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Michael Keaton famously starred as the Dark Knight in both of Tim Burton's Batman movies, and his performance remains a favorite for many fans of the DC character. The role could have gone to the actor's Beetlejuice co-star, Alec Baldwin, but Burton didn't feel he was right for the role.

Baldwin discussed the subject during a recent interview for his brother Stephen Baldwin's podcast One Bad Movie. He noted how his ex-wife, Kim Basinger, has a role as Vicki Vale in the original Batman film by Burton. Baldwin then explained that Basinger told him that she'd spoken with Burton about why he wound up casting Keaton as Bruce Wayne. This was said to be because Burton was looking for someone who'd make a more believable Bruce Wayne than Batman, and the director was having trouble imagining Baldwin such a troubled character.

"Well, back then, he said, he told my ex-wife, Kim [Basinger], who was in Batman, and she talked to him, and he said, 'I wasn't casting Batman, the guy, the square jaw, the suit, whatever,'" Baldwin said. "He goes, 'I was casting Bruce Wayne. And I wanted to get a guy who seemed like you could understand him being more troubled.' He goes something like, 'I don't believe that Alec has any problems at all in his life.'"

Baldwin added, "That was what somebody said about Julia Roberts. They wanted Julia Roberts to do Prelude to a Kiss, and the director said, he goes, 'Because I believe the character of Rita needs to be taken care of, by your character, by Peter.' And he goes, 'There's nothing about Julia Roberts that leads me to believe she needs to be taken care of at all. She can take good care of herself. She's very tough and resilient.'"

Circling back to Batman, Baldwin continued, "Something was said along those lines, where [Burton] wanted Keaton because he was much more of his vision of who Bruce Wayne is. And I looked at [Basinger], and I was like, 'I could play f***ed up. I could do that. I don't have to be... I could have problems. I could externalize my problems.' But, yeah, I always thought, 'Oh, I would've loved to have played Batman.' But it seems like it's been a tough part for people. For a lot of people, it's been like a sticky problem for them."

Baldwin went on to point out how most Batman portrayals have not become quite as iconic since Keaton's performances in Batman and Batman Returns. He said that the depictions by Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Ben Affleck just don't seem to be as well regarded by filmgoers, though he clarified that he really enjoyed Christian Bale's movies, especially The Dark Knight Rises, as he also loved Tom Hardy as Bane. Things also worked out well enough for Baldwin in the end after he wasn't cast as Batman, as he would go on to find success in other roles on the big and small screens.

One question that fans now have is who will be the next person playing Batman in a live-action film. It's known that a Batman movie is in early development at DC Studios, dubbed The Brave and the Bold, but no actors have yet been cast for the project. It is possible that Batman could pop up in another DCU project before he takes center stage in The Brave and the Bold, but no announcements have been made about the Dark Knight's arrival, and there's no telling at this time who will end up becoming the next person to suit up as the brooding superhero.

Batman and Batman Returns are currently streaming for free on Tubi.

Source: One Bad Movie