Batman: Every Movie Joker Reveal Ranked Worst To Best

3. Batman 1989 - Jack Nicholson

The original plan for Batman '89's marketing campaign was for Warner Bros to keep absolutely everything locked down and secret. A document outlining the publicity schedule even suggests that the publicity roll-out wasn't intended to kick off until the end of March 1989 (with the release in July).

According to reports at the time, the unit publicist on the film was offered £10,000 for the first images of Jack Nicholson as the Joker, but they were refused as the studio kept their secrets locked away. But then Warner Bros got wind of anxiety around the project, partly down to stories of a troubled production and partly because of the casting of Michael Keaton and they changed their approach.

Rather than waiting until Spring 1989, Warner Bros hastily cobbled together a first trailer and played it during Christmas in 1988. In reality, it was no more than a collection of scenes spliced together without music or voice-over. Looking back now, it really wasn't great...

And yet, it worked wonders, whipping up a huge frenzy of hype around the film - not least because it confirmed Michael Keaton looked the part as Batman, but also that Jack Nicholson (their top-billed star) was going to be GREAT as The Joker.

The first official photo of Nicholson in character then appeared with the first look at Michael Keaton in Time Magazine in 1989, months after the first trailer was in cinemas. There might have been lots of excitement about his look, but it was tinged somewhat with the cameo that he looked over-weight. Can't win them all, Jack.