Jack Nicholson ‘Furious’ about not being asked to play ‘The Joker’

 Here’s part of the MTV interview with Jack where he is asked about his thoughts on the upcoming ‘Batman, The Dark Night Movie’

MTV: What do you think of another actor, Heath Ledger, playing the Joker in next summer’s “The Dark Knight”?

Nicholson: Let me be the way I’m not in interviews. I’m furious. I’m furious. [He laughs.] They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me.

MTV: It was never brought up?

Nicholson: No. It’s like, in any area, you can’t believe the reasons things do or don’t happen. Not asking me how to do the sequel is that kind of thing. Maybe it’s not a mistake. Maybe it was the right thing, but to be candid, I’m furious.

MTV: I’m surprised to hear you sounding competitive about a role like that.

Nicholson: Well, the Joker comes from my childhood. That’s how I got involved with it in the first place. It’s a part I always thought I should play.

MTV: Will you see the new film?

Nicholson: I’m not inclined to watch it because of what I said. But if it’s a good movie, I’ll catch up with it somewhere. I don’t think they ever really captured Tim Burton’s spirit [since he stopped being involved]. They kind of drove the franchise into the ground. Tim Burton’s a genius. He had the right take on it. That’s why I did the movie. I did the movie based on a single conversation with him. We both come from the cartoon world originally. We had similar ideas. Tim said [the Joker] should have a humorous dark side to him. [Burton is] one of the great moviemakers. I think the world of him. He’s the most unassuming man. And he doesn’t feel pressure. That’s what I love about him. Once he’s in there, he’s smiling making the movie. That’s it!

MTV: Are there other characters you’ve considered revisiting in sequels over the years?

Nicholson: Yeah. Last year I thought, “There are certain unresolved characters of mine.” I’d like to do about three sequels right in a row. It was when they were talking to me about a “Last Detail” [sequel].

MTV: What were the others characters you considered revisiting?

Nicholson: Where did [Bobby Dupea] in “Five Easy Pieces” go? From my point of view, how you bracketed the time and these very American characters and what has happened with them is in a way with what has happened with America. I’m always looking for a fresh tangent to pursue. I think in theory that’s a good idea. Where did this kind of restless spirit [in "The Last Detail"] go? Did [Billy "Bad Ass" Buddusky] go to Europe? I know the story ["Last Detail" author Darryl] Ponicsan wrote, and I think he came up with a brilliant idea [in the sequel book, "Last Flag Flying"] for it. It was just that thing where people are more polemically inclined [in a book] than is most effective with a movie. “The Last Detail” is a strong anti-war statement, but the characters in it are just doing their job. And I think that’s the most effective way of approaching it.

I am pretty surprised by Jack’s reaction but I guess he doesn’t realize how ridiculus it would be to have him play the Joker at his age.   Thank God there isn’t an ‘Easy Rider’ remake on the way or Jack might totally lose it.