Tim Burton originally wanted Marlon Brando to play the Penguin in BATMAN RETURNS and other actors who were almost cast

Director Tim Burton’S Batman the films are fondly remembered by fans as wild and colorful live-action films, wacky and cartoonish only in the tone Burton brings to his films. They gave us Michael Keatonlike the caped crusader, who is remembered as one of the best who wore the cloak and hood. But the sequel, Batman returnsit almost looked very different from the movie we got.

According to the film archive page on Turner Classic Movies, it took the studio some time to convince Burton to return to make another film. Once that was done, the first change made was to the writer, Sam Hamm, who had written a script that they weren’t too keen on. Manufacturers introduced Daniel Waterswho had previously written the dark comedy Heathersto write the movie.

Burton said the sequel also required an entirely new look, abandoning the idea of ​​working in England on Anton Furst’s still-existing sets from the first film and hiring production designer Bo Welch, who had designed the director’s earlier features. Cockroach juice (1988) and Edward scissor hands (1990). Burton also secured the services of a large number of king penguins, which were to be flown from England by refrigerated aircraft and kept happy and healthy with a refrigerated trailer, a swimming pool stocked daily with half a ton of ice, and a daily delivery of fresh fish.

Michael Keaton also wasn’t on board to return as the Dark Knight until the studio offered him a substantially higher salary. With the new script, Keaton was also able to bring deeper undertones of anger and neurosis to Batman’s alter ego Bruce Wayne. Presumably, the increased acting opportunities and higher pay helped allay the fact that with so much focus on the over-the-top characters of Penguin and Catwoman, the title role was almost a supporting player in its own story.

Burton wanted to pitch Marlon Brando like the Penguin, but the studio said no, as they preferred Dustin Hoffmannand creator of Batman Bob Kane he said absolutely no to Brando’s suggestion. He was also taken into account Christopher Lloyd. When Burton and Waters redesigned the character to be a deformed and vengeful half-human, half-bird villain, Danny DeVito he was bred for the role. He was initially reluctant, but agreed after talking to a close friend Jack Nicholson, for whom the role of Joker in the first film was a great fluke. DeVito threw himself into the part despite the hours of makeup required to make him the Penguin and a level of secrecy surrounding the character’s appearance that kept DeVito from even discussing it with his family.

Michael Pfeiffer she also wasn’t the first choice to play Catwoman. Annette Bening was signed but had to drop out when she became pregnant. Julie Newmar, one of three actresses to play the role in the TV show, reportedly lobbied for the part of her, despite her being nearly 60 years old. Sean Young he showed up on the Warner Brothers lot to aggressively pursue the job. The young girl was originally cast as Vicki Vale in the first film, but after breaking her collarbone in an accident on set, she was replaced by Kim Basinger. In the early 1990s Young had a reputation for difficult and erratic behavior, so when she showed up at the studio in a Catwoman costume, the producers went out of their way to avoid her and Burton allegedly hid under her desk . It has been reported that Lena Olin And Madonna they were also briefly in the running, but Pfeiffer was finally signed to the part for $3 million, $2 million more than Bening’s asking price.

Burgess Meredith, who played the Penguin in the TV series, was asked to play the character’s father early in the film, but illness prevented him from doing so. Burton then inserted two of the protagonists of his first feature film, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Paul “Pee Herman” Rubens And Diana Salingerto play the character’s parents.

I think all of these choices were great. I can’t imagine some of these other options! Though I’m intrigued by a Penguin played by Marlon Brando! Are there any of these alternatives that you would like to see in these roles?