Throughout his 85 years on the page, multiple takes introduced in cinema (namely Jack Nicholson’s Jack Napier and whatever it was Jared Leto was doing in Suicide Squad) and goofier stuff like the 1960s Batman TV series, there have been quite a few versions of the Joker introduced to fans and general audience members alike. But now that the DCU is really getting into gear, it seems fair to assume that James Gunn, Peter Safran, and company will stick with one of three versions. Specifically, the three versions that appear in the entertaining but controversial 2020 storyline Batman: Three Jokers. Those are The Criminal, The Clown, and The Comedian.
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The Criminal is a pretty straightforward gangster type, he’s who the character was before he got a bit of a grinning facelift. In comes The Clown, whose histrionic behavior is still illegal just like The Criminal’s, but it’s done with some flair. Then there is The Comedian, who wasn’t done in film until Joaquin Phoenix in Todd Phillips’ pair of movies. Technically, the following Marvel Cinematic Universe veteran performers could play any one of the three, but let’s decide which of the three would suit them best.
5) Tom Hiddleston
Thanos is plenty iconic, but if the MCU has one unbeatably great villain, it’s Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. The magic with his peformance is that he makes someone who has done some awful things worthy of empathy and pity, and that’s even before he reformed in Loki.
Hiddleston is so intertwined with Loki that his chances of ever actually becoming Joker are slim, but he definitely has the required angular V-shaped jawline for the role. He can also crack a charming, scheming smile like no other. Furthermore, Hiddleston has incredible range, so we could really see him pulling off the emotional beats required of The Comedian. His Joker would be dark inside, but it wasn’t his choice to become that. We wouldn’t agree with what he is doing, but perhaps we would understand why he’s doing it.
4) Chukwudi Iwuji
If any of these entries seem like genuine possibilities, it’s Chukwudi Iwuji. There’s even an explanation put in place for how he could be in both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Peacemaker Season 1, which is of course that the first season of that show doesn’t exist in the same universe as the second.
Gunn likes to work with actors repeatedly and considering he helmed both Peacemaker Season 1 (five of eight episodes anyway) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 it’s apparent that Iwuji is one of the actors with whom he will continue to collaborate. And Iwuji could make for a truly intimidating Joker, too, one whose rage seems beyond control. Whether it’s The Criminal or The Comedian, he would make Joker into someone who could believably rule Gotham with an iron fist and a red-hot temper.
3) Evan Peters
In WandaVision, Evan Peters played Ralph Bohner, one of Agatha Harkness’ brainwashed Westview pawns. He was used by her to play none other than Pietro Maximoff, Wanda’s deceased brother.
Like his time actually playing Maximoff aka Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix, Peters excelled at bringing a smirking goofball humor into his character. This is something he could carry over to Joker, especially as a perpetually nonchalant version of The Clown.
2) Bill Skarsgård
When it comes to playing Joker, maybe there’s just something about the type of performer who can act through makeup. And like Tim Curry (who was considered for Joker back in the late ’80s) and David Howard Thornton, Bill Skarsgård can without a doubt act through makeup. His Pennywise the Dancing Clown is the type of character that experiences glee when causing others harm, so we could definitely see him as either The Clown or The Comedian.
If you’re wondering which MCU project featured Skarsgård that would be Eternals. In it he had the unfortunately slim role as the Deviant Kro, for whom Skarsgård provided his voice.
1) Willem Dafoe
When it came time to cast what amounted to be the biggest role in Tim Burton’s Batman, Nicholson was always the number one choice. However, Robin Williams came close. But those two actors were not the only ones in the running, as David Bowie, Tim Curry, John Lithgow, and Child’s Play‘s Brad Dourif were all considered to one degree or another. Joining them in that pool of possibilities was Willem Dafoe, who went on to become a superhero movie icon anyway as the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
This is a casting fans have wanted for a long time. Frankly, if anyone looks like Joker it’s Mr. Dafoe. It’s possible he has been in too many superhero projects by this point (he also played Vulko in Aquaman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League) for his casting in Joker to feel special. But he himself has said that he would enjoy playing an imposter Joker, and assuredly fans would like to see that pitch become a reality.
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