Robin Williams is one of the very few actors who, even after his tragic death, continues to have a largely positive impact on his fans. His multiple memorable roles continue to be remembered for their authenticity and unparalleled versatility. However, there was one role that he missed out on despite wanting it desperately.
Back in the late 1980s, the actor was distraught when he was offered to play Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman, but was soon allegedly kicked out of the project as another actor who had previously declined agreed for the role. Williams would later have another major blow due to his feud with Disney over the movie Aladdin.
Robin Williams Was Left Distraught By Major Studio For Iconic DC Role
Before Robin Williams played Genie in Disney’s Aladdin and his very public feud with the studio, the celebrated comedian had suffered a major blow from another studio back in the 1980s. The actor was offered the role of Joker in Tim Burton‘s Batman. Even though the actor agreed to the role, he was allegedly dropped from the project.
In an interview back in 1992 with Playboy, the actor revealed that he had been ‘screwed’ over by the studio and used as bait just so Jack Nicholson could agree to the project after having earlier rejected the role.
“I was a little pissed by that. He’d been offered it six months before and then it was given to me. I replied, but they said I was too late. They said they’d gone to Jack over the weekend because I didn’t reply soon enough. I said, ‘You gave me till Monday, I replied before the deadline.’ But it was just to get Jack off the pot.”
Although the actor felt distraught and cheated, he maintained that working through it was the only way out of such disappointments. However, just years after he received another setback that resulted in his public feud with Disney.
Robin Williams’ Feud With Disney Over Aladdin
Robin Williams gave his voice to Disney’s classic Aladdin and since then it has been one of his most memorable roles to date. However, before signing up for the movie in the 1992 animated classic, he had a deal with the studios that his voice would not be used by them for marketing or selling merchandise.
It was the age of merchandise and Happy Meals, and Disney went ahead to use his face for the one thing the actor did not want. However, the studio maintained that it had not breached any contract and that later a story by The Los Angeles Times made it so that the entire conflict was centered around money for Williams had made significantly less money than he normally would. ‘
While the studio maintained that any promotion or merchandise was first run through with Williams and his wife. Even though the movie was an immense success, Robin Williams did not return for its sequel. It wasn’t until Disney sent the late actor a valuable Pablo Picasso piece that tensions started to ease down. And soon enough the actor was back for Aladdin’s third installment.
Aladdin can be streamed on Disney+.
