Jack Nicholson has three Academy Awards to his name proving that he is one of the finest actors in Hollywood. Before Heath Ledger, Nicholson played Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 superhero film, Batman. The film saw Michael Keaton donning the role of the Caped Crusader. Nicholson’s Joker was given a unique character backstory and a name, Jack Napier, setting it apart from the comics.

Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson’s portrayal received critical acclaim and the movie went on to gross $411.6 million at the box office, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film globally at that time. However, Nicholson was far from pleased when Christopher Nolan rebooted the Batman series.

Jack Nicholson Was Disappointed With Heath Ledger’s Joker Recasting

Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, and Tim Burton on the set of Batman 1989

Jack Nicholson did not hold back his thoughts on Heath Ledger playing Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. The Shining actor was furious that he hadn’t been consulted for the role prior to Ledger’s casting. Interestingly, Nicholson’s Joker had met his demise in the previous Batman franchise. In an interview with MTV, Nicholson shared that no one asked him about a sequel with the Joker. The Departed actor told MTV:

“I’m furious. I’m furious. They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me. Maybe it’s not a mistake. Maybe it was the right thing, but to be candid, I’m furious. I’m not inclined to watch it because of what I said. But if it’s a good movie, I’ll catch up with it somewhere.”

The Chinatown actor also criticized Warner Bros. for making a series of poor decisions, which led to the eventual downfall of the original Batman franchise. Nicholson praised the director of his film, Tim Burton, who he claimed had the right take on Batman. Burton exited the franchise after the second film, Batman Returns. A planned fifth film in the franchise, Batman Unchained, was scrapped due to the negative reception of Batman & Robin. The Bucket List actor further shared with MTV:

“I don’t think they ever really captured Tim Burton’s spirit. They kind of drove the franchise into the ground. Tim Burton’s a genius. He had the right take on it. That’s why I did the movie. I did the movie based on a single conversation with him. We both come from the cartoon world originally. We had similar ideas.”

Nicholson had taken on the role of Joker after being a devoted fan of comic books. It is understandable that he would feel furious at seeing another actor reprise his iconic character.

Heath Ledger Left A Great Legacy Behind With His Joker Performance

Heath Ledger as Joker in The Dark Knight

Jack Nicholson’s comments about the new Joker were never directed at Heath Ledger. Although Nicholson delivered an exceptional performance, his portrayal would not have suited Christopher Nolan’s vision for the Joker. At the time of the announcement of the movie, Ledger’s casting faced widespread criticism, with many writing him off as a poor choice.

However, not only did Ledger deliver a remarkable performance, but he also won a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role. The gritty, realistic tone with which the character was portrayed became a textbook lesson for further superhero films. Unlike Nicholson’s Joker, Ledger’s Joker had no backstory, adding a layer of mystery that further intrigued the audience.

After The Dark Knight, actors Jared Leto and Joaquin Phoenix have also taken on the role of Joker. Each had a different interpretation of the character and Phoenix even won the Best Actor Oscar for his role.

Both Batman and The Dark Knight are now available for streaming on Max.

Source: MTV