Nicholson 'furious' over Batman snub

Reuters

ON SET: Actors Christian Bale and Morgan Freeman take part in the first day of shooting for the movie 'Batman: The Dark Knight' in Hong Kong. Actor Jack Nicholson says he is furious he wasn't asked to reprise the role of 'The Joker'.

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Jack Nicholson is "furious" Heath Ledger is playing the Joker in the new Batman movie.

The 70-year-old actor, who starred as the villainous trickster in the 1989 film Batman, was livid he wasn't asked to reprise his role for The Dark Knight.

When asked how he felt about another actor playing the Joker, Nicholson replied: "I'm furious. I'm furious. Ha. They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me.

"It's like, in any area, you can't believe the reasons things do or don't happen. Not asking me how to do the sequel is that kind of thing. Maybe it's not a mistake. Maybe it was the right thing, but to be candid, I'm furious."

The Oscar-winning star also revealed he felt destined to play the Joker from childhood when he fell in love with the DC comic book series.

He added to MTV: "Well, the Joker comes from my childhood. That's how I got involved with it in the first place. It's a part I always thought I should play."

Nicholson doubts he will want to see Ledger in the role when the movie is released next summer.

He said: "I'm not inclined to watch the movie because of what I said. But if it's a good movie, I'll catch up with it somewhere."