RIDDLER
Johnny Depp-I don’t like it at all. Sorry, but I’m just so sick of Depp playing these loner,
misfit freaks that I cringed when I heard his name mentioned as a serious possibility. I’m hoping that out of some warped loyalty to Burton he’ll turndown the role if he’s offered it. I’d just rather see another actor get a shot at this. Of course now that I said that I’m sure we’ll be hearing that Depp has been cast as The Riddler any day now. The silver lining here is that I had a similarly negative reaction to the casting of Ledger.Robin Williams-What is this, 1995? Williams already lost this role to Carrey. Although Nolan did get a great, dark villainous turn out of Williams in Insomnia. Something to consider.
Jim Carrey-Out of all the possibilities of bringing someone back from a previous Batman installment this one is least likely to end in disaster. It could be interesting to see what Carrey could do with what’s sure to be Nolan’s much darker, more serious Riddler. Almost guaranteed better results than The Number 23. Still, this shouldn’t be done. Why remind people of Schumacher’s failed films?
Michael Emerson-Lost’s Benjamin Linus is the single greatest villain on television today, if not in the past decade. His performance this season resuscitated that show and if you think about it he’s already playing The Riddler on that series. It’s the exact direction Nolan’s version should take. But for fans of the show will this make the movie seem like just another episode? Furthermore, would those unfamiliar with him be willing to accept an unknown in such an important role?
Michael C. Hall-Yes! The star of TV’s Dexter would make the ideal cerebral assassin to
match Bale’s Batman. The list of actors who can play Riddler is short mainly because we don’t have a clue where Nolan could go with the character. With Hall in the role we suddenly get a much clearer picture…and I like it what I’m seeing.David Tennant-I don’t have a clue who this guy is but I heard he stars Doctor Who and is campaigning hard for the role. He’s been mentioned by everyone as a possibility. If anyone knows more about him please let me know. I have no idea so I can’t comment on his suitability.
Guy Pearce-I’m sure he’s only been mentioned because he starred in Nolan’s Memento, but Nolan isn’t like a P.T. Anderson who uses the same troupe of actors over again. He’d do a good job, but isn’t the best choice. Plus, what’s he gonna do, tattoo question marks and riddles all over himself?
Edward Norton-This can’t happen for a number of reasons such as the fact Norton is widely regarded as a pain in the ass to work with. Could you imagine the creative clashes between him and Nolan? Also, I’m sure Norton has sworn off superhero films after his horrible post-production experience on The Incredible Hulk. But we’re speculating on suitability not probability and Norton would knock it out of the park.
Ben Foster-This is a write-in pick I came up with and I’m shocked it hasn’t been brought up.
Imagine the results if he brings the same kind of intensity to The Riddler that he did to his roles in Alpha Dog and 3:10 to Yuma. If the character is to be re-imagined as a complete raving psychotic Foster is the best man for the job.Kevin Spacey-If you told me this choice 5-10 years ago I would have been completely on board. Now I laugh. He’s become a parody of himself with his villainous roles and helped drag down Superman Returns (as if needed to be dragged down further). I’d love to see him turn things around but we shouldn’t risk it here. His name on a picture nearly guarantees a creative flop these days. What a shame.
Crispin Glover- Consider this a joint pick for both Riddler and Joker since he was rumored for both for years and even actively campaigned for the latter before it went to Ledger. Just see Willard and try to tell me this guy wouldn’t make a sick, twisted, creepy Riddler. I guarantee you he’s at least on Nolan’s radar right now. And what a great comeback this could be.
Paul Bettany-Already has experience playing a creepy, sick villain in The DaVinci Code. If
Nolan wants to go in that direction he’s a good choice and is one of the most physically imposing actors on this list.David Hyde Pierce-Niles Crane as The Riddler? He’s only made everyone’s list because he bares a physical resemblance to the animated version but that’s beside the point. He does have a strong dramatic and theater background so the pick isn’t as silly as it looks, but it’s still really silly.
John Malkovich- We pretty much know exactly how this would turn out: Fine, but nothing special. If it were the ‘90’s and Malkovich still had some sadistic surprises left in him he’d be a candidate for a Burton or Schumacher installment. That time has passed and we need a fresher take.
Orlando Bloom- A few years ago I thought Orlando Bloom and Heath Ledger were interchangeable as actors. How wrong I was. Could Nolan work a similar miracle with Bloom? It's just the kind of casting stunt Nolan would pull.
Casey Affleck-Interesting. After his terrific work in ’07 I feel a lot better giving him a shot at it, but I’d still have serious reservations. He’s just starting to find his footing and may not have the screen presence yet to pull this off. We have to believe this madman is threatening human lives. We could make The Riddler low-key and intellectual but Affleck might be too low-key and intellectual.
William Fichtner-Remember the opening of The Dark Knight? Why it was so great. A lot of
that had to do with this well-traveled character actor’s performance as the bank manager who took a stand. His character may or may not have died. We don’t know. If Nolan wants storyline continuity and the opportunity to give a deserving actor a promotion this is a great way to do it. Fichtner’s a criminally underrated performer capable of pulling off a transformation reminiscent of Eckhart’s Harvey Dent. Anyone familiar with this guy’s work through the years knows this choice has some serious weight behind it.Anthony Michael Hall-While we’re at it let’s cast Judd Nelson as Mr. Freeze and Molly Ringwald as Poison Ivy. No, seriously Hall’s a good actor but his role as a TV interviewer in The Dark Knight was just a throwaway cameo that people are looking too far into. There’s really nothing on his resume that suggests he deserves a shot at this. He should consider it an honor he’s even being mentioned as a serious candidate in some circles.
Ed Harris-Actually somewhat physically resembles the original Riddler from the '60's
televsion series, Frank Gorshin, but wouldn't bring the same silliness to the role. Despite playing a bunch of villains throughout his career I can't recall a time he was ever allowed to really cut loose. Nolan would give that to him. My only worry is he might be too dry to play such a larger than life character.Geoffrey Rush-An underrated, overlooked choice who can play crazy and evil with the best of them. He's even gotten Oscar nominations for doing both separately so this would give him a chance to accentuate both those strengths at once. Tackling a scheming criminal mastermind would be a piece of cake for him and I could even picture him in a green suit (but hopefully it doesn't come to that).
Jude Law-Almost worked with Nolan once before on The Prestige until David O. Russell put Nolan in a headlock and forced him to let Law out of his contract so he could make I Heart Huckabees. Ironically, it’s his work that film that makes me think he could do this. Also looks the part.
My Pick: Michael Emerson
The presence appearance of Lost’s Nestor Carbonell as Mayor Garcia in The Dark Knight would
lead one to believe someone with pull at Warner Bros. is watching the show. If that’s true then there’s a better chance than you think that Emerson’s name will come up at some point for this role. I have to remember I’m casting Nolan’s film not mine but this is a case where my personal favorite choice really is the right one for this sequel.Unlike Catwoman I think it would help if The Riddler were older and more experienced than Batman so he can always remain a few steps ahead. He needs to be more of a psychological threat than a physical one and a true sociopath. He has to be believable as a genius while at the same time giving off a truly creepy and unnerving vibe, something Emerson specializes in. He looks like that strange man who lives down the street who you’re not quite sure about and it’s that degree of realism that makes him a perfect fit for Riddler. Just look at this guy. I’d even believe his name is Edward E. Nigma.
If you watch Lost you already know he can do it but even if you don’t he’d have you sold the second he appears onscreen. He’s gone untested in a big budget mainstream films, but he has more experience doing this kind of thing than just about anyone. After Ledger’s Joker you need as little drop off as possible for the lead male villain and Emerson would insure that. He's the only actor on here who I KNOW can do it. Having said that, casting Riddler is so difficult that I'd be forced to go in open minded whoever Nolan chooses. There's no question this character and Catwoman would be the strongest choices for villains in the next installment and carry the most creative potential.
JOKER
Mark Hamill-The voice of The Joker in the animated series was a serious contender (at least
in the fans’ minds) for The Dark Knight. It’s been suggested that the sequel should be The Dark Knight Returns and take place 10 years later. If that’s the case no one but Mark Hamill should play him. That’s a big IF though. It sure would be great to finally see him in a meaningful role again. I was always curious what he was capable of outside of Skywalker.Johnny Depp- Here we go again. Is already replacing Ledger in that Imaginary whatever it is directed by Terry Gilliam. I hate the word “replacing” though. Depp’s a great actor but I think he’s massively overpraised. Between being rumored for this role, The Riddler and appearing as The Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s upcoming Alice in Wonderland I have to ask this question: When will this guy stretch a little bit. I think he’s slightly better for Joker than Riddler but it’s still an unequivocal “NO.” A small part of me thinks it could work, but that’s more a testament to Nolan than Depp.
Daniel Day-Lewis-This is out of left field but strangely it’s fitting because The Dark Knight
does remind me a lot of There Will Be Blood. I’m not sure why exactly but it does. I think people have suggested this mainly because Lewis can do anything. Who am I to argue? They’re right. But I think I’d rather have him show up in Gotham City as Daniel Plainview than The Joker.Robert Downey Jr.-Speaking of actors who can do anything. He’s probably going to be tied up with the Ironman sequel and a bunch of other things at the moment but he could step in and own this. Would you turn this guy down for ANY role? I wouldn’t.
Brad Pitt-I'm not sure why but for some reason I can kind of picture this. On paper it looks like a safer bet than Ledger did, but that could be precisely the reason it may not work. Of all the huge A-list stars he has proven over time to be among the most dedicated to his craft and unafraid of fully immersing himself in any role. There are actually a lot of similarities between him and Ledger as both worked hard to conquer inaccurate perceptions of their talents. It's a gamble, but a better gamble than some others.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt-What a compliment that he could step in for Ledger and not only
would very few have a problem with it, the move would likely be highly praised. The best actor of his generation and he hasn’t even come close to his peak yet. That’s why I think it’s important that he continue to blaze his own trail, rather than have Ledger’s shadow follow him. I’d rather not mess with greatness and have him continue doing what he’s doing. But if we MUST, he might be the only actor I’d trust to pull it off. Can’t wait to see what he does with Cobra Commander by the way.Michael Pitt-A similar pick to Levitt in that he’s an up and coming actor making risky choices and his role in Funny Games is proof positive he can mine the depths of evil when necessary. Much to my surprise, this possibility hasn’t really been discussed by anyone. He could easily do this.
Leonardo DiCaprio- He's due for a darker role and what better one to prove to the world he's at the top of his game than to step into Ledger's shoes and knock it out of the park. This part combines the artistic credibility and mainstream appeal that has been a hallmark of his career. Yeah I know, I'm really reaching here. I can't see this happening.
My Pick: No One
We need at least a one film break from The Joker, if not longer. To suggest it would be disrespectful to Ledger’s memory to have someone else play the role it is completely absurd, but it would be disrespectful to whoever tackles it to have his shadow hanging over them. Years down the line if they want to revisit the character I’d encourage it but we should let this rest for a while, and I think Nolan will. Plus, what more is there to do with him in this series? It’s time to move on to new villains. We already got our Joker.
POISON IVY
Runners-up: Isla Fisher, Cate Blanchett, Bryce Dallas Howard, Julianne Moore, Amy Adams
My Pick: Christina Hendricks
I was having huge problems casting this one and was about ready to give up. Honestly I think
that’s because the character is weak and extremely difficult to translate to the screen (and this is coming from someone who enjoyed Uma Thurman’s performance in Batman and Robin, as silly as it was). I’d say there’s little to no chance of Poison Ivy appearing in the next film but I’d still give her much better odds than Mr. Freeze. I didn’t consciously try to pick a virtual unknown but it just happened and may work out better because the wounds are still so fresh from Schumacher’s film that a big star could bring back painful memories.The actresses I strongly considered above are all great and you’d hear no complaints from me if any of them were chosen. The problem is a couple haven't proven they can radiate strength and power (at least at the level necessary for this role) and the two that can just wouldn’t feel right opposite Bale. That’s why I picked Christina Hendricks from TV’s Emmy nominated Mad Men. She has just the right mix of sexiness, mysteriousness and confidence that would work. You’d have to combine a bunch of different actresses to get someone better for this. In what little I’ve seen of her Nolan could take a chance on this problematic character and feel safe with Hendricks playing her. Or more accurately, not feel safe, which is what we should be going for.
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