20 Actors Who Turned Down Major Movie Roles
7. John Lithgow - Joker (Batman)
When Tim Burton announced that he was making a Batman film and bringing in someone to play the Joker, it seemed like a risky move. Burton and Batman? It doesn't sound right. Nonetheless, it was going ahead, and John Lithgow was one of the first to audition for the part. His audition was so good, apparently, that Burton endorsed him as the Clown Prince of Crime and wanted him in the role.
However, Lithgow decided he wasn't the right fit for the role, and convinced Burton that he wouldn't work. Burton agreed, and Lithgow left the project.
Since then, he has been vocal about his regret over the decision to leave, considering Jack Nicholson took the role and was lauded for his performance. Lithgow said that at the time, he didn't think the role was that big a deal, and that the whole situation is living proof that "actors are not necessarily smart people."
Adding insult to injury, he also revealed that Burton was actually the second director who wanted him as the Joker. Joe Dante (Gremlins) wanted to make a Batman film with Lithgow, but he never got the project off the ground.
Lithgow has of course turned out alright career-wise, but who knows what could have happened if he'd been the Joker...