10 Least Accurate Movie Portrayals Of Comic Book Characters Ever

Whilst the Clown Prince of Crime isn't strictly portrayed accurately in 2019's Joker, he is still recognisably the Joker, with his origins being changed in interesting ways.

The Joker, now Arthur Fleck instead of Jack Oswald White, has a medical condition which forces him to laugh, potentially Pseudobulbar Affect or PBA. Although this is different from the comics' answer to the Joker's laugh, of which it's a sign of insanity, the film's version gives more depth and even sympathy for the character, with his laugh being involuntary and painful.

The origins of Fleck becoming the Joker are different to the comics, too. The film makes it clear that it was Arthur's constant mistreatment from society that forced this mentally ill man to spiral into insanity. In contrast to this, the comics have no set origin story for the Harlequin of Hate, though one of the most common stories involves a criminal falling into a vat of acid at Ace Chemicals, which then drove the rogue mad.

The climax of Todd Phillips' movie sees the Joker appear on Murray's late night show, before shooting the host dead live on air. This moment was obviously inspired from The Dark Knight Returns, where the villain kills a studio audience, though this story happened towards the end of Joker's life, not the beginning.