Willem Dafoe has been around the Hollywood block a few times, and he’s been in some of the biggest films of the last three decades. But, one role he still hasn’t taken on is that of DC Comics’ Clown Prince of Crime, The Joker. While appearing on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon recently, Dafoe was asked about his idea to play the villain on screen. And what followed was an interesting insight into how the veteran actor had considered tackling such an iconic role.
Joker’s Everywhere
In response to the question posed to him by Jimmy Fallon, Dafoe came up with a humorous yet brilliant answer: “Hasn’t that been done?” In other words, although Joaquin Phoenix is currently playing The Joker in Todd Phillips’ eponymous movie, Joker 2.
Dafoe explained that there are so many interpretations of characters these days—even within comic book franchises—that it can be difficult to keep track. He noted that Marvel has multiple versions of Spider-Man, for example, and then added that he could easily come up with an entirely new take on The Joker if given a chance. After all, Batman’s arch nemesis is a character who is almost defined by his various interpretations over the years, from Cesar Romero’s campy performance in the 1960s TV show to Jack Nicholson’s iconic turn in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie and Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning portrayal in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy – and beyond.
This means there is still room for someone like Dafoe to bring something new and exciting to this classic villain — even if it doesn’t appear like he’ll have an opportunity anytime soon. As he himself put it during his appearance on Fallon’s show: “My idea was good but probably not quite right yet.”
Joker Idea’s
Willem Dafoe certainly isn’t short of ideas when it comes to playing DC Comics’ most iconic supervillain. Dafoe seemed genuinely excited at the prospect of bringing a unique interpretation to this classic character — even if it doesn’t seem likely that any studio will give him a chance any time soon. Nevertheless, it shows how passionate fans can be when discussing their favorite superheroes and villains – especially those as beloved as The Joker! Perhaps one day we will get our wish and see Willem Dafoe make good on his joke about playing “the fourth or fifth” incarnation of The Clown Prince Of Crime…but until then, we can only dream!
