With Matt Reeves wanting to create his own trilogy of Batman films starring Robert Pattinson, it was only inevitable that there would be rumors of a new version of the Joker appearing in his trilogy; especially with the massive success of the 2019 Joaquin Phoenix film.
Fortunately, the Joker is such a malleable character that he can be reimagined in so many different ways as shown from the roster of Joker portrayals we already have both animated and live-action. This can also lead to many actors in the role but who would fans love to see as the Clown Prince Of Crime?
Updated by Julian Beauvais on October 25th, 2020: Now that filming has recommenced on Matt Reeves’ The Batman following a shut down for COVID-19, the final pieces of this new revisioning of Gotham City will undoubtedly fall into place.
With a veritable line-up of A-list Hollywood stars populating Gotham as Batman’s infamous rogues’ gallery, speculation has run rampant as to whether or not this film will feature his most famous villain, The Joker. Even more so, fans are wondering which Hollywood star could play him in this grim and gritty new vision.
Jude Law Can Make Him Classy…and Deadly
![Matt Reeves’ Batman: 15 Actors Who Could Play The Joker](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Jude-Law-1.jpg)
The Joker is a versatile character who’s had many iterations and distinct onscreen personas in the decades he’s appeared on film. Jack Nicholson’s version was a gangster. Heath Ledger’s was an anarchist. Jared Leto was a thug, and Joaquin Phoenix was a social outcast.
Jude Law would be perfect to depict a hitherto unseen onscreen version of the character: the dapper, gentleman murderer. As depicted in several eras of the comics, this version of the Joker is impeccably dressed, a lover of the finer things, a criminal genius, and cold-bloodedly ruthless. With a seriously sinister smile in his repertoire, Law would be perfect in the role.
Tom Hiddleston Has Experience Playing Tricksters
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Tom Hiddleston may be the MCU’s resident trickster, but given the opportunity, he could potentially fulfill the same role within the DCEU. Hiddleston’s physique matches the Joker’s traditional appearance, and with the right makeup and wardrobe, he could bear more than a striking resemblance to The Clown Prince of Crime.
Aside from his appearance, Hiddleston has had years of experience playing the villain with his portrayal of Loki, and can really delve into the nuances of depicting a truly insane and psychotic individual. The fact that he also sports a killer grin only sinches his candidacy for the role!
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Is No Stranger To Gotham
![Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Looper](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Joseph-Gordon-Levitt-in-Looper3.jpg)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is no stranger to the Bat-verse, having portrayed Detective John Blake in The Dark Knight Returns. In many ways, the character was emblematic of most of Gordon-Levite’s roles in that he was practical, serious, and quite grounded.
There’s no denying Gordon-Levitt’s acting chops, as he’s performed admirably in films like Don Jon and Inception, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe. Playing the Joker will allow Gordon-Levitt to explore new ground as an actor and really let loose his darker side, which could only benefit Matt Reeves’ burgeoning Bat-verse.
Jamie Foxx Can Play A Serious Heavy
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Jamie Foxx is a gifted and talented actor, as his Oscar-winning depiction of Ray Charles in the film, Ray, stands testament to. Foxx is also no stranger to playing the villain, having portrayed the sadistic hitman “Bats” Jefferson III in Baby Driver, and the misguided Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
There’s no doubt Foxx would be able to bring a fresh take to the Clown Prince of Crime. His frenetic energy and ability to inhabit a role would play well against Robert Pattinson’s Batman and fit perfectly in Matt Reeves’ gritty world.
Angelina Jolie Has Played Disturbed and Violent Before
![Angelina Jolie looks sinister in Girl, Interrupted](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Angelina-Jolie-Girl-Interrupted.jpg)
Considering DC’s penchant for on-screen, reality-bashing, multiversal mash-ups, there may be room in Matt Reeves’ Bat-verse for a female version of The Clown Prince of Crime. After all, it’s not without precedent: in the Flashpoint Universe (which seems to be the storyline The Flash film is adapting) the Joker is Martha Wayne, who is driven insane by the death of her young son, Bruce.
If anyone could play a female version of the Joker, it would be Angelina Jolie. Not only is she a multi-faceted and extremely talented Academy Award-winning actress, but she also has experience playing deranged and disturbed individuals with a penchant for violence.
Sam Rockwell Was Almost The Joker Once, He Can Still Do It
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Before the legendary Heath Ledger was cast, director Christopher Nolan did approach Sam Rockwell for the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight but the producers went with Ledger instead. Sam Rockwell has never failed at a performance: even in flops, he is usually considered the standout.
One look at his filmography and viewers will see that Rockwell can do any kind of role in any kind of movie, so the idea of him playing as the Joker is one that fans would rally behind.
Johnny Depp Has Been Effective As Villains
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One thing that cannot be denied is that Johnny Depp has both talent and charisma, both are traits shared with the Jester Of Genocide. Depp has obviously played leading roles in films but he is often praised for his villainous roles such as Sweeney Todd, Whitey Bulger from Black Mass, and Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts movies.
Plus with Depp’s tendency to lean towards the more odd and crazy roles, the Joker just seems like a perfect match for fans to enjoy on the big screen.
Adrien Brody Wants To Play The Joker
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Before the role went to both Jared Leto, Adrian Brody expressed much interest in playing the comic book villain but according to him, neither DC nor Marvel never approached him for a comic book role.
Fans would agree that this is a shocking revelation as Brody is an actor who, much like Sam Rockwell, never disappoints in performance. He’s always on point with many off the wall and unique characters which makes him a perfect candidate for an iconic villain like the Joker.
Willem Dafoe Already Looks Like The Joker
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A name that often pops up from fans when it comes to Joker castings is Willem Dafoe, another legendary actor who rarely disappoints. Though already a part of the DC world as Vulko in the Aquaman movies, Willem already looks so much like the character than fans probably wouldn’t mind.
As a plus, Willem Dafoe already knows how to work with Robert Pattinson as shown from their bizarre but well-made horror film, The Lighthouse. All he would need is bleached skin and fans will flock to theaters.
Jim Carrey Deserves Another Shot At DC
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Most fans were disappointed by Carrey’s incarnation of the Riddler in 1995’s Batman Forever but the actor has proven since then that not only can he do serious movies, he can also play villainous and disturbing roles as shown from movies like The Number 23 and Dark Crimes.
Take the energetic zaniness of the Jim Carrey viewers usually know, the dark performances he’s done in the past, and the fact that he also already looks like the character, fans know he could easily do the Joker.
Can’t Go Wrong With Rami Malek
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All one really needs to see is this actor’s award-winning performance as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody and it’s clear how talented he is. While he is younger, he is a perfect choice as he’s never done a comic book role before.
Though he has played a psychopath in the past, in the 2015 videogame known as Until Dawn and he’s the newest Bond villain. Combine that with his chameleon acting skills, he could easily take on the character several movies as a recurring threat!
Riz Ahmed Is One Of The Most Underrated Actors
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Nightcrawler, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Jason Bourne, and Venom all show how diverse of an actor Riz Ahmed is. Viewers all agreed that with Venom, he displayed that he can play a villain but he needs a villain with a better script and more time to show himself off.
What better chance than Gotham’s most iconic villain? Not only would he bring immense talent to the role but he would also be a casting for the Joker unseen before which is always great for the character.
How Has Daniel Radcliffe Never Been In A Comic Book Film?
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After many public displays of his nerdy nature and love for characters from both DC and Marvel, it’s shocking that Daniel has never been approached for a role, especially since he’s proven to be an actor who can do many types of roles.
Swiss Army Man, Horns, The Woman In Black, and Guns Akimbo all show off that he’s definitely more than Harry Potter these days. Perhaps, it is time for Daniel to reunite with Robert Pattinson has his greatest foe: The Clown Prince of Crime.
David Tennant Is No Stranger To Heroes And Villains
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Most viewers know him for his beloved tenure as the Doctor in BBC’s Doctor Who but he has branched into a comic book role in the past with Kilgrave AKA The Purple Man in Netflix and Marvel’s Jessica Jones for which he was heavily praised as one of the best comic book villains to grace the screen.
Perhaps, since his character is unlikely to ever be seen again, he could filter that talent into the Joker: he has the wide grin and the charisma to bring the character to life!
Oscar Isaac Deserves A Better Supervillain Role
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20th Century Studios managed to get Oscar Isaac for a comic book role as Apocalypse in the aptly titled X-Men: Apocalypse. Fans were excited but were ultimately let down by a mess of a movie that was far from Isaac’s fault. He’s a talented actor who has shined in Star Wars, Triple Frontier, Inside Llewyn Davis, and more.
His roles in Sucker Punch and Ex Machina more than prove that he can play a sinister villain which is definitely a useful talent when playing someone like the Joker.