Several other actors have played Joker over the years in live-action movies, including Jack Nicholson,
But there might be more to it than that. It's possible that Depp was just too busy to commit to the role. Playing the Joker takes a lot of time and effort, and maybe Depp had other stuff going on that he couldn't put on hold.
1. Heath Ledger. To many, Heath Ledger will always be the ultimate Joker. As the main villain of the second, and ultimately most critically acclaimed, part of Christopher Nolan's trilogy, Ledger's Joker was nothing like those who came before him.
Adrien Brody
He was apparently in line to play the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight, before the role eventually went to Heath Ledger.
Despite playing many interesting and challenging roles, Johnny Depp has been conspicuous in his absence from the superhero genre so far. But according to sources in Hollywood, the Blow actor was almost a part of a few comic book adaptations that ultimately did not materialize.
Among his many roles, Ghostbusters star Bill Murray was given the chance of playing Batman, but has recently explained why he turned it down.
The beloved Canadian star will be playing the Dark Knight in an upcoming DC movie alongside a stellar cast that includes John Krasinski and Nicolas Cage.
John Lithgow Regrets Turning Down the Role of The Joker in Tim Burton's BATMAN — GeekTyrant.
JIM CARREY as the JOKER in the BATMAN MOVIE | Jim carrey, Batman movie, Riddler.
Jim Carrey won't be the real Joker. He is someone inspired by Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck and calls himself Mr J. In the sequels featuring Joker, different people will take the mantle ahead of playing the scary clown of crime. Mr J is one of them and he will play the older version of this iconic villain.
Burtonverse Joker is worse than the Nolanverse Joker. He killed 50 people including Batman's parents. Nolanverse Joker killed only 38 people and a good portion of them were criminals or members of the mob. Nolanverse may have some tragedy where as Burtonverse was always evil.
While the Joker has been reimagined by a vast range of creators, Bill Finger and Bob Kane's original iteration remains the scariest version. While the Joker has been reimagined by a vast range of writers and artists, Bill Finger and Bob Kane's original iteration remains the scariest version.
In the film, Phoenix, 48, reprises his role as the legendary Batman villain while Gaga, 36, plays Harley Quinn (a.k.a. Dr. Harleen Quinzel), Joker's longtime henchwoman and love interest whom the sinister prankster first met when she served as his psychiatrist at Gotham City's Arkham Asylum.
Jack Nicholson warned Heath Ledger on 'Joker' role.
He wasn't depressed about the Joker,” his sister said. However, the lengths to which he went to play the character have been well documented. Ledger said in a New York Times interview that playing the Joker was 'physically and mentally draining'.
While other cast members, including Margot Robbie and Viola Davis, will be returning, Leto is not. Speaking to The New York Times, Gunn said that Warner Bros gave him complete freedom to decide which characters to include in The Suicide Squad. “I wanted it to be its own thing completely,” he said.
So Leonardo DiCaprio was never considered for the title role because this was a film and a part crafted and envisioned from the start with Joaquin Phoenix in mind. It wasn't easy to get Joaquin Phoenix to sign on, but Todd Phillips was determined to get the actor they wrote the part for.
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the last remaining movie stars of his generation — an actor who has somehow mastered the craft of starring in films that are both box office blockbusters and critically acclaimed award-winners.
Barry Keoghan, who played Joker in Robert Pattinson's The Batman wants to return in the sequel.
"I'm an American, I [CENSORED] hate Nazis," Joker says in a panel from Injustice: Year Zero #4 teased by writer Tom Taylor. "I'm a homicidal maniac, not a traitorous bigot."
Arthur Fleck is a completely original name when it comes to the Joker, as it has never once been his given name, an alias, or anything else.
For many Batman fans, there is one actor who should have by now been cast as Joker but has never managed to land a role as Gotham's Clown Prince of Crime. That actor is Willem Dafoe, and it seems that the Spider-Man: No Way Home star is as interested in playing the character now as he ever has been.
1 Predator Almost Wiped Him Out
While many may point to the injuries inflicted on Batman by Spawn, Bane, or Hush as the closest he's come to death, one other fight takes the cake. When a Predator showed up in Gotham on a hunt, anyone reading the comic knew he would eventually come into conflict with Batman.
Wayne is replaced as Batman by an apprentice named Jean-Paul Valley (a.k.a. Azrael), who becomes increasingly violent and unstable, tarnishing Batman's reputation.