Batman and the Joker have one of the most thrilling rivalries in comic book history, but it’s only appeared on the big screen a handful of times. Long before the DCU was even an idea, Batman was locking up bad guys in DC Comics. And while Batman appeared in 1939, his arch nemesis was not far behind, first appearing just one year later in 1940. Ever since, these characters have been locked in an eternal conflict that has been adapted in various mediums.

However, despite there being several Batman movies and franchises, the Joker has only shared the screen with the Gotham Guardian a handful of times. From 1966, when Adam West as Batman appeared opposite Cesar Romero as the Joker, all the way down to the most recent iteration, which has so far only appeared in a deleted scene, these characters have yet to have their rivalry properly explored in film. Despite this, there have been some exciting interactions between Bats and the Joker that deserve recognition for the incredible actors who made it happen.

6

The DCEU’s Batman & Joker Barely Met

The DCEU was messy at the best of times. While Ben Affleck’s Batman appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Joker was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, the Joker, played by Jared Leto, made his cinematic debut in Suicide Squad in 2016. With the unraveling of the DCEU, and the confusion about continuity extending across movies like Suicide Squad and the Justice League тιтles, it seemed as though these two were never going to crossover.

However, in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, released in 2021, there is one brief post-credits scene that hints at a vision for the DCEU that never happened with the Knightmare vision, which features Batman and several other members of the Justice League standing ready to fight an evil Superman. And joining the heroes, Leto’s Joker appears to have an uneasy alliance with Batman, but this feels incredibly brief, and nothing about it proves all that exciting or engaging.

5

The Batman’s Joker Only Meets The Dark Knight In A Deleted Scene

Likewise, Robert Pattinson’s Batman has yet to meet his Joker, despite the character appearing briefly in the post-credits scene of The Batman when he speaks to Paul Dano’s Riddler. However, there is a deleted scene from the film where Barry Keoghan’s Joker does sit down face to face with Batman in Arkham. Batman comes to the Joker seeking guidance, and it appears the two have a pre-existing relationship with Batman having put the Joker away.

Despite the scene being deleted from the theatrical release, the tension, the uneasiness, and the way these two play off each other is extremely promising. And since The Batman has only had one film released in the series, with plans to release a second in 2027, and various spin-off shows, there is plenty of potential for these characters to overlap in the future. Keoghan and Pattinson have a solid chemistry as rivals in the film, and as long as this relationship is expanded in future releases, it could prove to be one of the best adaptations of the rivalry in film.

4

The Lego Batman Movie Saw Joker & Batman Acknowledge Their Connection

Changing tones dramatically, The Lego Batman Movie also offers one iteration of the Batman-Joker rivalry that proves to be surprisingly effective. Will Arnett voices The Dark Knight, and his gruff tone makes the slightly chaotic hero feel like a real comic book superhero. Meanwhile, his rival is voiced by Zach Galifianakis. There are plenty of fun moments that play out in this more comedy-driven animated film, but it also manages to capture the emotionally complex way that Joker and Batman rely on each other to give them purpose.

It’s an interesting exploration of the characters, but it’s ultimately very effective. The Joker taunts and teases Batman at every opportunity, but they find a way to settle their differences to save Gotham and ensure the future of their rivalry can continue undisturbed. The two comedy actors also have great chemistry that makes the rivalry pop despite the limitations of an animated feature. Overall, this is one of the better interpretations of the long-lasting rivalry in film, and one that would have been fun to see developed in the planned sequel before it was scrapped.

3

1966s Batman Explores Two Rivals In Eternal Conflict

Batman: The Movie came out after the end of the first season, starring Adam West as Batman, Burt Ward as his trusty sidekick Robin, and Cesar Romero as the Joker. The pre-existing relationship between these characters added to the overall dynamic, but seeing Batman and Robin face off against a team of Batman’s greatest rivals, including Joker, Catwoman, The Penguin, and The Riddler, it proved to be a spectacular and engaging celebration of the series in a new format.

Adam West’s Batman was a serious character who brought gravity and weight to any situation. Meanwhile, Romero’s Joker was a mad man who lived for chaos and destruction, providing a perfect foil to the hero. The conflict between the two was thrilling to watch, though it didn’t necessarily hold the same weight as other adaptations gave their story. Regardless, it was a fun exploration of the characters, and a foundational moment in both characters’ histories that helped to shape their future in film, TV, and even the comics themselves.

2

Batman 1989 Reveals A Twisted Jack Nicholson Joker To Counter Michael Keaton’s Batman

Jack Nicholson’s Joker from the 1989 Batman movie proved to be one of the more unique interpretations. In the comics, it’s rare for the Joker to have an origin story, or a name. Instead, the Clown King of Crime is often left as a mysterious figure who thrives on anarchy, mystery, and madness. But in the film, Nicholson played a character named Jack Napier, who was the right-hand man to another criminal mastermind. However, when Jack falls into a vat of chemicals, he is driven mad, and becomes the outrageous and monstrous Joker.

The Joker ascends to become the greatest villain Gotham has ever seen, and he has a serious personal vendetta against Batman, who caused his permanent disfigurement. The rivalry between Michael Keaton’s Batman and the Joker is much more personal, and much darker than previous iterations. This also helped to shape the future of the character, and the darker version of Gotham as a whole. It remains one of the best instances of a Batman versus Joker rivalry, but there is one other film that managed to soar even higher.

1

Heath Ledger’s Joker Is The Ultimate Rival To Christian Bale’s Batman In The Dark Knight

In 2007, The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, delivered what remains the very best iteration of the Joker in film. This was in no small part thanks to Heath Ledger, who took on the role and made it entirely his own. Opposite the outstanding Christian Bale as Batman, these two giants went head-to-head, fighting for the heart and soul of Gotham. Joker set out to prove that everyone is evil, and all it takes is the right combination of circumstances to turn good people into killers, while Batman was fighting to prove that killing was not an inevitability, and there are good people in the world.

There are clear opposing sides, the way these characters engage with each other, and the intensity and electricity that happens every time they share the screen is unbelievable. Unfortunately, before the film was finished, and the sequels made, Ledger tragically pᴀssed away. But despite only having one film where they appeared together, this remains to this day the best version of Batman and Joker’s rivalry, capturing all the intensity, and creating something that felt so much more powerful and intense. Hopefully in the future, another Batman story can capture that same magic, but until then, Bale and Ledger’s rivalry tops the list.