The Rumour Mill's working hard on Batman
With The Dark Knight's continuing success since its July 18 release date, it has become impossible for its fans, writers and bloggers alike to stop speculating on the next Batman movie.
Even though Chris Nolan hasn't signed a contract to make a third movie, rumours are spreading like butter, especially in regards to which villains are next in line.
The biggest rumour circulating is that Johnny Depp will be cast as the Riddler. This rumour makes me cringe, because if Nolan hasn't even signed a deal to make the movie, why would he be casting it?
Depp was recently asked on a radio show if he was playing the Riddler, and he replied, “Not that I know of. It seems like it'd be a fun gig for a while, yeah.”
Doesn't sound very promising. We all know that if it happened, Depp would undeniably do a great job, but does the Riddler even size up to the Joker as a villain? It worries me that if this rumour comes to fruition, the next movie wouldn't hold the same momentum as The Dark Knight.
CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT
Personally, my favourite rumour about the next Batman movie is that it will be a re-make of the Frank Miller graphic novel “The Dark Knight Returns.” Even though Chris Nolan has expressed that he will not include Robin or any DC characters outside of the Batman universe in his movies, people are still holding on to this one. Nolan has taken a realist approach to his Batman series, and frankly, Superman showing up to fight Batman (and Batman subsequently whooping his ass) doesn't seem too real to me. Two Face is also in the graphic novel, and we know how he ends up in the movie.
But there is also speculation going around that Harvey Dent didn't actually die when he fell from that building. To me, this just sounds like hopeful fans praying for a DKR movie (Both Joker and Two Face appear in the graphic novel). This rumour can be put to rest because Chris Nolan literally told Aaron Eckhart that his character was dead. And if you don't believe me, look to page 235 of the Dark Knight shooting script where it reads: “Dent lies at the bottom of the hole, his neck broken. DEAD.” That's proof enough for me.
The most absurd rumour out there is that Cher has been cast as Catwoman. According to British paper The Telegraph, Nolan, “wants her to portray [Catwoman] like a vamp in her twilight years.” The idea of Catwoman seems probable since Bruce Wayne no longer has a love interest, but Cher? Come on! The last movie she's acted in was Stuck On You, where she played herself. So technically, it wasn't even acting. Nolan can do better than that.
Then there's the rumour about Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Penguin. This is the one that I'd like to be true, because he's a phenomenal actor and would pull off the role without a hitch. Unfortunately, this was also a rumour almost three years ago when people started speculating about the sequel to Batman Begins, so I'm leery about it this time around.
I guess since I've done my best to debunk some of the rumours I'll offer up a few that I think could actually happen.
The first is that one of the villains in the next movie will be… the Joker. Even though Heath Ledger is dead, the character lives on as Batman's arch-nemesis. It would seem improbable to not include the character in the next one considering how The Dark Knight left off with Joker's ominous “I've got a feeling we're going to be doing this for a long time” line. That being said, the Joker is integral to Batman's character. Joker is Batman's polar opposite, and his true test of strength and will. Without someone stepping in to fill the character, I believe the next movie will feel sort of empty.
The mob is an integral part to the Batman story as well, so maybe the next villain will come out of their end. There's hope that the next movie might feature Arnold Wesker, a mobster with dissociative identity disorder who rules the underworld through his gangster puppet Scarface. All of Nolan's movies have these dark psychological themes running through them, so it could happen.
Since Rachel Dawes is dead, a love interest could play well into the next movie. Catwoman seems like a likely contender, but Talia al Ghul might fit the puzzle better. She's the daughter of Ra's al Ghul (whom Batman supposedly kills in Batman Begins), so the idea of Talia surfacing in the movies to exact her revenge seems likely. To even further this rumour, Ra's and his daughter are both members of the League of Shadows, a group mentioned in Batman Begins. Since they haven't shown up in Nolan's series you might be in for a surprise once the next movie rolls out.
Even though Chris Nolan hasn't signed a contract to make a third movie, rumours are spreading like butter, especially in regards to which villains are next in line.
The biggest rumour circulating is that Johnny Depp will be cast as the Riddler. This rumour makes me cringe, because if Nolan hasn't even signed a deal to make the movie, why would he be casting it?
Depp was recently asked on a radio show if he was playing the Riddler, and he replied, “Not that I know of. It seems like it'd be a fun gig for a while, yeah.”
Doesn't sound very promising. We all know that if it happened, Depp would undeniably do a great job, but does the Riddler even size up to the Joker as a villain? It worries me that if this rumour comes to fruition, the next movie wouldn't hold the same momentum as The Dark Knight.
CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT
Personally, my favourite rumour about the next Batman movie is that it will be a re-make of the Frank Miller graphic novel “The Dark Knight Returns.” Even though Chris Nolan has expressed that he will not include Robin or any DC characters outside of the Batman universe in his movies, people are still holding on to this one. Nolan has taken a realist approach to his Batman series, and frankly, Superman showing up to fight Batman (and Batman subsequently whooping his ass) doesn't seem too real to me. Two Face is also in the graphic novel, and we know how he ends up in the movie.
But there is also speculation going around that Harvey Dent didn't actually die when he fell from that building. To me, this just sounds like hopeful fans praying for a DKR movie (Both Joker and Two Face appear in the graphic novel). This rumour can be put to rest because Chris Nolan literally told Aaron Eckhart that his character was dead. And if you don't believe me, look to page 235 of the Dark Knight shooting script where it reads: “Dent lies at the bottom of the hole, his neck broken. DEAD.” That's proof enough for me.
The most absurd rumour out there is that Cher has been cast as Catwoman. According to British paper The Telegraph, Nolan, “wants her to portray [Catwoman] like a vamp in her twilight years.” The idea of Catwoman seems probable since Bruce Wayne no longer has a love interest, but Cher? Come on! The last movie she's acted in was Stuck On You, where she played herself. So technically, it wasn't even acting. Nolan can do better than that.
Then there's the rumour about Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Penguin. This is the one that I'd like to be true, because he's a phenomenal actor and would pull off the role without a hitch. Unfortunately, this was also a rumour almost three years ago when people started speculating about the sequel to Batman Begins, so I'm leery about it this time around.
I guess since I've done my best to debunk some of the rumours I'll offer up a few that I think could actually happen.
The first is that one of the villains in the next movie will be… the Joker. Even though Heath Ledger is dead, the character lives on as Batman's arch-nemesis. It would seem improbable to not include the character in the next one considering how The Dark Knight left off with Joker's ominous “I've got a feeling we're going to be doing this for a long time” line. That being said, the Joker is integral to Batman's character. Joker is Batman's polar opposite, and his true test of strength and will. Without someone stepping in to fill the character, I believe the next movie will feel sort of empty.
The mob is an integral part to the Batman story as well, so maybe the next villain will come out of their end. There's hope that the next movie might feature Arnold Wesker, a mobster with dissociative identity disorder who rules the underworld through his gangster puppet Scarface. All of Nolan's movies have these dark psychological themes running through them, so it could happen.
Since Rachel Dawes is dead, a love interest could play well into the next movie. Catwoman seems like a likely contender, but Talia al Ghul might fit the puzzle better. She's the daughter of Ra's al Ghul (whom Batman supposedly kills in Batman Begins), so the idea of Talia surfacing in the movies to exact her revenge seems likely. To even further this rumour, Ra's and his daughter are both members of the League of Shadows, a group mentioned in Batman Begins. Since they haven't shown up in Nolan's series you might be in for a surprise once the next movie rolls out.
