Summary
- Batman Forever could have had Robin Williams as the Riddler, and fan art imagines what that casting could have looked like.
- Williams was initially offered the role of the Joker in 1989’s Batman, but Jack Nicholson took the part, leaving Williams frustrated.
- Williams later became attached to play the Riddler in Batman Forever, but ultimately left the project due to a disagreement with director Joel Schumacher.
Batman Forever almost featured Robin Williams as the Riddler, and a new fan art series shows what that lost DC Universe casting could have looked like. One of Batman’s movie villains in the Burton-Schumacher movies, the Riddler was played by Jim Carrey in Batman Forever, but the role could have gone to Williams. Following Riddler’s return to live-action Batman movies with Paul Dano as Edward Nashton in The Batman, a series of fan portraits imagines DC’s lost casting.
On Instagram, @buffy2ville shared a series of fan art depicting what Williams could have looked like as the Riddler.
Due to his comedic expertise and ability to balance it with unexpected emotional moments, Williams would have been a fantastic pick to play the Riddler, which is why he was chosen for the role, with Batman Forever almost being very different, only it didn’t work out.
Why Robin Williams Left Batman Forever And Didn’t Play The Riddler
Before the Riddler and Williams’ paths got intertwined, the comedy legend tried to get cast as the Joker opposite Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne in 1989’s Batman. Reportedly, Williams was even offered the part by Warner Bros. after Jack Nicholson, the studio’s first choice, initially passed on the role. However, upon hearing of the studio’s offer to Williams, Nicholson decided to play the Joker, leaving Williams frustrated.
The actor would then become attached to play another Batman villain, the Riddler, this time opposite Val Kilmer’s Bruce Wayne in director Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. That also ended up not working out despite the movie’s writer, Akiva Goldsman, revealing that he went to the actor’s home to brainstorm ideas for Williams’ portrayal of Riddler in Batman Forever, calling the day of work productive and Williams “so kind.”
Goldsman also revealed why Williams left the Riddler behind despite being a perfect fit for the Batman villain. According to the Batman Forever writer, “Ultimately, he and Joel didn’t see eye to eye.” Sadly, Williams and Schumacher’s disagreement led to one of the most exciting comic book movie castings getting lost, with fans only left to imagine what could have been if Williams had continued as the Riddler in Batman Forever.
Source: @buffy2ville/Instagram
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