The discussion about the deleted Joker scene from The Batman isn't about to end anytime soon. Why was he cut from the movie? Why is he at the Arkham Asylum? All these questions will probably be answered in the sequel. I what is guaranteed to trigger even more curiosity, director Matt Reeves recently revealed that Barry Keoghan is yet to fully morph into the Joker.
How Keoghan's Joker will be received remains to be seen. And standing out from the crowd won't be easy. Over the past few decades, many iconic actors have portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime in live action and animation. Thanks to Ranker, there is no confusion about which Joker actors fans love best.
Michael Emerson - The Dark Knight Returns Duology (2012–2013)
Emerson is known to play villainous characters. His notable roles include that of the serial killer Hinks in The Practice and occult expert Dr. Leland Townsend in Evil.
Emerson's Joker will always be remembered by DC fans because he is the only elderly version of the villain to appear on either the big or small screen. And Emerson sure does tweak his voice enough to reflect the character's age. Having been cast as baddies many times before, he has no problem providing excellent moments for Joker's sadistic moments, such as when he murders several people in the Tunnel of Love. Why does he rank lower? Limited screentime presumably. He only shares less than 5 minutes with Batman.
Troy Baker - Arkham Video Game Universe
A veteran in the video game industry, Baker has lent his voice to popular characters such as Snow Villiers in Final Fantasy and Samuel "Sam" Drake in Uncharted 4. And having portrayed Loki in Marvel animated projects, he now counts as one of few actors who have voiced both Marvel and DC characters.
The Arkhamverse Joker impresses by providing marvelous commentary to his own fight scenes. And this is something Baker brings out well, even putting the appropriate vocals to the pain whenever Joker gets hit. Even better is that there are plenty of moments where players can just listen to him as he goes on lengthy monologues about his plans.
Zach Galifianakis - The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
Galifianakis shot to fame after starring in The Hangover trilogy. Additionally, he has been a take show host for years, even getting the chance to interview former US President Barack Obama.
Though he is a clown, the Joker tends to be more sadistic than funny in most Batman media. But as a comedian Galifianakis manages to tap into the villain's humorous side. Whether he is scolding his henchmen for getting beaten easily or lamenting about Batman's lack of respect towards him Galifianakis's Joker never fails to make audiences laugh.
John DiMaggio - Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
DiMaggio has had a couple of cameos in live-action projects but he prefers to focus on voice work. He is known to voice multiple characters in the same project too, something he memorably does in Johnny Bravo and Rick & Morty.
DiMaggio distinguishes his joker from other versions by giving him a deep voice instead of the usual high-pitched tone. Lovers of violence in fiction are guaranteed to appreciate DiMaggio's Joker too. From killing Jason Todd to crippling Barbara Gordon, there is no shortage of villain deeds. Additionally, he pays homage to Jack Nicholson's Joker by wearing an orange shirt under his coat.
Cameron Monaghan - Gotham (2014–2019)
Monaghan had an early start, appearing in movies and TV shows as early as the age of 9. Apart from his major DC role, fans easily recognize him as Ian Gallagher from Shameless.
Monaghan's take on the Batman Rogues Gallery member is an absorbing one because he gets to play twins (Jerome and Jeremiah) that are both younger versions of the criminal mastermind. Showcasing the different personalities of the two Jokers is something Monaghan does perfectly. It's, therefore, no shocker that fans rate the actor highly on Ranker.
Cesar Romero - Batman (1966–1968)
With over 300 movie and TV credits, Romero easily qualifies as one of the most prolific actors of all time. Though he mostly played villains, he was frequently typecast as a Latinx lover.
Romero's Joker thrives in buffoonery. He appeals to fans because of his zero-hesitation policy when it comes to doing the most absurd of things. Romero's overacting might not impress modern fans but when his performance is analyzed with a '60s eye, it's quite impressive. Romero's Joker can also boast of having a bigger collection of gadgets than any other version of the criminal. From a Joke Flower to an exploding cigar, he always has something new to surprise fans with.
Joaquin Phoenix - Joker (2019)
Having been nominated for an Oscar 4 times, Phoenix sits in the hall of the greatest actors of the 21st century. Apart from his work in Hollywood, he is a staunch animal rights activist.
Phoenix's Joker doesn't get to fight Batman but his own inner demons. The actor does just about everything right when it comes to nailing the character's mannerisms. The absence of Batman (Bruce Wayne is still little after all) is a blessing to Joker a he gets to have a proper origin story and make decisions that aren't influenced by the Gotham hero.
Jack Nicholson - Batman (1989)
Nicholson is unquestionably the most successful actor on the list. He has been a romantic lead a couple of times but he is reputed for playing villains and antiheroes.
As an actor that's used to portraying antagonists, Nicholson never struggles as the Joker. The laughter is perfect and so is the dialogue. Most importantly, Nicholson's Joker has something most other versions of the character lack: the perfect smile. Consequently, the image of his face stays on the minds of audiences long after they've watched the movie.
Mark Hamill - Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1994)
To Star Wars fans, Hamill will always be Luke Skywalker. But even though he is best known for playing a live-action character, his resume is filled with contributions to animated movies, TV shows, and video games.
It could be argued that Hamil's Joker has the best voice of them all. The celebrated actor brings out the screams, the laughs, and the threats in a manner that is unrivaled. Moreover, Nicholson's Joker beats his counterparts because he never runs out of schemes. Then thee's the fact that he's the unofficial leader of the Rogue's Gallery.
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight (2008)
Ledger is one of few actors who won a posthumous Oscar. Alongside Phoenix, he is also one of two actors to win an Oscar for playing the Joker.
That Ledger is considered one of the most deserving Oscar winners of all time shows just how perfect he was for the role. A good number of the best Dark Knight trilogy quotes belong to Ledger's Joker. The actor delivers each line superbly. But what will always make this Joker memorable is that he is a more creative anarchist. Destroying hospitals is no big deal to him and neither is giving two groups the opportunity to blow each other up.