Bill Skarsgård has expressed interest in portraying the Joker in a future Batman film, describing the opportunity as “pretty sick.”
Known for his chilling performance as Pennywise in the acclaimed It films, Skarsgård is set to reprise this role in the upcoming HBO series It: Welcome to Derry. His recent portrayal of Count Orlok in the Nosferatu remake is currently captivating audiences in theaters across the United States.
With previous roles in comic book films such as Deadpool 2, Eternals, and the upcoming The Crow, Skarsgård is keen on taking on the iconic role of DC’s Clown Prince of Crime.
In a recent conversation, Skarsgård revealed he grew up as a “Batman kid,” leading to his excitement about a potential Joker role.
Bill Skarsgård believes there’s a ‘cool’ Joker within him
When asked whether he would prefer to play Batman or the Joker at this stage in his career, Skarsgård responded, “I don’t know, man. I think there’d be a f—ing cool Joker in me, probably, somewhere. I think that’d be pretty sick.”
He also cited Heath Ledger’s performance in 2008’s The Dark Knight as his favorite depiction of the Joker, recalling the impact it had on him as an aspiring actor. “I was like 17 when I saw Heath’s performance. His passing and the performance really hit me hard at that time,” Skarsgård noted.
As of now, there has been no official casting announcement regarding the Joker for the DC Universe being developed by James Gunn and Peter Safran. Notably, Andy Muschietti, who directed Skarsgård in the It movies, is involved in The Brave and the Bold, featuring Batman, though it remains uncertain if the Joker will appear in this project.
In the meantime, Barry Keoghan portrays the Joker in Matt Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga, while Joaquin Phoenix has recently reprised his role as Arthur Fleck/Joker in 2024’s Joker: Folie à Deux.
