The remarkable evolution of the Joker on screen

When one thinks about the most iconic villains in cinema, who’ve left behind a legacy that’s tough to replicate, few rank higher than the Joker and his menacing smile. Right from the time audiences first saw the comic character come to life on screen with Cesar Romero playing him in Batman: The Movie to Joaquin Phoenix in the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux that’s releasing this week, each portrayal of the Joker has seen the actors give their unique persona to the character along with making him stand out in the cultural setting of the time. Just like how the card shows its versatility and uniqueness in the game, the character, true to its name, does the same and continues to be a very relevant one in the times that we live in today. 

We look back at the many versions of the Joker that cinema lovers have witnessed over the years. 

Cesar Romero in 'Batman: The Movie' (1966) 

Cesar Romero, remember the name, was the very first actor to play the actor on the big screen. Just like the animated TV series during the 60s, his version of the Joker was very colourful and saw him do a lot of hamming, if one were to put it mildly. Playful as ever as he blended together wit and being menacing at the same time, he made the character his own with his mannerisms, trademark laugh, and the painted-on moustache. Wearing bright purple suits, Romero did things differently as he refused to shave his moustache for the role and chose to paint over it. What standouts in his antics—that see him scheme his way to conquer Gotham City, was his laugh that captured all the insanity and charm that made the Joker such an eccentric character. Romero’s performance set the tone for not just how Joker was to be played in later films, but how villains were to be staged in the future. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Jack Nicholson in 'Batman' (1989)

Nicholson was already a legend having given career-best performances in films such as Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest, and The Shining. The actor showed just why he’s the best in the business as he made the Joker much darker and way more psychopathic compared to Romero’s version. Funny and menacing at the same time, one of the first things that audiences remember about this Joker was how unpredictable his was. While Romero had the laugh, Nicholson had a wide grin that stood out. He also had an intriguing backstory (a personal connection to Batman as he was a gangster on the run who fell into a vessel of chemicals) that added a lot of depth to the character. Known for being a complete scene stealer, the film also saw Nicholson have a host of iconic dialogues such as, “I’m not a monster. I’m just ahead of the curve,” “Wait till they get a load of me,” and, “All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy.” Each one of them touching on how confident and manipulative, yet unpredictable and menacing he was. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Heath Ledger in 'The Dark Knight' (2008)

We’re talking about not just the best Joker of all time but one of the best villains in cinema that audiences have and will ever see. Ledger was a force of nature, as his method acting and performance captured not just the unpredictability that made Joker so menacing but added depth to the character as well earning a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Ledger’s dedication to the craft was as intense as it gets as he isolated himself in a hotel room to understand the mannerisms of the Joker as a man who was all by himself. He completely changed his appearance using makeup and costumes to create a menacing looks that was unruly and untidy at the same time. Along with journaling, he dug deep into themes of chaos, morality and unpredictability to establish his character as the anti-hero, but one who audiences would love to hate. For a change, one didn’t root for Batman because the Joker’s worldview made much more sense. 

Along with his performance being an unforgettable one, this version of the Joker had a host of iconic dialogues. It was chaos and confrontation at its best when he said, “Why So Serious?’ or “Want to know how I got those scars?’. 

A Joker so charming, yet so complex will never be seen again. 

Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema

Jared Leto in 'Suicide Squad' (2016) and 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' (2021)

As mentioned at the start of the article, a major reason why the Joker is so loved is because of how well he fits into the social setting of that era. In this film, Leto, as the iconic character, was modern and larger than life, a showman of sorts that wasn’t seen in previous versions. With a gangster-like look, Leto was full of tattoos, silver braces, and a very unique hairstyle that made him stand out. Any version of the Joker post Heath Ledger was going to be an impossible challenge, something that Leto faced once the film released. What also didn’t make things easier for him was the limited screen time that the character got in the film, allowing very little room for his character to develop. That however changed with the actor reprising the role in Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). With more depth to the character, this Joker was dark in his personality and focused less on being chaotic and more on his thoughts. This shift made for him having a very complex dynamic with Batman that added new layers to their never-ending rivalry.  

Where to watch: Netflix

Joaquin Phoenix in the 'Joker' (2019)

Having loved the Joker in past films, audiences were yet to see the villain’s origin story and how he became who he is. Phoenix’s haunting and captivating portrayal of the Joker made sure that viewers would never see the Joker the way they did before. Much before the Joker, he was Arthur Fleck, a person who suffered mental illness, societal neglect that saw him transform into a villain who descended into madness. Along with a remarkable physical transformation, that saw him lose weight, Phoenix’s ability to effortlessly evoke a range of emotions—vulnerability, loneliness, sadness, anger, happiness, and despair amongst others won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. His portrayal of the character made audiences view the Joker in new light; it humanised the iconic character and made the world love him even more. 

Where to watch: Netflix

Lead image: Getty Images

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