The Joker (The Dark Knight)

The Joker
The Dark Knight Trilogy character
Heath Ledger as the Joker
First appearance	The Dark Knight (2008)
Last appearance	The Dark Knight (2008)
Created by	Christopher Nolan David S. Goyer
Portrayed by	Heath Ledger

The Joker is a fictional supervillain from American comic book publisher DC Comics who was portrayed by late Australian actor Heath Ledger in Christopher Nolan's 2008 superhero film The Dark Knight. Ledger's interpretation of the character is specifically influenced by the graphic novels Batman: The Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. In the film, he wears the character's traditional color palette, while his facial appearance includes clown makeup that covers facial scars of a Glasgow smile.

The film's interpretation of the Joker embodies themes of chaos, anarchy and obsession: Throughout the film, the character expresses a desire to upset social order through crime, and defines himself by his conflict with Batman. The character also explores techniques found in Ledger's previous performances, including his clown act in Terry Gilliam's fantasy film The Brothers Grimm. Further, it references paintings by artist Francis Bacon, Anthony Burgess' novel A Clockwork Orange and various punk rock musicians.

The Joker is considered one of Ledger's finest performances; he regarded it as his most enjoyable. When the film was released in July 2008, six months after the actor had died from an accidental prescription drug overdose, the performance caused a sensation and received universal acclaim and numerous posthumous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.