Article: Batman 3 Movie Villains
The Dark Knight has been in theatres for almost 2 months now. Considering Mr. Nolan’s professed modus operandi of only planning one film at a time, and the likeliness of him doing another movie before returning to the Batman franchise, its probably much too early to speculate about sequels. But the fact is The Dark Knight is now the fastest film to reach $400 Million in the Box Office, and its the #2 movie of all time, beating out Star Wars for that second place spot. Heath Ledger is a sure thing for the Best Supporting Actor. And the movie itself has a legitimate shot at Best Movie of the Year.
My point? A sequel will happen. Whether its 2 years from now, or 5, its definitely coming. So let the speculation begin…
Today we’ll discuss possible villains for Nolan’s third Batman movie…
The rumors havebeen flying around regarding Angelina Jolie possibly being cast as Catwoman, Johnny Depp as the Riddler, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Penguin. Co-writer David S. Goyer has debunked these rumors saying “Batman has been published for 70 years. In the first movie, we used Ra’s Al Ghul and the Scarecrow, who had not been in the movies before, and had not been in the ’60s TV show before.
“There are dozens if not hundreds of other characters that fit that bill. Everyone says it’s got to be the Penguin or Catwoman [in the next film]… well, I completely disagree.”
If Goyer says repeat characters are unlikely, then I believe him, and looking forward to characters we’ve seen before like Catwoman, Riddler and/or the Penguin is setting yourself up for disappointment. Furthermore, casting rumors before the script is even written is just plain ridiculous. Then again, the fact that the script hasn’t been written yet is a ray of hope to maybe getting at least one of these characters in the film.
SO… Lets start with these repeat characters. Which ones have we seen in the first 4 Burton/Schumacher movies, but not yet in Nolan’s series?
The Penguin
Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin – Okay mister Burton, the “Penguin” is a nickname. Its not literal. If you had ever read a comic book in your life, you’d know this.
SO, WHO IS THE PENGUIN? He’s a criminal. Pure and simple. He likes to steal things, plot major crimes, make money, and generally cause pain and suffering to those he feels have wronged him. Does he have a gimmick? Sure. He’s got a fascination with birds, and most of his crimes are bird related in some way. And sure, in the goofy days of comics, he had the ability to control birds and have them do his bidding, which would at least explain where the ridiculous idea to have those crazypenguins with rockets on their backs in BATMAN RETURNS. But that’s the most campy and ridiculous interpretation of the Penguin we’ve seen thus far. In recent comics, he runs a night club in Gotham that he uses as a front for his illegal activities. To the general public, he’s reformed and a legit business man. But the Batman knows better. The Penguin was even a major crime boss in Gotham’s neighboring sister city Bludhaven.
CAN HE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? Basically… Yes. If you ignore his “controlling birds” phase, and seriously tone down his obsession with birds in general, he would be perfect for the Nolanverse. As a short, stocky, pointy nosed crime boss, who wears a tuxedo and has a speech impediment, his cronies would nickname him The Penguin behind his back. Give him a bad temper andyou’re good to go. He wouldn’t work as the main villain in the film. Not after what Heath Ledger did as the Joker. Whoever comes next has their work cut out for them. The Penguin would have to be a secondary villain, like Falcone or Maroni before him. A crime boss, who isn’t the main focus of the film. That’s The Penguin’s place in the Nolanverse, and I’d be happy to see him. Do I think we will see him? No. He’s been used. Not well, but used never the less.
Catwoman
Selina Kyle / Catwoman- Burton gave us an interesting Catwoman, to say the least. Sure, she was sexy and interesting and alluring. But once again Burton took a character meant to be realistic, and added an element of supernatural where one wasn’t needed. He killed her, and brought her back from the dead, by having her licked by cats! That’s just ludicrous. How does that make any sense? Suddenly she has nine lives? And while I somewhat enjoyed the back and forth between her and Bruce/Batman, alluding to the fact that they’re each as crazy as the other, it still didn’t ring true to the character. (And I wont even go into discussion on HALLE BERRY’S Catwoman.)
SO WHO IS CATWOMAN? She’s a cat burglar, hens her gimmick. She’s just a very talented thief. Raised on the streets of Gotham city after her brutalized mother committed suicide, and her abusive father drank himself to death. Add to that the fact that she’s been separated from her younger sister Magdalena, its safe to say she’s got some issues. So she trained in martial arts on the mean streets of Gotham, and even is an accomplished boxer. She was inspired to wear the costume after seeing the Batman out her window one night when he was on patrol in his early days. Despite the fact that she’s a thief, the Batman tends to leave her alone. Mainly because he’s got a serious thing for this girl. But also because she only robs from the wealthy or well insured, she never kills, and she sometimes plays the “Robin Hood” role and gives back to those less fortunate in her city. Over the past few years, Catwoman has evolved from a thief, to a “sometimes thief, sometimes vigilante.” Sometimes, she’s actually a heroine. Batman has been known to come to her for help.
CAN SHE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? Absolutely. If Nolan sticks to the comic origins of the character, which is a sure thing he would, then she’d make a great addition to the film. However, like the Penguin, she just wouldn’t be terrifying enough to be the main villain in the movie. The Joker was such a huge challenge for the Batman, unleashing so much chaos and destruction, the next villain would have to bring his A-Game and raise the bar a few notches. I just don’t feel Catwoman is threatening enough to do that. She’d make a great distraction for the Dark Knight, as he’s trying to take down the real problem, but not much more than that.
Mr. Freeze
Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze – We got one campy and ridiculous look at Mr. Freeze in Joel Schumacher’s BATMAN & ROBIN. I have to say, I don’t want to see Freeze in this new series. I just don’t see how he would work.
SO, WHO IS MR. FREEZE? Story-wise, Schumacher got Freeze pretty spot on. Sick wife, terrible accident, confined to his freeze suit for survival, freeze gun, searching for a cure, etc. Pretty accurate. It was mostly the Governator’s casting and portrayal of the character, coupled with the Directors terrible vision and the horrible dialogue that ruined that character’s chances in that film.
WOULD HE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? No. Absolutely not. Maybe it’s the sheer asinine nature of this character’s look, abilities and origin that make him a hard sell on screen, or maybe it’s the image of Arnold burned into my brain that makes me want to hurl every time I hear Mr. Freeze suggested as a possible villain. I don’t know. But I do know that they’d havetocompletely change the entire essence of the character in order to make him work in Nolan’s very realistic Gotham City. And Nolan’s not one to change a lot. He changes stuff, sure, but not that drastic. I just don’t see it happening. Freeze is an awesome villain in the comics, andthe cartoons. Just keep him off the silver screen in live-action Nolan films. Mmm’Kay?
Poison Ivy
Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy – Portrayed in BATMAN & ROBIN by Uma Thurman, Ivy was another villain Schumacher got right in spirit, but the execution was all wrong. Thurman was miscast, in my opinion, and just didn’t look like she could be Poison Ivy.
SO, WHO IS POISON IVY? She’s a botanist, who after some crazy experiments, was mutated into something more plant than human. Her blood replaced with chlorophyll, her porcelain skin turning a lovely shade of green, her lips poisonous, and her body releases pheromones that drive men bonkers. Like I said, Schumacher hit all the major points, but Thurman’s delivery of those awful lines, and her less than appealing physical presence just ruined the whole thing for me. Call me shallow, but Poison Ivy needs to be a slammin’ hottie, and Uma just didn’t fit the bill. If Scarlett Johanssen was a better actress, I’d almost recommend her for the role. That’s just the kind of look I’d like to see from Poison Ivy.
CAN SHE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? Probably not. I’m sure they could find some way to make her work. Maybe her poisons are external poisons she plants on victims, rather than poisons she secretes through her lips. Maybe she doesn’t release pheromones, she’s just so freakin’ sexy and runs around half-naked and men can’t resist her. Maybe she steals for money to fund her desire to save the planet’s greenery like in the comics. Its just that the motive is lame. And she’s not a fighter. Nor is she psychotic and driven by hatred or some kind of traumatic experience. She just wants to save the plants. That’s stupid to me and not a strong enough story for the Batman movies. If they changed enough to make her work in the Nolanverse, they’d be changing toomuch, and fanboys would be in an uproar.
The Riddler
Edward Nashton (Nygma) / The Riddler – Now we’re talkin’! Here’s a guy I could see in the upcoming movie. He was done a bit over the top and really comical by one of my favorite actor/comedians Jim Carrey in Joel Schumacher’s BATMAN FOREVER, but he works. Batman’s obsession with solving the puzzles, and the Riddler’s obsession with creating the puzzles just makes the two an interesting conflict. And even though the essence of the character was there in BATMAN FOREVER, they got his back story all wrong and it’d be nice to see this character done some justice on the big screen.
SO, WHO IS THE RIDDLER? He’s a huge admirer of the late, great Harry Houdini. His crimes not only include riddles, but often puzzles and traps as well. He was long considered a second rate criminal, and very little threat to the Batman. Lately, however, he’s shown a more sinister a nd dangerous side, which seems to haveattracted a score of followers. One of his more impressive stunts can be found in the story HUSH. I wont ruin his plot in the story, but its something that could definitely work for a third Batman movie.
Bane
Bane – Bane was terribly portrayed in the vomit-fest of BATMAN & ROBIN as an “all brawn, no brain” henchman for Poison Ivy. Comparable to NON from Superman II… only dumber.
SO WHO IS BANE? Bane is the man that broke the Bat! Already a humongous andstrong beast of a man, he experimented with the drug “Venom” which increased his streng even more. Making him an incredible challenge for the Batman. The challenge came not only from Bane’s strength, but his intelligence as well. Bane is not the mindless drone you saw in BATMAN & ROBIN. He was a brilliant mind that knew enough not to take the Batman head on, but rather to weaken the Batman first. A massive prison break, orchestrated by Bane, released Arkham’sworst into Gotham City, all at once. With his work cut out for him, the Batman literally didn’t rest until he rounded up The Joker, Two-Face, Mr. Zasz, etc. Once he was absolutely exhausted, that’s when Bane came after him.
CAN HE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? Yes, if handled carefully. Replacing “Venom” with an exaggerated version of Steroids, keeping his intelligence in tact. Although smart, he shouldn’t be the mastermind of the story. He should be the muscle. Cutting through the movie like the Joker did in THE DARK KNIGHT, but being that much scarier since he can kill all his victims with his bare hands. A prison break isn’t necessary because the Narrows are still overrun with psychos and victims of the gas attack from BATMAN BEGINS. All he has to do is let the nuts off the island and into the general populace.
What are some villains we have not yet seen on the movie screen, and are an actual possibility?
POSSIBLE NEW VILLAINS:
Deadshot
Floyd Lawton / Deadshot- Arguably the best marksman on the planet. His costume makes him a walking gun. And he mirrors Bruce Wayne in that he lost his family to the gun, and is now a billionaire playboy, who’s dedicated his life to perfecting his craft. But while Bruce Wayne dedicated his life to perfecting his body and mind, Dead shot perfected his eye and his aim with firing weapons. Wayne’s the world’s greatest martial artist, and Deadshot is the world’s greatest marksman. Making the Batman’s first choice hand to hand combat, and Deadshot’s first choice is long distance combat.
CAN HE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? Yes. He’s a regular man, with no superpowers. Instead of powers, he’s perfected his craft, like Batman has, and makes him a legitimate threat. He can be portrayed believably without changing anything about his origin/story for the film. He’s also new enough to the general audience that you can cast a more famous face in the role, where-as more famous characters would need an unknown in the role in order to sell believability.
Killer Croc
Waylan Jones / Killer Croc - Killer Croc was born with a rare disease that turns his skin green and scaly. Bullied because of his appearance while growing up in a Florida Slum, he snapped and almost killed one of the bullies. Sent to a reform school he grew up with little education anda hatred for all “normal” people. By his 18th birthday, he’d become a petty criminal, and a full fledged murderer. Over the years, his body has become more reptilian and his psyche more psychotic.
CAN HE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? Actually, I think he can. Ironically, he’s one of those rare “monster-like” characters that can somehow be done realistically. If you avoid his new Lizard-from-Spider-man-like appearance, and stick to the look he sported in his early appearances, and tweak it a bit to fit the Nolanverse… he just might work. You take a big huge guy, give him a skin abnormality, not green, but brown like most crocodiles, and give him a psychotic back story where he files his own teeth to sharp points, you’ve got a believable freak on your hands. Like many other villains mentioned in this article, he wouldn’t work as the main baddie. But he’s another one of those characters like Catwoman, Bane, or Deadshot, that could work as the “muscle” that the main bad-guy uses to do his dirty work. A pawn in the Riddler’s master plan would be ideal. Andhe’d provide a genuine physical challenge for the Batman. I find him unlikely to ever make an appearance in the Nolanverse. But he’s definitely doable, if Nolan chose to take a chance on him.
UNLIKELY VILLAINS:
Harley Quinn
Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn - Dr. Harleen Quinzel was a young impressionable psychiatrist at Arkham Assylum, where she attempted to “cure” the Joker. However, she found herself getting lost in his insanity, and somehow falling madly in love with him. The result: She’s now as nutty as he is!
CAN SHE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? While most of us would love to see the sexy, curvy, funny, and acrobatic Harley Quinn on screen, the sad truth is we may not see her for a very, very long time. With the untimely, and tragic death of Heath Ledger, the best on screen Joker we’ve ever seen, we’re guaranteed no more Joker on screen for many years. Andif there’s no Joker, then there’s no Harley Quinn. The only way we’ll see Quinn in a live action film any time soon, is if that GREEN ARROW: ESCAPE FROM SUPERMAX movie gets made. There’s always a chance of a “mention” or “tease” of the Joker in there, and if I were writing or directing, I’d use that opportunity to have a small, goofy, comic relief type cameo appearance by the mischievous Harley Quinn. Short of that, we’ll have to wait till the next on-screen Joker. And I gotta tell you, I’d hate to be the actor that has to follow Ledger’s performance as the Clown Prince of Crime.
The Mad Hatter
Jervis Tetch / The Mad Hatter – The Mad Hatter is a master hypnotist, obsessed with the children’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. He developed high-tech hypnotizing equipment, which he conceals in his over-sized hat, and uses it to brainwash innocents, forcing them to do his bidding. Sometimes its as dangerous as brainwashing local muscle to fight his fights, and sometimes its as weird and creepy as hypnotizing young girls to be the “Alices” in his sick twisted tea parties.
CAN HE WORK IN NOLAN’S FILM? No. Absolutely not. While he’s a powerless villain, and his abilities are supposedly rooted in technology and hypnotism, its just too “out there” and over the top to work in Nolan’s realistic world. It would remind too many “average joe movie-goers” about Jim Carrey’s Riddler and his ridiculous brainwash scheme in BATMAN FOREVER. And the so-called “technology” the Hatter equips would be far too difficult to explain in a realistic way. In fact, its damn near impossible.
The Ventriloquist and Scarface
Arnold Wesker / The Ventriloquist and Scarface – A ventriloquist with Multiple Personality Disorder. Wait, don’t they all have that? Hmmm… Anyway, this one is different! His dummy and other personality, Scarface, is a murderous crime boss. Wesker maintains that he’s an innocent pawn in the villainous Scarface’s murderous schemes.
CAN HE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIES: I’ve got to be honest here, I wish he could! For some reason, I couldn’t tell you why, the Ventriloquist and Scarface are one/two(?) of my favorite Batman villains. I know, I know. The idea seems so silly. A little wooden puppet is the murderous crime boss, and the squirmy, panzy ventriloquist is… well, squirmy and a panzy. But there’s something about this character(s) that just intrigues me. Maybe its the multiple personality aspect, maybe its the crazy tommy-gun Scarface fires all willy nilly, or maybe its the fact that Scarface pronounces his “b’s” as “g’s.” ”Get that gastard, the Gatman, and kill him till he’s dead!” I don’t know what it is, but I love this character. Sadly, he’d never work as a villain in the movies. At least, not as a legitimately threatening one. I hold out hope that there’ll be a scene in Batman 3, where the Batman is walking through the halls of Arkham Assylum, and he passes by a cell, where the camera pans in for a short 2 or 3 seconds, and we see a wimpy, squirmy guy, sitting on his bed, with a wooded puppet on his lap, and the two talk to each other back and forth. (I’m the king of run-on sentences.) That would just make me happy.
Clayface
Clayface - There have been 4 Clayfaces thus far, so I wont name them all. Suffice it to say they’re all these mutated dudes that can turn into mud/clay. They’re shape shifters who can take on the appearance of any person, or thing.
CAN HE WORK IN NOLAN’S MOVIE? The way he’s portrayed in the comics, he’d never work on screen. However, the fact that his name is Clayface presents an interesting opportunity. One could always make him a master thief, and a master of disguise. A regular human, powerless, but talented when it comes to disguises. A plethora of masks, make-up, and wigs, and an unparalleled impersonation ability could make him a slippery dude to catch. They did the whole “master of disguise” thing in all 3 Mission Impossible films, and audiences bought it. Maybe there’s something there? I’d be interested to see this, or something similar on the big screen, but I’ve placed poor Clayface in the “unlikely” category because he is just that. Unlikely. Poor guy, can’t catch a break.
And now, in conclusion, who would I, The A-Train, like to see as villains, adventurers and cameos in Batman 3?
I’d love to see the following Characters, played by the following actors, or someone better, which I’m sure Nolan will have no trouble finding…
The Riddler?
THE RIDDLER as the master-mind behind the whole thing, but never fully revealed until the end. We’d see him commit a petty crime, and get caught by the Batman quite easily. Unbeknown-st to The Dark Knight, the Riddler is the reason there’s a slew of villains loose in Gotham City. He’s cracked the big riddle: “Who is the Batman?” and has orchestrated every sinister event throughout the movie. I’d love to see Michael Emerson portray this new devilish Riddler. We got creepy eye-liner guy, Richard Alpert from LOST, in The Dark Knight. It could happen!
CATWOMAN as a vigilante/cat-burglar, causing mischief for the Batman. Distracting him from his mission while he’s trying to put a stop to all the havoc being reaped on the city, and clear his name. She’s be a love interest, replacing Rachel Dawes, but they never get together in the end, because she’s a criminal. I’m not sure who I’d have play her, but she definitely has to be a brunette, as she is in the comics. I’ve got a thing for Penelope Cruz, but I know enough to not want her as Catwoman. Maybe a younger Monica Belluci, or a more experience and older Megan Fox. I don’t know. Nolan, you take this one!
Philip Seymour Hoffman
THE PENGUIN should be the new mob boss in Gotham, replacing Sal Maroni, and Falcone before him. No fins, no black goo, no eating raw fish, and only ONE umbrella, please?! I’m totally on the Phillip Seymour Hoffman bandwagon. I think he’d make a great Penguin. But then again, the Penguin is a very well known character, so we’d need an unknown actor to sell him believably. The same goes for Catwoman.
Finally, as the main baddie in the film, who Batman thinks is the master-mind behind it all, (but its not! its the Riddler, remember?) I’d love to see DEADSHOT. Always attacking from long distance, using guns in a way the Batman has never dealt with, and making speedy getaways. Mirroring Wayne’s life as a billionaire playboy. Killing so many people, seemingly at random, requiring Batman’s detective skills to figure out his pattern (pre-assigned by the Riddler, of course). This could be an excellent challenge for the Batman and Bruce Wayne! And to play a billionaire playboy with an alter-ego, I can only think of two actors off the top of my head. Hugh Jackman and Clive Owen.
Deadshot?
- …or Deadshot?
Both are great actors. Talented and capable of both the billionaire role, and the cold hearted killer. Both are famous enough to lend credence to such an unknown character. And while both may make some fanboys role their eyes, they’re both capable of delivering a fantastic performance, that can make those same fanboys shut the hell back up, much like Ledger did. They’re not as deeply and passionately dedicated to the characters they play, like Ledger was, but this particular character wouldn’t require that.
Then again, NOLAN KNOWS BEST. IN NOLAN I TRUST.
Oh yeah, and I’d love to see a short, sweet cameo, featuring Poison Ivy, played by a half-naked…
Okay, I’m joking… sort of.
Discuss this at Geekfest on the Forums!
September 3, 2008 at 12:48 pm
WHEW! OK. DONE! YES it took me this long to read it SHUSH.
Now the hard part is remembering all I wanted to comment on. Here goes.
GENERAL COMMENTS:
I had NO idea that was the real origin of “The Penguin”. Holy COW Burton got it wrong. He sounds like he’d be fun to watch; short, cranky, powerful. Yea. ^_^
Same goes for Catwoman. I didn’t know that was her origin story either. I mean I got that she stole, but I had no idea of her family background. It actually makes me very interested to read some comics on her. Any good ones you can lend me?
I don’t think Mr. Freeze would work either. I dunno I think the whole thing is just dorky, Arnold or no. Like you said, Nolan has created a very realistic Gotham and having a man walk around in a huge bulky suit that keeps him near-frozen is just…. off. Yea I don’t really like it at all. And frankly never understood why Ivy would team up with him in that movie if she wants to save plants and he wants to freeze the world.
Conflicting interests anyone?
Although I WOULD like to see Poison Ivy. Like you said her motive’s not strong at all and probably couldn’t fit in Nolan’s films even if he did edit her a little. I just think she’s a cool character ((then again I have a think for the ability to control an element and she’s pretty close to that)). And Scarlett’s lips would be PERFECT. If Ivy is ever in another film the chick HAS to have full, round lips, not flat chapped ones like Uma. And Scarlett’s not a bad actress, sure there’s others who are better ((Natalie Portman was the better actress in “The Other Boleyn Girl”)) but I enjoy her performances a lot still.
I have GOT to read “HUSH” again. I don’t remember a THING. I like the idea of traps and puzzles but I’m still not a huge fan of the Riddler.
Yeah not really… *shrugs*
BANE was/is a GENIUS!? WOW. WAY off in that movie then. Geez. While that still doesn’t make me really go for the character, I would LOVE to see him on screen to “break the Batman”. It’ll be like when Superman hurled off that huge island into space and slammed down to earth into a coma. Everyone would be mourning ((well the B-man’s fans at least)) and waiting for the outcome. Or more like hearing the news and panicking because the Batman’s dead, and so who will save them now? And so the city goes into chaos with all criminals taking over because there’s no one powerful enough to stop them [[with an option of vigilante Robin-wanabees can try to help but only get themselves almost killed]].
Yea.
I would LOVE to see that on screen.
I do want to see Deadshot. He’d be cool on screen. Dunno who could play him. Jackman has the more rugged look and so resembles the character more ((according to the one I saw in “GOTHAM NIGHT” **that was the title right?**)) so maybe he gets my vote. His mouth is also almost exactly the same as the one in the animated movie.
Breaks my heart I’ll never see Harley Quinn T_T She was such a fun character. I didn’t know ((or remember)) her origin story either but I always loved watching the wacky, psychotic Harley do her thing.
T_________T darn.
Mad Hatter? Retarded character to me just like Mr. Freeze is. I don’t know it’s just… bleh.
Clayface could work in the way you said. Someone who chameleons his way through causing mayhem.
That’d be cool.
I would LOVE to see that Ventriliquist cameo you came up with.
It’d be fan-tastic! ^________^
Urgh. I can’t stand that guy that plays “Ben” in LOST. I know he could pull off the role because, well, it’d be the same role in a way wouldn’t it? I just can’t stand that actor though.
I really want to see Catwoman done right. She seems so interesting. And isn’t it just like a woman to go and make things complicated for a man and get in the way when he’s trying to get things done?
COMMENTS AS FAR AS WRITING:
Just that small “typo” is all I caught.
OH! The spaces thing and this one word arrangement:
In Catwoman’s breakdown you said she “even is an accomplished boxer” when, if I’m right, it would be arranged as “and IS EVEN an accomplished boxer”.
Otherwise, you’re good on the grammar homie!! =D
Fantastic writing as usual ^_^ Love reading your reviews, even if they take me a while ;P
September 27, 2008 at 12:13 pm
The truth is Chris Nolan already knows who would appear.I would like to see the riddler the penguin and harley quinn.Save catwoman for another movie.I know a way that some villains could work in the next movie
1.Harley Quinn
While The Joker is in jail he meets a woman there.She falls in love with the joker and was always inspired by him so when they let her out of jail she starts killing and doing everything the joker tells her to do.
2.The riddler
We all know he will be in the movie
3.Killer croc
He can be a man who gets this sickness or something like that because of some injection and kills evryone to get a cure.I dont think he will appear though because of The lizard who will appear in Spiderman 4.
September 27, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I think the riddler and the penguin will be the villains
September 30, 2008 at 10:35 am
I think they should redo Mr. Freeze as he was in the comic books and the animated series. I really appreciate this villain. Since he was played so horrible in “Batman & Robin” he deserve another shot. Maybe not the 3rd movie, maybe in the 4th one.
October 19, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Paul Giamatti as penguin, but Phil Hoffman is good too.
Daniel Day-Lewis as new joker.
Tobin Bell as Mr. Freeze
but yea Nolan knows best lol.
October 20, 2008 at 2:23 am
@cade11 Paul Giamatti: YES!
Tobin Bell: No Mr. Freeze, please.
Daniel Day-Lewis: No way. No Joker Recast. Not for another 20 years, at least! Not to say its a bad suggestion. I just don’t want anybody to try to top, match, or change what Ledger did.
October 21, 2008 at 8:11 pm
True Ledger was the best joker ever and Tobin bell might be good for Mr. Freeze.
October 22, 2008 at 11:19 pm
i love the idea of catwomen, riddler, and deadshot.
at first, when i saw you had 4 villains, in my mind i though one thing… “OVERLOAD”. but if you think about it, it makes perfect sense.
Rachel is dead – Catwomen replaces her role as love interest with batman/bruce.
Joker is gone – Deadshot replaces him as the pure evil guy infront of the camera doing everything, getting all the attention.
Harvey/Two Face is dead – Riddler replaces him as the villain who comes in at the end.
Marroney is dead – You have the penguin replacing him as the mob boss, but i think BLACK MASK would make more sense.
b/c even though the 4 villains are all replacing characters from TDK, they all bring a lot of baggage. especially Catwomen, Riddler, and Penguin. Deadshot – not so much because he’s somewhat unknown, and i think the same would be for Black Mask.
I see the BM as a subtle mob character (like the previous ones) but sometimes takes matters into his own hands and goes out as black mask. i wouldn’t want them to ever refer to him as Black Mask in the movie. kind of like the way they did with Two Face.
anyways, very cool article. loved it. anything Nolan and Goyer do will most definitely be amazing.
as for the casting. leave that to the them too. people just make their decisions based on look or the way they’ve acted in other films.
who would’ve though Heath Ledger would’ve been the greatest Joker of all time?
us regular folk can’t tell who the next great villain is, although i don’t see how Nolan could do any wrong by casting Michael Emerson. he is so chilling in LOST.
perfect.
whatever, nothings going to happen for a few years probably. all we’re doing is torturing ourselves right now.
October 28, 2008 at 12:26 pm
CREO QUE PARA EL ACTUAL BATMAN QUEDARA PARA EL OLVIDO el pinguino YA QUE PARA LA ACTUALIDAD NO HAY UN NUEVO danny de vito QUE DE VIDA A ESTE PERSONAJE . Y seria tonto lanzar uno con el efecto de hacer enano al que no lo es.
October 29, 2008 at 2:20 am
I hope you guys do know that technically Hugh Jackman can not do any DC movies, he is contracted with marvel so he will not be deadshot. But i could see Clive Owens, as deadshot. hmm yeah definately.
October 29, 2008 at 2:50 am
Yeah Hugh Jackman would be a great rugged and perfectly charicteristic deadshot but it is impossible with his contract to marvel, he won’t touch a DC movie like batman!! but oh god i would love to and fully expect to see the riddler, i am actually a huge fan, and am the riddler for halloween this year, not 60’s TV riddler, i contemplated that, woulda been sweet too but its easier to go with my suit and bowler hat. As for an actor, definately someone more obscure, everyone says johnny depp i disagree. terrible idea. Back to deadshot, Clive owens works almost perfectly for that role.
October 31, 2008 at 1:59 am
To Steven Dea, they never said that Two-Face was dead, so there’s no reason why he couldn’t make a cameo in a future Batman film.
October 31, 2008 at 9:06 am
To Shawn: Actually when batman turned Harvey’s face, that was to show his neck is broken and he is dead. Then they showed the funeral scene where Gordon gave a eulogy. And if you look at the script (which I have) it specifically says Harvey brakes his neck and dies. So, unfortunately, Two-Face is Dunzo.
February 8, 2010 at 8:36 pm
even as the script says he died, batman turned his head to hide his burnt face. as scripts are constantly changed in creating movies, there is the possibility that they will change it. the funeral scene u talked about wasnt a funeral, it was a memorial, ergo u never saw the body. this shows that there are still posibilities to bring back 2face.
November 7, 2008 at 4:20 am
I’m glad you did this cause I was writing my own lol. Now I’ve never read “Hush” nor do I know much about the chracter, however I do know that he was once a childhood friend of Bruce’s. One of those spoiled bratsy kids he used to hang out with. Here’s the kicker.
Batman still hasn’t found favor with the people of Gotham. Seemingly random attacks from former inmates of Arkham have brought the city to their knees once more. At Racheal Dawes funeral, Bruce runs into an old friend. Tom Elliot. He says he’s going to be in town for a few months while buisness allows. He keeps close to Bruce. Meanwhile a brazilian mercenary known only as Bane is hired by Hush to destroy Batman. Bane agrees grudgingly. After coming up against Ban Batman is defeated after he powers up with his hyped steroids. Breaks Batman’s back and puts him out of commission. Hush, thinking Batman is dead pays Bane but he isn’t satisfied. Bane fights with Hush and ultimately Hush wins. Tom starts to notice Bruce isn’t around anymore. After which Tom figures out Bruce Wayne is Batman and Batman is not dead. Hush gets angry and goes out to find Bane instead of killing Bruce while he’s weak, giving him the time he needs to think of a plan to trap and capture both Hush and Bane. While Batman is still partially paralized, he defeats Hush and turns Bane’s own strength against him sending him to Arkham. Bruce Wayne heals and batman is free to stop the villains of Gotham again. Only to receive from police Commisioner Gordon a riddle give to the police specifically for the man who out witted Bane and Hush.
A nice mixture of both Hush and Knightfall. sorry about the length but I thoguht it was something worth sharing.
February 8, 2010 at 8:39 pm
nice idea except with bane. as bane is acctually a near genious y would he be a damned merc?
November 14, 2008 at 2:16 am
Firefly?
November 25, 2008 at 3:36 am
You are a god among men sir. You picked out 99% of what I would write the third installment as! Alpert as the Riddler! I’ve thought that for sooo long. Suggestion for Catwoman? Amber Moelter look it up brother. She’s a no name per-say who is already in charactor of Salina Kyle. I’m not sure who I would cast as the Penguin but I deffinetly agree with keeping the actor pick from the B list. Hugh Jackman as Deadshot!!!!!! PERFECT!!! A major actor to throw off the fact that he is the muscle working for the Riddler. Also helps with the fact that hardly any movie goers know the charactor of Deadshot. You have transended my exact thoughts into word without knowing who I am or conversing with me about it.
November 25, 2008 at 3:48 am
To Conrad 03: Shit, I totally forgot Jackmans doing Wolverine hahaha! Ok alternate (not Clive Owen) Josh Holloway. Sawyer from LOST. He’s got a simalarly rugged look to Hugh Jackman but is less known…which wouldn’t help Deadshots charactor getting attention but to hell with it. Maybe Clive Owen….but I’m liking Holloway alot. beef him up a bit and your good to go.
November 25, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I like most of what you said here (especially the Poison Ivy cameo) but I would humbly suggest that Paul Giamatti play the Penguin-I think he would be PERFECT!!!
November 30, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Happy Birthday
December 3, 2008 at 6:56 am
I know he won’t be in the next movie obviously because of Nolan’s vision of Batman, but it would be cool to see Jonathan Pryce play Mr. Freeze. I can easily hear Pryce’s voice behind Freeze’s helmet. Anyways I also thought that Black Mask is another interesting bad guy that you haven’t mentioned. I also thought that Crispin Glover could easily play the Riddler. He could be creepy as hell although not like Ledger. I would really appreciate to see Bane in the next movie. So far the Dark Knight didn’t have any physical challenges throughout the movies (okay, maybe a little bite against Ra’s)but i’d be cool to see his ass getting kicked by Bane. Although which actor could play him ? A big muscle guy with a strong dialect and intelligence ? Now that’s a challenge.
December 12, 2008 at 5:59 pm
To John: at first, when you said Crispin Glover, I couldn’t see “George McFly” as a sinister mastermind, but looking at him more closely, he would be a good cast.
Unfortunately, Hugh Jackman is out because of Marvel, but Clive Owen is an excellent action actor, and would make an excellent sniper villain. So to that idea I do commend this article.
I never had any idea about the Penguin or Catwoman’s origins, but now that you have pointed that out, as much as I enjoyed Tim Burton’s dark comic book adaptations, the only good thing I can enjoy about the movies now are Michael Keaton, and the villain actors. However, now that I’ve seen Ledger as the Joker, I find Nicholson’s portrayal amusing in comparison. As for the Schumaker movies, I’ve hated them from the beginning, and have fully understood why Keaton and Burton left when they did. Everything was too bright and flashy, and the dialogue was full of petty “where can I fit this into the script?” one-liners that made you roll your eyes at the writers’ and actors’ inability to make their characters believable/watchable. I absolutely hated BATMAN & ROBIN, especially Alicia Silverstone being cast as Batgirl. I hope Nolan keeps that character on the backburner, as well as Robin. With the exception of Jim Carrey as the Riddler, all of the characters in the third and fourth movies were miscast, ESPECIALLY Thurman as Ivy. Sorry for that long-winded rant, but I have pledged to never voluntarily watch the Schumaker films again. Although the attention to the story-line was there, his execution was poor. Why anyone signed him on to do the fourth one has me at a loss!
As for the potential castings, I cringed when someone mentioned Angelina Jolie as Catwoman OR Harley Quinn. I’m sorry, but I think Jolie needs to stick to video game adaptation movies, and leave the comic book movies to the experts. Either that, or she needs to gracefully decline, and spend more time with her “too many to count” kids. She could possibly do a cameo as Poison Ivy because of her plump lips, and her real-life venture of “saving the world”, but granting her a lot of screentime in a Nolan film would place him on the same path Schumaker took. As for Johnny Depp as the Riddler, I whole-heartedly disagree. Depp was genious as Jack Sparrow, and proved himself to be a good actor, but he still had a touch of good in him as that character, although his underlying motives were always self-serving. I could not picture the same man who played Tim Burton’s Willy Wonka as the Riddler. His adaptation would be too comical. I’ll grant him that he was well cast as Sweeney Todd, but I think the actors suggested in this article may be better suited.
Philip Seymour Hoffman would be excellent as the Penguin. He showed us exactly how deep he can play a character in Capote, and I’d like to see what he could do as Gotham’s next major Mob Boss.
As for what everyone else has echoed here, I don’t believe anyone can step up to the bar that Ledger set. After watching The Dark Knight, I felt myself mourning his loss, because we truly lost the perfect Joker. Everything from his voice, to his oral ticks, was geniously played, and I found myself quivering at his maniacal laugh. He was truly perfect for the role, and now we’ll never see him again. I truly hope that they do not bring Harley Quinn into the mix for that reason, unless of course Nolan has some way of working her into the mix, with Joker as an unseen role. I believe Natalie Portman would be the perfect cast. She’s small and agile, and is an excellent actress in my opinion. I believe she could pull of the acrobatic Joker-obsessed character.
But anyway, congrats to you on this article. It’s truly a great read, and also an eye opener to Nolan’s craft.
December 18, 2008 at 6:46 am
ok I don’t understand why this isn’t being mentioned and admittedly I don’t even remember the characters name but Ra’s Al Ghul’s daughter? hasn’t she made quite a few appearances in various versions of Batman comics? I thought Liam Neeson was great in the role, Ledger can’t return TT so why not Raz? I could see Riddler working for Ra’s as did Scarecrow but the two trying to stab eachother in the back I could also see both Ra’s daughter and Catwoman as accomplices of sorts…I don’t want Robin…I really don’t want Robin…someone told me today that they had heard Eddie Murphy was going to be the Riddler and Shia Le Beouf was going to be Robin……I really hope not I trust what Nolan decides regardless He is probably one of my favorite directors of all time but….I like your pic for the riddler thats who I have been suggesting to people too
December 31, 2008 at 2:47 am
no, zerah, tim burton got it right!
December 31, 2008 at 3:42 am
to “LOL” … What exactly did Burton get right? Because in my opinion, he blew it. Big time. I love Burton and all his movies, EXCEPT his 2 batman films. I hate him for ruining what could’ve been 2 bad ass batman movies. They were garbage.
January 10, 2009 at 10:28 am
When it comes to Selina Kyle/Catwoman, I’d love to see some of the relationship and interaction between both Bruce/Selina and Batman/Catwoman shown in “The Long Halloween” and “Dark Victory” by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. Were Nolan to use the character in the next sequel, it’s a good guess that he might do such a thing, considering his interest in using elements from “The Long Halloween” in both “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” already.
When it comes to a possible look for Catwoman in costume, I’m a fan of the work done on the more recent covers by Adam Hughes and find that the costume used in the last few years is both practical and easily adaptable to Nolan’s more believable take on the stories.
Lastly, when it comes to actual casting, Eva Green is my standout with Marion Cotillard following close at second and Angelina Jolie a distant but sensible third.
January 24, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I’ve been thinking about the third installment a lot too, and had a similar idea.
I think it would be interesting if Nolan decided to bring more focus on the Bruce Wayne identity versus the Cobblepot charactor (which I can’t think of anyone else but Philip Seymour Hoffman). Both would be very close to each other; meeting each other constantly at parties and business meetings. Both also very suspicious of each others hidden identity: Bruce Wayne as Batman, and Oswald Cobblepot as the underground crime boss nicknamed the Penguin. The Penguin would have a team of henchman, one of which would be Deadshot ( I thought of Guy Pearce).
I also thought about the Riddler (people are saying Johnny Depp, but I’m thinking of someone less well-known, like say Casey Affleck). The Riddler would not be so much as a main villian in this installment, but as a cowardly bystander or a deranged fan trying to find the true identity of Batman. Eventually he would aid the Penguin for his Bruce Wayne resources.
I thought Nolan should bring in Vicki Vale (which I thought of Rachel McAdam’s). Vicki Vale would be a Television Gossip reporter interested in Bruce Wayne’s Playboy lifestyle, and how he is handling his best friend’s death (Rachel Dawes). This would shaken Bruce’s ability to hide his double lifestyle, therefore sparking the Penguin’s and the Riddler’s suspicion.
I also thought Nolan should bring back Earle (from Batman Begins, Wayne’s ex-CEO). He would be the Penguin’s new assistant and informant, adding even more pressure on the Batman/Bruce Wayne character. This would also string all three movies together.
Anyways, I’m just blabbing ideas. I’m sure whatever Nolan will bring will blow us away.
January 27, 2009 at 4:54 am
Ok… I know you did a pretty comprehensive list here but I got to say Deadshot? Deadshot? I mean I’d rather see Onomatopeia vs. Nightwing then Deadshot. That’s like putting Taskmaster in a spidey movie. Casting pearls before swine. Riddler? Yes, Catwoman? Okay. Bane would be the next choice easily. If only as a “Professional” to take care of the bat. Hunting him down and Catwoman having to save him. Catwoman would flirt between bad and good and as always Riddler would be there to set off the master plan. The idea behind riddler is a hacker, a geek, someone who loves games and computers. But Deadshot? No… mention him in passing maybe while Cobblepot looks over hitmen. I always liked Black Mask too! He’d work in the Nolan verse. Why not him as the new crime boss. Or the red hood? But above all. in lew of Joker send in the other clown. Harley Quinn would be perfect as an instrument of vengeance against batman. Proof that anyone could snap and Quinn can be just as deadly as the Joker. A true anarchist that is also a psychologists pushing batman’s buttons like Joker essentially making anarchy for anarchy sake just like Mr. J. All Joker did was open her mind to the idea that life is a joke. Her obsession is a real psychosis and possibly dangerous to both batman and Joker. Hell, have them date. And Joker kidnap her. Stockholm syndrome just if your going to find a Joker (And don’t flame me on this.) but do it soon. Yes, Ledger was a good joker. Yes, he portrayed him excellently but Joker is the freakin antichrist to Batman to have him not there is just giving screen time to lesser villains. In all honesty if Ledger had died making any other film he would be mourned but not to this point. Because he played the Joker we mourn him. At least that is why I do. I could care less about brokeback mountain and Knight’s tale. Stupid movies if you ask me. So, he was a good joker. Big deal. The joker is too big a role for no man to play. Also bring Dent back. Next Batman movie in my opinion… Batman: No Man’s Land!
January 31, 2009 at 12:14 pm
For all I know this post could be long fricken dead and buried, but it came up in a GSI and I was captivated.
I disagree entirely about Ivy. I think she’d work perfectly, possibly better than Catwoman because she’s been done to death. (We all remember that Halley Berry monstrosity.) Sure, she’d need a few tweaks here and there, but it could be modernized enough to work well for the new movies. As for lack of motive – team her up with the Riddler or something, have them lie to her about saving the plants when the real motive is to kill everyone. Or even have her go on a rampage against Gotham’s technological network in order to ‘clense’ the city to he forst it once was.
Now, as for Harley Quin, I have an idea in my head – and not that I’m hoping it’ll get picked up, because it won’t. This is purely to illustrate my point. What if they just brought her in for revenge? The Joker has been killed by letal injection for all those murders, and Harley, who’s been covering for him in Singapore or New York or something, isn’t happy at all. Because of her co-dependancy on him,his death causes her to go effing batshit, and the mental trauma causes her to become obsessed with the idea of her late lover, donning the costume and the new name; and thus coming to Gotham for some vengance. Or something.
Also, Scarlett doesn’t need to be a good actress when she looks like that.
Anyway, not that anyone will care. I sound like a retarded fangirl right now. Sorry.
January 31, 2009 at 12:23 pm
And in reply to this:
“to “LOL” … What exactly did Burton get right? Because in my opinion, he blew it. Big time. I love Burton and all his movies, EXCEPT his 2 batman films. I hate him for ruining what could’ve been 2 bad ass batman movies. They were garbage.”
What the hell? Burton set the benchmark for the modern Batman. He gave it the dark, horrifying atmosphere, and outlandish colour schemes and everything. I have a feeling if it wasn’t for that ‘garbage’ we’d still be doing the Bat-too-sey ala Adam West.
OH! Just had a lightbulb moment in regards to previous post. What if Ivy and Harley teamed up? No, seriously. Harley, hellbent on previously mentioned obsession, wants vengance on batman, but can’t do it alone. Finds Ivy in a hospital ward (After she is hospitalised for the mutation that gives her gnarly abilities) and convinces her to help her (just like the Joker in the previous film, so once again, obsessed with him and his past exploits) but lies to her and says its so ’save the plants’ or whatever. Then we could even have some of the lovely Ivy and Harley friendship that I oh-so-enjoyed in the comics.
Ohhhkay, seriously going now.
February 7, 2009 at 2:27 am
Nice work with the BATMAN 3 villains article, but I seriously doubt any of us are going to accurately predict which villains will be used, how so and who will play them. ‘Won’t keep us from trying, though, just as I’ve done – http://www.geocities.com/batshadow. In short, it has to CONTINUE where the previous film left off, making the story dependent on certain factors, most notably that Batman would start out still a fugitive-by-choice, chased by the cops for Two-Face’s crimes. His motive was to keep the process of restoring hope alive, so presumably, people will likely at least believe that Gotham is safer and soon-to-be Batman-free. Therefore, at least initially, we’ve got opportunity for villainy to come from a place other than the streets and the typical mob as well as for Bruce Wayne to fight crime using resources directly to his Bruce Wayne persona in addition to or instead of as Batman. All of that makes the idea of Penguin as a mastermind (if not a mob boss) ideal. As for his physicality, Burton almost got it right, he just went too far. He could still be short, overweight and mildly deformed – more people are in reality than many may think. I, myself, have a congenital syndrome that comes with mild deformity which, by extension, also limits height. For many reasons, I can see a believable interpretation of Penguin that still isn’t too far from comic book origins. Visit the url for the rest of my idea which, I’m sure to Mr. James’ chagrin, includes reference to Victor Fries (though not necessarily “Mr. Freeze”…).
February 23, 2009 at 5:06 pm
I actually think the Mad Hatter would be the best choice if you wanted to get something close to the Joker as far as creepy terrifying psycho-ness. Imagine him remade as a homicidal pide-piper of sorts, possibly with pedophilic undertones. Inspired by both the scarecrow and jokers rampages, an otherwise run of the mill bad guy (maybe a child psychiatrist) goes nuts and starts abducting, brainwashing and or killing children (or their parents) in mass (always creepily whispering the Alice quotes). It’d be a step up in the dark and sick world Nolan has created. This would also be a great way to bring in robin, if they ever wanted to do that.
February 26, 2009 at 11:57 pm
I completely disagree with you on Mr. Freeze. Nolan has created a very dark, desperate, even humorless world for Batman. Which of the characters you discuss above best fits that bill? Mr. Freeze. Perhaps he’s a little sci fi than previous villains in the series, but it’s not like the Batman universe is particularly realistic.
Whether or not Mr. Freeze should be in the next series all depends on the plot. I think they should make the villains fit the script, not make the script fit the villains. I know that seems hard to do, but if they have an idea and browse the mythos to see which villain or villains work, then you will have a quality cinematic effort.
I also wouldn’t mind a throwaway bad guy for Batman to fight. One problem with super hero movies over the years is that it seems like they go from one major crisis to the next. Why can’t Batman spend a few minutes beating up a B-level villain without it being the focus of the entire movie? Think of it in the same vein as the Scarecrow in the second Nolan film.
February 27, 2009 at 9:49 am
@ChrisV82
Chris, I agree that Nolan has created a very dark desperate world. I also agree that Mr. Freeze fits that bill. However, you went on to say that the Batman universe is not particularly realistic. While that may be true to a degree in the comics, you’re completely missing the realism Nolan is going for in his Bat-Movies. His movies are Dark, Desperate, and REALISTIC. And Mr. Freeze just doesn’t fit that particular part.
I completely agree about the B level villains Batman needs to fight throughout the movie. But that goes without saying. Nolan has already been incorporating such characters in his Bat-films. Falcone and Mr. Zsaz in Batman Begins, Scarecrow and Marone in TDK. Etc.
February 28, 2009 at 9:31 pm
wow we are all nerds haha i love it…
awesome article & discussion but yea basically everythings been said so yea…
tobin bell would make a DOPE mr.freeze with that creepy SAW voice but like adrianjames said too cheesy/unreal
Crispin Glover as riddler works
phil hoffman as penguin deff works
scralett as Ivy with the same effects they did on Rebecca Romijn in Xmen but green of course would be freakin sweet!!!
Batman No mans land as the next movie is too good to be true just because of the size of something like that and yea Joker should be in it
it would cool to see little stuff like mentioning dick grayson and or oracle/huntress but hopefully no major stuff with them
also i love the idea of the scarface puppet he was so complex/random u gotta love a schizo ventriloquist maybe played by jeff dunham haha he would do it perfect but yea WAY to unnecessary
o yea… the idea of joker bein locked up and Riddler/Penguin bein main antagonists to me makes perfect sense because those too gotta be top 5 villians i.e. joker is NO.1 always but yea if you include those 2 with cameos by B-list villains combined with Nolans visionary prowess you have a movie that is either as good as TDK if not better but yea…doubt it
regarding ledgers joker, while i do believe that a character of that magnitude shouldnt be decommissioned jus cuz heath was incredible i believe the bar has been raised rediculously high and no other man for at least 20yrs or so should/could walk a mile in his heaths shoes…who would even want too????
March 10, 2009 at 8:34 pm
How about Jason Statham as Deadshot.
April 2, 2009 at 8:06 pm
scarlett johannsen could suck the cock right aff me
April 2, 2009 at 8:07 pm
and i thought shia lebeouf was gonna play robin with eddie murphy the riddler..??
April 4, 2009 at 1:47 am
Riddler: YES, as mastermind. I LOVE PUZZLES! And it would keep excitement in the air the whole movie because you never know what he will do next!
Bane: YES, As long as he is smart, but then again, i am not too familiar with this guy.
Deadshot: COOLEST CHARACTER EVER, no i mean ice cold. Like never gets his heart rate over 95 type cool. Jackman in Shoot ‘em up type cool.
Killer Croc: Nice muscle, but no, doesn’t have a cool enough background or motive.
Poison Ivy: Just no
Freeze: again, Just no
Catwoman: No, That would be spiderman 3 all over again, too much girl trouble, too much drama and you get a movie tiresome to watch, so. Yes she would be in the way and make things hard for batman, he just isn’t on the right stage of emo- and alonessism for girl trouble.
The Penguin: Yes, as the new Marroney.
Clayface: Might work if ya’ll make him cool and calm
I like the 3 second The Ventriloquist and Scarface bit
I propose: Riddler and Bane and someone…
April 4, 2009 at 1:49 am
NO ROBIN
JASON STATHAM AS AN ICE-COLD DEADSHOT
I APPROVE!
April 4, 2009 at 1:52 am
This is the real catwoman btw
http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs26/f/2008/042/f/a/catwoman_streetwise_by_anjinanhut.jpg
April 23, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Ok, i believe the majority of what has been said on here is true. The world Nolan has created is very realistic compared to some of the more fantastic things that happen in the comics. Yet even though it is realistic the villians can be altered (not major alterations mind you) to be more real…
Villians who could be altered:
Mr Freeze: I believe his storyline and character is great. The Governator butchered it and I think that is still fresh in everyone’s mind. But, he could be altered in a way that doesn’t necessarily take away from the comic or cartoon versions of him, but also give him a realistic feel in Nolan’s world. He uses his ice and cold theme still, but in the movie forget about ice guns and fishbowls…but rather the use of liquid nitrogen. This is a technology that used now and is in fact REAL. This guy is an expert in the field of cryogenics…I’m sure he has heard of liquid nitrogen and there’s some around the lab. He could use a suit, but not to refrigerate himself but rather as a conduit for the liquid nitrogen, and protects himself from it and other dangers (Ex: Batman). Lose the super strength aspect of suit, and keep the whole “cold” personality along with wife storyline. Also lose cheesy lines, this guy is a tragic and tormented person.
Clayface: Ok so we know Harvey Dent is dead but what if Aaron Eckhart is still in the next movie? How, bring him back as Clayface. Harvey seems to be back from the dead but it’s really Clayface. This version has to be more real so instead of shape-shifting, how about use the name “Clayface” literally. He could be a sculptor who adds a clay-like to his face who then sculpts it into a new face. Although I’m not very familiar with Clayface I do like the character, and I believe it could be a big twist in the storyline.
Killer Croc: Maybe. He could maybe be someone Batman fights at the beginning like Scarcrow was in TDK. He’s a little tougher to make realistic, he’s kind of too mutated and if you don’t mutate him enough you lose the character. The whole reason he hates humanity is because of the way he was treated because of his condition…
Penguin: Not deformed, circus freak, who lives in sewers with penguins… But taking over a mob boss position and using the Iceberg Lounge as a front for his criminal activites could work. Though he isn’t a main villian. Like in Long Halloween/Dark Victory he should be used as an informant Batman can go to and rough up…
Black Mask: Mob boss as well, could work, don’t know too mauch about.
Hush: Probably not, if they’re going to use the Hush storyline they should make the entire movie like the comics… It was such a good story, they;d have to use unrealistic people…just read it if you haven’t you’ll understand…
Riddler: Great, most probable villian. He should be in it, could come off as a small villian, not much of a match. But could actually be the mastermind behind it all. Could there be a connection to Coleman Reese…I don’t know possible though. (Not saying Coleman Reese is the Riddler, just saying there may be a connection there.)
Catwoman: Should definitely be in it. Series needs a strong female presence, considering events of TDK. And Antei69, you said “Catwoman: No, That would be spiderman 3 all over again, too much girl trouble, too much drama and you get a movie tiresome to watch, so. Yes she would be in the way and make things hard for batman, he just isn’t on the right stage of emo- and alonessism for girl trouble.” Sorry but do you know Catwoman…she is definitely a girl who can take care of herself. Take the Catwoman from Long Halloween and it’s golden…
Deadshot: Maybe. He’s believeable but just not one of my favorites…don’t know too much on him. Could be interesting though.
Ok I’m done…wow sorry guys haha went a little overboard. I have a lot of ideas for this movie…
April 30, 2009 at 6:16 am
I definitely disagree that Mr. Freeze couldn’t be used for the upcoming Batman movie. As far as I know, he’s not a villain in the first place : he’s just working on cryogenic stuff in order to one day be able to “resurrect” his wife. His whole life is centered around his wife. But another villain turn her in a reason to make him commit crimes (whether it’s by kidnapping her, threatening to “unplug” her, whatever). Mr. Freeze is not about the Schwarzie character who just wants to see the whole world turn to ice. That’s about a man who is so desperately in love that everything he does is centered around the idea of being able to save his wife regardless of the consequences. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but he feels forced to do so. I see in Mr. Freeze a perfect villain if his psychology is portrayed cleverly enough.
April 30, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I totally understand what you’re saying and I agree that Mr. Freeze’s back story is a tragic one that would fit well into the Batman Movie Universe.
The problem with Mr. Freeze is not the motivation behind his character. The problem is the character himself. He’s a threat to Batman because he has a gun that freezes everything it’s fired at. This comes across on the screen as campy, goofy, cheesy, etc. Its unbelievable and unrealistic, and it is that aspect of him that doesn’t fit into the VERY realistic Batman Universe that director Nolan has created.
May 2, 2009 at 11:43 am
Your idea for Clayface sounds cool. And you’re right about poor Harley…
I think that Victor Zsasz could make a fine addition… well, he’s already appeared in Batman Begins.
June 4, 2009 at 1:04 am
What about Hush as the villian?
June 12, 2009 at 12:58 am
dude id love 2 c the riddler and bane.those r the only 2 i can actually think that would realy work.idk much about b-man so i dont know his villians.
June 20, 2009 at 1:30 am
Actually…Dr. Freeze CAN be in Nolan’s next Batman picture. Here is my following setup for Freeze in the next Batman Movie:
Lucius Fox quits Wayne Enterpries,and works full time on his side project of designing equipment for soliders(i.e.,like the kind he developed for his former employer;yet,with a twist).
Fox teams up with an expert on liquid nitrogen,Dr. Victor Vaughn(Not many people are going to have a last name like,”Frieze”). They combine their talents to create a suit that combines the best of,”the bat suit”,with the one that works like the bodysuit from the movie,”DUNE”(i.e.,an bulletproof.flexiable, outer layer that has an inner,layer that can be filled with simple 90% alcohol;while having an built in back pack filled with dry ice pellets. An internal line from the alcohol layer and one from the dry ice pellet comes out from either the left,or right wrist. A gun with quick attachment/release forces the two separate items out of the suit and forces out/combines the two together after leaving the gun;thus,producing liquid nitrogen–think flame thrower. Also,if the wearer of the suit is in hand to hand combat,the wearer can use voice command to release the two items out of the many pores throughout the suit,thereby freezing the person/persons who makes contact with them).
Fox picks Dr. Vaughn as his partner not only because of his skills as an expert on liquid nitrogen;but,because he reminds him of Bruce(a person who overcame a major crisis in his life–he’s albino–;who used his stay at the Naval Academy and life as an member of the Navy SEALs to sharpen his mind and body). However,Lucius is bothered over the fact that Dr. Vaughan’s personality is so distant and cold that Fox jokingly calls him,” Victor Vaughan Freeze”;or,”Mr. Freeze”,for short.
Meanwhile,behind Fox’s back,Eric,in an attempt to raise extra cash to bankroll an operation to save the only person who has loved him for him,Nora, her cuts a deal with Lucius’s former boss at Wayne Enterpries. He will give him the money only if he can prove the suit is worthy by killing Batman.
…I could go on;however,I think we get my point. Dr. Freeze could work in the next Batman movie as the next great bad guy.
Also,it would be nice if Catwoman was played by Hillary Swank. A hot,fit,intelligent actress. A perfect fit for the movie.
And of course,C. Philip Hoffman as Cobblepot.
June 24, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Great discussion. I would love to see Riddler as the main villain (Michael Emerson is a GREAT choice and would fit perfectly into the “Nolanverse”, with a couple of henchmen that he can manipulate that will provide the main action elements, and Catwoman as a thief/love-interest/anti-hero that isn’t necessarily an action heroine. I would LOVE for Eva Green to be cast in that role. Yes, she was already in one re-boot series, but if you can get past that I think she’s perfect. She’s got the acting chops for it, she’s an appropriate age, and she looks the part.
June 27, 2009 at 10:10 am
Wow, interesting comments here..
I still think Riddler would be the villain of choice, alongside the new mob boss (Penguin?) and a nobody that gets his ass kicked by BATMAN early on (Deadshot?Clayface?)
As for casting goes, Clive Owen as Deadshot (to bad if he gets his ass kicked, right. I mean, that is a high class actor, and must cost a fortune!) and I am a strong believer in Danny DeVito’s mob-looks and small hight. Philip Hoffman would be great too. I liked the idea of Clayface posing as Harvey Dent,i mean, it could happen, right?
Everybody keeps saying Mr. Freeze but i think that is to predictable, you cant have any fun with that character, his story is rock-solid and his motive is such you can’t really pull him into the plot of a whole movie. Unless ofcourse you make someone (Penguin/Riddler) to blame BATMAN for his wife’s condition or something, making him a BATMAN villain. But again its to predictable. “See post 41″
Well, when I think about it, CATWOMAN could work. But that is going to be ALOT of work for the script-writers. If you don’t get her just right, you get her WRONG! I somehow cant see would fit into the movie. Batman meets her on one of his patrols as shhe is stealing something shiny. They have a magical moment after a hot action chase. She leaves and then what? She could be in the movie but i dont think she would be a part of the storyline. Just a character on the side we would all love to see. Just to make BATMAN’S life a pit more complicated, not necessarily the who storyline.
Benjamin Lopez, you say Zsasz already appeared. WHERE? He would make a great henchman!
2 characters that i would like to sea APPEAR in the movie but not take part in it. I would very much love a few frame shot of HARLEY, she has to be here somewhere, right? Check Deviantart for possible NOLANVERSE-looks.
SCARFACE, just a in a middle of a long shot through ARKHAM the camera pans into this little cell where THE VENTRILOQUIST and SCARFACE sit arguing. This wimpy little man just gets word-raped by his puppet xD
Keep discussing