Tim Burton's "Batman" Almost Used a Substitute Joker

Before, Warner Bros. had a definite concept of who they intended to play the pivotal role of the Joker.

Tim Burton's first Batman feature began filming in earnest during pre-production. On the set of Tim Burton's unintentional masterpiece,

Few things were certain; the fact that the 1989 film would inspire multiple generations of comic book movies was a foregone conclusion.

Nobody could have realized it at the time (unless they had a concealed Bat-time Machine).

Yes, Michael Keaton's gothic antihero's plot necessitated the presence of his arch-enemy. 

Nonetheless, studio executives are said to have sought a bankable co-star to compensate for Keaton's relative inexperience and ensure box office success. 

The brass' approach was essentially "go big or go home," so they went all-in on Jack Nicholson because he was a major performer. 

Victor Wembanyama pitches the first pitch in the Yankees-Mariners game.

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