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Who was the fan favorite to play The Joker in the 1980s?

posted 4 years ago by Rocky15 (489)
13 replies | jump to latest

Back in the 1980s were fans clamouring for Jack Nicholson as The Joker?

Or was the fan favorite another actor? Willem Dafoe or Tim Curry perhaps?

[–] Juschill (779) 4 years ago

Nobody has ever wanted to see Willem Defoe in everything.

[–] Rocky15 (489) 4 years ago

Willem dafoe would have probably been great as the joker

[–] mikethemartian (6050) 4 years ago

I remember browsing a magazine article around ‘87 or ‘88 that mentioned Dafoe as a possible Joker along with Nicholson so I assume he was in serious contention.

[–] thenewnexus (1905) 4 years ago

Is he charismatic tho? You can't just be crazy you have to also have charisma and charm.
I think he could. Have played Carnage hes even a redhead

[–] Rocky15 (489) 4 years ago

He was pretty charismatic in Platoon to be fair, I think he’d have pulled The Joker off, I’d have always liked to have seen Tim Curry give it a go.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

There was no internet so Nicholson was cast way before the time I even knew a Batman movie was coming out. Superman was the only other big screen superhero movie at the time and it had fully run its course with the disastrous Superman IV by that time so there wasn't a gigantic buzz on casting like there is for all the comic book movies today.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 4 years ago

Well, there was actually. People were typing at each other on servers like Compuserve and The Source. Though still not much chatter about things like this.

However, there were magazines and the occasional Entertainment Tonight style shows that would dish stuff. As I recall, there was some popular opinion leaning toward Robin Williams at the time.

[–] Interlepos (1783) 4 years ago

>>There was no internet

Full stop. Great point that basically says it all.

[–] dmac8 (5050) 4 years ago

There was less clamoring b/c most fans had much less knowledge of potential projects and their details back then. Nothing like today.

All I remember is the buzz after it blew up into a boffo hit. Every big actor was supposedly attached to different sequels. I can't remember one that actually materialized.

[–] mikethemartian (6050) 4 years ago

I think Michael Keaton would have been interesting as the Joker.

[–] actionkamen (23176) 4 years ago

Knowing Tim Burton, it would probably be Johnny Depp.

[–] Interlepos (1783) 4 years ago

in 1989? He was too young and not established enough.

Also, back then, Joker was always older. I think Ledger was the first youngish Joker.

[–] seanwhelan2310 (561) 4 years ago

I'd say either Willem Dafoe, David Bowie or Tim Curry