John Lithgow Regrets Not Playing The Joker For Tim Burton’s Batman

June 14, 2017 David Gonzalez Reel Talk Inc Comments Off on John Lithgow Regrets Not Playing The Joker For Tim Burton’s Batman

While Tim Burton’s iconic Batman 89 showed how much charisma Jack Nicholson could put into the clown prince of crime, there was a small chance that might have never happened at all. Before Jack Nicholson won the role of the Joker in the film, it was John Lithgow’s job to take or leave. He left it, and the actor still regrets the decision to this day as the film is close to celebrating its 30th anniversary.

“My worst audition was for Tim Burton for Batman,”  “I have never told anyone this story, but I tried to persuade him I was not right for the part, and I succeeded. I didn’t realize it was such a big deal. About a week later I heard they were going after Robin Williams and Jack Nicholson.”

What a different film might it have been if Lithgow took the role as now it is hard to see anyone but Nicholson and Keaton team up for the role of Batman and the Joker.


Like this story? Follow Reel Talk Inc. on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily news and reviews, and sign up for our email newsletter here.
Podchaser - Reel Chronicles
About David Gonzalez 3061 Articles
David Gonzalez is the founder and chief film critic of Reel Talk Inc. and host of the Reel Chronicles and Chop Talk (80s horror) podcasts. As a Cuban American independent film critic, David writes fair and diverse criticism covering movies of all genres and spotlighting minority voices through Reel Talk. David has covered and reviewed films at Tribeca, TIFF, NYFF, Sundance, SXSW, and several other film festivals. He is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-Approved Critic and a member of the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA), New York Film Critics Online, Hollywood Film Critics Association, and the North American Film Critic Association. As an avid film collector and awards watcher, David's finger is always on the industry's pulse. David informs and educates with knowledgeable and exciting content and has become a trusted resource for readers and listeners alike. Email him at david@reeltalkinc.com or follow him on Twitter and Instagram @reeltalkinc.
Website Facebook Instagram Twitter

Related Articles