The Joker has appeared in various forms of media since the 1960s. These have ranged from live-action films, television series, animated projects, and video games. The following is a list of Joker's appearances in other media and the actors who have portrayed him.
Live-Action[]
Television[]
Batman television series[]
Cesar Romero as the Joker in Batman promotional material
- See: The Joker (Dozierverse) (played by Cesar Romero), (voiced by Jeff Bergman)
The Joker made his media debut in the 1960s Batman series, played by Cesar Romero. Drawing inspiration from the Silver Age versions of the character, he is depicted as one of Batman's arch villains. Despite the more light-hearted take, Joker is depicted as being willing to kill if necessary and often leaves the Dynamic Duo in "death traps". Joker was one of the most recurring "arch-villains", sharing episode and appearance count with the Penguin. The character also appeared in the theatrical film Batman: The Movie as a member of United Underworld, with Romero reprising his role from the show. He then later appeared in animated form voiced by Jeff Bergman in two feature films Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face.
Birds of Prey[]
Roger Stoneburner as the Joker in Birds of Prey
- See: The Joker (The WB) (played by Roger Stoneburner; voiced by Mark Hamill)
The Joker appears in flashbacks for Birds of Prey, portrayed by Roger Stoneburner. However, his voice is provided by Mark Hamill, who received credit for the role. Joker is seen in flashbacks for the series, most prominently in those for Oracle in her time as Batgirl. In addition to paralyzing Barbara Gordon, Joker was responsible for hiring Clayface to kill Catwoman to drive Batman out of Gotham. He is mentioned to have been locked up in a prison far from New Gotham. However, his actions live on through his old partner Harley Quinn, who intends to bring the city under control in his name.
Gotham[]
Monaghan as Jerome
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- See Jerome Valeska and Jeremiah Valeska (both played by Cameron Monaghan)
Due to an agreement between Fox and Warner Bros, the TV series Gotham did not have the rights to explicitly use the Joker. However, the first season featured several characters either hinted towards him or were implied to be prototype versions of the character, including a comedian at Fish Mooney's club and a child who dons a Red Hood gang's mask.
From the episode "The Blind Fortune Teller", the show features Jerome Valeska, a member of Haly's Circus turned serial killer. As the series progresses, he begins to mimic the Joker's behavior more closely, including an obsession to Bruce Wayne. After Jerome is killed off in the fourth series, his twin brother, Jeremiah, takes over his role in the series and turns Gotham City into a No Man's Land. He remains a large presence until the series' conclusion, though showrunner Bruno Heller has refused to state whether he becomes the Joker or inspires another person to do so. The Valeska brothers are both portrayed by Cameron Monaghan.
Titans[]
The Joker is mentioned frequently throughout the first three seasons of Titans, although doesn't directly appear aside from a couple of cameos. In the first season, he is seen on a ventilator after being thrown from a building by a rage fueled Batman, who later visits Joker in hospital and finishes him off. This is revealed to be part of Trigon's reality. In the third season, the real Joker lures Jason Todd to a fairground and beats him to death. This leads Batman to track down and murder the Joker, which leads Wayne to retire from crime fighting. Later episodes reveal that this was orchestrated by Jonathan Crane to turn Todd into his enforcer: the Red Hood.
Batwoman[]
The Joker is frequently mentioned throughout the series Batwoman, a television show set in the Arrowverse. This incarnation is responsible for the tragedy in Kate Kane's family, having caused the incident that kill her mother and separated her sister Beth. The series also uses the Jack Napier alias used in the 1989 Burton film, with his backstory mentioning he was once an artist. In the events of the series, the Joker was killed by Batman in a final encounter, with Wayne leaving Gotham to go into exile. Joker makes a brief appearances in the episode "We're All Mad Here", in which he is played by Nathan Dashwood.
In the third season, the main antagonist is Marquis Jet, a former victim of the Joker and the half-brother of Ryan Wilder. The character and his personality appear to mirror his former attacker, even dressing in an inverted color scheme. According to Marquis' actor Nick Creegan, Jet was intended to be Napier's successor as the Joker, though limitations from WB prevented from him from being officially referred as the identity.
Film[]
Batman[]
Jack Nicholson as the Joker in Batman.
- See: The Joker (Burtonverse) (played by Jack Nicholson)
The Joker serves as the main antagonist of the 1989 film, played by Jack Nicholson. The film is known for establishing one of the most prominently used aliases for the character, Jack Napier, and for establishing an intertwined past with Batman. In the film, the Joker is a former mobster who, after being disfigured in a battle with Batman, vows to outdo and kill the Dark Knight. Nicholson's Joker draws most inspiration from Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers' run as well as some golden age elements.
The Dark Knight[]
Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
- See: The Joker (Nolanverse) (played by Heath Ledger)
The Joker also appears in Christopher Nolan's second Batman film The Dark Knight, played by the late Heath Ledger. Depicted as a new criminal on the scene, he targets both Batman and Gotham in a scheme to apparently unmask and kill the vigilante. Like the comics, this version of the Joker is given no definitive past and conflicting backstories. Unlike other depictions of characters, Joker's design draws more heavily from realism, with the character using makeup and sporting a Glasgow smile. Joker's characterization also draws heavily from stories like The Killing Joke.
The film's version of the Joker has often been praised, with Ledger's performance receiving the most attention. The actor also won a Oscar for Best Supporting Actor posthumously, having passed away six months before the film's release.
Snyder-Era DC Films[]
Jared Leto as The Joker in Suicide Squad.
- See: The Joker (Snyderverse) (played by Jared Leto)
The Joker features in the DC Films shared universe played by Jared Leto. The character features as a secondary antagonist in 2016's Suicide Squad. Unlike previous depictions, the Joker is more heavily inspired by then-complementary depictions of criminals and gangsters. Depicted as Gotham's Criminal King, he is shown in flashbacks for Harley Quinn's origin and capture. In the main story, he attempts to sabotage Task Force X's mission to rescue her. Joker also appears briefly in Birds of Prey, depicting him and Quinn breaking up. He also appears in a post-credits scene for the director's cut of Justice League, which shows him as one of the survivors of the "Knightmare" timeline and an ally to the surviving Justice League members.
Joker[]
Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in Joker.
- See: Arthur Fleck (starring Joaquin Phoenix)
A possible origin for the Joker serves as the main focus of 2019 film Joker. The film follows failed stand-up comedian Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix. The film details Fleck's mental instability and decent into crime, causing him to create the alternative personality as Joker, delving further into crime and mayhem. The creators of the film left it ambiguous if Fleck is the true Joker or merely a precursor. The character is set to return in a sequel titled Joker: Folie à Deux.
Phenix's performance as Fleck has garnered praise, with his performance earning him an Oscar: the second for a actor's performance as the Joker.
The Batman film[]
See: The Joker (Reevesverse) (played by Barry Keoghan)
The Joker appears briefly in The Batman as an unnamed inmate of Arkham State Hospital, played by Barry Keoghan. After Edward Nashton is committed to the prison, he makes contact with and "befriends" terrorist. Director Matt Reeves described him as an early version of the Joker who had previously fought Batman though had not formed the identity. To hide the role and avoid suspicion, WB claimed Keoghan was portraying Stanley Merkel, a character whose face is seldom shown in the comics.
Animation[]
Television[]
The Adventures of Batman[]
The Joker appeared as a recurring adversary in the 1969 Filmation series The Adventures of Batman. He also appears in episodes of the 1972 series The New Scooby-Doo Movies in the Scooby-Doo Meets Batman, alongside the Penguin. In all appearances, the Joker is voiced by Larry Storch.
The New Adventures of Batman[]
The Joker appeared as a recurring adversary in the 1977 Filmation series The New Adventures of Batman. In the series, the Joker is voiced by Lennie Weinrib.
Super Friends[]
The Joker was planned to be a main villain and part of the Legion of Doom on Challenge of the Super Friends, but Filmation already had the rights to the character for The New Adventures of Batman so his spot went to Riddler instead. However, he appeared in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians episode "The Wild Cards" as a member of Royal Flush Gang, voiced by Frank Welker.
DC Animated Universe[]
The Joker's design for Batman: The Animated Series
- See: The Joker (DC Animated Universe) - voiced by Mark Hamill
The Joker appears in many episodes of the shows developed by Bruce Timm, including Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. In all his appearances, he is voiced by Mark Hamill, though a Silver-Age inspired version appears in the episodes "Legends of the Dark Knight" voiced by Michael McKean. Joker also appears in the Superman: The Animated Series crossover story World's Finest, where he and Lex Luthor team up to defeat both Superman and Batman. He also features in the Justice League stories "Injustice for All", as a member of the Injustice Gang, and "Wild Cards", as the leader of the Royal Flush Gang. Joker also appears in the Static Shock episode "The Big Leagues".
The Joker does not feature directly in the sequel series Batman Beyond, as the character is presumed missing after a traumatic battle with Batman. His actions have inspired various street gangs to mimic his appearance and motif, many of which are referred to as the Jokerz. During the episode "Joyride", a skeleton dressed in the Joker's suit can be seen in the gang's initiation cave, many speculating that it is actually his remains. Joker returns in the film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, pitting him against the new Batman and revealing his fate in the DCAU.
The Batman TV series[]
- See: The Joker (Matsudaverse) - voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson
Joker serves as one of the main recurring villains in 2004's The Batman, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. Drawing heavily from Post-Crisis versions of the character, he is depicted as a homicidal criminal who commits various schemes for fun and the Batman's attention. Joker is also responsible for the transformation of Ethan Bennett into the show's first version of Clayface. He is often assisted by two henchmen called Punch and Judy and later Harley Quinn.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold[]
- See: The Joker (The Brave and The Bold) - voiced by Jeff Bennett
The Joker frequently appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Jeff Bennett. The show's version is heavily inspired by Silver Age versions, though elements are taken from comics like Emperor Joker. A heroic version from Earth-3, dubbed the Red Hood, also appears in the episode "Deep Cover for Batman!", where he is depicted as the heroic archenemy to Batman's evil counterpart Owlman.
Young Justice[]
- See: The Joker (Young Justice) - voiced by Brent Spiner
The Joker appears in the Young Justice episode "Revelations" as a member of the Injustice League voiced by Brent Spiner. He takes part in a scheme to take over the world with Poison Ivy's mutated plants. Joker also appears in flashbacks for the episode "The Lady, or the Tigress?", where he attempts to assassinate the United Nations in a scheme to upstage Vandal Savage and the Light. Images of the Joker also appears in several episodes of Season One.
Harley Quinn[]
- See: The Joker (Quinnverse) - voiced by Alan Tudyk
The Joker appears as a main character in the Harley Quinn series, voiced by Alan Tudyk. The show depicts him as Harley Quinn's abusive ex-boyfriend and the "most powerful" supervillain in Gotham. Joker is often depicted as narcistic criminal obsessed with Batman and thinks of himself as the hero's arch-nemesis. Throughout the first season, Joker attempts to outdo Harley and sabotage her attempts to make a name for herself as an independent criminal. However, after briefly being rendered "normal" in the second season, Joker instead turns his attention to becoming "good" and eventually becomes Gotham's Mayor.
Film[]
Comic Adaptations[]
- The Joker is briefly mentioned in the adaptation of Batman: Year One. Like the comic, he threatens to poison Gotham's water supply, prompting Gordon to call for Batman's assistance.
- The Dark Knight Universe's Joker features in the two-parted adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, voiced by Michael Emerson.
- The Joker appears in the film adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke, voiced once again by Mark Hamill.
- The Joker appears in the film adaptation of the Injustice comic series, voiced by Kevin Pollak.
Under the Red Hood[]
- See: The Joker (Under the Red Hood) - voiced by John DiMaggio
The Joker features in the film adaptation of the Batman: Under the Hood storyline. Like the comic itself, Joker is responsible for the killing of Jason Todd and is targeted by him due to his involvement. The film also confirms the backstory seen in Batman: The Killing Joke and his involvement in Barbara Gordon's crippling. The film's version also appears in various what-if scenarios seen in the tie-in titled Death in the Family.
DC Animated Movie Universe[]
- See: The Joker (DC Animated Movie Universe) - voiced by Dee Bradley Baker and Jason Spisak
The Joker is either mentioned or makes cameo appearances in various DC Animated Movie Universe films. Dee Bradley Baker provides the character with a vocal cameo in Son of Batman, whilst Jason Spisak voices the character in Batman: Hush. The Joker never serves as a primary antagonist of any of the films, with his more prominent role being his assassination of Thomas Elliot in Hush.
Tomorrowverse[]
The Joker appears in the animated adaptation of Batman: The Long Halloween, voiced by Troy Baker.
Other Films[]
- An Earth-Three counterpart of the Joker named the Jester appears in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, voiced by James Patrick Stuart.
- The Arkham series' Joker appears in the tie-in film Batman: Assault on Arkham, with Troy Baker reprising his role from Arkham Origins.
- The 1960s series' Joker appears in the animated films Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face, voiced by Jeff Bergman.
- A Lego Movie version of Joker serves as the main villain of The Lego Batman Movie, voiced by Zack Galifianakis. This version of the character is the leader of Gotham's Super-Criminals and the self-proclaimed arch-nemesis of Batman. However, after the Dark Knight rejects their relationship, he creates a complex scheme to get Batman's acknowledgement, enlisting various villains from across the Lego Multiverse.
- Lord Joker serves as the main villain of Batman Ninja, voiced by Wataru Takagi in the original Japanese audio and Tony Hale in the English dub. He is among the Arkham inmates who are banished into Feudal Japan and the one who takes control of the most enemy.
- The Joker makes an unvoiced cameo appearance in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies in a reality where the Titans are the only superheroes.
Video Games[]
Batman Games[]
Early Appearances[]
The Joker on the cover of Batman: Return of the Joker
- The Joker serves as one of the villains in Batman: The Caped Crusader, one of the first Batman games to feature elements from the comics. He serves as the main adversary of the scenario "A Fete Worse Than Death".
- The Joker appears as the main antagonist and final boss in Batman: Return of the Joker, a loose sequel to Sunsoft's NES Batman game.
- The Joker appears in Batman: Dark Tomorrow. On the orders of Ra's al Ghul, he take Commissioner Gordon hostage and starts a riot at Arkham Asylum, releasing all the inmates.
Media Tie-Ins[]
The Burtonverse Joker appears in many tie-in releases to the 1989 Batman film. Many of the games emulate moments from the film, including the Joker's origin at Axis Chemicals and the final encounter at the Old Gotham Cathedral. Joker serves as the final boss of many of these games.
The DC Animated Universe Joker appears in various tie-in games for Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. These include Batman: The Animated Series for the GameBoy, The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the SNES, Sega Genesis and the Sega CD, and Batman: Chaos in Gotham for the GameBoy Color. Joker also appears in the video game tie-in to Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, adapting the film's events.
The Joker also serves as the main antagonist of Batman: Vengeance, with the game featuring his involvement in multiple plots including an apparent kidnapping scheme and an attempt to destroy Gotham with a volatile substance. He also makes a cameo appearance in the beat-'em-up Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu. Mark Hamill reprises his role in the Mega CD versions of The Adventures of Batman & Robin and Batman Vengeance.
Batman: Arkham series[]
The Joker in Batman: Arkham Asylum promotional material
Joker serves as one of the principle antagonists of the Batman: Arkham series, voiced by Hamill (in Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Knight) and Troy Baker (in Batman: Arkham Origins) In Arkham Asylum, Joker orchestrates a breakout at Arkham Island to gain access to the drug Titan and terrorize Gotham. In Arkham City, he is dying from a poisoning sustained during the predecessor's events and infects both Batman and Gotham's citizens with his tainted blood in an attempt to obtain a cure. In Arkham Origins, a younger incarnation of the Joker takes over Black Mask's gang and hires eight assassins to kill Batman. However, the events lead him to develop his obsession with the Dark Knight. In Arkham Knight, the Joker, now dead after the events of Arkham City, is revealed to have infected several citizens with a disease which turns victims into crazed successors. Batman, having also infected, suffers hallucinations of the Joker throughout the game and struggles with his transformation into one of these.
Telltale Games[]
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"John Doe"/The Joker in Batman: The Enemy Within promotional material
- See: The Joker (Telltale)
The Joker appears in both Batman: The Telltale Series and Batman: The Enemy Within, voiced by Anthony Ingruber. This incarnation of the character initially goes by the alias "John Doe", later adopting the Joker identity in the latter's final episode "Same Stitch". Throughout the series, Joker tries to befriend Bruce Wayne and help him in stopping the Children of Arkham and the Pact. Depending on player's decisions, he can either become a vigilante with a twisted sense of justice or a criminal bent on become Batman's "best enemy".
DC Comics Games[]
LEGO Video Games[]
The Joker in LEGO Batman: The Videogame
The Joker frequently appears in various LEGO games, including both the LEGO Batman series and spin-off LEGO DC Super-Villains. In LEGO Batman: The Videogame, he is one of the leaders of the Arkham escapees and leads his own faction in an attempt to destroy Gotham. In LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, Joker teams up with Lex Luthor to take down both Batman and Superman, as well as win Luthor his Presidential Election. In LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, Joker is a member of the Legion of Doom and joins forces with the League to defeat Brainiac. Joker also appears in LEGO Dimensions as a boss level boss and playable character. Joker also features as a main character in LEGO DC Super-Villains, which sees various super-villains work together to expose the Crime Syndicate as villains.
Injustice series[]
The "Prime-Earth" Joker in Injustice: Gods Among Us
The Joker appears as a playable character in both Injustice: Gods Among Us and Injustice 2. The series features two different versions of the character, one from the Injustice Universe and another from the "Prime" Universe. In the game's universe, Joker is responsible for driving Superman into a totalitarian dictator, having tricked him into killing Lois Lane and destroying Metropolis. However, this version is killed shortly after the event. The Prime-Earth Joker appears in the first game, attempting to take over the universe's gang and hamper efforts into stopping the Insurgency's battles against the Regime. Joker also appears briefly in the sequel, where he appears to Harley Quinn under the effects of Scarecrow's fear toxin. In Multiverse matches, it is suggested that the playable Joker is either a resurrected Injustice Earth Joker or the Prime Earth incarnation, though both accounts are debatable. Both versions are voiced by Richard Epcar.
Others[]
Joker in DC Universe Online with Harley Quinn at his side.
- The Joker appears in the DC Universe Online, with Hamill voicing the character in its original released content.
- The Joker appears in short-lived MOBA game Infinite Crisis, voiced by Richard Epcar. Several versions of the Joker serve as playable character, including Atomic and Gaslight versions.
Non-Comic Games[]
Mortal Kombat[]
Joker has crossed over into the Mortal Kombat series as a mainline character in the DC crossover game Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and a guest DLC character in Mortal Kombat 11. In these appearances, he is voiced by Richard Epcar.
Other[]
- The Joker appears as DLC in LittleBigPlanet 2 as both a costume for the player and as part of the DC Comics Level Pack.
- The Joker appears in the MOBA games Arena of Valor as part of a DC character pack.
- The Joker is a playable character in Fortnite Battle Royale alongside other Batman and DC Characters.
- The Joker appears in the Japan-exclusive mobile RPG SINoALICE.
- The Joker appears in Minecraft's Batman DLC, serving both as a boss and a skin for the player.
Prose[]
Published in 1990, The Further Adventures of The Joker (edited by Martin H. Greenberg) assembled 20 short stories about the Clown Prince of Crime. The content of its material ranged from macabre to campy. All of the stories featured in the book are considered non-canon in relation to the main DC Comics continuity.
Toys[]
LEGO sets[]
LEGO released a line of licensed products based on Batman. The Joker is featured in two sets; one with his purple helicopter from the movie, while Batman pilots his Batwing and the second with a Joker themed ice cream truck, while Batman drives the Tumbler. The Joker's appearance is similar to the standard likeness in the comics.
In 2012 LEGO had a new line of sets and made a new version of the set featuring the Joker's helicopter and the Batwing. Other sets including the Joker are the Dynamic Duo's Funhouse Escape, Arkham Asylum Breakout (which features Joker in an orange jumpsuit) and The Joker Steam Roller (which features a Fedora wearing Joker).
Miscellaneous[]
OnStar TV commercials[]
Curtis Armstrong as the Joker
In 2001 and 2002, General Motors aired a series of Batman-themed TV commercials promoting the OnStar, a car communication and security system. Curtis Armstrong played the Joker in one of the ads.
Theme Park Attractions[]
There are a few theme park attractions themed to the Joker. The Joker's Jinx, a twisting steel roller coaster in Six Flags America, follows the Joker's dominantly purple and green color scheme, and his mad laughter is played during the ride queue.
The current version of the motion simulator ride Batman Adventure - The Ride at Warner Bros. Movie World revolves around the Dark Knight attempting to foil the Joker's plan of spreading his deadly Joker Gas throughout Gotham from an airship.
In Six Flags Great America The Dark Knight coaster (based off the movie) is an indoor ride, where Joker interrupts Harvey Dent's speech and takes control of the T.V.s. You go through a corridor before entering the ride, seeing all cameras hacked by Joker. The ride ends when you are supposedly saved by Batman.
Joker appears in the motion simulator ride Justice League: Battle for Metropolis at multiple Six Flags parks. Within the ride, he is voiced by Troy Baker. At Six Flags Magic Mountain, Joker also appeared in multiple live shows throughout the DC Heroes & Villains Fest special event.