Why Isn't Joker's Real Name Joe Chill Instead of Jack Napier?

[TMC1982]

It makes perfect sense if you're going to portray the Joker (who has never had a definitive given name in the comics) as the murderer of Thomas and Martha Wayne in this movie to have him go by the alter ego of Joe Chill. "Jack Napier" sounds like a combination of Jack Nicholson and Alan Napier (the actor who portrayed Alfred Pennyworth on the Adam West TV series).

 

[CFE]

Umm...because Joe Chill ISN'T the Joker? They're two entirely different characters.

Having Joker be the murderer of the Waynes was Burton's idea and it was just what he wanted. Plus it's not like Jack Napier is the Joker's actual name in the comics or anything. The films are an entirely different entity.

And "Jack Napier" WAS combination of "Jack" Nicholson and Alan "Napier" ... I thought everyone knew that. Guess not...

CFE

 

[Cain]

Wasn't it supposed to be a play on Jackanapes?

 

[Riven]

Because "Jack Napier" is a MUCH cooler sounding name than "Joe Chill".


And of course, because it's not the same character, even if the man who would become the Joker turned out to be the killer of the Waynes...

 

[El Payaso]

It's a character merging case so I don't care too much about the name. Yes, it could have been called "Joe Chill" the way Ras was called "Ducard" in spite of Ducard being a totally different character. But Jack Napier sounds cool. Eckhardt could have been called Bullock too.

 

[TMC1982]

Umm...because Joe Chill ISN'T the Joker? They're two entirely different characters.

Having Joker be the murderer of the Waynes was Burton's idea and it was just what he wanted. Plus it's not like Jack Napier is the Joker's actual name in the comics or anything. The films are an entirely different entity.

And "Jack Napier" WAS combination of "Jack" Nicholson and Alan "Napier" ... I thought everyone knew that. Guess not...

CFE

Of course I know that they're traditionally two different people. My point is if Burton wanted to go that way, there should've been at least a compromise in order to try to appease the purists.

 

[Mr. Socko]

Same reason Boss Grissom isn't named Rupert Thorne.

 

[Riven]

there should've been at least a compromise in order to try to appease the purists.

Meh, for good or for bad, Burton never had any intention of catering to the purists, I don't see why he'd do so in this case.

 

[Nightwing1977]

It makes perfect sense if you're going to portray the Joker (who has never had a definitive given name in the comics) as the murderer of Thomas and Martha Wayne in this movie to have him go by the alter ego of Joe Chill. "Jack Napier" sounds like a combination of Jack Nicholson and Alan Napier (the actor who portrayed Alfred Pennyworth on the Adam West TV series).

See? This is why I didn't like what Burton did on Batman with making the Joker as the Waynes's murderer. People know better that Joker & Joe Chill weren't the same person & never wear. Joe Chill has always been the killer, not Joker.

 

[Riven]

See? This is why I didn't like what Burton did on Batman with making the Joker as the Waynes's murderer. People know better that Joker & Joe Chill weren't the same person & never wear. Joe Chill has always been the killer, not Joker.

No, "people" don't know better. The fans know, but no one in the general audience has a clue who the murderer of the Waynes was.

That's why many people, even after seeing Begins, still assume the Joker did it.

 

[The Guard]

Who gives a damn?

I've never cared whether we know the name of the man who killed Bruce Wayne's parents. Personally, while the stories involving him are decent, I find "Joe Chill" a gimmicky mistake.

Does it really make a difference to have one more "convenient connection" between The Joker and Batman?

 

[theMan-Bat]

Jack Napier and Joe Chill are indeed two different people.
If you recall there were two men involved in the random mugging turned murder.
See this man, this man right here.
The petty thief that goes for the infamous pearl necklace. That's Joe Chill.

 

[Hole Shot]

Of course I know that they're traditionally two different people. My point is if Burton wanted to go that way, there should've been at least a compromise in order to try to appease the purists.

I'm grateful he hadn't done that because it would have really screwed things up for Begins.

 

[zerohour films]

Jack Napier and Joe Chill are indeed two different people.
If you recall there were two men involved in the random mugging turned murder.
See this man, this man right here.
The petty thief that goes for the infamous pearl necklace. That's Joe Chill.

Yeah that's kind of how I always looked at it. Even though it's not stated.

 

[The Guard]

I always figured that was supposed to be Bob. Not sure why...

 

[ShaneHelms]

I always figured that was supposed to be Bob. Not sure why...

I always kind of assumed that aswell.

On account that he was yelling " Let's Go Jack "

Much like he did at Axis Chemical. :: shrugs ::

Could just be over analyzing things, but it would make much more sense for him to be Bob than Joe Chill.

Atleast to me.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Could just be over analyzing things, but it would make much more sense for him to be Bob than Joe Chill.

Atleast to me.

His name was not stated, probably to keep it all mysterious, the unknown accomplice, like the unknown killer in the comics, and the name Joe Chill does sound pretty goofy. I think it was a compromise. Sam Hamm had Joe Chill the killer in his script but Tim Burton wanted the Joker to be the killed. So this way this Joe Chill character was still involved. I can see why people would just assume it was Bob. The credits says "other mugger", not "young Bob the Goon", so we know it wasn't Bob. The actors name is Clyde Gatell. The credits states the other man as "young Jack Napier", played by Hugo E. Blick.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

That would have been even more of a Basterdization of the character than what Burton did in the first place, I for one never had a problem with it because he made the dynamic of joker and batman better by doing so.

 

[ShaneHelms]

I never really had a problem with it either. It works for the setting of Burton's film.

 

[chamber-music]

See? This is why I didn't like what Burton did on Batman with making the Joker as the Waynes's murderer. People know better that Joker & Joe Chill weren't the same person & never wear. Joe Chill has always been the killer, not Joker.

The whole arch enemy killed heroes parents thing has been done to death in movies. Ras in begins indirectly caused the waynes death by creating economic deprivation in Gotham that created people like Joe chill.

Batman does need more of a motive for Joker to be his arch emeny.
I don't wat to see Bruce be like Ingo Montoya from princess bride

 

[Sonic1002]

Jack Napier and Joe Chill are indeed two different people.
If you recall there were two men involved in the random mugging turned murder.
See this man, this man right here.
The petty thief that goes for the infamous pearl necklace. That's Joe Chill.

Um... I thought that was Bob the goon...

 

[The Guard]

I think it's meant to be Bob. They both yell "Come on Jack, let's go". Can't be a coincidence.

 

[ShaneHelms]

My point exactly as i posted before.

 

[Nightwing1977]

That couldn't be Bob, since his hair is blond & that guy's hair is black or brown. I doubt your hair would change to blond when you get older.

 

[theMan-Bat]

That couldn't be Bob, since his hair is blond & that guy's hair is black or brown. I doubt your hair would change to blond when you get older.

Right, well it could be argued that it's died blond, but if he really is supposed to be Bob then he would have been credited as "young Bob the Goon", just as Hugo E. Blick was credited as "young Jack Napier."