Taking to the stage to headline a rock concert after Led Zeppelin have just performed would arguably be less intimidating than trying to fill Heath Ledger’s shoes as The Joker. But for my money, if there’s to be a Batman reboot or continuation then it has to be done.
After all, Batman and The Joker are like two sides of the same coin and if you’ve got a decent base in Batman mythology you’ll know that it’s almost as though one can’t exist without the other. The Joker even says it himself in The Dark Knight, “You know, I think you and I will be doing this forever”.
We’re not sure yet as to whether or not Warner Bros. will seek to reboot the franchise after Chris Nolan and Christian Bale’s departure in the run up to a Justice League movie but one thing is for damn sure; we haven’t seen the last of the Caped Crusader on the big screen.
And hopefully, that means we haven’t seen the last of The Joker too. Let’s dispense with this right now: there’s no way anyone is going to beat Heath Ledger as The Joker. But the following list doesn’t attempt to beat him – that would be like you or I trying to beat Michael Phelps in a swim-off, it’s just not going to happen.
But the fact remains that it’s not really a matter of if we see The Joker again but when…
Here are 9 actors we think are up to the job.
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23 Comments
I’d go Sam Rocxwell given the choice.
Javier Bardem
Michael Pitt and Michael Shannon, yes.
Personally I’m hoping for a Dark Knight Returns movie where all characters are all older and Daniel Day Lewis rocks it as the Joker.
Daniel day as an older joker with older characters would be awesome.
Ben Schwartz (Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Recreation). Maybe a left of field choice, but has the insane look about him, as well as the angular features….
I agree with the writer on Crispin Glover, Alfie Allen and Michael Shannon being good choices for the Joker and perhaps even Ben Foster. But I have to disagree with the others, particularly Andrew Garfield and Elijah Wood. I’d honestly rather see Jack Black, Will Ferrell or Jim Carrey play the Joker before either of those two.
Back to Crispin Glover for moment. He could be good for a various number of Batman villains, including the Riddler and Scarecrow.
Ben foster would be beyond awesome have you guys seen alpha dog. Daniel day lewis would be phenomenal
I agree, he did a good job in contraband too. If he’s a villian at all it needs to be one who knows how to kick ass. He’s an expert in MMA training. However he can play Joker and Michael C. Hall can be The Riddler.
elija wood or aron paul as the joker
This list has reminded me how much a Nolan-less Batman film is going to suck.
Nolan cast proven actor’s actors, Caine, Hardy, Ledger, Bale, Hathaway, Oldman etc. in key roles.
With the exception of Ben Foster and Michael Shannon (who is very unlikely to play a major Batman villian after playing a major Superman villian) there isn’t a real candidate on this list. Crispin Glover is a professional but he hasn’t got the acting ability.
While Ledger’s performance was brilliant, I still prefer the maniacal laughter and insanity of Mark Hamill’s Joker from the various cartoon series. Due to them being aimed at a younger audience, the character was never allowed to be that dark, but had it been I could imagine he’d have done it with aplomb.
Robert downy jr.may be superb joker
why not Johnny Depp? i think he’d be a great choice as the Joker or as the Riddler.
Javier Bardem.. Totally agree with Matt Holmes.. When it comes to psychoes.. noone is further out than Javier in No Country for Old Men….
The grin.. the face… noone…
Adrien Brody is perfect Joker !!!
Ben Foster my choice without even
Looking at your choices
But who for Batman post-Bale……perhaps…..Gerald Butler
Dafoe is great but he did his turn as Goblin… Ben Foster is nuts beyond belief and would be my choice but The Glove’s choice of Adrien Brody is good given ” The Jacket” and ” The Village” but Ben Foster in all his roles plays ” premier psycho ” right now
I doubt Joker will ever return just for respect for Heath Ledger. They should bring back The Riddler and it should be played by Michael C. Hall aka Dexter.
ben foster is a nice choice, he show in the past a psycho side, but for me i reallly think viggo mortensen could be awsome in this role!
I would be intrigued by Aaron Paul, he seems like he could be really good in a Joker role. However, I must say, no one can ever be as good or better than Ledger, he was just PERFECT in that role. I’m not saying others can’t be very, VERY good… but that was the performance of a lifetime.
I actually would prefer to see an actor not on this list…I think Evan Peters would make a fantastic Joker…It’s obvious from watching him on American Horror Story that he has the psychopath role down flawlessly…Throughout the course of the first season he maintained a twitchy, unpredictable, charismatic, and down right frightening presence that effortlessly (and unintentionally I’m sure) recalled the Ledger Joker… There are even a couple of scenes where he has to be more intense and you can hear in his voice that one little adjustment would make the transition between school shooter and murderous clown… He certainly isn’t as old as Heath and it might be tough to make him work opposite Christian Bale but against a Joseph Gordon-Levit Batman or someone else a little closer in age I can’t imagine anyone would be a better fit…
dude im glad im the only one to think that. :)