Every Live-Action Joker Film and TV Appearance, Ranked

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Joaquin Phoenix in Director Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips’ Instagram account.

While the sequel to 2019’s Oscar-winning ‘Joker’, ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ failed to score with audiences at the box office, there is no denying that the DC Comics character is one of the most popular villains in pop culture history.

The character’s first live-action appearance was in the 1966 TV series ‘The Batman’, played by Cesar Romero, who would go on to reprise the role in the 1966 movie based on the series. Legendary actor Jack Nicholson would take over the role for a new generation in Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’, eventually followed by Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight’, Jared Leto in the DCEU movies, Cameron Monaghan on the TV series ‘Gotham’, and Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker’ and its follow up.

Ledger and Phoenix would both go on to receive Academy Awards for their performances, making both of them the only actors in history to win Oscars for playing a comic book character, and Joker the only character to ever receive that an honor.

With ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ currently in theaters, Moviefone is counting down every live-action Joker appearance ever, on both TV and film, including the latest.

Let’s begin!

(L to R) Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Jared Leto as The Joker in ‘Suicide Squad’. Photo: Warner Bros.

From DC Comics comes the ‘Suicide Squad’, an antihero team of incarcerated supervillains who act as deniable assets for the United States government, undertaking high-risk black ops missions in exchange for commuted prison sentences.

“Worst. Heroes. Ever.”

59

PG-132 hr 2 minAug 5th, 2016

(L to R) Brendan Gleeson as Jackie Sullivan and Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Scott Garfield/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.

Barry Keoghan as the Joker in ‘The Batman’. Photo: Warner Bros.

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’, starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne.

(L to R) Lee Meriwether as The Catwoman, Frank Gorshin as The Riddler, Burgess Meredith as The Penguin and Cesar Romero as the Joker in the 1966 movie ‘Batman’. Photo: 20th Century-Fox.

The Dynamic Duo (Adam West and Burt Ward) faces four super-villains (Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, Frank Gorshin and Lee Meriwether) who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.

Vera Drew in ‘The People’s Joker’. Photo: Altered Innocence.

An aspiring clown (Vera Drew) grappling with her gender identity combats a fascistic caped crusader.

“Come see how she got these (emotional) scars!”

71

NR1 hr 32 minJul 30th, 2024

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6. ‘Gotham’ (2014 – 2019)

Cameron Monaghan as “J” in ‘Gotham’. Photo: Warner Bros. Television.

Everyone knows the name Commissioner Gordon (Ben McKenzie). He is one of the crime world’s greatest foes, a man whose reputation is synonymous with law and order. But what is known of Gordon’s story and his rise from rookie detective to Police Commissioner? What did it take to navigate the multiple layers of corruption that secretly ruled Gotham City, the spawning ground of the world’s most iconic villains? And what circumstances created them – the larger-than-life personas who would become Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), The Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), Two-Face (Nicholas D’Agosta) and The Joker (Cameron Monaghan)?

“Before Batman, there was Gotham.”

76

TV-145 SeasonsSeptember 22nd, 2014

Jared Leto as Joker in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’. Photo: Max.

Determined to ensure Superman’s (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), DeSaad (Peter Guinness), and Darkseid (Ray Porter) and their dreadful intentions.

4. ‘Batman’ (1966 – 1968)

Cesar Romero as the Joker on the 1966 TV series ‘Batman’. Photo: 20th Century-Fox Television.

Wealthy entrepreneur Bruce Wayne (Adam West) and his ward Dick Grayson (Burt Ward) lead a double life: they are actually crime fighting duo Batman and Robin. A secret Batpole in the Wayne mansion leads to the Batcave, where Police Commissioner Gordon (Neil Hamilton) often calls with the latest emergency threatening Gotham City. Racing to the scene of the crime in the Batmobile, Batman and Robin must (with the help of their trusty Bat-utility-belt) thwart the efforts of a variety of master criminals, including The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), The Joker (Cesar Romero), Catwoman (Julie Newmar), and The Penguin (Burgess Meredith).

“The Worst Is Yet To Come”

73

TV-G3 SeasonsJanuary 12th, 1966

3. ‘Joker’ (2019)

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker in ‘Joker’. Photo: Warner Bros.

During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian (Joaquin Phoenix) is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.

Jack Nicolson as the Joker in 1989’s ‘Batman’. Photo: Warner Bros.

Batman (Michael Keaton) must face his most ruthless nemesis when a deformed madman calling himself “The Joker” (Jack Nicholson) seizes control of Gotham’s criminal underworld.

Heath Ledger as the Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’. Photo: Warner Bros.

Batman (Christian Bale) raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker (Heath Ledger).