It is difficult to imagine anyone other than Michael Keaton donning the fabled cape and cowl in the iconic 1989 superhero film Batman. And while that was a huge financial achievement for Warner Bros., Jack Nicholson’s success as a result of Batman was probably even more impressive.
The Academy Award-winning actor had already achieved enormous fame before agreeing to play The Joker in Tim Burton’s film. Nicholson had a long list of critically acclaimed performances under his belt, including iconic roles in movies like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, As Good as It Gets, and Chinatown.
But did you know that when Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman adaptation was proposed, Nicholson was in a good negotiating spot? Surprisingly, even Michael Keaton as Batman himself did not make as much money as The Joker did.
Jack Nicholson’s Colossal Earnings in Batman (1989 film)
Tim Burton‘s Batman, the first entry in the original Batman film series from Warner Bros., is the inspiration for many superhero movies.
With a $48 million budget, the film ended up making over $400 million at the box office worldwide, generating a ton of revenue for WB and its star cast. But Jack Nicholson is arguably the performer who benefited the most from the phenomenal success of Batman.
With Burton’s project, Nicholson, who played The Joker opposite Michael Keaton‘s Batman, scored a major success. Intriguingly, the Hollywood legend had been hesitant to accept the role at first but was eventually persuaded to do so by the character’s legacy and the potential for a sizable payday.
Nicholson had also been promised a $6 million fixed salary, just like the leading man. But thanks to a cleverly negotiated contract that gave him a cut of the movie’s box office and merchandise sales, his earnings skyrocketed to an impressive range of $60 to $90 million.
Keaton, on the other hand, only got $6 million, which is a relatively small sum.
Jack Nicholson’s Casting Was A ‘Force Of Nature’
Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of The Joker is still one of the most recognizable versions of the character. Even the Something’s Gotta Give actor was described as “an acting force of nature” by Batman co-producer Peter Guber in the film’s behind-the-scenes featurette, who also stated:
“It changed the nature of the comic framework into a film. From a movie into a film with the inclusion of Jack Nicholson. There was something to be discovered there by the critics and by the media, because they would find it intriguing that Jack wanted to do that.”
Guber knew Nicholson would captivate audiences, but that was only one factor. He went on:
“Part of the thinking in getting Nicholson was really similar, going back to the Marlon Brando concept in the first ‘Superman’ picture. You get such a great deal of respectability for the picture, for what you’re trying to do, that not only does that help bring audiences in from young to old, but it also makes it very attractive to other major stars to want to become the next Batman villain, to follow in the footsteps of Jack Nicholson.”
For the unversed, three more Batman movies were made after that, with Tim Burton and Michael Keaton reappearing in Batman Returns (1992). Then Val Kilmer played the lead in Batman Forever (1995), and George Clooney was featured in Batman & Robin (1997).
Batman is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Max.
Source- Startefacts; Batman’s Featurette
