The Big Difference Between ‘Joker’s Joker and ‘The Dark Knight’s

Two different men have won Academy Awards for their portrayals of Joker: The late Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. But these actors are not playing the same version of the character — in fact, their Jokers are completely different.

This new video from ScreenCrush’s Ryan Arey breaks down all the things that are similar and different about these two Jokers, from their motives, to their methods, to their goals. Just how evil are they really? What do they actually want? And how much can we actually trust what they say about themselves and their origins?

If you liked this video on the differences between Joker and The Dark Knight, check out some more of our videos below, including our video on the ending of Joker, our video on all the Easter eggs in the film, and our examination of the controversial plot element about the Joker and his possible biological relationship to another character in the movie. Plus, there’s tons more over at ScreenCrush’s YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch all our future episodes.

Gallery — 10 Awesome Joker Easter Eggs and Movie References: