The Dark Knight Quotes

Context

This line is spoken by the Joker, played by Heath Ledger, in the film The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan (2008).

In this scene, the Joker has turned the tables on a criminal gang boss, who's put a price on his head, to show he's always got the upper hand. He knows his appearance makes an impression on anyone who sees him, but he likes to keep the origin of how he got his "signature scars" a mystery. So while the story of how he got his permanent "smile" changes each time he tells it, what doesn't change is the question he asks before he wraps things up—"Why so serious?"

The line kind of becomes the Joker's catchphrase, but the irony is, he always asks it when a person's life is on the line. Although the Joker looks like a joke, he's serious when it comes to making threats. He might be laughing on the outside, but he's definitely not joking, and he's about to deliver the final punchline.

Where you've heard it

Before the movie officially debuted, Warner Bros. and an entertainment company came up with an "immersive entertainment experience" to bring the world of Gotham to fans everywhere, and of course the campaign was called "Why So Serious?" More than 10 million people all over the world joined in to find clues and play the Joker's mind-games.

The phrase took off even before the movie premiered, and it's been widely used ever since, from McDonald's memes to other silly takes on the iconic line.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

The Joker isn't a great role model, so normal people just use this line as a joke, which can actually land pretty well.