10 Iconic Movie Villains (Almost Played By Someone Else)

Robin Williams wasn't the only major star to miss out on playing the Joker back in the 1980s. Glam rock god David Bowie also came surprisingly close to embodying Batman's nemesis.

In a way, this shouldn't be too surprising, the former Ziggy Stardust had carved himself an interesting niche playingotherworldly oddballs in movies like The Man Who Fell To Earth and his presence and style had proved influential on many of the major comic book writers of the era. Both Grant Morrison and Frank Miller have talked up Berlin-period Bowie as an influence on their takes on the Joker, so why shouldn't the movies just get the real thing?

Bowie was most strongly linked to the mid-80s Ivan Reitman Batman which would have starred Bill Murray as a more comedic version of Bruce Wayne. It may be hard to imagine now, but Batman in the style of Ghostbusters with David Bowie as the villain could have prompted a very different path for the comic book movie.

Even when that version morphed into the Tim Burton film, though, there was still talk of the Ashes To Ashes singer adding another clown costume to his repertoire. Batman 89 writer Sam Hamm reportedly championed Bowie for the role, but Burton preferred Jack Nicholson.

We have, however, got a sort of glimpse into what a Bowie-Joker might have been like. Jared Leto cited the Thin White Duke as a major inspiration for his own approach to the part in Suicide Squad. It maybe for the best that we didn't get it for real, then!