The Brave and the Bold Should Avoid Using Batman’s Greatest Villain

As popular as The Joker is, the DC Universe should consider using other villains to diversify the stories being told in its Batman films.

The Joker has always been a popular villain within DC Comics, but after Heath Ledger's portrayal in The Dark Knight, fans viewed the Joker as more than just a clown. He became a madman to take seriously when he went up against Batman. Since then, DC films have reused the character as a catalyst for many of Batman's adventures in different adaptations.

But within the last seven years, several live-action versions of the Clown Prince of Crime have appeared. Batman has a plethora of villains from within his rogues gallery that can serve as significant antagonists. The DC Universe should take advantage of that roster for The Brave and the Bold.

The Joker Has Had a Strange Few Years on the Big Screen

Many assumed Ledger would not live up to Jack Nicholson's performance as The Joker in Tim Burton's Batman. Of course, they were all wrong. So, when Jared Leto was cast as the Joker for 2017's The Suicide Squad, a lot of fans thought he would be a great fit, especially considering the actor at the time had recently won an Oscar Award. Again, everyone was wrong. This wasn't entirely Leto's fault, as his performance was cut down to just six minutes. However, it didn't matter because, in that time, people decided that he wasn't a good match for the character. And his brief cameo in Zack The Justice League didn't do much to help rectify the situation.

Luckily, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) took Joker in an entirely different direction in his standalone film by displaying a version of the character with a tragic backstory. Director Matt Reeves also tastefully teased the Joker (Barry Keoghan) in a brief cameo interacting with The Riddler (Paul Dano) in The Batman. Later, a deleted scene displayed a far darker take on the character alongside Robert Pattinson's Batman. Both portrayals are strong, and adding another version wouldn't do the character or actor any favors.

Batman Has Many Popular Villains to Use on the Big Screen

While Joker's origin story varies from adaptation to adaptation, other villains, such as Mr. Freeze or Poison Ivy, have multidimensional origin stories that are worth uncovering on the big screen. The DCU could also consider introducing the Court of Owls, as they played a massive part in Bruce's relationship with Damian Wayne in the comics and the animated movie Batman vs. Robin.

This is not to say that the DCU should completely ignore the existence of the Joker. He is a pivotal character in the Batman lore. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hints at The Joker enough to leave fans wanting more. This could be the same case in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. The Joker could be mentioned and even briefly spoken about, but giving him a major role in an early installment is asking for trouble.