After Tim Curry’s Death, Fans Remember the DC Role He Almost Had (Before It Was Recast With A Star Wars Legend)
Earlier today, it was announced that beloved actor Tim Curry, whose best known roles include Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pennywise in IT, died at 80 years old, and it took no time at all for this sad news to cause an outpouring of messages celebrating, honoring, and remembering the iconic actor online. However, amidst the messages sharing clips from some of his most iconic on-screen moments, yet another memory has been circulating online, and that’s the fact that Curry very nearly voiced the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. In fact, this was more than just a case of Curry being in talks to voice the role. Curry had actually been officially cast in the role and even voiced a few episodes.
Ultimately, though, Curry had to step away from the role, reportedly because he developed a case of bronchitis (notably, there are mixed opinions on this, with some believing that the Joker was actually recast because the creative minds behind the series wanted to take the character in a different direction; however, that’s speculative). The powers that be instead decided to have Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill step into the role, in what has perhaps become his second most famous part following the iconic Jedi himself. Now, as fans grieve the loss of Curry, clips from his actual voice work on the episodes that weren’t aired have been circulating—and fans are discussing each actor’s version of the character.
Should Tim Curry Have Been The Joker?
One thing is immediately clear just based on the history of these actors alone. Both Curry’s and Hamill’s respective legacies speak for themselves, so there’s little doubt that either actor could have made the Joker both their own and a success. However, it is difficult to now imagine this specific version of the character being voiced by anyone else, as Hamill’s performance really is a standout even in the context of his massive, decades-long career. Yet, a clip of Curry’s version of the Joker is now making the rounds online, and some viewers are getting a chance to see, for the first time, what this character could have looked like had Curry stayed in the role.
It’s immediately clear when watching this clip that Curry’s take on the Joker is quite different from Hamill’s, and already, debates are swirling when it comes to which actor would have been better suited to the character. While fans seem divided on that fact, it’s worth noting that part of the issue when it comes to now hearing Curry in the role (as it’s the first time for some listeners in light of Curry’s passing and the recirculating of this clip; this video has been shared before) is that Hamill’s interpretation is the one that audiences are most familiar with and grew to know and love. However, as mentioned, Curry is likewise an iconic actor, and while his approach to the Joker may have been different, he no doubt would have shined in the role in his own way. Regardless, it’s clear that Curry had a storied career, and it’s fun to imagine what could have been.
