Jack Nicholson's Joker wasn't the first, but he was definitely one of the most influential Batman foes to ever grace the big screen.

When it comes to Jokers, Joaquin Phoenix might be the latest, Heath Ledger might be the most controversial, and Mark Hamill might be the most beloved, but when it comes to the clown prince of crime in his truest form, they don't know jack... but Jack Nicholson does. In 1989's Batman, Nicholson brought fans perhaps the most accurate and balanced portrayal of the Joker ever seen on film.

Burton's vision of the Clown Prince of Crime not only blended the saturated panels of the comics, but the dark humor of the original Batman narrative. But, it was Jack Nicholson's prowess and other creative factors that truly pulled the character from the page to the screen.

10 It Was a Return to Form for the Character

Until Nicholson's portrayal hit the big screen, the biggest claim the Joker had to a full-screen adaptation was Cesar Romero's goofy purple version in the 1966 series. The '60s Joker was more of a jolly mischievous prankster than an actual threat, which is very different from the original comics where he's a serial killer with a clown gimmick.

Enter an ambitious Tim Burton with a script that relied more on the source material than the TV show, and the rest is history.

9 Jack Nicholson had Final Say on the Makeup

In a behind the scenes feature, a long discussion on the look of the Joker is gone into great detail, especially how the makeup and Nicholson himself brought Joker's familiar and freaky face to the big screen.

Both the makeup team and Jack Nicholson wanted to recreate the elongated face and rictus grin featured in the comics but ultimately didn't want to take away from the actor's wild expressions. Ultimately, Nicholson had final say on the makeup' look. But with a face like that, how could they not include that sinister smile?

8 Jack Nicholson Got Top Billing

For a film about the Caped Crusader, Michael Keaton strangely doesn't receive top billing, but Jack Nicholson did. To be fair, the Joker does stand out a great deal more than his dark and brooding counterpart, but it's a Batman movie, not a Joker movie. What gives?

This might have been because of the backlash that followed after Keaton was cast, or the fact Jack Nicholson was more well-known at the time. Either way, it's an interesting feature.

7 Joker's Suits Mirror His Sanity

One minor detail that plays an impressive part in the film is Jack Napier's tailored suits. Pay attention to the rest of the mob in the movie; they're all clad in standard black, brown, and grey professional suits. Not Jack.

Even before he gets dipped in chemicals, he wears a distinct purple suit. Solid colors at first, but then the Joker takes over and he starts wearing his Burton-designed attire to show off his new colorful flair.

6 David Bowie Was (Supposedly) Up for the Role

Casting the Joker was a challenge all its own and dozens of actors were up for the role, including Ziggy Stardust himself, David Bowie. Bowie was so close to clinching the role of the Joker that many DC comic book artists started using Bowie as inspiration and model for certain versions of the character.

With the rockstar's animated expressions and other-worldly presence, he would have been perfect for the role. Then again, so would another famous pick.

5 Robin Williams Was Also Up For The Role

Robin Williams and Gotham City have had a bit of a checkered past. At one point, he was offered the role of the Riddler for Batman Forever (this reportedly fell through when Burton left production of the sequel), but he was also one of the prime candidates for the Joker as well.

Honestly, this should have been a no-brainer, especially given the actor's popularity in the '90s. With his manic energy and infectious laugh, Williams would have been unforgettable as the clown prince of crime. Controversy arose, though, because Williams felt that he was only name-dropped as leverage so that producers could convince Nicholson to sign onto the project as soon as possible.

4 Jack Napier’s Fate is Foreshadowed Early On

Tim Burton has always had an interesting way of storytelling; it's one of his most endearing qualities as a filmmaker. But for a guy who makes his living throwing subtly of the window, his foreshadowing in Batman is both smooth and effective.

As Boss Grissom is giving the orders for the job at the chemical plant, Jack Napier is shuffling through his lucky deck and suddenly peers through a hole in the joker card. Doesn't that face look a little familiar? Also, what does a hole in the head usually mean?

3 Jack Napier Can’t Hide His Laughter

Although 2019's Joker went full circle with the idea of Joker's uncontrollable laughter (where it's explained as a medical condition), it's not too crazy to assume that the fact that the Joker can't stop laughing might have come from Burton's vision.

Pay attention when Joker's masquerading as Jack Napier again during his museum heist. Even underneath all that makeup, Joker can't disguise his fiendish chuckle for very long. Granted, this could be a side effect of the chemicals or his psychotic personality boiling underneath a human mask, but it's certainly worth noting.

2 Jack Nicholson's Joker Is The Most Referenced Joker Of Them All

Though there might be others that could stand toe-to-toe with Burton's version, no other Joker has been more honored and referenced in other Batman media than Nicholson's take.

Even the highly successful animated series used the identity and origin of Jack Napier as the basis for Mark Hamill's famous voice interpretation. From his wide-brimmed hat to his deadly joy buzzer, Burton's clown is king and that's no (ahem) Killing Joke.

1 Jack Nicholson's Joker Shaped the Character’s Future

Speaking of comics, modern interpretations of the Joker certainly take more than a handful of things from the Burton version than the others.

Tons of runs and comics take the Joker down the twisted road Burton set him on. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's dark, and sometimes it's a bit of both. But whether they exist in the comics, games, or other media, they can surely dance with the devil in the pale moonlight.

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