VIDEO : John Lithgow Regrets Not Taking Joker Role

In an interesting bit of behind-the-scenes trivia relating to Tim Burton?s Batman, renowned actor John Lithgow disclosed that he had auditioned for the role of the Joker in the 1989 superhero film. Some of the most interesting tidbits that are learned from reading about the history of famous movie productions are the alternate casting choices that could?ve happened if things had gone in a different direction. In different universes, Will Smith played Neo instead of Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, Miles Teller and Emma Watson sung and danced their way through La La Land instead of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, and Tom Cruise led the Avengers as Iron Man instead of Robert Downey Jr. In an interview with Vulture before Sunday?s Tony Awards, John Lithgow revealed that he was in consideration for the role of Jack Napier/the Joker in Tim Burton?s wildly successful and influential Batman.