The Joker’s laugh is one of the most notable actions in DC comics animations. It is something you’re not sure if to be creeped out about or be drawn towards. This must be how it feels like for Batman as regardless of the clown causing damage to Gotham for years, he is unsure how to deal with him or what to do with him. Choosing the best Joker laughs is no easy tasks.
The Joker has succeeded in becoming the most notable of all Batman’s rogues. Some of the best Joker laughs have occurred throughout DC animations and screenplays.Â
It’s hard to pick your favorite actor who does this excellently when many people have played the character over the years. We would, however, try to give a list ranking from 10-1. Here is a list of the best Joker Laughs, one of DC’s greatest supervillains.
10. Jared Leto
In the portrayal of the Joker, there is no doubt that this version of the Joker was the weakest in all the bunch. However, his laugh was still something to behold and had a sinister feeling to it.
His laugh, which was more mouthy than throaty. This however signified a gangster’s mentality and how he found amusement in things like guns and weaponry as opposed to other jokers.Â
It lacked in several places, and some have compared his laugh to the sound of a creaking door in some takes. However, he still sounds better than some of the others who never made a list, making him our last on this list.
9. Michael Emerson
He appeared in both parts of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Michael Emerson’s Joker was more of a sociopath than a psychopath, which contributed to the quality of this version’s laugh.
We laughed at his Joker that wasn’t entirely screeching. The feeling he gave off was that of a man struggling to give off the facade of a sane person, whereas the reverse was the case.
He was a chaotic-minded person who tried to control the chaos in the best way he could. The laugh had this quality to it. It was like that of a mastermind that had won a great victory and was relishing in lt. It was cool, calm, but every bit sinister.Â
8. Jack Nicholson
Jack is mostly top of the list if there ever was one of Joker’s portrayal, but we find his laugh a bit short on the food chain. Still, his laugh was something of a marvel and is something that burns into your memory. His laugh didn’t have a consistency to it.
Rather, he had some oohs and ahhs for laughs like an excited kid at a toy store. The laugh seemed scattered, which took away from the menacing feel he had. This made his Joker seem like a clownish gangster in a way.
7. John DiMaggio:Â
This Joker was probably one of the most ruthless depictions or portrayals of the character on screen. John DiMaggio’s joker was every bit of sinister and had this craziness attached to him. He appeared in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Here, his laugh was slightly bogged down by John’s deeper voice and had the effect of stressing on his craziness.Â
His laugh was close to John’s but what makes it better is the fact that there were no breaks although John has depth on him.
His consistency in the laughter quality properly reflected the Joker’s satisfaction with his sanity.
6. Cesar Romero:Â
At this time, there weren’t any other sources of reference for Cesar. There were no other performances which makes him the first to do it.
He picked his character from the comic book source material and remained true to that source material to the core. His laughter however lacked an aura of menace and veered more towards the childish side of the Joker.
The laughter didn’t make you see him as an evil genius or a gangster but more of a clownish vibe. Considering that the Joker is supposed to be the Clown Prince of Crime, Romero’s laugh did do some justice as he was almost like a regal person letting loose and giving in to his darker side.
5. Grey DeLise:Â
High chance that you haven’t heard of this Joker as she had a smaller role. She however appears so high up and beats some recurring actors at delivers a well-crafted sinister laugh.
This Joker appeared in The Flashpoint Paradox, with her true identity being Martha Wayne. Driven mad after Bruce’s death, Martha losing her mind led to her becoming the Joker.
Her laugh rang high and loud, piercing your ears as Martha’s tortured pain was laced in her laughter. Although it carried a gleeful tone, the depth in it was filled with remorse.
4. Troy Baker:Â
Troy came at a time when a long-time actor had walked away from the character but Troy did such a good job and ensured that there was little separating him from Mark Hamill.
Even their laughs were rather similar to one another. His laugh had this sort of cackle. It’s hard to dispute the genius in the laughter. This was in Batman: Assault on Arkham. It was as close to a horror show as it could get due to the laughter bouncing around the hallways.
Spooky right? It had this evil quality; a chortling feels that came from the lungs and sounded as if he was directly in your ear.Â
3. Joaquin Phoenix:Â
This laugh is one of the most iconic laughs from the character. It undoubtedly portrays a lot of pain that is hidden behind a smile, a laugh. His laugh shows the innate pain of the character and his existence.
It was the first laugh that had a storyline. The laugh was explained as a condition that came at odd times but could not be stopped until it just did. It was a painful yet chilling laugh when you think about it deeply.
You could hear the laugh without an iota of amusement in it which was very sad. It had a screeching and howling quality to it that conveyed the pain the Joker felt.Â
2. Heath Ledger
This portrayal of the Joker is one of the most amazing depictions of the character. He is the best action-packed television incarnation of the Joker. His laughter packed everything in it.
From chuckles to hoots, giggles, and straight-up screeches of hilarity. His laugh for every occasion was one of the reasons why it is ranked one of the best portrayals.
His darker laughs were however unsettling which gave him a clownish but don’t mess with this Joker sort of vibe. He was a calculating evil genius and his laugh gave all of that away. His laughter could be considered demonic or even otherworldly.Â
1. Mark Hamill (Best of the Joker Laughs)
When it comes to the best portrayal of the Joker in its very best state. It has to be Mark Hamill’s depiction. We’ve heard his laugh across DC’s media.
His greatest one, though, was during the Justice League animated series, specifically in the scene where he knocked Batman out in the Injustice Gang headquarters. This laugh encapsulated everything the character is about.
From his love for chaos to his knack for the unusual and his utter lack of human emotions or empathy. The laughter was so maniacal and chaotic that it was alluring in its way. It portrayed how relative reality was and how the Joker saw things in his own twisted and different way.
