Tim Curry was on top of the world in the early ’90s, kicking off the decade with a starring role in the mini-series adaptation of Stephen King’s IT. Curry of course stole the show, and terrified a generation of children, as the killer clown Pennywise, just one of his many iconic roles over the years.
But did you know that shortly after bringing Pennywise to life, Tim Curry was cast to play another villainous clown on the small screen? Curry was originally cast to play The Joker in “Batman: The Animated Series,” which premiered in 1992!
Mark Hamill eventually took over the role, but it was Curry who initially provided the voice for the animated version of The Joker. Unfortunately, audio from those early recordings has to date never been leaked, but we do now know why Curry was replaced. And contrary to rumors over the years, it wasn’t because his voice was too scary for children.
At Fan Expo Canada over the weekend, Curry spilled the beans…
“I did play Joker for a while. But I had bronchitis and they fired me… and hired Mark Hamill. That’s life.”
What would “Batman: The Animated Series” have been like with Curry as the Joker? Well, someone on YouTube edited Pennywise audio into the animated series, which at least gives you somewhat of an idea of what such an alternate reality might’ve sounded like.
Unless/until those recordings surface, it’s really all we’ve got to go on.