With the 2022 release date scheduled for The Batman with Robert Pattison and the announcement that a sequel to the Joker film is in development, both characters have again taken certain stage in today’s pop culture. That being said both characters have been portrayed dozens of times in all sorts of projects, with some being better than others.
10. Val Kilmer as Batman and Troy Baker as The Joker
Val Kilmer portrayed Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever, a soft reboot of the Tim Burton films. Kilmer was given the task of following Michael Keaton’s career defining performance, and although the movie is heavily regarded as one of the worst Batman films to date, Kilmer’s Batman was still a highlight throughout the film. More specifically, his version of Bruce Wayne is what makes him stand out. He is very believable as a wealthy playboy, who runs Wayne Enterprises when not sleeping around. With a better script and less kid friendly approach he could have really shined in the role, but as it stands he was a decent Batman in a less than stellar movie.
Troy Baker has the distinct pleasure of being the only person in history to play both Batman and The Joker. This spot on the list will be talking about the latter, as he voiced The Joker in the 2013 video game Arkham Origins. Set in the same continuity as Arkham Asylum and City, his portrayal is meant to serve as a younger version of Mark Hamill’s Joker. Baker is able to pull this off and perfectly embodies his predecessor, making it feel authentic. However he does rank low for being a mere impression rather than his own fleshed out performance.
9. Iain Glen as Batman and John DiMaggio as The Joker
Iain Glen plays Bruce Wayne on the HBO Max series Titans. Glen’s Batman is older, more worn out and bitter towards Gotham . He is reminiscent of the Bruce Wayne shown in Batman Beyond, however he’s more cynical. His version of the caped crusader shines in the third season as we see him completely miserable and regretful when he murders The Joker as revenge for him killing Jason Todd (the 2nd Robin). He hasn’t had too much screen time, but his presence is always felt and the dynamic between Bruce and Dick Grayson (Nightwing FKA Robin) is incredibly well done. Although the material is limited he is able to say a lot with a few words.
John DiMaggio who is most famous for his voice work as Bender on Futurama, and Jake The Dog on Adventure Time surprisingly voiced The Joker in the 2011 hit animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood. The film is a direct adaptation of the Death In The Family graphic novel and DiMaggio, who had never played such a psychotic character before came off as an odd casting decision. However his work in this film is among the best in terms of voice acting and fans of the character have praised DiMaggio for his range. The way his Joker can deliver childish and goofy lines in a way that’s not only threatening but bone chilling as well, will stick with any viewer. DiMaggio loses himself in the role and his voice becomes unrecognizable compared to his other projects. He was so well received Warner Brothers had him reprise his role as The Joker in the 2020 sequel titled Batman: Death in The Family.
8. Peter Weller as Batman and Michael Emerson as The Joker
Peter Weller voiced Batman in the animated film The Dark Knight Returns-Part 1 & 2. In this we see an older and more stubborn Batman based on the Frank Miller graphic novel of the same name. His voice is deep and scratchy at times. He carries around a sense of bitterness and anger behind every word. As if he can’t stand the city of Gotham anymore after all it put him through. The only times he shows any compassion is with his new Robin. This version of Batman has a large stature to go along with his more unhinged fighting style and attitude. The exchange Batman has with The Joker is when Weller shines through the most. Every grunt as Batman is stabbed or sliced leaks through your television and into your ears. The way he says “No More! All the people I’ve murdered by letting you live.” as he slams the joker down is heart wrenching thanks to Weller’s delivery. Both parts are seen as gems in the D.C animated universe and Weller as Batman is a major reason why.
Michael Emerson voices The Joker in the previously mentioned animated film from 2013 The Dark Knight Returns-Part 2. In this Emerson’s Joker goes from being in a medically induced coma for years, to the maniacal killer we know him as. Emerson’s slow and calm voice elevates the lines and makes it all the more creepy whenever he utters a word. The performance from Emerson perfectly captures the eeriness and the fragile mental state of The Joker. Every laugh will directly affect any viewer. He has been given acclaimed reviews by dozens of people and he is heavily regarded as on par with Mark Hamill’s Joker.
7. Troy Baker as Batman and Anthony Ingruber as The Joker
Although he was a pretty good Joker there is no doubt in my mind he is a far superior Batman evidenced from his work in the video game Batman: The Telltale Series. In this Bruce is a very tactical, serious, and dangerous hero. Depending on the player’s choice his Batman can be a laser focused machine hell bent on taking down anyone he pleases. Or his Batman can be a more subtle and traditional version. What really elevates his portrayal is the way he brings Bruce Wayne to life. Bruce has an odd compassionate side for his friends such as Harvey Dent and Selina Kyle, two people he will go to any length to protect. However he also becomes friends with some less than desirable characters such as Harley Quinn and even John Doe (The Joker). While committed to Arkham Asylum in season one we see an odd pairing of Bruce Wayne and John Doe, but by season two the pair are incredibly close and even referred to as best friends. This is when Baker gives his best lines. His compassion and love for John and eventual distain for him is what drives the player to keep going. The voices for Batman and Bruce are both very different while both being very suitable for the parts. Troy Baker has voiced Batman in multiple animated films as well and continues to be a reliable actor when a Batman needs a voice.
Anthony Ingruber played The Joker in the aforementioned Batman: The Telltale Series. In this game we meet The Joker In Arkham Asylum. He’s known only as John Doe and has seemingly been in Arkham his entire life. Ingruber, a former youtuber is able to give a tender and terrifying take on a unique version of the character. he can deliver lines with extreme joy and over the top feelings, but he can change his delivery to monotone and depressive with ease. What makes his version so interesting is the fact that he’s not really a villain. He’s seemingly just an awkward person with a personality disorder. He really just wants friendship from Bruce and soon falls in love with Harley Quinn. Who in this game is the more dominant person in the relationship as opposed to the typical version with Joker being the more controlling of the two. Many people consider The Joker to be the best aspect of the entire Telltale game, and it’s hard to dispute that.
6. David Mazouz as Batman and Jack Nicholson as The Joker
David Mazouz played Bruce Wayne on the Fox tv show Gotham from 2014 to 2019, spanning 5 seasons. For the majority of the show he was a young Bruce Wayne trying to find his parents’ killer and learning along the way how to become a hero for Gotham. Since Mazouz played the role for 5 years he has a lot of material and was able to really flesh out the character and made you sympathetic for him as his journey towards Batman began. By the finale of the show he finally dawned the cowl and was able to defeat The Joker, saving Barbra Gordon in the process. The show was able to design a decent suit and effects on a small budget and the acting chops of Mazouz is what really elevated his version as opposed to others. He began playing Bruce Wayne at 13 years old and by the finale episode he was 19 and his acting skills visibly improved over time. With that being said his acting in season 1 was still exceptional and in my opinion he was able to capture the best live action origin of Batman to date.
Of course Jack Nicholson is on here, his Joker from the 1989 Tim Burton movie titled Batman was the gold standard for the better part of 30 years. He was the perfect casting decision, which Tim Burton knew after seeing him in The Shining. His maniacal laughter and over the top antics worked perfectly alongside Michael Keaton’s dark and brooding Batman. Nicholson was like Jack Torrance hamming it up, and it was the first dark version of the character put to film. The stark contrast between Jack Napier a low level gangster to The clown prince of crime helps his acting range be put on display. Then there’s the memorable lines. One of the most important parts of any performance is its memorability and Nicholson’s Joker does this perfectly. Lines such as “Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?” and “Jack is dead my friend, you can call me Joker and as you can see i’m a lot happier now.” turned The Joker into a pop culture sensation.
5. Ben Affleck as Batman and Caesar Romero as The Joker
Ben Affleck lands on this list mainly for his showing in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Batman Vs Superman was Affleck’s first outing and his Batman just felt off. Clearly taking inspiration from The Dark Knight Returns, his Batman had all the tools to succeed but the film had little to no substance and ultimately wasted Affleck’s potential. Following this Joss Whedon’s Justice League was released and gone was the dark batman and instead was replaced with a Batman who was a glorified side character used for comedy bits. Then Zack Snyder finally released his own Justice League on HBO Max and Ben Affleck’s Batman was finally fully realized. Batman was shown as a cunning, determined and charming warrior. Who although has no powers can still be a major player in a world of super powered humans. His dry and witty humor as Bruce Wayne and his intense but respectable, brooding Batman was a great contrast and showed off the actor’s ability to thrive in the role.
How can you have a list of Jokers without the first live action version played by the Latin lover himself Cesar Romero. In 1966 Romero, who was regarded as one of Hollywood’s finest actors, seemed like an odd choice for such a goofy character, in an incredibly campy show. However his first appearance made it evident that he was the perfect fit. The bright pink suit with hand drawn stripes, green undershirt, white painted face with his mustache still in tact and his crazy green hair made for a timeless design. His laugh has become iconic with its range of pitches and variations. Romero brought a relentless amount of energy and enthusiasm to the role which fit well in the show. To be able to be so accurate to the source material without there ever being a standard to compare to is incredible. His dynamic with Adam West’s Batman is some of the best material in the character’s history.
4. Christian Bale as Batman and Heath Ledger as The Joker
Christian Bale was Batman in The Dark Knight Trilogy and he was given the unfortunate task of following George Clooney, who many believed ruined Batman’s legacy. Bale’s grueling body transformation for Batman Begins (The first film in the trilogy) was mind blowing. He had slimmed down to 140 pounds for a film called The Machinist and then bulked up to 210 pounds for Batman in only 6 months. This proved to many that Bale was taking the role very seriously and was willing to give everything he had for it to be great. His intimidating and intelligent Batman left audiences speechless, but it was his charming, humorous, and vibrant Bruce Wayne that left an impact on moviegoers. The Dark Knight Trilogy brought Batman back to the top of entertainment, and that wouldn’t have been possible without Christian Bale.
Heath Ledger’s final performance before his untimely death at age 28 came as The Joker in The Dark Knight, a sequel to Batman Begins. At first fans were outraged by the decision to cast him, as he was mainly known for movies such as Broke-back mountain and 10 Things I Hate About You. Some fans would even go online to throw insults and gay slurs at the actors expense out of outrage for him snagging the role of The Joker. After the trailer released and a first glance of his Joker was shown some were persuaded that he could be good. Those who were still skeptical came around after the film came out and everyone realized he had just delivered one of the greatest movie performances in all of cinema. He was praised by nearly everyone for his original take, which was the first time The Joker was shown with white face paint and scars along his mouth as opposed to a chemical accident. The multiple choice backstory which had become a main fixture of the character was exemplified with Ledger´s multiple stories throughout the film. Ranging from his wife getting in deep with mobsters, to his father being an abusive alcoholic. His incredible acting in scenes such as the interrogation, the hospital, and the bank robbery scene demonstrated his chemistry with his many co-stars from Christian Bale to Aaron Eckhart to David Dastmalchin. Ledger became the first actor to win an Academy Award for a role based on a comic book character at the 2008 Oscars. Since then his time as The Joker has become his most well known and talked about role, one that is still prevalent in pop culture today. With many fans still pointing to him as the absolute definitive live action Joker.
3. Michael Keaton as Batman and Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker
When Tim Burton casted Michael Keaton then known as a more comedic actor for the title role in The 1989 film Batman fans were livid, similar to when Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker. An unprecedented amount of backlash and letters were sent to Warner Brothers in an attempt to get the character recast. However Burton refused, believing Keaton to be the perfect choice, and having worked with him previously in the film Beetlejuice. Once the film was released in theatres public opinion changed drastically. Keaton was then hailed as the all time greatest Batman and fans demanded a sequel with the star returning. He would even win a critics choice award for best action film alongside Jack Nicholson. His impact on the character was major and he jump started the darker and more gothic version of Batman we’re all accustomed to. At the time of this being written Keaton is filming scenes as Batman in the upcoming The Flash film alongside Ezra Miller’s Flash and Ben Affleck’s Batman.
In 2019 many people in the United States were furious by the idea of a movie centered around The Joker. Many people thought it would incite violence, looking at the 2012 shooting during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises as proof of this. Others just weren’t interested in seeing The Joker on screen again, after Jared Leto gave a disastrous portrayal in Suicide Squad a 2016 film. Even with the public backlash actor Joaquin Phoenix was determined to make not only a great Joker film, but also a great piece of cinema. His version of The Joker was known as Arthur Fleck, a man afflicted with mental illness and a disorder that causes outbursts of laughter at random. Each laugh delivered in the film has a sense of agony in it and it creates a unique relationship between the character and the audience. You feel bad for Arthur and what he has gone through, but once he becomes The Joker you can no longer root for hi, instead you have to hope that he will stop the madness he had created in Gotham. His performance was hailed as on par with Heath Ledger and coincidentally Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for best lead performance by an actor at the 2019 Oscars. This made him the second person to win the award for playing The Joker, and it also made The Joker the second character to win two Oscars for two different portrayals. The other character being Michael Corleone. Since the film’s release many have stated Joaquin as on par if not better than the legendary Heath Ledger performance with some going as far as to say its the best comic book character portrayal of all time.
2. Adam West as Batman and Cameron Monaghan as The Joker
Like Cesar Romero it’s hard to talk about Batman without mentioning Adam West. West was the third person to play Batman in live action and the first live action Batman to be in color, which was a big selling point for the show. The comedic tone of the 66’ show has made him a fan favorite and one that sticks out from the rest. From the iconic ¨POW¨ and ¨WHAM¨ that would flash on screen during every punch to the imagery of him walking on the side of a building with the boy wonder Robin, West’s Batman has had a huge cultural impact. Whether in live action or animation, Adam West was always an intelligent, well spoken and respectful Batman who followed the law, as if his life depended on it. West will always be the originator and never the duplicator.
Without question the single greatest live action Joker is the one seen on the show Gotham. Cameron Monaghan, a young actor known mainly for the show Shameless, portrayed a character very similar to The Joker named Jerome Valeska. He had the grin, the laugh and all the tools to be the Joker until he was killed off. However Monaghan would then play the twin brother of Jerome, named Jeremiah Valeska. Jeremiah was sprayed with toxic chemicals causing him to have little to no pigmentation, black hair and he went insane. He spoke in a quiet and monotone voice similar to The Dark Knight Returns, however after a spill in a vat of chemicals he would emerge with pale white skin, bright red lips, and strands of green hair on his scarred scalp. This version of Jeremiah would be referred to simply as Mr. J. Due to copyright reasons Gotham was told they could use anyone except The Joker who was to be saved for films only. So the strands of green hair and the purple overcoat on top of a green suit was an innovative loophole on the shows behalf. Monaghan’s performance can be seen as 3 versions of The Joker. Jerome the funny and flamboyant Joker, then Jeremiah the monotone and intelligent Joker, and finally Mr. J the combination of the two. Like David Mazouz as Batman, Monaghan had a lot of screen time so his Joker was on full display for all to see and he is the closest to the source material we’ve seen to date, while still being unique in every aspect.
1. Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as The Joker
The all time greatest Batman is none other than Kevin Conroy, the man who has voiced the character for over 25 years. Conroy famously voiced the character in Batman the animated series and its spin off shows such as Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited. He also learned his voice for the Batman: Arkham games and the 2016 animated film Batman: The Killing Joke. Kevin Conroy was able to do more with his voice than any live action version could. Speaking of which he gave a striking live action portrayal of the Kingdom Come Batman in the CW show Batwoman. Conroy is able to change his voice from Bruce Wayne to Batman in such a subtle yet striking way. Helping it be believable that people who encounter Batman wouldn’t recognize its Bruce Wayne speaking and still sounding coherent unlike Christian Bale. The way he plays the character is so perfect that he is often regarded as the voice of Batman. After decades of playing Batman he still continues to and always a highlight in any project he’s put in.
Known to many as Luke Skywalkwer, you may be surprised to know Mark Hamill voiced The Joker for 25 years as well, alongside Kevin Conroy. Hamill has appeared as The Joker in almost every project that has Kevin Conroy as Batman. Such as The animated series, the Arkham games, and various animated films. You may also be surprised to know he is regarded as the definitive version of The Joker. Like Conroy, he embodies the character unlike anyone else and is the gold standard for any performance to come. He has won Emmy awards for his work as the clown prince of crime and is always the go to voice for the character. Many actors such as Cameron Monaghan, Troy Baker and Anthony Ingruber have stated Mark Hamill as their greatest inspiration, and it’s clear why. Hamill is able to use his laughter as an instrument to showcase all kinds of emotion. He can make you laugh then make you terrified in the same line. He continues to voice the character periodically and always brings an incredible performance to anything he’s in.
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