadow'' (2024). Six months after the events of ''Origins'', the Joker has been placed in solitary confinement in Blackgate Penitentiary before eventually escaping with Harleen Quinzel's help.

Miscellaneous

* The Joker appears in ''Batman Live'', portrayed by Mark Frost. * ''The Dark Knight'' incarnation of the Joker (The Dark Knight), Joker appears in The Dark Knight Coaster, voiced by

. * The Joker appears in Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, voiced by Troy Baker. * The Joker appears in Six Flags Magic Mountain's DC Heroes & Villains Fest. * The Joker serves as inspiration for "The Joker Funhouse" interactive walkthrough attraction, voiced by Richard Epcar. * The Joker appears as a meet-and-greet character at Warner Bros. Movie World. * The Joker serves as inspiration for the DC Rivals HyperCoaster. * The DCAU incarnation of the Joker appears in flashbacks in the tie-in comic ''Justice League Beyond''. Following his death during the flashbacks in ''Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker'', Batman and Commissioner Jim Gordon (character), Jim Gordon see his body buried underneath Arkham Asylum. * The ''Injustice'' incarnation of the Joker appears in the ''Injustice: Gods Among Us (comics), Injustice: Gods Among Us'' tie-in comic. Prior to tricking Superman into killing Lois Lane and her unborn child and destroying Metropolis, the Joker and Harley Quinn murdered Jimmy Olsen, stole a nuclear warhead, connected it to a dead man's switch and Lane's pulse, and exposed Superman to Kryptonite-laced fear toxin they stole from the Scarecrow (DC Comics), Scarecrow. Years after Superman killed the Joker and formed the Regime, a group inspired by the latter called the Joker Underground emerge to oppose Superman. While Kate Kane, Batwoman and Harley provide assistance to the group, Superman slaughters them. Nonetheless, more people are inspired by the Joker while an alternate universe variant arrives to co-opt the Joker Underground later in the series. * An alternate reality variant of the Joker appears in ''Smallville Season 11, Smallville: Alien'' #3. This version is the Batman of Earth-13. * The DCEU incarnation of the Joker appears in the music video for Skrillex and Rick Ross' "Purple Lamborghini", portrayed again by

Actors

References

{{Batman (TV series) Joker (character) in other media,