10 Actors Who Turned Down Movie Roles Because Of Spite
2. Robin Williams Resented Being Used As "Bait" For Batman '89 - Batman Forever
Back when Tim Burton was prepping the '89 Batman, Robin Williams lobbed hard for the role of The Joker, and when Warner Bros.' first choice of Jack Nicholson wasn't expressing much enthusiasm, the studio indeed offered the gig to Williams.
However, this turned out to be an act of mere 4D chess on the part of Warner Bros., who were basically using Williams as "bait" to try and manipulate Nicholson into taking the part.
The gambit paid off, as Nicholson then agreed to play The Joker, while Williams was left understandably furious at the ruse and refused to appear in another Warner Bros. production until he received an apology from the studio.
But when they were prepping their third Batman film, Batman Forever, they offered Williams the role of the movie's main villain, The Riddler. However, due to the actor's previous experience with Batman '89, he reportedly decided to pass.
As entertainingly off-kilter as Jim Carrey ultimately was in the role, it's a shame we'll forever have to imagine the unique angle that Williams would've brought to the table.