With the late Heath Ledger’s knock-out performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s latest ‘Batman’ movie enshrined in recent memory, it’s hard to remember that Jack Nicholson’s portrayal in Burton’s 1989 movie was once considered impossible to top. But even stranger is a rumour that Nicholson’s role was once considered for actor Willem Defoe.

Defoe, who recently talked to MTV to discuss the rumour (found on the actor’s IMDB page), asserts that he was never considered for a role as Gotham’s criminal wild card. Yet he confirms a much more surprising Batman related fact: he seriously considered playing the Dark Knight himself in the franchise’s debut back in 1989. As he recently told MTV news “Very early, they talked to me about playing Batman.”

The role ultimately went to Michael Keaton, considered an odd choice by many. After some initial consternation expressed by fans, the movie was embraced by audiences and critics and became a smash box-office success.

Dafoe, best known for his envelope pushing character portrayals in films that include ’Wild at Heart’, ‘The Last temptation of Christ’ and most recently Lars Von Trier’s ‘Anti-Christ’ (not to mention an academy award for best supporting actor in ‘Platoon’),  said that he nearly donned the mask of the caped crime fighter. But it was never to be.

Still, comic fans have stillgotten to know Defoe through the Spider Man Franchise, where he played Norman Osborn, the scientist who inadvertently transforms himself into the super villain Green Goblin.

Dafoe added in his MTV interview, “I hate to spread these things because unless you remember it well, you’re stoking the fires of bullsh*t. But I remember [it]. I’ve had my brush with these things.”

(Photo by PR Photos)