DC Unveils First Look at the Return of Jack Nicholson’s Joker (Photo)

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DC has announced that Jack Nicholson will reprise his role as the Joker, bringing back a fan-favorite version of the character. Nicholson’s portrayal, from Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film where he famously battled Michael Keaton’s Batman, is considered one of the most memorable live-action Jokers ever.

Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker is considered one of the best in comic book movie history, but he hasn’t made many public appearances since the original Batman film. That’s about to change, though, with the new game LEGO: Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.

A recent TikTok post from the official Batman account confirmed that Jack Napier, the civilian identity of Jack Nicholson’s Joker, will be featured in the upcoming game.

The new video specifically references Heath Ledger’s Joker, with the narrator playfully quoting his famous line, “Wait till they get a load of me,” originally from the 1989 Batman movie. The video’s line is a fun twist, saying “Wait ’til you get a load of him.”

This is the first time Jack Nicholson has played the Joker on screen in a major DC project for more than 30 years. His last appearance as the character was in the 1990 Batman arcade game made by Atari.

Aside from the original 1989 Batman film, Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker hasn’t appeared in many other on-screen projects. He’s shown up in a few video games based on that first movie, was mentioned in a newspaper during The CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event, and makes a very brief cameo in the 2021 film Space Jam: A New Legacy.

I’m so excited for LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight! It’s coming to consoles and PC around 2026, and from what I’ve heard, TT Games is really going all out to make this the ultimate Batman experience. It’s going to tell a brand new story, but it’s packed with all the most famous moments from Batman’s history in movies, TV shows, and comics. We’ll get to play through everything, from when he first became Batman all the way to his potential retirement – it sounds incredible!

TopMob’s Lauren Rouse recently previewed the game and highly recommended it, calling it a “must-play for fans of any age.” She was particularly impressed with the fluid combat, engaging open world, and the many references to Batman’s rich, nearly century-long story.

Will Fans Ever See Jack Nicholson’s Joker Again? 

It’s been almost 40 years since Jack Nicholson last played the Joker, leading many to believe he’d never reprise the role. But that might not be true.

Many fans likely didn’t expect to see Michael Keaton return as Batman, but he did! These days, anything can happen in comic book movies. Now that James Gunn, a well-known director and comic book enthusiast, is leading DC Studios, it feels like the perfect time for anything to happen.

If Heath Ledger’s Joker were to appear in a movie again, it would probably be in a completely separate storyline, like the new DC Universe, or as part of a story involving alternate realities and multiple universes.

Back in 2022, Jared Leto, who previously played the Joker, mentioned he’d be excited to see all the actors who’ve portrayed the Joker in movies appear together, similar to the idea behind the Spider-Verse films. While it seemed like a far-off idea then, with James Gunn now leading DC Studios, anything is possible.

An animated movie similar to ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ but featuring different versions of the Joker from throughout Batman’s history, could be a compelling story where multiple Jokers team up against Batman.

Currently, the best way fans can experience Jack Nicholson’s take on the famous DC Comics character is through the upcoming LEGO Batman video game.

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2025-10-31 17:35