Robin Williams is urging movie bosses to cast him in the next Batman movie - because he has twice been turned down for parts in the superhero franchise.
Rumors over casting for Christopher Nolan's upcoming third superhero film have been rife ever since The Dark Knight, starring Heath Ledger as The Joker, hit cinemas in 2008 - with fans speculating over which characters will be re-introduced.
Nolan is said to be considering bringing feline femme fatale Catwoman back for the new movie, along with The Riddler.
Williams is adamant he would make a good replacement for Jim Carrey, who played the fiendish puzzler in 1995's Batman Forever, because the part was originally offered to him. The funnyman also reveals he was lined up to play The Joker in the original 1989 Batman movie before the role was later handed to Jack Nicholson - and the snubs have made him determined to secure a part in the next installment of the hit franchise.
He tells Empire magazine, "I would do Batman in a second. I'd play The Riddler in the next one, although it would be hard to top Heath Ledger as the villain and I'm a little hairy for tights.
"The Batman films have screwed me twice before: years ago they offered me The Joker and then gave it to Jack Nicholson, then they offered me The Riddler and gave it to Jim Carrey. I'd be like, 'Ok, is this a real offer? If it is, then the answer's yes. Don't pump me again motherf**kers'."
Doctors gave Robin Williams just weeks to live before he underwent life-saving heart surgery in March.
The 57-year-old comedian returned to TV on Wednesday night's episode of the Late Show with David Letterman, eight weeks after he underwent surgery at a Cleveland, Ohio clinic to replace an aortic valve.
The funnyman thanked the doctors who saved his life as he showed pictures of his chest scars on the show, and admitted doctors had warned him he'd die if he didn't go under the knife.
He said, "They gave me... they said two weeks. I mean, when they initially went in, there was one doctor who I found out was going on vacation the next day who wanted to do the surgery that day.
"(Another) doctor said, 'Maybe you want to wait. You never want to have a surgery with a guy who wants to go someplace'... But they said two weeks, and that allowed me to make the decisions… You want to look for someone who's done a lot of them."
But Williams is in still high spirits, after postponing the rest of his comedy tour until September, when he'll return to the stage in Indiana.
Joking about his new body parts, he adds, "I have one new valve and a repaired valve. I have a cow valve, which is great, and the grazing's been fun."
Friday the 13th was lucky for Robin Williams. That's the day the funny man "successfully underwent heart surgery at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic," his Los Angeles-based spokesperson announced Monday.
In a statement from Williams's rep, Mara Buxbaum, the Ohio clinic staff cardiothoracic surgeon, A. Marc Gillinov, M.D., said, "Williams's operation went extremely well, and we expect him to make a full recovery."
The procedure, which took 3½ hours, "was conducted to replace his aortic valve, repair his mitral valve and correct his irregular heartbeat," said the doctor – who termed Williams's heart "strong" and foresaw no limitations insofar as his patient's future physical activities.
"A couple hours after surgery, he was entertaining the medical team and making us all laugh," according to Gillinov.
Williams, 57, was in Florida performing his Weapons of Self-Destruction comedy tour earlier this month when his heart problem sidelined his schedule. He is expected to resume his 80-city itinerary in the fall, says Buxbaum, who quotes Williams as saying, "I'm thinking the next leg of the tour will be Weapons of Self-Destruction and Reconstruction!"
Having been admitted to a south Florida hospital earlier this week, Robin Williams is "to undergo surgery for an aortic valve replacement," his reps announced Thursday. An earlier statement about the 57-year-old, Oscar-winning comic actor said, "Williams was experiencing shortness of breath and is currently being evaluated by doctors who are recommending a week of rest."Williams has canceled all performances of his one-man show, Weapons of Self-Destruction, which was on a 80-city tour that started last September and is bound for Broadway in the spring. The tour is set to resume come the fall, say his reps."I'm so touched by everyone's support and well wishes," Williams said in a statement. "This tour has been amazing fun and I can't wait to get back out on the road after a little tune-up."The aortic valve allows for blood flow from the heart's left ventricle to the aorta, which then distributes blood to the rest of the body. According to Standford University Medical Center, the goal of aortic valve surgery is to "repair or replace an aortic valve that isn't working correctly. ... When heart valves fail to open and close properly, the heart can become damaged. Heart valve problems are one cause of heart failure."According to Williams's website, he was to perform Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. He has also canceled shows for Friday at the University of Central Florida Arena in Orlando and Saturday's at Tampa's Sundome."Robin's rep called us the night before he was scheduled to perform at Hard Rock," Ryan Rogers, spokesman for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, tells People. "The call came Tuesday night, during our Mötley Crüe concert. The rep said Robin needed rest and didn't feel well."
Robin Williams is urging movie bosses to cast him in the next Batman movie - because he has twice been turned down for parts in the superhero franchise.
