Batman has been adapted for just about every medium possible — comics, live-action films, animated TV shows, novels, and video games. But there’s one part of the franchise that usually stands out above the rest, no matter where the story is told: Joker. Every new project has us asking the same question: which version of the Clown Prince of Gotham will show up?Cesar Romero’s campy take in the ’60s series, Jack Nicholson’s chaotic version in Batman (1989), Mark Hamill’s long-running animated voice work, and Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning turn in Joker (2019) have all left their fingerprints on the character. And that’s just the theatrical side of the franchise, which are arguably the most notable versions of Joker.Credit: DC / Warner Bros.But the late Heath Ledger’s performance in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008) continues to loom over the role on the big screen. Both his look and delivery of lines like “Why so serious?” became instant pop culture fixtures. However, his version of Joker — the “agent of chaos” as he puts it — hasn’t appeared in any other Batman media since that film.You won’t find him in any graphic novels, animated shows, or video games. But that’s all about to change, as Heath Ledger’s Joker is finally about to make his return to Gotham City.Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Next year’s LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will resurrect Ledger’s iconic version of The Joker nearly two decades later. The open-world action-adventure game from TT Games isn’t tied to a single Batman timeline, though — instead, it draws upon the entire history of the character — from movies and comics to TV and earlier games.In the trailer released a few months ago, the LEGO Joker leans heavily into Ledger’s version, even repeating the line “Why so serious?” — one of the most famous lines from The Dark Knight. His face makeup also echoes Ledger’s peeling style and he even has the same outfit.Related: ‘Batman’ Reboot Gets ‘No Way Home’ Treatment, Unites Several Characters From Different TimelinesAside from Ledger’s Joker, Legacy of the Dark Knight also features Bane (voiced by Matt Berry), bearing the same appearance as Tom Hardy’s version from The Dark Knight Rises (2012). He even quotes him at the end of the trailer. Other iterations of villains borrowed from film include Michelle Pfeiffer’s Selina Kyle/Catwoman from Batman Returns (1992).On the hero side, the cast includes Batman, Jim Gordon, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl. Jeffrey Wright’s Commissioner Jim Gordon (from 2022’s The Batman) is also in the mix.Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Batman himself, who is voiced by Shai Matheson, is more of an amalgamation of different Dark Knight portrayals, which is quite typical of LEGO. In one scene, he says “Wanna get nuts?” but in another, he’s spraying the Christian Bale Bat-logo on a wall. And later, he’s channeling Robert Pattinson’s version from The Batman (2022).But it’s really Ledger’s Joker that’s bound to have fans talking. After all, he remains the most iconic version of the character spanning all Batman media. While this is, of course, more of a parody of that portrayal, it’s still exciting to see the franchise pay tribute to his Clown Prince.The actor voicing Joker in the game hasn’t been revealed yet, but it sounds a lot like Star Wars legend Mark Hamill, who has portrayed the Batman villain numerous times in game and animation.LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will launch in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.Are you excited to play the new Batman game? Let us know in the comments!The post ‘Batman’ Officially Resurrects Heath Ledger’s Joker, New Actor Cast appeared first on Inside the Magic.