Batman: Every Movie Joker Reveal Ranked Worst To Best

2. The Joker - Joaquin Phoenix

We weren't supposed to see Todd Phillips' Joker yet, but thanks to the encroachment of paparazzi on the Joker Origin's set, the director decided to release a first look to devalue all of the leaks and to make sure fans got to see the character on HIS terms.

First, he released a look at Arthur Fleck - the Joker's "normal" alter-ego (an alien concept to the character on the screen) - and then followed it up (surprisingly) with a video make-up test (which was very much gimmicked rather than being true test footage).

In short, it was brilliant...

Everything from the musical choice (The Guess Who's "Laughter" which is about the most perfect song ever written for this Joker) down to Phoenix's transition from vulnerable, unassuming Arthur Fleck to a swaggering, smiling Joker is really great. And that eyebrow flicker is just the best.

Even if the idea of a Joker Origin was unwelcome, the promise that Phoenix will be allowed to actually perform as a character, rather than just hiding him behind visual gimmicks and quirks (like Leto) and insisting his "method" was unhinged andd genius should change a lot of minds. So it seems things that are forced occasionally can have merit.