After having a contentious relationship in last year’s The Lighthouse, fans would very much like to see Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe reunite in The Batman. The cast is already set for the upcoming reboot and while the villain lineup is pretty stacked as is, that isn’t stopping fans from calling for Dafoe to join the franchise in a possible sequel. And it isn’t the first time he’s been up for the Clown Prince of Crime, either.
According to Dafoe himself, Batman ‘89 screenwriter Sam Hamm thought he had the right look for the role way back when, with the actor saying:
“Hamm said something about how physically I would be perfect for the part, but they never offered it to me,” Dafoe said.
Despite coming off of starring roles in the Best Picture winner Platoon, as well as Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ the year before, Dafoe wasn’t nearly as big a star as Jack Nicholson was in the 80s, and that’s probably why he lost out on the role. But tons of fans are now calling for him to get his chance at the part, as evidenced below:
https://twitter.com/SEALkraven/status/1228107890231304193
What we're all hoping for in the new Batman/Lighthouse crossover movie.
Also, the world NEEDS a Dafoe Joker. pic.twitter.com/LEViBo6EzB
— E.Va (@E_dot_Va) February 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/achasingfrenzy/status/1226418844627062784
@mattreevesLA this is a very opportune moment to cast Willem Dafoe as the Joker in the new franchise (in a sequel of course) pic.twitter.com/GQ4UmvcDfc
— DinBach (@dinbluedin) February 16, 2020
Also, I really want to see Willem Dafoe as the Joker. That’s a role I think he was BORN to play.
— Deltaoracle257 (@Deltaoracle257) February 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/SneezyFapper/status/1229076550244618241
https://twitter.com/AdwinCaban/status/1229582994651910145
Have you seen the Lighthouse with Dafoe and Pattinson? That movie is bonkers. I could totally see him as Joker vs Pattison's Batman.
— FanZcene 📼💿 (@FZscene) February 19, 2020
I had read something about Willem Dafoe as Joker. Probably not gonna be a thing… But, I would love to see Willem Dafoe as Batman Who Laughs.
— Patches (@KeithPatch) February 19, 2020
if Willem Dafoe ends up being Joker in the Robert Pattinson Batman Trilogy/whatevers happening I will NEVER watch anything MCU outside of spidey ever again. I beg🤞🏻🥴🥴
— 🕯📼𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕📼🕯 (@SynthPit) February 19, 2020
Willem Dafoe should be the Joker to Robert Pattinson’s Batman it’s only right
— honk shoo mimimi (@absinthepapi) February 19, 2020
Also, I really want to see Willem Dafoe as the Joker. That’s a role I think he was BORN to play.
— Deltaoracle257 (@Deltaoracle257) February 18, 2020
Of course, the role of the Joker has sort of become a prestige opportunity, with two out of the last three actors winning Oscars for their performance as the iconic Batman villain. So, while Dafoe seems like a perfect fit for the villain (I mean, just look at that grin), there would no doubt be stiff competition.
Not to mention that Warner Bros. might have someone else in mind. But then again, Colin Farrell’s casting as the Penguin is certainly an outside-the-box choice for that role and shows us that the studio is prepared to divert from what’s expected.
In any case, The Batman is set for release on June 25th, 2021, and while it’s unlikely Mr. J will show up there, we fully expect him to have a part in one of the sequels.
