So Nicholson demanded top billing, above Keaton who played the title character.

Agreed.

Such a weird criticism to have.🙄

Break it down some more for my sensitive self. Why was is so important for Nicholson – whose name was going to be in bright lights next to Keaton's, regardless – to move his name in front of the guy who was playing the title character of the film? This wasn't an issue for Sir Anthony Hopkins, who accepted being billed behind a young Gary Oldman (playing the title character) in the 1992 version of 'Dracula'.

Are Hopkins, Francis Ford Coppola and Columbia Pictures all morons for allowing this travesty to take place? Or did the western world of '92 somehow have the truly magical, unfathomable ability to also see Hopkins' name on the poster and observe his performance in the film?

Its similar to Superman. Brando top billing then Hackman then Reeve, then for SII Hackman top billing

In hindsight its kind of 'nuts' the studio didn't demand a more 'normal' batman actor like Baldwin (also in Beetlejuice), Kurt Russell, Pierce Brosnan etc. esp with all the prenet DCraig level negativity But Burton knew he had an ace up his sleeve with Keaton who could embody the notion of a 'bat-man'

the greats deserve top billing

they have earned it

Indeed, it's a big deal to actors, studios, directors. It's also a status thing.

The fact that it doesn't matter to OP is completely irrelevant.

McQueen is on the left and Newman on the right, but that would mean McQueen is “first”, so Newman’s name is higher and McQueen’s name is lower: https://i.redd.it/blkw5yg07o111.png

The "courtship of Jack Nicholson to play the Joker" in 1988 was in the news a LOT. Like they say, "he was in talks," but here was a rare case where it started to leak that Jack was NOT going to play the Joker after all. Warner Brothers started suggesting that Robin Williams would be brought in and THAT seemed to bring Jack in.

But on his terms. Top billing was a given. So was top pay. So was a percentage of the movie AND a percentage of the toys and other merchandise.

Nicholson had worked hard to maintain his image - for two decades -- as a "prestige superstar" a SERIOUS actor who could win Oscars(he had two when he made Batman and a third would come later) and whose "entertainments" were still "quality movies'(like Chinatown, Cuckoo's Nest, and The Shining.)

Nicholson had spent the 70's and 80's TURNING down big entertainments like The Sting(the Redford role), Close Encounters, and Superman(Lex Luthor.) If he was FINALLY going to cash in on a summer blockbuster, they would have to pay for the privilege. But Nicholson was smart again: he instinctively knew that Batman as the Joker was "hipper" than Superman as Lex Luthor. But Nicholson also knew: if HE did Batman, if HE played the Joker...the movie would leap up as a "prestige picture." (Just like Superman did with Marlon Brando in much less screen time...with HIS top billing.)

It worked. Nicholson scored his biggest payday($60 millon or more, all told) and got new, young fans.

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