It’s always interesting to hear about who could have gotten a certain popular role. The one up for discussion today is that of the Joker in Tim Burton‘s 1989 version of Batman.
Several actors were looked at for the role including Willem Dafoe, David Bowie, John Lithgow, Tim Curry, Robin Williams, James Woods, and I’m sure many others. Brad Dourif who most recently lent his voice once more to the role of Chucky for CURSE OF CHUCKY made some interesting comments about his Joker role that never was:
“Tim Burton saw me on a plane and wanted to cast me and they [studio Warner Bros] said no. He joked: “He [Nicholson] takes all my roles.”
What’s funny is that Dourif co-starred alongside Nicholson in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST. Not only that but that was not the last time Dourif was considered for a Batman movie. Burton apparently also wanted Dourif for Scarecrow before he left the third film, and Joel Schumacher took the reins. When that happened, the idea to use Scarecrow was dropped.
While I do love me some Nicholson, seeing Dourif has the Joker would have been pretty cool.