Fellow Joker to New Joker

MTV interviewed Jack Nicholson, the previous Joker from the Tim Burton 89′ film, about the new actor Heath Ledger playing The Clown Prince of Crime in “The Dark Knight”.

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!

Nicholson is entitled to his opinon.