“Don’t pump me again, motherf—kers”: Not Joker, Robin Williams Wanted to Play Another Batman Villain That Was Allegedly Offered to Leonardo DiCaprio
The late Robin Williams is arguably one of the most talented and versatile artists that Hollywood has ever produced. Known for his inherent flair for comedy, Williams has regaled audiences across the world with his performances in films like Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams, The Birdcage, and many more. Over the years, the star has proved that his skills extended to serious and emotional roles too with his Oscar-winning turn in Good Will Hunting, and a haunting performance in One Hour Photo.
Oscar winner Robin Williams
Interestingly, Williams, by his own confession, was a big fan of the superhero genre and openly expressed his desire to play the iconic DC villains, Joker and Riddler. Unfortunately, this dream never materialized for the Jumanji actor despite coming close to being signed on for both parts.
Robin Williams Missed Out On Playing His Favorite DC Character, Riddler
Robin Williams, being the powerhouse talent that he is, has proved time and again that no character or genre is beyond his reach. Along with playing a wide array of roles, the late Oscar winner also harbored a desire to portray characters from the superhero world. Williams confessed that he was extremely keen to explore the nuances of DC’s Riddler and even came close to playing the part in the 1995 film, Batman Forever. Unfortunately, it was not to be and the role ultimately went to Jim Carey.
Robin Williams wanted to play Riddler which ultimately went to Jim Carey in Batman Forever
Many years later, when Christopher Nolan was developing The Dark Knight Trilogy with Christian Bale, Robin Williams who had worked with Nolan before in Insomnia, once again had the opportunity to try his luck with Riddler, who was supposed to make an appearance in The Dark Knight Rises. This time, he also had competition from another A-lister Leonardo DeCaprio, who was considered for the part but allegedly turned it down. But as luck would have it, Nolan decided to scrap the idea of introducing Riddler in the trilogy and instead went with Tom Hardy as Bane.
Speaking to Flexible Head, the Patch Adams actor rued the missed opportunity and said,
“I would work with Nolan again in a second, playing anyone in anything. It’d be fun to work with him again. I’d play the Riddler if they followed through with the offer! I’ve been screwed twice on that. Years ago, they offered me the Joker, then gave it to Jack Nicholson, then they offered me the Riddler and gave it to Jim Carrey. I’d be like, ‘Okay, is this real? If this is a real offer, yes! Don’t pump me again, motherf**kers’”.
While Williams did not get the opportunity to try his hand at Riddler, there is no doubt that the versatile star would have breathed fresh air into the character in his own unique style. Unfortunately, with his demise, this will continue to remain a dream.
Robin Williams’ Painful Final Days Revealed In A Documentary
In August 2014, Hollywood star Robin Williams tragically died by suicide following an undiagnosed battle with Lewy Body Dementia, a type of brain disease that affects thinking, memory, and movement control. While the entire world and the acting fraternity were left in shock and disbelief, documentary filmmaker Tylor Norwood attempted to make sense of this condition through a film that detailed Williams’ battle with the disease and his final days of struggle.
The documentary Robin’s Wish detailed the events leading to Robin Williams’ unfortunate death
The documentary titled Robin’s Wish, features interviews with the actor’s wife Susan Schneider Williams, as well as his friends and colleagues who recalled his final days. Schneider Williams spoke to Entertainment Weekly about what this story meant to her in terms of healing from the tragedy.
“With invaluable help from leading medical experts, I saw that what Robin and I had gone through, finally made sense — our experience matched up with the science. And what I discovered along the way was bigger than me, and bigger than Robin. The full story was revealed during the making of this film and it holds the truth that Robin and I had been searching for.”
Williams’ wife further revealed that the documentary which first aired on September 1st 2020, was a way to honor her late husband while also trying to make sense of what he went through. She revealed that the Good Will Hunting actor only ever wanted to help people through his life and make them feel less afraid and this film was the vehicle to honor his wish and legacy.
