I knew it was just a matter of time before someone got the chance to interview Jack Nicholson and ask him what he thought of the Dark Knight remake of his infamous portrayal of The Joker in Tim Burton’s 1988 “Batman”. MTV did just that this week and it sounds like Nicholson is anything but thrilled over the character’s reappearance:

“I’m furious,” Nicholson whispered to me last week when I asked him point blank how he felt about Ledger assuming the role.

Clearly the passage of time hasn’t mellowed Jack one bit when it comes to the Joker. His voice rose as he said, “They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me.” For Nicholson the part of the Joker was an important one. “The Joker comes from my childhood,” he explained. “That’s how I got involved with it in the first place. It’s a part I always thought I should play.”

To be fair to Heath Ledger’s Joker it doesn’t sound like Jack is upset with him personally and would feel this way no matter who else had the role this time around. I loved Burton’s interpretation of the caped crusader and I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing The Joker, so I was definitely amazed at the end of Batman Begins when Gordon handed Wayne the tattered playing card. Despite my initial denials of that risky move I’ve come around and am really looking forward to this next installment.

So could Nicholson have been a real option for this movie? I don’t think it’d have really worked despite how well he handled The Departure villain role last year and I really, really wouldn’t have wanted to see anything that made me rethink the high regard I had for his original work. Whether or not Nicholson gets over his crankiness The Dark Knight is getting closer and closer to its summer 2008 release. Woohoo!

Wanna know what Tommy Lee Jones thinks of Aaron Eckhart taking over his also previously dead Batman villain? Lucky you, MTV got that interview too.

Want more Dark Knight? Check out early shots of The Joker, Batman’s new rides, and even the Dark Knight Teaser Trailer.