When it comes to villains on the big screen, few capture our hearts (or nightmares) more than the performances of the best Joker actors. Not only is the Clown Prince of Mayhem one of the best Batman villains of all time, but he's a complex criminal that still fascinates us today.
I mean, come on, not only have actors won Oscars for taking on the role of the Gotham baddie, but he's also had some wildly successful stand-alone movies, the most recent being Joker 2 (aka Joker: Folie à Deux). And, what truly makes the on-screen depictions of Joker so special is that he's been continually re-invented over the years, with each new actor who steps into the iconic villain’s oversized shoes adding a new spin on his unique brand of mixing punches with punchlines.
So, in celebration of the classic villain, we've rewatched all the DC movies in order and ranked each iteration of the character from worst to best, including Heath Ledger, Mark Hamill, Joaquin Phoenix, and Barry Keoghan's bit-part role in The Batman.
Note: while dozens of actors have donned the clown makeup, only a handful can stake a claim to be the best Joker. So, to trim the field, we're only listing the major Joker interpretations. That means the likes of Zach Galifianakis' LEGO Batman movie portrayal are out, while Jared Leto (who has tapped into the cultural zeitgeist far more readily) is in.
9. Jared Leto
Appears in: Suicide Squad/Zack Snyder's Justice League
Widely derided at the time, Jared Leto's Suicide Squad cameo as the Joker isn't as bad as the critical reception would have you remember. Unfortunately, though, the character’s lumbered with some baffling design choices – horrible tattoos, shiny grill – and a stilted script that makes his inclusion in the movie feel like an afterthought. Still, during his fleeting moments on-screen, Leto's version commands your attention with his erratic behavior and slimy menace.
Ultimately, following Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning portrayal of Joker was always going to be an uphill battle, though his second coming in Zack Snyder's Justice League's "Knightmare" sequence at least allowed Leto to put his own frenzied stamp on the character. Still, the character has been done better plenty of times before and since.
For more information on Leto's performance, read our Suicide Squad review.
8. Troy Baker
Appears in: Batman: Arkham Origins
Baker also had to follow an iconic Joker performance – taking over voice acting duties from Mark Hamill in Batman: Arkham Origins. Where Leto decided to make creative choices to differentiate his version from Ledger’s, Baker instead chose to mostly mimic Hamill's voice register. That makes this Joker merely a pale imitation of what came before and leaves you aching for the real thing. His initial reveal, having hidden behind the Black Mask, though, is well worth a re-watch, just to see Joker get more and more frenzied as his adopted persona begins to slip.
For more details on Baker's clown baddie outing and one of the best Batman games ever made, check out our Batman: Arkham Origins review.
7. Cameron Monaghan
Appears in: Gotham
Never officially named Joker, Gotham's version of Mistah J is the Clown Prince of Crime for all intents and purposes. Monaghan plays two versions of the character. The original, Jerome, is closer to an archetypal Joker, complete with sudden tics and a shuffling, violent energy that threatens to explode on-screen. Later, a beastly Jeremiah is later introduced, making for something very different and unique, thanks namely to the Frankenstein's Monster-style portrayal, which sees the actor caked in prosthetics. Monaghan plays both superbly and adeptly juggles the two Jokers – one familiar, one fresh.
6. Barry Keoghan
Appears in: The Batman
It feels incredibly unfair to rank Barry Keoghan's take on the Joker this low, especially with how little he featured in The Batman. But the movie's deleted scene showcases far more of what we could expect from the Clown Prince of Crime in a potential sequel.
The fundamentals are all there, including a bone-chilling laugh and the ability to get under Bats' skin better than most. The jury is still out on the look and the permanent smile on Joker's deathly-white skin, but it's a solid foundation on which to build off. If Keoghan nails it in a sequel, expect him to rank very, very highly on this list. Watch this space.
If you are curious about the latest Bruce Wayne flick, you can read our in-depth The Batman review.
5. Cesar Romero
Appears in: Batman '66
Those of a certain vintage may recall Cesar Romero’s Joker with a genuine fondness – and for good reason. His portrayal playfully enhances the already colorful, camp nature of the '60s Batman series with his rolling Rs and screen-filling laugh. The actor’s lack of edge may blunt him in the eyes of 21st Century viewers, but he could still be threatening when required. Of course, he set the blueprint for future Joker actors for decades to come, with each one owing him a debt.
4. Jack Nicholson
Appears in: Batman
The 1989 version of Batman's rival is, for all intents and purposes, just Jack Nicholson in makeup – curved sickly smile and all – but that doesn't make him any less of a great Joker. Whether it's asking whether Batman would like to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, or his shadowy, six-shooter introduction, Nicholson is so utterly unmissable that he makes Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne look like a wallflower by comparison. He can flit between serious, sad, and terrible stand-up comedy, all within the same beat; Nicholson never had more fun with a role than here. He is also one of the prime reasons why Batman is considered one of the best superhero movies of all time.
3. Joaquin Phoenix
Appears in: Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux
It’s hard to pinpoint where Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck fits into the Joker rankings. He’s fortunate enough to have – by far – the most breathing room to explore the character’s psyche and does so with such wide-eyed terror and he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
The shrill, piercing laughter Phoenix conjures up hides a strangely sympathetic performance that appears to blame society’s ills for the killer clown’s origins but lacks the instantly iconic status of Ledger or the body of work of Mark Hamill. Still, Phoenix’s effort feels like a definitive full stop on the character, and, much like post-Heath Ledger, you struggle to see how anyone can top this version of the Joker.
Read our five-star Joker review and our less-than-flattering Joker: Folie à Deux review for more information on Phoenix's take on the Batman villain.
2. Mark Hamill
Appears in: Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Arkham series
Whether it's across video games or animation, Mark Hamill simply gets the Joker like no other. At once funny and frightening, he's equally as comfortable belting out Batman Christmas songs as he is glowering his way through various foiled schemes. It's a testament to Hamill's range that he makes each work without ever straining the believability of the character. He's not all jokes and japes, though. Hamill's Joker evolved into a nasty piece of work, most notably in the Batman Beyond: Return of Joker flashbacks, which sees him bludgeon Jason Todd to within an inch of his life.
Hamill's the longest-serving Joker, having played him for nearly a quarter of a century, and you get the impression he could find dark, unexplored corners of the character for years to come.
1. Heath Ledger
Appears in: The Dark Knight
Probably the number one you were expecting, but that doesn't make Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker any less groundbreaking or iconic. Not only has he become the definitive Joker – compared endlessly to new and old actors alike – but Ledger has more iconic scenes in The Dark Knight than most actors do in a career.
Where to start? It could be the continual reinventions of his scarred origins, the daring opening bank job, the snarled "Why so serious?" or maybe, the pièce de résistance, the interrogation scene with a bruising Christian Bale bouncing off him as a never-better Batman. Despite Ledger's untimely passing, the Australian actor's legacy is intact thanks to this completely captivating performance – and his Joker may never be bettered.
Read our The Dark Knight review for more on our best Joker and his performance in one of the best Batman movies ever made.
Want more criminal clown fun? Check out our list of the best Joker stories. Or, for more on DC and Gotham, you can also head to our list of upcoming DC movies and shows on the horizon.
