12 Actors You Won't Believe Almost Played Iconic Comic Book Characters

Bill Murray is a fantastic actor, but a character as dark and gritty as Batman doesn’t seem especially suited to his talents. However, prior to the 1989 Tim Burton movie which saw Michael Keaton in the lead, that’s exactly what was planned.

Warner Brothers had wanted to make a Batman live action movie all through the ‘80s, following the success of the Christopher Reeve Superman flicks. Before Burton, they contacted Ivan Reitman about the project, hoping for more of a campy, Adam West Batman vibe.

Reitman was interested and, fresh of their work together in Ghostbusters, only had one man in mind to star: Bill Murray. In fact, Reitman had a full cast hypothetically, although only got as far as approaching Murray about it. Even then, nothing official was signed.

David Niven was Reitman’s choice for Alfred, Michael J. Fox was the first pick for Robin and, in what was probably the most exciting potential casting, David Bowie was going to be offered the position of the Joker.

In the end, after multiple rewrites Reitman dropped out, Burton came aboard and the tone was made much darker, essentially disqualifying Bill Murray from the running.