“Why so serious?” —— To what extent do the different media portrayals of the villain influence the viewers’ engagement with the character and well-being?

Existing research has examined how different media productions can create diverse viewing experiences and how various types of entertainment can bring mood changes. Building on the previous research findings, this study aims to investigate to what extent the different media portrayals of the villain influence the viewers’ engagement with the character and well-being, utilizing the example of the complicated character Joker. This was a quantitative study with an experimental design. Participants (N = 167) were randomly assigned to five groups, each viewing different Joker movie clips ranging from the most pitiful to the craziest portrayals, with a neutral portrayal in the middle. After watching the clips, participants answered questions on character engagement (parasocial relationships and recognizability), well-being (eudaimonic/hedonic entertainment experiences and mood repair), and demographics. The findings revealed that attitudinal recognizability was a strong indicator for parasocial relationships, except when the villain was portrayed as entirely evil. Superficial portrayals of the villain typically resulted in stronger mood repair compared to more complex, thought-provoking portrayals. No indicators for entertainment experience or mood repair showed consistent impact across all portrayals. However, some of the valid connections existed in specific portrayals. For example, when the viewers felt they were supportive of the villain who was portrayed as completely evil, they were also more likely to reflect deeper on themselves, and this kind of reflection can help them acquire more self-growth/eudaimonic well-being. The results also suggest that viewers are more likely to recognize, relate to, and support villains who are similar to themselves, particularly when they share similar attitudes with the villains. While superficial portrayals of the villain may enhance viewers' moods, more complex and thought-provoking portrayals can provoke deeper reflection. This indicates that for media productions, humanizing the villain can be more effective in fostering character engagement and well-being instead of solely focusing on portraying the tragic sides of a villain. Adding more portrayals of how mental health influences the villain’s behaviors and attitudes could also bring an excellent educational opportunity for the viewers. Engaging with a complex villain story can provide viewers with richer entertainment experiences and chances for self-growth.