The Dark Knight Rises

[Jumble Cashback]

These are just rumours and they're pretty catch-all since they basically encompass all the hot, A-List actresses in Hollywood right now that are the right age and aren't already ascribed to other Super-hero fanchises.  Nolan will never cast Nightley.  At least, I really hope he wouldn't.

[lipsink]

That's a pretty bland, predictable list (especially if they are for Catwoman, she should really be an unknown). It's like when people wanted Sean Penn to be the Joker and Johnny Depp to be the Riddler. Fine if they aren't for her though I suppose.

[Ja'moke]

He's casting for two lead roles, one is supposedly a new love interest for Bruce Wayne (I accidentally typed Brucey Wayne at first, which made me laugh), and the other is a villain, most likely Catwoman. Watts and Weisz are older than all those others named, which makes me think those two are up for one of the roles, whereas the other four are battling out for the second role.

Natalie Portman and Blake Lively are tied to other super-hero movies, Portman with Thor, and Lively with Green Lantern, I think that should rule them out. Keira Knightly is surely too bland to portray Catwoman, although I guess she could play a predictable Wayne love interest. That leaves Anne Hathaway.

I would like to see a more unexpected choice though, Ledger and Eckhart weren't exactly the first names to spring to mind when you thought of Joker and Twoface.

[Famous Mortimer]

I'd like to think Nolan would realise he could hire a plate of chips to play the love interest and it'd still make a billion dollars, so decides to pick someone interesting and not just Keira fucking Knightley.

[AsparagusTrevor]

I'm baffled by Keira Knightly's continued career. Please not her!

[El Unicornio, mang]

She was pretty good in Atonement at least

[boxofslice]

Nolan's not going to do a Catwoman story is he?  I hope that's just internet blabber.

[lipsink]

I reckon it would be a pretty good way to go. Completely different dynamic to the first 2 films and plus there's a space for a female lead after they killed off the last one.

[Ja'moke]

I think to follow Joker they'll want a big, well-known villain, and Catwoman is the most obvious choice, plus she's not really a 'true villain', so you can still have some lesser knowns to play the other baddies. And Catwoman is a character that can be portrayed 'realistically' in Nolan's universe.

I think Hardy might, and should, play Hush.

[Santa's Boyfriend]

I'm baffled by Keira Knightly's continued career. Please not her!

She's the closest thing there is to a living skeleton that can act.  I'm quite surprised Tim Burton hasn't done anything with her.

[AsparagusTrevor]

Frank Langella already played an unbeatable Skeletor though, thus she has no purpose.

[Mister Six]

If he's going to hire a skinny English woman then he could at least hire Rachel Weisz, who has the advantage of being interesting to watch. But as someone said above, this looks more like a desperate journo gathering up all the hot 25-to-35-year-old women in Hollywood to fill a half-page of paper. I'm just surprised Scarlett Johansson hasn't been included.

[AsparagusTrevor]

Who the fuck's Blake Lively by the way?

[lipsink]

I think to follow Joker they'll want a big, well-known villain, and Catwoman is the most obvious choice, plus she's not really a 'true villain', so you can still have some lesser knowns to play the other baddies. And Catwoman is a character that can be portrayed 'realistically' in Nolan's universe.

I think Hardy might, and should, play Hush.

Nolan might though make the bold step of not actually having a big villain. The film could be about the Cops V Batman with Hardy as Harvey Bullock, a corrupt cop or particularly vicious cop intent on hunting down Batman. Catwoman could be thrown in as a complication. But then I'd like to see all the criminals be 'freaks' and not just the mob again.

[Ja'moke]

If he's going to hire a skinny English woman then he could at least hire Rachel Weisz, who has the advantage of being interesting to watch. But as someone said above, this looks more like a desperate journo gathering up all the hot 25-to-35-year-old women in Hollywood to fill a half-page of paper. I'm just surprised Scarlett Johansson hasn't been included.

It does look like that, and its what I'm hoping, but Deadline are usually fairly reliable, I believe they were the ones to first break the Tom Hardy news.

Who the fuck's Blake Lively by the way?

An awfully attractive actress. Sorry, that should be: an awful, attractive actress. She was in The Town.

Nolan might though make the bold step of not actually having a big villain. The film could be about the Cops V Batman with Hardy as Harvey Bullock, a corrupt cop or particularly vicious cop intent on hunting down Batman. Catwoman could be thrown in as a complication. But then I'd like to see all the criminals be 'freaks' and not just the mob again.

He could do but I highly doubt it. I know the film is going to be a box-office smash no matter what he does, but I'm sure he wants as many people to enjoy the film as possible, and I just can't see a Cops v Batman storyline holding much interest for a full movie. They did hint towards the end of The Dark Knight that more 'freaks' would emerge.

[Jones The Bond]

Villains? Much as I hate to say it I reckon Catwoman is a shoo in as it will continue what they are doing with Batman's character. He didn't understand The Joker because he was a force of nature. He won't know how to deal with Catwoman because of the whole attraction angle and he can't just beat her up. I also reckon we will see the return of Two Face. Especially with that title. It implies that the people of Gotham will learn what Dent has become and thereby embrace Batman as their protector and he will be given the proper hero status. Dark Knight Rises.

I have to say, while we're on this as much as I love what Nolan's done, I think the realistic aesthetic he;s gone for limits what he can do in terms of villains. I'd love to see a proper Riddler story as there's great potential there. But that won't happen now.

He won't use Mr Freeze or Bane or Killer Croc (way too far fetched) and they can't reuse Joker now.

Another point to make here,  I srot of prefer Burton's versions.

I mean Burton took the time to build Gotham City on a soundstage, it was nearly all a set. There was Gotham. Nolan went out and filmed Chicago and put a Gotham City sticker on it. Subsequently Inception ended up looking like The Dark Knight, and it made me lose credit with Inception, when that should have been directed at The Dark Knight.

[AsparagusTrevor]

People are gonna see this no matter what, the audience is built already, so I'd like to see him take a chance on some lesser known villains, avoiding the ones done in the Burton/Schumacher series of films. Going with the 'realistic' angle, someone like Victor Zsasz or Calendar Man would work, no?

[Ja'moke]

Villains? Much as I hate to say it I reckon Catwoman is a shoo in as it will continue what they are doing with Batman's character. He didn't understand The Joker because he was a force of nature. He won't know how to deal with Catwoman because of the whole attraction angle and he can't just beat her up. I also reckon we will see the return of Two Face. Especially with that title. It implies that the people of Gotham will learn what Dent has become and thereby embrace Batman as their protector and he will be given the proper hero status. Dark Knight Rises.

Spoiler alert

Harvey Dent died in The Dark Knight, that was confirmed, and Aaron Eckhart has said he isn't involved in The Dark Knight Rises.

[close]

People are gonna see this no matter what, the audience is built already, so I'd like to see him take a chance on some lesser known villains, avoiding the ones done in the Burton/Schumacher series of films. Going with the 'realistic' angle, someone like Victor Zsasz or Calendar Man would work, no?

I'm thinking Black Mask or Hush could work. Harley Quinn is the one I've always wanted to see, and could easily be done in Nolan's universe, but she won't really work without the Joker, which is a massive shame.

[mycroft]

He won't use Mr Freeze or Bane or Killer Croc (way too far fetched)

They could potentially use Croc (and it's been rumoured), as he's sometimes portrayed in the comics as just a massive African-American guy - his condition only really showing through his sharp teeth and green tint to his skin - with a taste for human flesh. Mind you, a cannibalistic black character probably wouldn't sit well.

[AsparagusTrevor]

I'm thinking Black Mask or Hush could work. Harley Quinn is the one I've always wanted to see, and could easily be done in Nolan's universe, but she won't really work without the Joker, which is a massive shame.

If they wanted to keep the Joker's story going, Harley Quinn could be used as an extension of him, keeping the Joker off-screen or in the background maybe.

[Ja'moke]

If they wanted to keep the Joker's story going, Harley Quinn could be used as an extension of him, keeping the Joker off-screen or in the background maybe.

Yeah, I think it could be done, but the relationship between Harley and Joker would have been the main draw, and obviously we can't have that, unless Joker is recast, which won't happen. We'll probably have to wait for another few years for a proper Joker/Harley Quinn story, when someone else adapts Batman.

[Jones The Bond]

Spoiler alert

Harvey Dent died in The Dark Knight, that was confirmed, and Aaron Eckhart has said he isn't involved in The Dark Knight Rises.

[close]

Spoiler alert

I haven't seen Aaron Eckhart give a definitive comment on it, as from what's been reported, the plan was to bring back Joker and they won't do that now and there have been suggestions they could bring Eckhart back and they'd find a way around it, because we never saw the body and the whole funeral could have just been a side show.  Maybe you've read something I haven't, but I still think that it could potentially happen.

[close]

They could potentially use Croc (and it's been rumoured), as he's sometimes portrayed in the comics as just a massive African-American guy - his condition only really showing through his sharp teeth and green tint to his skin - with a taste for human flesh. Mind you, a cannibalistic black character probably wouldn't sit well.

Ah I didn't know that! I suppose from that regard they could use Bane then, probably without the whole Venom angle though. 

[Mister Six]

People are gonna see this no matter what, the audience is built already, so I'd like to see him take a chance on some lesser known villains, avoiding the ones done in the Burton/Schumacher series of films. Going with the 'realistic' angle, someone like Victor Zsasz or Calendar Man would work, no?

Zsasz was already in Batman Begins, albeit in more of a cameo situation. Not sure he could sustain an entire movie though. Batman vs a serial killer is a bit shit after The Joker, surely?

(Actually I always thought Zsasz was fucking rubbish. The Joker's already got the serial killer thing down and he's Batman's main baddie! How's some nob with a knife supposed to compete with that?)

[Feralkid]

Another point to make here,  I srot of prefer Burton's versions.

I mean Burton took the time to build Gotham City on a soundstage, it was nearly all a set. There was Gotham. Nolan went out and filmed Chicago and put a Gotham City sticker on it. Subsequently Inception ended up looking like The Dark Knight, and it made me lose credit with Inception, when that should have been directed at The Dark Knight.

There's plenty of soundstage stuff in Nolan's films.  They did build some very large street sets at Leavesden for Begins.  Nolan just doesn't do the Burton thing where the mise-en-scene is so expressionistic that you can't help but notice that it's a sodding set.  When I watch Burton's Batman films I can practically smell the canvas and plaster.

[AsparagusTrevor]

Zsasz was already in Batman Begins, albeit in more of a cameo situation. Not sure he could sustain an entire movie though. Batman vs a serial killer is a bit shit after The Joker, surely?

(Actually I always thought Zsasz was fucking rubbish. The Joker's already got the serial killer thing down and he's Batman's main baddie! How's some nob with a knife supposed to compete with that?)

Yeah I remember seeing him, he was played by the singer dude from James wasn't he? I suppose he's a bit shit compared to Joker, but I always liked the bodycount scars idea. Actually, I think a lot of the baddies are a bit shit compared to Joker, there's a reason that most people are only aware of the ones like Penguin, Catwoman, Mr Freeze, Poison Ivy etc but a lot of them don't sit right in the 'Nolan' Batman universe.

Maybe an ensemble cast of villains would work? Five or six lesser ones? I dunno, I'd just rather see something new I think than going with the tried and tested ones, while still trying to keep within the idea of Nolan's 'realism'.

[Barberism]

What about King Tut?

[Jones The Bond]

There's plenty of soundstage stuff in Nolan's films.  They did build some very large street sets at Leavesden for Begins.  Nolan just doesn't do the Burton thing where the mise-en-scene is so expressionistic that you can't help but notice that it's a sodding set.  When I watch Burton's Batman films I can practically smell the canvas and plaster.

Call em crazy but that's what I like about them!

I mean, somebody has crafted that place virtually from scratch, but Nolan's Gotham is too recognisably a city in our world, Gotham isn;t supposed to look like somewhere we could visit.  I love a lot of what Nolan has done with it, but perhaps he's takenit a little too serious.  And I think a lot of people were quick to praise that because Joel Schmacher treated it with such disdain.  Burton got the balance right for me, and had the better Batman. 

What about King Tut?

Robbie Coltrane with a Kellog's Frosted Wheat on his chin. Easy.

[SavageHedgehog]

I find Catwoman a not particularly interesting and (on screen) overused character. As obvious a choice as it may have been, I would have much preferred The Riddler.

[mjwilson]

People are gonna see this no matter what, the audience is built already, so I'd like to see him take a chance on some lesser known villains, avoiding the ones done in the Burton/Schumacher series of films. Going with the 'realistic' angle, someone like Victor Zsasz or Calendar Man would work, no?

As a non-comics expert, and judging just by the name, "Calendar Man" sounds really, really shit.

[AsparagusTrevor]

You would be right.