The Joker, a supervillain in DC Comics and the archenemy of the superhero Batman, has been adapted in various forms of media. WorldCat (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 in the 1966–1968 Batman television series and the 1966 Batman film; Jack Nicholson in the 1989 film Batman; Heath Ledger in the 2008 film The Dark Knight; Jared Leto in the 2016 film Suicide Squad and the 2021 director's cut Zack Snyder's Justice League; Cameron Monaghan in the Fox series Gotham; Joaquin Phoenix 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 from The Godfather and Anita from West Side Story).
Mark Hamill, among others, has provided the Joker's voice in animation and video games.
Contents
Television
Live-action
The Joker appears in Batman (1966), portrayed by Cesar Romero whose moustache remained visible underneath his facial makeup as he refused to shave it for the role. This version is based on his comic book appearances in the 1960s as an elaborate prankster with a Vaudeville-esque sense of humor who wields harmless weapons.
The Joker appears in the Batman OnStar commercial "Joker Face", portrayed by Curtis Armstrong.
The Joker appears in Birds of Prey, portrayed by Roger Stoneburner and voiced by Mark Hamill.
The Joker's mythology is explored in Gotham through twin brothers Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska, both portrayed by Cameron Monaghan. Believing that the Joker should not precede Batman, showrunner Bruno Heller 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." Jerome is introduced in the first season as the mentally unhinged son of a nymphomaniac 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 following the series finale, the DC FanDome documentary 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, portrayed by Mustafa Bulut.
The Joker appears in flashbacks depicted in the third season of Batwoman, 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 from her sister and mother, Beth and Gabrielle Kane, before Batman killed the Joker years prior. Before then, the latter exposed Marquis Jet (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 Batwoman.
Animation
The Joker appears in The Adventures of Batman, voiced by Larry Storch.
The Joker appears in The New Adventures of Batman, voiced by Lennie Weinrib.
The Joker appears in The New Scooby-Doo Movies, voiced again by Larry Storch.
The Joker appears in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians episode "The Wild Cards", voiced by Frank Welker. Disguising himself as "Ace", he manipulates the Royal Flush Gang into helping him construct a portal to Apokolips before they are foiled and captured by Batman and Wonder Woman.
The Joker appears in The Batman (2004), voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. 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, appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Jeff Bennett. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom and the Jokers of All Nations who was inspired to pursue supervillainy by the Weeper. Additionally, a heroic alternate universe variant (loosely based on the Jester) utilized the Red Hood identity appears as well.
The Joker appears in Young Justice, voiced by Brent Spiner. This version is a member of the Injustice League.
The Joker appears in Robot Chicken, voiced by Mark Hamill 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 in the Robot Chicken DC Comics Special via a deleted scene; and Giovanni Ribisi 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.
Film
Live-action
The Batman (1966) incarnation of the Joker appears in the film of the same name, portrayed again by Cesar Romero.
The Joker appears in Batman (1989), portrayed by Jack Nicholson in the present and Hugo Blick 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's parents Thomas and Martha Wayne 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 review of the film stated that the best scenes are due to the surreal black comedy portrayed by the Joker. In 2003, American Film Institute 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-induced hallucination. Additionally, Harley Quinn was to appear as his daughter who seeks revenge on Batman for killing him. Due to the critical and commercial failure of Batman & Robin, however, Batman Unchained was cancelled.
The Joker appears in The Dark Knight, portrayed by Heath Ledger. 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 Batman. For his portrayal, Ledger drew on his past performances, such as in The Brothers Grimm, and referenced paintings by artist Francis Bacon, Anthony Burgess' 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 prescription drug overdose, the performance caused a sensation and received universal acclaim. Additionally, Ledger was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Animation
The DCAU incarnation of the Joker appears in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, voiced again by Mark Hamill. 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 for three weeks. All throughout, they rendered him insane, secretly implanted stolen Project Cadmus 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 Batgirl eventually rescued Drake who killed the Joker during the ensuing struggle. Forty years later, the Cadmus technology is activated, allowing the Joker to possess Drake's body and resurface to terrorize Neo-Gotham. However, he is defeated by Batman II who fries the technology with the Joker's joy buzzer and frees Drake.
The Batman (2004) incarnation of the Joker appears in The Batman vs. Dracula (2005), voiced again by Kevin Michael Richardson. After accidentally awakening 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 appears in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, voiced by James Patrick Stuart.
The Joker / Red Hood 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 (2012–2013), voiced by Michael Emerson.
The Joker appears in Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite (2013), voiced by Christopher Corey Smith.
Internet
Animation
The Joker appears in DC Kids official YouTube channel.
The Joker appears in Imaginext official YouTube channel.
The Joker appears in the Batman Black and White Motion Comic released on iTunes, voiced by Michael Dobson. It was produced in a motion comic format.
The Joker appears in the short brickfilm 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) 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) for the Sega Genesis.
The Joker, based on Jack Nicholson's portrayal, appears in the 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 (1993).
The Joker, based on the DCAU incarnation, appears in The Adventures of Batman & Robin.
The Joker, based on the DCAU incarnation, appears in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000).
The Joker appears in Batman: Vengeance (2001), voiced again by Mark Hamill.
The Joker appears in Batman: Chaos in Gotham (2001).
The Joker appears in Justice League: Injustice for All (2002) as a member of the Injustice Gang.
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).
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 Legion of Doom.
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.
The Joker appears in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (2026), voiced by Ewan Bailey. His appearance is initially based on the Jack Napier version from the 1989 film before later resembling Heath Ledger's portrayal in the Dark Knight trilogy.
Batman: Arkham
Mark Hamill 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 Island to work on the "Titan formula", a more potent version of 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. 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 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'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.
Miscellaneous
The Joker appears in Batman Live, portrayed by Mark Frost.
The Dark Knight incarnation of the Joker appears in The Dark Knight Coaster, voiced by Heath Ledger.
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 see his body buried underneath Arkham Asylum.
The Injustice incarnation of the Joker appears in the 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. 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 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: Alien #3. This version is the Batman of Earth-13.