The Joker’s Inspiration Movie Will Now Be Public Domain

The Man Who Laughs, based on Victor Hugo’s 1869 novel of the same name, follows the haunting tale of Gwynplaine, a man disfigured in childhood whose face is marred by a perpetual, eerie smile. Conrad Veidt played the character in the movie and the character, complete with pale skin, dark circles under his eyes, and a terrifying grin, bears an uncanny resemblance to what would later become the first-ever screen adaptation of The Joker.

In fact, if you didn’t know about the silent film and saw a picture of him, you’d probably think he was the Joker.

The connection between The Man Who Laughs and The Joker is not a mere coincidence, as acknowledged by the creators of the Batman comics. Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, and Bob Kane, the architects of the Caped Crusader’s world, have provided conflicting accounts of The Joker’s genesis, but there is a consensus on the influence of Veidt’s performance.

In a 1994 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bob Kane stated, “Bill Finger and I created the Joker. Bill was the writer.” He went on to explain how Jerry Robinson came to him with a Joker playing card, which helped shape the character, but that Kane’s true inspiration was Veidt’s character in The Man Who Laughs.

Over the years, The Man Who Laughs has been referenced in various Batman-related projects, including the 2005 miniseries Batman: The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke, delving into the early crimes of the Joker. The character The Batman Who Laughs, introduced in the Dark Nights: Metal storyline, also draws inspiration from Veidt’s portrayal, depicting a multiversal doppelganger of Batman who descends into madness after killing The Joker.

The start of the new year always brings about a discussion of what famous bits of pop culture history will become a part of the public domain. This year, the discussion has revolved mostly around Mickey Mouse’s animated short Steamboat Willie or other notable additions like Tigger from Winnie-the-Pooh, whose first appearance in a story dates back 95 years, as well as feature films starring legends such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and the Marx Brothers.But for certain comic book fans, The Man Who Laughs is an even bigger deal.

As The Man Who Laughs steps into the public domain, it opens new possibilities for artists, filmmakers, and storytellers to explore and reinterpret this classic work. Batman and his fellow Gotham citizens are already the inspiration for so many fan-made films and parodies. Now, storytellers have an opportunity to tell the Joker’s story from a different angle, without having to rely on parody laws or non-profit fan-film protections.