![]() While many enjoyed Phillips’ bleak re-imagining of the Joker’s origin story, others found it to be overwhelmingly mean-spirited - though Phoenix’s portrayal was generally praised across the board, with most of the film’s issues stemming from its intensely nihilistic tone and underdeveloped supporting characters. Despite its darker and more grounded tones, Joker was a critical and financial success, becoming the first R-rated film to gross over a billion dollars and landing Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor. Todd Phillips' Joker provided an R-rated, standalone project introducing a new version of the Joker to audiences, more closely resembling a psychological thriller than a traditional comic book movie. Joaquin Phoenix's Joker is the only live-action iteration of the character to act as the lead in his own films, first debuting in 2019's Joker, and set to hit theaters again in 2024's Joker: Folie à Deux. Curiously, the idea of the Joker as some kind of social influencer has been gaining traction in recent years, which is a worrying sign of the times, no doubt, with political dissatisfaction and unrest being felt across much of the United States. Monaghan was largely well-received in both roles, becoming a fan-favorite addition to the series - even if his status as an “official” actor of the Joker is dubious given how Gotham ends, leaving the audience to question whether Monaghan’s remaining twin would become the Joker or inspire another character to take up the mantle. ![]() Related: Gotham Finally Created The Joker - And It's All 's Fault Instead, they decided to utilize various elements of the Joker’s personality, with twin brothers Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska acting as proto-Jokers to inspire whoever would eventually take the mantle. While the writers of Gotham were keen to incorporate the Joker, they realized that his origin is dependent on Batman and, therefore, wouldn’t work within the prequel’s timeline. Initially set to tell the story of Jim Gordon's early days in the Gotham City Police Department, Gotham later incorporated the misadventures of a young Bruce Wayne, running for five-seasons between 20. While some critics applauded Leto’s performance that highlighted the toxicity of his relationship with Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, DC’s fan-base was more critical.Ĭameron Monaghan's Joker from Fox's Gotham series is technically two characters, twin brothers Jerome and Jeremiah. There's also a sexualized element to the way Leto interpreted the Joker which confused many fans since Joker has never been an overtly sensuous character. Leto's version of the Joker is something of a departure from previous portrayals, more like an offensive pimp stereotype than a clown, complete with tattoos, grills, and a cane. Despite only appearing in Suicide Squad and Zack Snyder's Justice League, it's likely that Leto won't reprise the role in the DCU's future. What's more, given his reputation as an intense method actor, often said to remain in character throughout each shoot, Leto’s casting exacerbated the idea that playing the Joker could cause psychological harm. 2016's Suicide Squad wasn't as well received as DC had hoped, which led to Leto's Joker having much less presence in the DCEU than originally planned. However, Jared Leto's version of the Joker is certainly the most controversial. Initially, Jared Leto was an exciting choice for the DCEU's first Joker, debuting in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Though others involved in The Dark Knight’s production have said that Ledger was very proud of his work on the film and enjoyed the experience immensely, the weight of his death and subsequent media frenzy has continued to loom large in the public consciousness. The media painted his method acting as responsible, citing his self-imposed isolation period and in-character journals as “evidence” of some kind of breakdown. Following his death, reports began to circulate that his experience playing the Joker was partly to blame. Sadly, Heath Ledger passed away from an accidental prescription drug overdose before The Dark Knight’s release. This version of the Joker inhabited Nolan's darker, grittier, and more violent world of The Dark Knight trilogy, and Ledger's Joker represented one of America's biggest fears: terrorism. ![]() This was another important development as far as the Joker's on-screen legacy is concerned, and Heath Ledger significantly raised the bar for all subsequent portrayals. Ledger's remarkable and captivating performance as the iconic villain saw him receive a slew of posthumous awards. Heath Ledger's Joker is perhaps the most memorable, as he was the first brought to modern audiences in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, released in 2008. ![]()
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