Jared Leto On Playing Joker After Romero, Nicholson, Ledger Stacey Cole Jared Leto will be portraying the iconic role of the Joker in the upcoming movie Suicide Squad. The Joker is one of the most famous characters in current popular culture and is considered as one of the greatest comic book villains ever created. Jared Leto’s Joker and his fellow criminals assemble in this new #SuicideSquad trailer: pic.twitter.com/Tg9riE3GM4 — Us Weekly (@usweekly) April 11, 2016 The character of the Joker is a difficult role to play and it has been played previously by César Romero, Jack Nicholson, and Heath Ledger. According to Altpress, perhaps the most famous portrayal of the Joker was that performed by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Bataille de #Joker ! Lequel préférez-vous entre César Romero, Jack Nicholson ou l’inoubliable de Heath Ledger?

pic.twitter.com/Itf6wG1k5J — Carte SCÈNE Québec (@CarteSCENE) April 13, 2016 Jared Leto knew before filming that he had to live up to the expectations of his fans as his performance would be compared to those great artists who have stepped in to play the Joker before. According to Vanity Fair, Jared Leto was passionate about playing the role to perfection because the portrayal of the Joker in earlier movies has been both beautiful and impactful. In fact, it was challenging and risky for Jared Leto to take on the responsibility of recreating the role in his own unique style. And Jared Leto has put his own tattooed, crazy-eyed spin on the Joker that fans will most likely love. Ultimately, Jared Leto wants to do justice to the role because he feels that any portrayals of recurring characters fail to have a profound impact on the audience if the directors or the actors portraying it fail to reinterpret the role. And the Fight Club actor agrees that it is challenging to play the Joker because getting into the character of the calculating villain is a painful process which requires the actor to be both physically intense and psychologically tough.

However, Jared Leto did not allow the work to affect his psyche and admits that he enjoys the role and had fun playing psychological games on the set. So I really like jack Nicholson and Heath ledger’s, but there is no denying that @HamillHimself is the best joker. pic.twitter.com/s02k6qstCq In fact, the Daily Mail reported that Jared Leto posed as the “Bearded Joker” in sweatpants and a long purple coat on April Fools Day and posted his video on social media with an announcement that Batman is dead . Exclusive! Meet the bearded JOKER #JokerWasHere pic.twitter.com/RNJZmTMJ7I Guess what? Batman is dead. BwwahahahaaaaaaaHAA!!! #JokerWasHere #SuicideSquad #SpoilerAlert — JARED LETO (@JaredLeto) April 1, 2016 This is not the first time that Jared Leto has thrown himself wholeheartedly into a film role.

In 2014, Jared Leto played the role of an HIV-positive transsexual woman in Dallas Buyer’s Club and he won the Academy Award in the best supporting actor category for his impeccable transformation and portrayal of the difficult role. Vulture reported that David Ayer, the Suicide Squad director, praised Jared as he spoke about the intensity with which the Requiem for a Dream actor has played the Joker . “What he’s done is so powerful, so menacing, so palpable, you can feel him. The crew stops working and just watches him.” The director was so fascinated by Jared Leto’s portrayal that the media compared the impressed director to the fictitious 15-year-old sophomore, Angela Chase; a character from the famous 1990’s American teen drama television series My So-Called Life. David Ayer’s admiration for Jared Leto is similar to Angela’s love towards her fellow student, Jordan Catalano; a good looking rebel with a learning disability. Incidentally, it was Jared Leto who played the role of the enigmatic Jordan Catalano.

ha jared leto, claire danes, shane, my so called life, angela chase, jordan catalano, self… pic.twitter.com/TQdGF4TObg — TwiterHero (@TwiterHero) April 11, 2016 In fact, Jared Leto acted so well that it is difficult to shrug off the image of the fictitious loner character who was perceived to be a bad boy but who sang, wrote songs, played guitar and preached philosophy. Two decades have passed since, but Jared Leto’s portrayal of bad boy Jordan Catalano remains a teenage character archetype which symbolizes a guitar-playing, carefree guy who never wanted to change.

[Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images] Cesar Romero - Biography - IMDb Cesar Romero Biography Showing all 35 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Trade Mark (1) | Trivia (22) | Personal Quotes (5) | Salary (1) Overview (5) 1 January 1994 , Santa Monica, California, USA (complications of a blood clot stemming from bronchitis and pneumonia) Birth Name 6' 3" (1.91 m) Mini Bio (1) Tall, suave and sophisticated Cesar Romero actually had two claims to fame in Hollywood. To one generation, he was the distinguished Latin lover of numerous musicals and romantic comedies, and the rogue bandit The Cisco Kid in a string of low-budget westerns.

However, to a younger generation weaned on television, Romero was better known as the white-faced, green-haired, cackling villain The Joker of the camp 1960s TV series Batman (1966), and as a bumbling corporate villain in a spate of Walt Disney comedies, such as chasing a young Kurt Russell in the fun-packed The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969). Fans and critics alike agreed that Romero was a major talent who proved himself an enduring and versatile star in an overwhelming variety of roles in a career as an actor, dancer and comedian that lasted nearly 60 years. Cesar Romero was born of Cuban parents in New York City in February 1907. He attended the Collegiate School and Riverdale Country School before working as a ballroom dancer. He first appeared on Broadway in the 1927 production of Lady Do, and then in the stage production of Strictly Dishonorable. His first film role was in The Shadow Laughs (1933), after which he gave strong performances in The Devil Is a Woman (1935) and in the Shirley Temple favorite, Wee Willie Winkie (1937).

Critics and fans generally agree that Romero's best performance was as the Spanish explorer Cortez in Captain from Castile (1947). However, he also shone in the delightful Julia Misbehaves (1948) and several other breezy and lighthearted escapades. In 1953 he starred in the 39-part espionage TV serial Passport to Danger (1954), which earned him a considerable income due to a canny profit-sharing arrangement. Although Romero became quite wealthy and had no need to work, he could not stay away from being in front of the cameras. He continued to appear in a broad variety of film roles, but surprised everyone in Hollywood by taking on the role of "The Joker" in the hugely successful TV series Batman (1966). He refused to shave his trademark mustache for the role, and close observation shows how the white clown makeup went straight on over his much loved mustache! The appearances in Batman were actually only a small part of the enormous amount of work that Romero contributed to television.

He guest-starred in dozens of shows, including Rawhide (1959), 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Zorro (1957), Fantasy Island (1977) and Murder, She Wrote (1984). However, it was The Joker for which his TV work was best remembered, and Romero often remarked that for many, many years after Batman ended, fans would stop him and ask him to chuckle and giggle away just like he did as The Joker. Romero always obliged, and both he and the fans just loved it! With a new appeal to a younger fan base, Romero turned up in three highly popular Disney comedies: The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972) and The Strongest Man in the World (1975) as corrupt but inept villain A.J. Arno.

Throughout the remainder of the 1980s Romero remained busy, and even at 78 years of age the ladies still loved his charm, and he was cast as Jane Wyman 's love interest in the top-rated prime-time soap opera Falcon Crest (1981), playing Peter Stavros from 1985 to 1987. Although Romero stopped acting in 1990, he remained busy, regularly hosting classic movie programs on cable television. A talented and much loved Hollywood icon, he passed away on New Year's Day 1994, at the age of 86. - IMDb Mini Biography By: firehouse44@hotmail.com Trade Mark (1) His distinctive moustache Trivia (22) Television writer Mark Evanier remarked that Romero was usually easily available to cast for television series guest appearances. Apparently, Evanier knew at least one crew member on a television series who prepared roles with Romero in mind as a default choice in the likely event that a preferred guest star would pull out of a guest appearance. Refused to shave off his trademark mustache when he played the role of the Joker on Batman (1966).

Close observation shows how the white clown makeup was applied right over his much loved mustache. His maternal grandparents were exiled Cubans Carmen and her invalid husband, Manuel Mantilla. Their daughter, María Mantilla -- Romero's mother -- is generally believed to have been the daughter of Cuban poet and revolutionary hero José Martí , who wrote the verse used in "Guantánamera" ("Yo soy un hombre sincero..."). Has never worked directly with George Clooney , but Clooney has starred in two remakes of movies Romero was in. Romero played the Joker on Batman (1966), and Clooney played Batman in Batman & Robin (1997). Romero also appeared in the original Ocean's 11 (1960), the remake of which -- Ocean's Eleven (2001) -- starred Clooney. He believed that to live well you must dress well. And never in the same outfit. His closets held 30 tuxedos, 200 sports jackets, and 500 suits. Is one of two Batman villains to share roles with actors who played Batman.

He, Adam West and Val Kilmer have all played John "Doc" Holliday, in Frontier Marshal (1939), Colt .45 (1957), Lawman (1958) and Tombstone (1993), respectively. Christian Bale and Heath Ledger both played Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. (2007). He was the first actor to play the DC Comics character the Joker in a live-action adaptation of the Batman series. At 6' 3" he was the tallest actor to have played the Joker in a (non-fan-made) live-action Batman production. Heath Ledger was six-foot-one and Jack Nicholson was about 5' 9". He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 6615 Hollywood Boulevard; and for Television at 1719 Vine Street in Hollywood, California. His evil laugh as the Joker on Batman (1966) was created almost by accident. Shortly after being cast, Romero met with producers to discuss his role on the series. While waiting to meet with them, he happened to see conceptual art of the Joker's costuming.

Romero felt that the pictures almost look absurd, and as a result, spontaneously broke out into a playfully loud and almost manic laughter. A producer overhearing that laughter, responded by telling Romero "That's it, that your Joker's laugh!". Had appeared with Carole Landis in four films: Dance Hall (1941), A Gentleman at Heart (1942), Orchestra Wives (1942) and Wintertime (1943). He was a guest at the house of Tyrone Power on May 19, 1946 when Primula Niven, wife of actor David Niven , fell down a flight of stairs, sustaining injuries that would later lead to her death. He was cremated after death and his ashes were interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. Cesar Romero passed away 12 years later on the same day as Batman (1966) Special Guest Villain Victor Buono . Cesar Romero passed away only eighteen days after his The Thin Man (1934) co-star Myrna Loy .

As of 2015, he was the only live-action Joker not to be nominated for or receive an Academy Award. Was good friends with Adam West. At fifty-nine, he is the oldest actor to play The Joker in live-action. Personal Quotes (5) Why [producer William Dozier ] wanted me for Batman (1966), I'll never know, because I asked his wife, Ann Rutherford , "Why did Bill think of me for this part?". She said, "I don't know, Butch. He said he saw you in something, and he said, 'He's the one I want to play the Joker'." I haven't the slightest idea what it was he saw me in, because I had never done anything like it before. I was very surprised when [producer William Dozier ] called me and said he was doing a series called Batman (1966) and the important characters were the villains. They had done the first two with the Riddler and the Penguin with Frank Gorshin and Burgess Meredith , and now they were ready to do the third, and the villain was the Joker.

He said, "I would like you to play the part." So I said I would like to read the script and know what it is all about. He said, "Come on over to the studio, and I will show you the film of the first episode." Of course, it was great. I said, "Let me read this Joker part, and if it is as good as the first one, hell yes, I will do it." So I read the script, and I thought it was a gas, and I said, "Sure, I'll do it.". I was never stereotyped as just a Latin lover in any case because I played so many parts in so many pictures. I was more of a character actor than a straight leading man. I did many kinds of characters -- Hindus, Indians, Italians. There were very few pictures where I ended up with the girl. I had enormous fun playing the Joker on Batman (1966). I ended up doing something like 20 episodes of Batman, as well as the full-length feature film version [ Batman: The Movie (1966)]. There was certainly nothing hard about that assignment! Even the makeup sessions weren't too bad.

It took about an hour-and-a-half to put the full makeup on, including the green wig. I didn't mind it at all. I thought it was very humanitarian of Sean Penn and Madonna to marry each other. That way, they make only two people miserable instead of four. Salary (1) Who Owns a Character? – Iconic Portrayals in the Batman Franchise | ZacHogle.com Home > Acting , Movies , Writing > Who Owns a Character? – Iconic Portrayals in the Batman Franchise Who Owns a Character? – Iconic Portrayals in the Batman Franchise We see it time and again, great movies succeeding based on great characters. A lot of times we even remember not so great films simply on the strength of a memorable character. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones Film franchises have been built entirely on a character. Who can forget when Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) premiered and introduced us to Indiana Jones? Each film after that became serialized and was introduced as Indiana Jones and the Insert Mythical Object Here.

This isn’t to say the films don’t stand on their own, the success of The Mummy (1999) proves the Indiana Jones universe itself can engage an audience, but the films would not have been the same without Indy headlining. Brendan Fraser takes on Arnold Vosloo in The Mummy Returns But who owns these franchise characters? Not legally speaking, but artistically? Every character goes through so many hands to get to the screen, who has final ownership? Is it the writer? The director? The actor? While logical arguments can be made for all of the above, it’s hard to go against the actor. Their face is ultimately tied to their character and audiences the instant the film is released. But even with that acknowledgement the answer isn’t that simple. While, so far, Indiana Jones has only been played by Harrison Ford, what about other iconic characters that have more than one actor? As a case study for this article, I thought we could look back at the many faces of The Joker of Batman fame. Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight If you were to ask most people right now who their favorite Joker is, I’d be willing to bet that more people would cite Heath Ledger than not.

His brilliant portrayal of the sadistic madman in The Dark Knight (2008) shone a new and different light onto the character. In Christopher Nolan’s Batman universe, The Joker is a convincing, scary and frighteningly realistic psychopath. Any cartoonish nature of the character was gone, and The Joker lived for once in our reality. Right now, the popular vote has to go to Heath Ledger. But how much does the popular vote count for? Let’s not forget in 1989 the popular vote would have swung another way for another fantastic performance. Jack Nicholson as The Joker from Batman When Batman (1989) came out, it was in a dry spell for super hero movies. Nobody watched them and the genre had grown stale. So Warner Brothers hired a visionary impressionist director in Tim Burton to bring Gotham City to the big screen and he chose legendary actor Jack Nicholson to play his Joker. Nicholson’s character lived in Burton’s fantasy world and wasn’t subject to normal laws and realities in the same way Ledger’s was. Nicholson was able to turn up the crazy while dialing down the realism. In other words: Nicholson’s Joker was completely off his rocker.

Where it always felt there was more than meets they eye to Ledger’s Joker, Nicholson’s wore his plan on his sleeve. He was going to take over Gotham and kill everyone. No grander scheme. Simple. Crazy. But his Joker wasn’t entirely original. Many of his comedic elements can be traced to yet another man’s portrayal of The Joker. Cesar Romero as The Joker from the Batman TV Series Who can forget the way that Cesar Romero played The Joker in the 1960’s Batman TV series? One of the first mainstream portrayals of the character, Romero made him much more of a comedian than villain. That’s how the universe was set up for the 60’s Batman franchise, however. The campy, cheesy series was made that way entirely on purpose and succeeded because of it. The villains on the show had to have completely ludicrous schemes for the show to work. The more outlandish the scheme and character, the more fun it was for the viewer to watch. Romero took this ball and ran with it. So, the nostalgia vote has to go to Cesar Romero. But there is still another vote we haven’t considered.

Mark Hamill as The Joker from Batman: The Animated Series Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995) can be credited with keeping the Batman franchise alive in the early 90’s. DC Comics did fantastic work parlaying that into Justice League (2001-2006) and other cartoon series. In those series can be found yet another iconic Joker performance: that of Mark Hamill. Many people graduating right now grew up with Mark Hamill’s Joker moreso than Nicholson or Romero. Hamill was able to draw on both Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero for his performance. However, thanks to the animated format, he didn’t have to worry about taking people out of the performance by being too over the top. Thanks to this, Hamill’s Joker may be the most delightfully over the top of all four. He gets the nerd vote. But, in the end, which of these four performances is the definitive Joker? Which actor owns The Joker? Does the popular vote, the nostalgic vote, or the nerd vote count for the most? There is a poll below for your vote, expand your thoughts in the comments!

– Zac Hogle is a writer/director who has worked on several nationally broadcast series and documentaries. You can follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/zhogle . All images are the copyright and property of their respective holders. No infringement is intended. The Evolution of the Joker Throughout Film History | Mental Floss The Evolution of the Joker Throughout Film History filed under: Movies Like us on Facebook Batman has been busting bad guys since 1939, but in the last seven decades , none of his many enemies has become more iconic than the Joker. With his maniacal grin, bright green hair, and penchant for diabolical pranks, the Joker is a larger-than-life character—even by Gotham City’s over-the-top standards. Though the Joker is always a stand-out character, he is never portrayed the same way twice. Instead, Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, and Heath Ledger have all put their own unique spins on the villain.

In anticipation of August's Suicide Squad movie, in which Jared Leto will play a brand new version of the classic villain, Screen Rant has created a short video essay called “The Amazing Evolution Of The Joker Throughout History.” In the video, Screen Rant explores the many iterations of the character, from Cesar Romero’s campy, light-hearted trickster to Heath Ledger’s gritty sociopath. They point out some of the ways the Joker has evolved, and reveal how each actor has taken inspiration from those who preceded him. Check out the not-so-serious look at the history of the Joker above. Banner Image Credit: Screen Rant, YouTube . Know of something you think we should cover? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com . Mark Hamill, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger ... whose Joker was best? | Film | The Guardian Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Mark Hamill, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger ... whose Joker was best? The Star Wars icon will reprise his role as Batman’s greatest nemesis in The Killing Joke; but does he hold all the aces as the top clown prince ever? Heath Ledger’s Joker may never be surpassed.

Photograph: Allstar/Warner Bros/Sportsphoto Ltd Wednesday 16 March 2016 08.30 EDT Last modified on Thursday 17 March 2016 08.27 EDT Share on Messenger Close Most people know Mark Hamill as a certain starry-eyed wannabe Jedi with a penchant for hokey religions, ancient weapons and mystical energy fields. And yet for an entire generation of comic book fans, particularly those who grew up watching the 90s classic Batman: The Animated Series and its various feature-length spin-offs, Hamill will always be the cackling, demented voice of The Joker, Batman’s greatest nemesis. Now, in the wake of his dramatic return to the public eye in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Hamill has signed up to play the clown prince of Gotham once again in a new animated adaptation of the classic Alan Moore graphic novel The Killing Joke, which alongside Frank Millers’ The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One represents the holy trinity of Batman comics. But will the 64-year-old star really be remembered as the greatest Joker ever, as many fans would have us believe ?

Or do Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, or even Cesar Romero, hold the real trump cards? Joker: Jack Nicholson Pinterest Tasked with imagining a Joker for Christopher Nolan’s real-world vision of Gotham City, the Australian actor turned in a performance of startling, venomous intensity, bringing a rabid insouciance to the part which will most likely never be matched. What his predecessors might have achieved with the help of supernatural forces or murderous reinventions of a clown’s standard gag-kit, the new Joker was able to pull off with a simple pencil . Ledger was so good, and so different from his predecessors that it seems unlikely anyone will ever attempt to copy those strange verbal ticks and that bizarre shuffling gait – Jared Leto seems to be going for a completely different take in the upcoming Suicide Squad. The best supporting actor Oscar would surely have been Ledger’s even if it had not been for the star’s tragic death. Costume: 7.5/10 Pinterest Hamill’s Joker will always be defined by that high-pitched, hyena-like cackle. His noir-flavored version of the clown prince is the ultimate entertainer, performing manic magic tricks for an audience of one: himself.

He deals out danger and hokey puns in equal measure, all with that distinct, deadly mid-Atlantic brogue. Is Hamill the best Joker? Many fans might prefer a version of the character with a greater kill count. But it would be fair to say that the Star Wars icon’s performances as the super-villain represent the greatest traditionalist take on Batman’s greatest foe. Moreover, the upcoming adaptation of The Killing Joke, with its numerous controversies , looks likely to represent a daring shift into more grown-up territory when compared to his classic 90s ventures. Hamill’s greatest hand may not yet have been dealt.

Costume: 6/10 The Joker’s Long and Colorful On-Screen History, From Cesar Romero to Jared Leto - SFGate The Joker’s Long and Colorful On-Screen History, From Cesar Romero to Jared Leto We look back at Batman’s greatest opponent and all his wildly different incarnations over the past five decades Phil Owen, provided by Published 4:17 pm, Thursday, August 4, 2016 Image 1of/1 The Joker’s Long and Colorful On-Screen History, From Cesar Romero to Jared Leto 1 / 1 Back to Gallery The Joker, both to obsessed comic book readers and those who’ve only experienced Batman through screens big or small, has done as much to define Batman as Batman himself. That’s because the Joker is the true antithesis of Batman — where Batman stands for order and rules, our colorful supervillain signifies chaos. The Joker as we know him today is a reaction to Batman, a villain waging a specific ideological war in attempt to break the Bat. With Jared Leto now starring in “Suicide Squad,” we’re getting our fourth live-action version of the Joker.

If we include voice performances in animated series and video games, Leto is the 10th Joker. Also Read: 'Suicide Squad' Executive Producer Is Donald Trump's Chief Fundraiser That’s a long history to live up to, though unlike most of the character’s screen appearances, the Joker’s role in “Suicide Squad” is not as the main antagonist. Here he’s more of a side character, with presumably a bigger part to play in future movies in the DC Extended Universe. As we move into this new era of the Joker, it’s worth looking back at what we’ve seen before, especially with Leto’s interpretation being such a drastic departure from any that we’d previously seen on screen. Though there have been a pile of Jokers, we’ll focus on the five biggest ones below. Cesar Romero (pictured above) Romero’s Joker, a.k.a the Clown Prince of Crime, is a total goofball. As is, of course, every other character on the 1960s Batman TV series, and the accompanying 1966 film, since it was slapstick, pun-filled comedy.

Also Read: Inside the Fight for 'Suicide Squad': Director Pressured to Lighten Dark Vision Romero, in service of that format, is an utter delight to watch. In the parlance of cinema we often refer to over-the-top villains as “mustache twirling” and Romero embodies that trope despite not officially having a mustache. (Though actually he did, it was just hidden under the Joker makeup.) Romero’s Joker has a substantial legacy — for more than two decades he was the only one we’d ever seen. And so every Joker since has been a response to it in some way. Jack Nicholson and Mark Hamill being more grounded spins on him, Heath Ledger being a thorough repudiation and Leto doing an ironic hipster version of it. That’s a significant achievement for an actor who modern audiences don’t really know for doing anything else. Jack Nicholson Jack Nicholson ‘s take on the Joker, like everything else in Tim Burton ‘s original Batman movie, is an evolution away from the Batman of the 1960s — not quite willing to do it’s own thing in full but also not willing to fully go weird.

Also Read: 'Suicide Squad' Director Reacts to Bad Reviews The result is that Jack was doing a version of Romero’s Joker but with enough restraint that he felt threatening rather than just silly. You believe this guy would be a serial killer or something similarly nefarious in real world terms. Nicholson’s Joker holds an interesting place in the Joker canon, coming a year after the publication of the super grim “The Killing Joke” comic and exploring very similar ground — as it’s revealed that Joker killed Bruce Wayne’s parents when he was a kid. Plus (spoiler alert!), the Joker ends up dead at the end. This is, of course, a Jack Nicholson performance, so it’s great in that way. In the annals of Joker history I think people remember him more than they remember the character he was playing. Ultimately, I think that makes him the least of the big four Jokers of the past.

Mark Hamill Following up 1989 movie was the definitive small screen version of the property: “Batman: The Animated Series.” That show also gave us the only actor who’s played the Joker over a long period of time, in Mark Hamill (more commonly known as Luke Skywalker from “Star Wars”), who decades later is still playing the part — in last month’s “Batman: The Killing Joke” animated film and 2015’s “Batman: Arkham Knight” video game. Hamill is an excellent Joker, particularly as he’s unrestrained by having to do a physical performance. He’s exactly the right balance of incredibly terrifying and incredibly funny, and 100 percent believably so from both sides. Hamill’s longevity in the role, too, means he essentially defined who the Joker is for a lot of fans. Hamill’s Joker is the result of the natural evolution of the character from Romero to Nicholson. This is a credit to the quality of “The Animated Series” — this Joker feels fully formed wheres as Nicholson’s did not. To be clear: there is no “definitive” or “correct” version of the Joker.

There’s a huge amount of leeway that writers and actors have in interpreting the character, exploring the edges of those possibilities is a good thing. Heath Ledger The grim and gritty Christopher Nolan Batman movies bring the Joker full circle in his appearance in “The Dark Knight.” Ledger’s Joker is more deadpan and wry than the previous ones. He’s cruel and calculated, with a very clear nihilistic ideology. Still unhinged, but in an overtly dark way — you can sense the anger that’s constantly simmering under the surface. This Joker, straight up, is a terrorist. And it works perfectly. The fact that Ledger died before the film was released is a large part of the legacy of his performance, but it’s an astounding performance either way. While it’s likely he wouldn’t have won an Oscar had he lived, he still would have deserved one. This is probably the best performance ever in a comic book movie. It’s so good, in fact, that whoever took up the mantle of the Joker after him had no chance of being well received unless he tried fitting into an established “type” for a screen Joker.

Which brings us to … Jared Leto A polarizing figure to begin with, Jared Leto was destined to be hated as the Joker. And after first images of his ironic hipster thug look began circulating, the hate only ramped up. Based just on “Suicide Squad” it’s impossible to effectively evaluate this take on the character because he’s not in it enough. But on a surface level it does work — Leto is, at worst, a sort of postmodern millennial version of the Nicholson Joker. The ironic tattoos probably won’t age all that well in the coming decades, but for now the concept of a homicidal maniac gangster from #weirdtwitter actually is pretty amusing. And as I said above, finding the far reaches of what the Joker could be is part of the fun of the character — and that’s definitely what Leto and director David Ayer were doing here. But the big test for him probably won’t come for a few years. He’ll be back in a more substantial role in a future DC movie or several, no doubt. I do look forward to seeing how well Leto stacks up when he’s got more to do.

'Suicide Squad': Who's Who in DC Comics Movie's Cast of Baddies (Photos) We're quickly approaching the launch of David Ayer 's "Suicide Squad," the next big piece in the DC Extended Universe of interconnected movies. It's got quite an ensemble of comic book characters most moviegoers don't know, so before checking it out this weekend be sure to click through our brief explainers on who exactly all these supervillains-turned-antiheroes are. Warner Bros. Amanda Waller ( Viola Davis ) The government agent who proposes and handles the Suicide Squad -- a group that (mostly) consists of incarcerated bad guys looking for a get-out-of-jail (but-not-for-free) card. She's characterized as being tough as nails, which of course you'd have to be to think assembling a Dirty Dozen is a good idea. Warner Bros. Harley Quinn ( Margot Robbie ) Harleen Quinzel originated in "Batman: The Animated Series" during the early '90s as the Joker's right hand, and that's the role for which she's always been known.

Harley was a shrink at the famous Arkham Asylum, where she snapped while the Joker was incarcerated there, leading to the eternal and characteristic devotion. Warner Bros. Deadshot ( Will Smith ) In many comics, this assassin for hire is an adversary of Batman. The world's greatest marksman with a rifle and other firearms, Deadshot is suicidal, after a fashion: he's one of those characters who seeks thrills in hopes that they'll lead to some kind of awesome death. Warner Bros. Rick Flag (Joel Kinnamen) Every story like this one has to have a grizzled military leader, and Rick Flag is it. But he's not a straight arrow, exactly. Flag is known to have a bit of a psychotic edge that generally is thought to suit him to those in his charge. Warner Bros. June Moone was a totally normal person -- until she became possessed by some kind of weird ancient spirit. Now she's a split soul, as the Enchantress and June are hardly a unified entity. Warner Bros.

Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) As the name suggests, Croc is kind of a lizard person, with scales and accelerated lizard-style regenerative abilities. He's also extra strong and stuff. Believe it or not, the film's physical depiction is a pretty mundane one -- in some of his other incarnations he looks pretty much just like a crocodile. Warner Bros. El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) An ex-gang member who wields the power of flame, he's known for truly seeking atonement for the really bad things he did with his fire powers. Warner Bros. Captain Boomerang ( Jai Courtney ) Digger Harkness is an Aussie dude who, obviously, does boomerang stuff. And, also obviously, he's a goofy dude who's totally unhinged and tends to serve in a kind of comic relief role. But don't underestimate the power of the boomerangs. Warner Bros. Katana (Karen Fukuhara) She's not a bad guy -- instead, he's Rick Flagg's lieutenant and thus nominally second in command of the squad.

Her real name is Tatsu Yamashiro, and she became a samurai after her family was murdered. Her sword isn't just some regular blade, however -- it can capture the souls of those killed by it. Warner Bros. Slipknot (Adam Beach) Like Captain Boomerang, Slipknot has a gimmick: rope stuff. He made his own ropes which are nearly unbreakable, and he can do pretty much anything with them. Warner Bros. The Joker ( Jared Leto ) Not a member of the squad, but the Joker will play a major role in the events of "Suicide Squad" as a sort of chaotic interloper. Leto's take on the character is a bit different that any we've seen before -- a bit more, uh, ironic? -- but only the finished film will tell if all that preemptive ridicule was valid. Warner Bros. Batman ( Ben Affleck ) "Suicide Squad" will mark Batman's first appearance on the big screen as the antagonist. His involvement is, of course, Joker related, and director David Ayer has said we'll be seeing him from the perspective of his opponents -- which should be a nice twist. Warner Bros.

Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 13 Prep for the summer’s final blockbuster with our comic book-based primer We're quickly approaching the launch of David Ayer 's "Suicide Squad," the next big piece in the DC Extended Universe of interconnected movies. It's got quite an ensemble of comic book characters most moviegoers don't know, so before checking it out this weekend be sure to click through our brief explainers on who exactly all these supervillains-turned-antiheroes are. The Joker (Cesar Romero) | Batman Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The Joker (Cesar Romero) The Clown Prince of Crime The Jester of Jackanapes W.C. Whiteface, owner of Penthouse Publishers Clavier Ankh The Joker is an infamous arch-nemesis of Batman . He is his greatest enemy and one of his most dangerous foes. His abilities as a master conjurer allow him to effortlessly escape from prison many times, making him even more of a threat. Luckily, his crime waves often follow some pattern or theme that sometimes allows Batman and Robin to predict his next move. Joker is well known for his skill with electronics, and was a hypnotist when he was younger.

Contents [ show ] Biography The Joker, known by many as the Clown Prince of Crime had a fiendish cackle and a very cunning mind. One of his first goals was to unmask Batman, which ultimately failed. Some of his crimes were for little more than goofy amusement, while others were far more dangerous. In the 1960s series the only remark on Joker's pre crime life is a remark by Batman that Joker in his youth had been a hypnotist. Some time later, Joker teamed up with Penguin , Catwoman , and Riddler to form The United Underworld , to disband the United Nations. His role in the Combination Trap (devised by the Riddler) was the Jack in the Box to send Batman flying toward the Penguin's exploding octopus, however one of the unnamed thugs fell onto the jack in the box and was killed by the exploding octopus. The four super criminals managed to dehydrate the nine members of the United World Security Council and take them to the submarine, however Batman and Robin draw it to the surface, where the Dynamic Duo fight the United Underworld. After taking several beatings from Batman, the Joker is finished off by Robin, who punches him over the edge, into the water.

He is captured along with the other criminals when Batman and Robin chain them to the side of the submarine and Batman calls the coast guard where the police can take them to prison. His many schemes after this included committing crimes based on the signs of Zodiac, stealing the famous Renaissance art collection for ransom and trying to take over Gotham City with a flying saucer. He can also easily persuade women to help him in his crimes with his charm and wits. He was also one of six arch-criminals freed from prison by Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft to form her new invisible gang, but this brief cameo appearance was by a stand-in. Even though Batman defeated him many times, the felonious funnyman never rested until the last laugh was his. The Joker was one of the more obsessed villians with unmasking Batman. Despite his frenzied efforts to expose the Caped Crusader, the Joker was not one of the show's two villians who discovered Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, although he did come close a couple of times.

Weapons and Equipment As a master criminal, the Joker had many weapons and equipment to help in his crime waves, some even had a portrait of his face on them in the same way as the bat emblem on Batman's gadgets; Joy Buzzer : a ring device worn on the Joker's finger. Sometimes acts like a normal joke buzzer, other times it will give off a powerful shock to knock his victims out for a few minutes. Joke Flower : looks like an ordinary flower which can spray water, powder and Knock Out gas. Trick Streamers: these are used to tie up his opponents like a lasso while he makes his getaway. Jack-in-the-Box: he used this spring like device that can shoot you up at a great height once in the series to escape from prison and again in the movie as a trap for Batman. Exploding Cigar: looks like an ordinary cigar that explodes when lit. Utility Belt : the same as Batman's utility belt except it carries the Joker's weapons and devices. Gas Cork: an ordinary cork that is filled wth paralysing gas. Sneeze Powder pellet: an exploding pellet that gives off a powerful powder that make his opponents constantly sneeze.

Two-way spy device: allows him to eavesdrop on conversations. It is equipped with a remote control-activated self-destruct. Joker's jumping beans: kept in a briefcase. When he opens it, the beans jump out and cause an enormous distraction, aiding his getaway. Liquid cement: when thrown on the floor, this will keep anyone who walks on it stuck in place. Joker jelly: concentrated strawberry gelatin that tastes like strawberry axle grease. It can change a large amount of water to jelly. When put in the Gotham City Reservoir, it was powerful enough to affect the entire city's water supply. Satellites: allow Joker to follow people by planting a tracking device on them. Roving Robot Recorder: lets Joker see and hear through his robots' eyes and ears. Jokermobile: a specialized modified roadster. Portable Robot Receiver: homes in on a robot's signal. Gas grenades: used for quick escapes. Tiny cuff link radio circuit: for listening in on conversations. Robot Super: strength Last Ounce of Energy Switch- increases the robots' power when needed.

Magic box: the first version of this device helped Joker hypnotize people, it provided a visual device for to distract them while he was confounding their mind with his mental skills. Rebuilt Magic box: the second box had a switch that could be used to turn time backwards or forwards, also controlling its speed. Human key duplicator: can skeletonize a person's body into the shape of a large key. Wax spray chamber: coats the victim with layer upon layer of wax. Has three speed settings. Mobile: a rotating machine with many spinning pallet knives arranged on its rotating arms. The victim is strapped to a platform as the knives descend toward him. Two-way Hotdog Transmitter: disguised radios for when secrecy is paramount. Paralyzing gas pellets: explode when activated by the hotdog transmitter. Surfing Experience & Ability Transferometer: drains all surfing know-how from one person and puts it into another. Contains a Vigor Reverser that does the same with youthful energy. Sea Urchin Spines: filled with deadly poison Lethal Joker buzzer: hidden in palm of the hand, which causes the victim to lose his five senses one by one, just before their lungs collapse.

Little green time bomb: hidden in the Batmobile, this little number destroyed almost the entire Batcave. Flying saucer: was designed with the help of Joker's cellmate, a mad scientist. It could travel to the sun, and had an interplanetary microphone for making pronouncements. Known Associates List of The Joker's associates and henchwenches as seen in the 1960s TV Series in order of appearance: Oliver Hardy, Stanley Laurel, Ernie Kovacs, and W.C. Fields - Simple henchmen who bore no resemblance to the original comedian actors. Queenie (portrayed by Nancy Korvack) - When she was captured by Batman, she tried to get out of it by coming on to him. Batman would have none of it. Cheerleader Susie (portrayed by Donna Loren) - Captain of the Woodrow Roosevelt High School Cheerleader Squad, and secret member of Joker's gang. Once Joker has no further use for her, he gives her a bottle of poison in the guise of Canadian perfume. Batman and Robin save her life and she reveals Joker's plans. She is sent to The Wayne Foundation for Delinquent Girls.

Nick (portrayed by Kip King) - Known as one of the Bad Pennies and a member of Joker's gang who was with Susie when Dick Grayson tried to infiltrate the Joker's gang. Nick saw through Grayson's bad-boy image because Dick couldn't smoke a cigarette without choking. Two Bits (portrayed by Greg Benedict) - The second Bad Penny and another of Joker's second high school dropout henchman. Jill (portrayed by Jane Wald) - Joker's Female Assistant during the crime involving the Maharajah. Maharajah Of Nimpah (portrayed of Dan Seymour) - A royal who had seemed to be captured by Joker and was willing to make a bargain with him, but this was all a ruse as it was later revealed that it had been the Joker in disguise all along and the real Maharajah was away on a hunting trip. Cornelia (portrayed by Kathy Kersh) - A Very vain assistant, she always looking into a mirror or other reflective surface. Enjoys fur coats very much. Claims that when there are no mirrors around, she gets thirsty. Joker always remarked that she should stop looking into mirrors as vanity was a bad thing.

Latch and Bolt (portrayed by Louis Quinn and Larry Anthony) - Simple henchmen, also good friends of Joker. They feel they owe their lives to him, after he broke them out of prison, threw their parole officer in Gotham River, kidnapped the entire jury at their trial, and held the judge's wife hostage. Penguin - Helped Joker in his brief Zodiac Crimewave. He got captured by Batman and had to escape by a Prison Laundry truck. After hiding in the Batmobile truck, they both discovered the Batcave but were defeated by the Dynamic Duo. Although they worked together, they had a great tendency to insult and argue with each other. Venus (portrayed by Terry Moore) - An unrelenting Ex Female assistant to Joker during his Zodiac Crimewave. She wanted to do good, but was easily distracted by expensive gifts of perfume and champagne. But whenever she helped Joker, she almost immediately felt bad about it. After talking with Batman a few times, she was won over by his charm and betrayed the Joker, but it wasn't that easy. She was thrown into a pool with a giant man-eating clam, but Batman rescued her.

It is not known what ultimately became of her, though Commissioner Gordon did say that the courts would take her change of heart into consideration. Mercury (portrayed by Hal Baylor) - Joker's henchman during his Zodiac crimewave. Mars (portrayed by Joe Di Reda) - Joker's henchman during his Zodiac crimewave. Jupiter - Joker's henchman during his Zodiac crimewave. Saturn (portrayed by Eddie Saenz) - Joker's henchman during his Zodiac crimewave. Uranus (portrayed by Charlie Picerni) - Joker's henchman during his Zodiac crimewave. Neptune (portrayed by Dick Crockett) - Joker's henchman during his Zodiac crimewave. Josie Miller (portrayed by Phyllis Douglas) - A beautiful young girl who was a former criminal, she was goofy, silly, but also scheming who was happy to assist the Joker. She gets arrested and sent to prison for her crimes. Mr. Glee, Mr. Yock, Mr.

Boff (portrayed by Lawrence Montaigne, Ed Deemer, and Cliff Ritchie) - Robots that Joker controlled by remote voice commands. Joker learned to build them as his manual training project the last time he was in prison. Mr. Glee was destroyed when Batman twisted his nose after discovering that he had no sense of humor. Baby Jane Towser (portrayed by Diana Ivarson) - Heiress to the paper clip fortune. She was impressed by Joker's skill in the Art Competition that he had entered, and couldn't refuse to help him when he told her that she was his muse. After he robbed her family's wing of the Gotham Art Museum and held her hostage, she realized he was no artistic genius, but a criminal. Riptide and Wipe Out (portrayed by Skip Ward and Ron Burke) - Surfer henchmen. Their special skill is making surfboards. Undine (portrayed by Sivi Aberg) - A cute 'beach bunny' who worked part-time in the Surf Shop at Gotham Point, but was also an undercover spy for the Joker. Catwoman - She recruited him to help her find a hidden hoard of gunpowder.

She was even nice enough to pick him up at prison when he was paroled. Giggler and Laugher (portrayed by Sandy Kevin and Bobby Hall) - Catwoman's henchmen, both were looking forward very much to working with Joker. Lucky Pierre (portrayed by Pierre Salinger) - Catwoman's attorney who presented her and Joker's case. He wore a lucky wishbone in his hat and claimed he never lost a case. But after it was revealed that he and Catwoman rigged the jury, he lost his first case, thus he destroyed his lucky wishbone and stormed out. Marvin the Moose and Dave the Dummy - They worked with Catwoman in the past. Lucky Pierre disguised them and put them on the jury in Batman's case against her. Emerald (portrayed by Corinne Calvet) - Another of Joker's not-so-helpful female assistants during Joker's Martian Invasion scare. Shamrock and Chartreuse (portrayed by Jeff Burton and Tony Gardner) - Henchmen who helped Joker in his Martian Invasion scare. Verdigris (portrayed by Richard Bakalyan) - Joker's head henchman.

He disguised himself as a Martian in a green business suit and ran around Gotham frightening citizens. He also helped fly Joker's flying saucer. Professor Greenleaf (portrayed by Fritz Feld) Mrs Green (portrayed by Ellen Corby) Appearances Jack Nicholson was NOT first choice to play The Joker in Batman, claims actor Brad Dourif | Daily Mail Online With his sinister grin and savvy timing, it's hard to picture anyone but Jack Nicholson as The Joker in the 1989 film Batman. But a character actor is claiming it almost didn't work out that way, reports the HuffingtonPost . During the ComicCon festival in New York City over the weekend, Brad Dourif said he was the first person chosen for the iconic role. But he was so good in it!

Jack Nicholson was not the first choice to play The Joker in 1989's Batman, claimed actor Brad Dourif over the weekend What could have been: The Oscar winner (left) gave life to the part, but it would be interesting to see what Brad (right) might have done with it 'Tim Burton saw me on a plane and wanted to cast me, and [Warner Bros.] said no,' the actor said, before joking that '[Jack] takes all my roles.' Brad has actually worked with Jack before, in the 1975 film One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Jack played patient R.P. McMurphy while Brad took on the part of suicidal Billy Bibbit (coincidentally, Danny DeVito - who stepped into the role of The Penguin in 1992's Batman Returns - was also in that classic movie, playing Martini). Both Brad and Jack were nominated for Academy Awards for their work, but only Jack won. Brad was at the festival as part of the Child's Play panel - he is the voice of Chucky - which was celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Inspired: The New Jersey native made a memorable mark in his supporting role as The Joker He got an Oscar for it: Heath Ledger borrowed from Jack's performance when he played the crazed villain in 2008's Dark Knight Rises The Joker has been played by several actors over the years, most notably Cesar Romero for TV's Batman in the '60s and Heath Ledger, who won an Oscar for playing the villain in the 2008 film Dark Knight Rises. Heath has said that his portrayal of one of Gotham's most twisted citizens was based in part on Jack's performance. He and director Christopher Nolan together decided what to borrow from the legendary actor. Jack later joked that he was 'furious' for not being asked to give his input into the reworking of The Joker. Brad went on to say that Tim had wanted him to play another Batman character as well, The Scarecrow, which was to be a central figure in his third Batman movie. Only problem was that director Joel Schumacher took over the franchise and Tim never looked back. That character wasn't seen in 1995's Batman Forever or 1997's Batman & Robin either.

Brad has managed to keep himself very busy over the years despite losing out on The Joker role. In addition to providing the voice of Chucky, he has starred as Gríma Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and as Doc Cochran on HBO's acclaimed Deadwood. Once co-stars: Brad and Jack standing side by side in a scene from 1975's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Read more: See the Joker's Journey From Campy Prankster to Steely Psychopath | Vanity Fair The Evolution of the Joker Cesar Romero, Batman (TV Series, 1966–1968, and movie, 1966) The first actor to bring the Joker to screen was Cesar Romero, whose portrayal in the 1960s in both Batman the TV series and Batman the movie revels in gleeful camp. Romero’s Joker had a kooky laugh, and he loved to pair violence with a good pun. Well, really a bad pun. Example? “My favorite kind of joke . . .

one that ends with a bang!” A fun fact: Romero famously refused to shave his mustache for the role, so the make-up artists for the show (and subsequent movie) simply painted over it with additional white foundation. The ’stache can still be seen in basically every scene, and simply adds to the character’s zany absurdity. Romero’s interpretation is very light compared to the snarling, assault-rifle toting Jokers of today, but holds up very well. In fact, perhaps it’s the dark places the character has gone since Romero’s tenure that retrospectively makes his performance a breath of fresh air. Photo: From Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection. Jack Nicholson, Batman (1989) The next time the Joker tore up the big screen, he was portrayed by a very different kind of actor: Jack Nicholson, who specializes in chilling character work. In 1989’s Batman, Nicholson took his signature knack for terrifying eccentricity and blew it up to comic-book proportions. The result? An iconic portrayal that managed to pack in a menacing glance for every laugh.

When looking back at Nicholson’s Joker, it can be tempting to compare his portrayal to Heath Ledger’s in The Dark Knight—but the matchup is pretty unreasonable. Nicholson’s work came at a time when comic-book movies hadn’t yet been established as a genre that could be genuinely terrifying—and the approach to Batman as a whole was one that maintained a classic campy element even while pushing the genre a little closer toward that edge. In context, Nicholson’s work was revolutionary for its time and should always be remembered as a turning point—both for the character and comic movies as a whole. Photo: From Warner Bros. Pictures/Everett Collection. Mark Hamill, Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1994) In the 90s, one Joker ruled them all, and he was Mark Hamill’s. Decades after his career-defining role as Luke Skywalker, Hamill endeared himself to an entire fan base with just his voice as the Joker—a role he reprises in this summer’s The Killing Joke. It can be hard to move on when a franchise soars to epic heights the way Star Wars does, but for Hamill, the key turned out to be keeping his face offscreen for a while.

He had actually started voice-acting before he was cast in Star Wars, in TV series including The New Scooby-Doo Movies and Jeannie. In 1992, Hamill took his first crack at voicing the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. He voiced the character multiple times throughout the series’ two-year run, and in movies including Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Considering his Joker appeared in a children’s series, Hamill couldn’t be too scary—but, that said, for a cartoon, he managed to be imposing enough. Hamill’s signature? His Joker’s laugh . Basically every Joker develops his own, but Hamill’s is especially beloved. “His laugh should be like a musical instrument; it should sort of illustrate his mood,” Hamill once said . “It could be ominous and intimidating; it could be gleeful with wild abandon. But I didn’t want to just have one rote laugh.” Then there’s the bizarre accent Hamill cultivated for the part, which contains a whiff of British aristocracy. What better way to make a scary villain cartoonish than to imbue him with off-kilter elocution?

Plenty of other voice actors have tackled the role of the Joker in animated TV series—including Jeff Bennett (who also voiced Johnny Bravo), Brent Spiner (Data in *Star Trek: The Next Generation), Michael Emerson (Lost, Person of Interest) and Kevin Michael Richardson (Captain Gantu in Lilo & Stitch). But no voice actor has made the role his own in the way that Mark Hamill did. Photo: From Warner Bros. Pictures/Everett Collection. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (2008) Ledger’s Joker will always be one of the greats. His performance was the glowing highlight of The Dark Knight, which proved definitively that comic-book movies can pull off gritty realism. It set the tone for many of the superhero movies that followed, before Marvel brightened things up again. Ledger’s stunning performance was a huge contributor to the film’s success: unsurprisingly, Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for the role—a huge feat, considering the Academy’s typical disregard for comic-book movies and genre fare. Many fans speculate that the grueling process of becoming the Joker was a contributor to Ledger’s untimely death.

Before his death, Ledger told Empire that he prepared for the role by locking himself away in a London hotel room for about a month, meditating on the role and trying to nail down the voice and the laugh. “I ended up landing more in the realm of a psychopath,” Ledger said. “Someone with very little to no conscience towards his acts. He’s just an absolute sociopath, a cold-blooded, mass-murdering clown.” From his on-screen mannerisms, to his growling voice, to his deranged twitches, Ledger embodied lunacy with terrifying, chilling authenticity, and got fans across the nation quoting countless lines from the movie. His death was unspeakably tragic, but his performance will always be remembered. Photo: From Warner Bros. Pictures/Everett Collection. Cameron Monaghan, Gotham In its first season, Gotham introduced Jerome Valeska, a character who certainly seemed to be a young Joker—although it was never explicitly stated. Now, (spoiler alert), he’s dead, so it seems the question dies with him.

(Which is too bad, since the show’s executive producer said last year that “concrete answers” would be provided as to the question of Jerome’s identity.) In reality, it seems heavy implication will have to do. Monaghan’s “Joker” was playful, and enjoyed putting on accents, but there was a lot of deep-seated rage beneath the boyish ginger exterior. He was younger than the Joker is typically depicted, but no less imposing. And of course, he had the maniacal giggle, which became his legacy as Gotham became infected with his laughter, while his smiling corpse was wheeled into the morgue. Photo: From Twentieth Century Fox/Everett Collection. Jared Leto, Suicide Squad Were all those creepy gifts Jared Leto gave his castmates in the name of method acting a good investment? The chance to find out has finally arrived. Leto’s Joker has been polarizing from the start.

It’s clear that Suicide Squad wants its Joker to be distinct from Heath Ledger’s Joker, at least in appearance—and ever since this film’s first preview image, fans have been debating whether Leto’s get-up, which includes tats, a grill, and slicked-back bright green hair, is a touch over-the-top. That said, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is in pigtails and hot pants, so it looks like in this movie, anything goes. As far as everything beneath the surface, Leto’s Joker appears to be just as ruthless, violent, and prone to speaking with a growl as Ledger—although it seems he might add a bit more playfulness to the role. But we might need to wait until the next DC movie to get a real good look at him. Turns out, Leto‘s barely in Suicide Squad . Bummer. Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Previous

Question: Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson have both played which Batman character?
Answer: The Joker