Which Bat-villain should star in a “Dark Knight” sequel?
Posted on July 22, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
As we all know, the success of any superhero flick has as much to do with the villains as the good guys. So, with The Dark Knight setting box office records around the world, which of his many foes should Batman face off against in the inevitable follow-up? Let’s take a look at the Caped Crusader’s rogues gallery and get an idea of which characters might work in a Dark Knight sequel…and which characters might not. Feel free to offer your picks (as well as casting ideas) in the comments section.
Warning: Minor spoilers for The Dark Knight ahead!
Catwoman
Why she’s the right choice: After seeing The Dark Knight, I can only assume that any sequel will need a new female lead. Who better than Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, to fill that role? She’s one of Batman’s oldest and most established foes — not to mention a potential love interest for the Caped Crusader.
Except: Scriptwriter David Goyer expressed a lack of enthusiasm about Catwoman in some pre-Dark Knight interviews. Plus, with Halle Berry’s Catwoman debacle still fresh in moviegoers’ minds, will Warner Bros. be interested in going down that road again so soon?
Hugo Strange
Why he’s the right choice: In the comics, Hugo Strange was one of Batman’s first recurring villains (predating, in fact, every other character on this list). I’d argue there’s potential in a movie version of Strange based on his portrayal as Arkham Asylum’s Batman-obsessed Chief Psychologist in The Batman. In past stories, Hugo Strange has used his training as a psychologist to deduce Batman’s secret identity, which would certainly raise the stakes in a Dark Knight sequel.
Except: Compared to many characters on this list, Hugo Strange is perhaps too unfamiliar to casual fans. That being said, Ra’s al Ghul was fairly obscure, too — until he appeared in Batman Begins.
The Riddler
Why he’s the right choice: As one of the more prominent members of Batman’s rogues gallery, Riddler’s convoluted crime sprees put the Dark Knight’s intellect — as opposed to his physical prowess or high-tech gadgetry — to the test. Featuring the Riddler as the next film’s villain would give Batman a chance to live up to his reputation as the World’s Greatest Detective.
Except: While Riddler is certainly a more cerebral foe than most other Bat-villains, his traditional portrayal as a giggling madman in a question-mark suit (favored by Frank Gorshin in 1960s television series and Jim Carrey in Batman Forever) might not fit with the more serious tone set by Nolan’s Bat-films. That being said, I could see the Riddler “reimagined” as a Se7en-esque serial killer with a deep-seated compulsion to leave behind clues that ultimately lead to his own capture.
Harley Quinn
Why she’s the right choice: First introduced in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn is the Joker’s much put-upon Girl Friday. A film version of Harley — perhaps a psychiatrist driven mad by her obsession with the Joker after his chaotic appearance in Gotham — could seek revenge against the Batman for incarcerating her beloved “Mister J.” Harley Quinn would not only add a much-needed female presence to the Dark Knight sequel, but also inject a little madcap humor into the franchise.
Except: Unfortunately, Harley Quinn’s presence in there Dark Knight sequel would only underscore the absence of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
The Ventriloquist
Why she’s the right choice: You want twisted? How about a seemingly mild-mannered guy who plans and commits crimes through his domineering ventriloquist dummy, a self-styled 1920s gangster nicknamed Scarface? The whole “multiple personality” angle could make for a fascinating storyline as we witness Scarface moving up through the ranks to become the new boss of Gotham City’s criminal underworld.
Except: The Ventriloquist is a character who worked incredibly well on Batman: The Animated Series, but I have a feeling that any live-action version of the character would come across as totally corny.
The Penguin
Why he’s the right choice: Forget the bizarre sewer mutant portrayed by Danny DeVito in Batman Returns. The Penguin is a high-society criminal — a mobster with a penchant for trick umbrellas. In recent years, he has been portrayed in the comics as the owner of a nightclub (the Iceberg Lounge) and a source of information on the Gotham City underworld.
Except: Like Catwoman, scriptwriter David Goyer has also expressed reluctance to include the Penguin in the Dark Knight sequel. If an appearance as the villain in the Dark Knight sequel is out of the question, perhaps a small role as an informant could work.
Talia al Ghul
Why she’s the right choice: Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Talia has long been a fixture in the comics — typically portrayed as a love interest for Batman, torn between her attraction to the Caped Crusader and her devotion to her father. Again, the next film needs a female presence , and a “Batman falls in love with the daughter of one of his greatest enemies” subplot certainly opens up intriguing storytelling possibilities.
Except: It could prove difficult to incorporate Talia al Ghul into a Dark Knight sequel without resurrecting her father, as well. Of course, this is a good time to remember the cardinal rule of comic book deaths: if we didn’t see the corpse, Ra’s al Ghul probably isn’t dead.
Mr. Freeze
Why he’s the right choice: With his terminally-ill wife trapped in a cryogenic deep-freeze while he searches for a cure for her condition, Mr. Freeze could certain bring pathos to a Dark Knight sequel. Furthermore, Mr. Freeze’s ice gun presents an excellent opportunity to run wild with special effects as he battles Batman.
Except: A dude with a freeze ray and a refrigeration suit? That’s a little hard to swallow in the context of Nolan’s more down-to-earth interpretation of the Batman mythos. Besides, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s performance in Batman & Robin still hangs around the character’s neck like a frozen albatross. “Ice to see you!”
Poison Ivy
Why she’s the right choice: As noted, the Batman films are in need of more female characters, and Poison Ivy could certainly fill that void. I’d love to see Tilda Swinton step into the role, discarding the bad Mae West impression Uma Thurman adopted for the character in Batman & Robin and instead playing Ivy as a truly sinister foe for the Batman.
Except: She appeared in Batman & Robin (never a good thing). Furthermore, her ability to telepathically control plants stretches a bit beyond the realm of believability. That being said, a more realistic turn as a plant-loving eco-terrorist could strike the right tone for a Dark Knight sequel.
Killer Croc
Why he’s the right choice: He’s big. He’s strong. He’s certainly a physical threat to Batman.
Except: He’s a crocodile/human hybrid. That’s a bit of a stretch for the more realistic vibe Nolan has pursued in the first two Nolan films. It would take a serious revamping to make Croc work in a Dark Knight sequel. Maybe a low-level thug with filed-down teeth and a bad skin condition?
Hush
Why he’s the right choice: A relatively new addition to the Batman mythos, Hush is Dr. Thomas Elliot — once Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend, now his bitter enemy. Unlike most other villains included in this list, Hush is dedicated not to defeating the Batman, but rather to destroying Bruce Wayne’s life. It’s a unique twist that, coupled with Hush’s striking visuals (the character is portrayed in the comics with a trenchcoat and bandaged face), could translate quite well to a Dark Knight sequel.
Except: He’s a rather obscure character who’s never been adapted to any medium outside of the Batman comics. That being said, the audience’s lack of familiarity with Hush gives the filmmakers a blank slate to tweak the character as they sees fit.
Bane
Why he’s the right choice: Batman & Robin dropped the ball in its portrayal of the muscle-bound Bane. Big surprise, right? Not only is Bane Batman’s physical superior, he’s also a cunning, intelligent foe — not some lumbering oaf that can barely string together a sentence. His strength enhanced by the drug Venom, Bane even managed to break Batman’s back during the “Knightfall” storyline of the early 1990s. Playing up the Venom angle, a reimagined film version of Bane could be responsible for spreading a dangerous new drug to Gotham City…requiring Batman to intercede.
Except: Visually, Bane would need to be toned down somewhat to fit into a Dark Knight sequel. Muscles on top of muscles, squeezed into singlet, and topped off with a mask that’s one part luchador and one fetish gear might be a little hard to reconcile. Also, like Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze, the Batman & Robin taint still lingers on Bane eleven years later.
The Mad Hatter
Why he’s the right choice: Batman: The Animated Series worked wonders with its dark portrayal of this second-tier Bat-villain. Jervis Tetch is a brilliant neural engineer who develops sophisticated mind-control technology and puts it to use for his own gain. Taking a cue from Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland novels, he dubs himself the Mad Hatter and embarks on a life of crime.
Except: While there’s an inherent creepiness to a guy with mind control powers and an obsession with Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter would likely feel out of place in Nolan’s grittier Gotham City. I suspect he’s the kind of character who just wouldn’t work in live action. Then again, is he really any sillier than the Scarecrow?
Man-Bat
Why he’s the right choice: In terms of action-packed setpieces, what could top seeing Batman locked in aerial combat with Dr. Kirk Langstrom, the monstrous Man-Bat, high above the streets of Gotham City?
Except: Same deal as Killer Croc — how do you work a bat/human hybrid into what’s been a somewhat realistic crime drama to this point?
Clayface
Why he’s the right choice: With his shapeshifting powers, Clayface is one of Batman’s most visually-compelling foes.
Except: Clayface is also one of Batman’s most far-fetched foes. Based on the tone set by Nolan in his first two Batman films, I can’t imagine Clayface fitting into the franchise (unless he’s revamped virtually beyond recognition).
Holiday
Why he’s the right choice: Considering the focus on Gotham City’s organized crime families thus far in Nolan’s Batman films, a mysterious figure who murders a series of mafiosi over the course of a year — striking each time on a different holiday — could fit right in with the franchise’s tone. Moreover, Holiday would present an opportunity for Batman to play detective as he attempts to deduce the killer’s identity.
Except: Having appeared only in the Jeph Loeb’s Batman: The Long Halloween, Holiday is another low-profile Bat-villain, unfamiliar to most moviegoers. Plus, it would be difficult to build and maintain suspense in a narrative stretched out over the course of an entire year.
Lex Luthor
Why he’s the right choice: In the comics these days, Lex Luthor is no longer portrayed as a mad scientist intent on taking over the world. Instead, he’s one of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful men. In turn, Luthor in a position to serve as a worthy adversary to both Batman and Bruce Wayne.
Except: He’s Superman’s archenemy. As much fun as it might be watching LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises face off on the big screen, inserting Luthor into the Batman franchise also risks contamination via a possible Brandon Routh cameo. And that’s the last thing we want, right?
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I was thinking along similar lines after seeing The Dark Knight, but alas my relative unfamiliarity with Batman villains left me a few examples short of a blog post.
There are a dozen reasons not to make one, but I’d totally watch a World’s Finest movie.
I’ve never even heard of Holiday. Is he the new Calendar Man? Heyyy, now there’s an idea. Calendar Man and Signalman! That is, if Crazy-Quilt and the Ten-Eyed Man are too busy.
But really, it may be high time for yet another take on Catwoman — and maybe mix Talia in there as well. Who cares if her parents are dead? Bruce can relate.
am I the only one who feels harvey dent got cheated a bit? that just seems like an awfully quick way to be done with this villain.
http://www.afterellen.com/blog/stuntdouble/supervillainesses-wed-like-to-see-on-screen
Here are some more suggestions for female villains… they’d be pretty kick ass I think.
Tilda Swinton as Poison Ivy? Hadn’t considered it, but I’d be much more *interested* in seeing Christina Hendricks (Firefly, Mad Men) *fill* the role.
My vote goes to the Riddler. It’d be great to see Talia as well. No Catwoman, though.
The Batman animated movie that just came out ties together some of the events between “Batman Begins” and “Dark Knight”, and it has Killer Croc in it…so technically he’s there if they want to use him.
Though strangely I can’t remember if they killed him off in that or not. Oh yeah, and I agree that they killed off Dent WAY too fast.
You know, I’d actually like to see _Batman: The Dark Knight Returns_ made into a movie. We’d see Superman, then, as a “Bat-villain” of sorts. The Joker also plays a prominent role, but with the story taking place during Bruce Wayne’s golden years, Heath Ledger’s death wouldn’t be a factor at least in terms of the “Darrin Syndrome.” TDK actually sets up this conflict by establishing Batman as Gotham’s main outlaw at the end of the movie. Still, the problem would be when to release the movie–after Bale and Nolan lose interest in the franchise, or when Batman’s fresh in everyone’s minds?
@Mokalus: For what it’s worth, Wikipedia offers an exhaustive list of Batman’s foes. It was a handy to resource to go back and see who I missed after my first draft (somehow, I totally blanked on Bane).
@buttler: Holiday (a.k.a. the Holiday Killer) shares his M.O. with the Calendar Man, but they’re separate characters. So far, Holiday has only appeared in Jeph Loeb’s The Long Halloween miniseries. Crazy Quilt is my all-time favorite; I remember seeing him in an issue of DC’s Who’s Who as a kid and thinking, “This character can’t be for real, can he?”
@Patricia: I agree on Two-Face. The Dark Knight did an excellent job setting up Harvey Dent, but his time as Two-Face felt a bit rushed. I was going into the film assuming they were going to save Two-Face for the sequel. Oh, well…
@Geoff: I haven’t been watching Mad Men, but it wasn’t until I read your post that I realized the woman I’d been seeing in all the ads was Saffron from Firefly.
@Sean: Speaking of the Gotham Knight animated film, I guess I should have included Deadshot in the list…
@Babs: I’d love to see a film adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns as well. Part of me thinks it’s only a matter of time before Hollywood decides to go down that road; the storyline of an aged Batman coming out of retirement is just too good to pass up. Whether it’s five years from now or twenty is the big question. Speaking of aged Batman, I’d even be cool with a Batman Beyond film once Bale and Nolan move on to greener pastures. Could be fun…
the main villain should be the riddler, re-imagined into a mob hired hitman with a penchance for leaving twisted clues behind for his own amusement. also to infuse more estrogen place both selina kyle and talia al ghul. while selina falls for bruce wayne talia could fall for batman. with selina’s night prowler at odds with batman, and talia’s revenge on bruce wayne as her focus. that would be quite love triangle. they should also incorporate background foes such as the penguin as a foreign mafioso in gotham and harlene quinzele(aka harley quinn) as the new head of staff at arkham.
I’m with Babs. Dark Knight Returns would be so badass. I’d think that with the success of Sin City and 300, Hollywood would be all over another Frank Miller script. I don’t think the Dolan/Bale combo would work so well for that though. I could see Robert Rodriguez directing and shooting entirely in greenscreen and perhaps Mickey Roarke as the aged and grizzled Batman.
I’m going to have to go re-read that now.
A little further thought brings me to William H. Macy as the Riddler and Brent Spiner as the Penguin (look at a recent white-haired Spiner photo).
My vote is for Catwoman as a side plot/possible love interest, and the Black Mask being the main villain, with perhaps a David Tennant (the current Doctor Who) as his #2 man.
I think the next villains are going to be either Black Mask or Bane. Black Mask and Bane can step in from the power vacuum the Joker created. Those are the likely choices.
As for Penguin, Chris Nolan said that character does not interest him, and would be difficult to bring to the big screen.
Nolan also said, he wants to ground his version of batman in the real world–so, no new supernatural/fantastical villains for awhile. Sorry, no mr.freeze, clayface, etc.
As for Robin/Batgirl….NO! As soon as they introduce kids/teen sidekicks the movie franchise will inevitably become cheesy. The only reason why Robin/Batgirl even existed was for corporations to get kids to buy comic-related merchandise.
Now, you see, you’re forgetting some of the most jawdroppingly dramatic villains in the Batman universe. Egghead, for instance, however, as Vincent Price is no longer with us, we’d probably have to cast someone new. Vin Diesel perhaps. And who could forget the Puzzler or King Tut?
I agree that The Hatter would be spiffy, as To Dream in Darkness and Mad as a Hatter were two of the best animated series episodes. I’d probably cast Laurence Fishburn in that role.
If Bane were to grace the re-imagined Gotham, my vote goes to Steve Buscemi. “I’ve *&^$@! beaten you. Now I will *&^%#@ BREAK you!”
Bringing in Poison Ivy? You’d need someone with the acting prowess to match previous villains in the films played by Neeson and Ledger. My vote goes to Dame Judie Dench. Why not Maggie Smith, you ask? Simple: She’ll be playing Catwoman.
I think everyone is too harsh on Batgirl and Robin. Now, if the next flick had Batman injured (by Steve Buscemi’s Bane, perhaps?) then we’d need someone to step in and fill the role. Yeah, you could bring in Jean Paul Valley and do the whole Azrael thing, (played with all the necessary gravitas by Jack Black) but what would be cooler would be having Robin (Dane Cook) competing with Batgirl (Alexis Bledel) to see who could fill the role! As a Dark Knight sequel, it could be the “Second Summer of the Traveling Batsuit!”
Other casting ideas:
Harvey Keitel - Killer Croc
Larry the Cable Guy - Clayface
And Will Smith as…well, Will Smith as anyone, because, he makes movies golden! Will Smith as Harley Quinn? Why the heck not? It’s like printing money!
I’d pick Riddler, but have him re-invented as a special detective who uses questionable techniques to help the police catch Batman. Eventually, he’d cross the line, but that’s all the more fun.
My other pick was the Ventriloquist too, if only for a small role. At the very least, I want to see some guy in Arkham talking through a sock puppet.
The Riddler,by far.
So far we’ve seen the origin story develop his intense passion,, his devotion to staying in peak physical shape and his penchance for gadgetry…but not his detective skills. The Riddler provides the perfect opportunity force this incarnation of Batman to hone those detective skills, rounding out the skill set that makes Batman Batman.
And with your worries about his “classic” look…In Nolan you should trust. Look at what he did with The Joker.
I vote strongly, very strongly, for the Riddler.
I’d love to see Poison Ivy or The Riddler.
Mr. Freeze would also be amazing, but only if they stretched out the episode Heart of Ice from the animated series into a 2 1/2 hour movie.
Harley Quinn would be ideal, but sadly they can’t do that now because Heath’s death. Personally I just wanted to see Zooey Deschanel in the Harley Quinn costume.
As a Batman and Lost fan, though, I’d love to see Michael Emerson take on the role of The Riddler.
@Evil Doug: Best comment ever.
@Daniel Louden: Outstanding casting ideas! I could totally see both Zooey Deschanel as Harley and Michael Emerson as the Riddler.
You know, the more I think about it, the more I’m starting to believe that Hugo Strange could actually work in a Dark Knight sequel. Perhaps Strange could be a criminal psychologist brought in by the Gotham City PD to help capture Batman. Along the way, he deduces Batman’s secret identity…
That pic from your “Wanted” review a little further down the page had me thinking…how about Angelina Jolie as Catwoman?
So have you heard the rumors Coleman Reese (the guy who threatened to blackmail Bruce Wayne in the Dark Knight) might show up in the sequel as the Riddler?
Mr. Reese = “Mister-ees” = Mysteries = the Riddler?
And do you think there’s any chance Two-Face’s death was a swerve and he might be back for the sequel?
Great list man.
By the by, has anyone sent you this link yet? Great minds thinking alike and all that.
http://www.hobotrashcan.com/murphyslaw/
@Stephen - I missed that connection in the movies. That’s a great posibility, but wouldn’t it be a big faux pas to change Riddler’s name from Edward Nigma?
My vote goes strongly to Riddler as well. As for who plays him I think Johnny Depp would do an amazing job he has that kind of twisted sense of humor. What do you all think?
@Stephen
That would be awesome–and it would explain Reese surviving and not giving away Batmans identity, since The Riddler actually figured out his identity, but refuses to share it with anyone, believing himself to be tres cool as one of 4 people on the planet who know it’s Bruce Wayne.
Plus, I’m a huge fan of giving unknown actors big breaks like that–a huge faux pas in the third X-Men movie to give Beast to Kelsey Grammer instead of that guy who was on the TV for 2 seconds in X Men 2.
No mention of a villain like Deadshot? He could be a pretty decent choice for a sequel to dark knight. He’s very realistic to begin with, using sophisticated firearms as a hitman for the mob.
What about a Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Talia al Ghul, team up?
That would give Batman a lot more than he can handle!
I know you’ve stated that Nolan has consistently taken a more realistic approach to his villains, Man-Bat would be cool and give the movies a chance for C-G-I in the movie. Downside is that he’s just too unrealistic for the Nolan interpretations. Hugo Strange for me would be really fulfilling as a villain to test his detective skills. Unfortunately, the possibility of a person discovering his identity was discredited by Freeman in the line “and your plan is to blackmail this person?” so the idea of Hugo would be killed but for Reese to come back as the Riddler would fit well already knowing who Batman was, although E. Nygma was a great name for him but I guess Reese could don the persona. I guess any villain would be cool as long as Nolan continues to cast fantastic actors for the characters and keep them as wonderfully interpreted as he has.
These are lesser known villains but what about Lew Moxon and The Wrath?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_Moxon
Moxon is most famous for hiring Joe Chill to murder young Bruce Wayne’s parents (in early versions of Batman’s origin story), thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman’s existence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrath_(comics)
The Wrath served as a sort of anti-Batman. The Wrath’s appearance and motivation are reminiscent of Batman’s, but with notable differences. The Wrath (like Batman) is distinguished by perfectionism and obsession in what he does. His costume is also very similar to Batman’s (though colored in crimson and purple with a W-insignia on the chest and cowl). The Wrath’s parents were a couple of burglars, similar to Joe Chill. They were shot by a young policeman who mistook them for committing a robbery. Due to this, the Wrath dedicated his life to a campaign of revenge against law and law-enforcers. When the Wrath finally returns to Gotham City, he comes to kill the man who had shot his parents. The Wrath’s target turns out to be James Gordon, commissioner of the Gotham City Police and an ally of Batman.
If Batman is ever to escape the label of being a murderer in the Nolan Universe, then the character of The Wrath can assist in the police believing that it was The Wrath who committed the murders in “The Dark Knight”
I think having these two characters, along with the return of Joker or Two-face could definitly form a great script based around the theme of “revenge”.
Mr. Zsasz, Black Mask, Hush, The Penguin, or Prometheus would be my choices. Zsasz is a psychotic killer who would fit in with the dark feel from the Dark Knight. Black Mask could rise to fill the void of the mobsters that was created at the end of the Dark Knight. Prometheus is more of a JLA foe, but always ends up fighting Batman, he would match up well with marshal arts skills and tech usage.
I like the Hush storyline but not as main villain in next movie. It would be great to introduce dr. elliot in this movie and show the bandaged rapped Hush in the background near the end to build for a fourth movie. I like selina kyle/catwoman despite the halle berry debacle. With catwoman be sufficient villian might be better to just continue concentrating on writing a good storyline for penguin or riddler just not both .
Batman: Gotham Knight, which follows the continuity of Nolans Gotham, already dealt with Killer Croc. He was some orphan with a skin condition, ran off to the sewers ended up with awesome strength, durability, and the fear toxin pumping in his blood and saliva.
So, that either improves or damns the idea of Croc in a movie. old news, or established villain?
Your point about the Riddler in his “traditional portrayal as a giggling madman in a question-mark suit” is tainted by the fact that so is the Joker in everything else that is Batman. I don’t agree with taking the same role as Jim Carey’s portrayal of it, but look how Heath Ledger turned the Joker into what he is.
Also, we don’t know if Harvey’s really even dead yet. We never saw him buried and although there was a funeral ceremony, it’s still possible to come back. I mean (not to cross into the other comic realm) Spider-Man came back even after he was buried. A lot of potential in this next movie.
What about Black Mask, with Maroni presumably dead and Falcone still in Arkham Gotham’s mobs would need someone new to take up the reigns and guide them to a new era of success.
Okay so I would say that even though Knowland is looking for a less scifi feel, I think that shouldn’t be the excuse for like 40 villains not to do them. Also I think just cuz they were in another movie shouldn’t be a reason to count them out, oh and Angelena Jolie is the perfect Poison Ivy how do you not see that, and I think its about time to step into that scifi field. that’d pick up the franchise, cuz after Heath I doubt theres anywherre to go with out the scifi view. So I vote Mr. Freeze cuz I like him the most, but I’ve heard it’s Going to Be Johny Depp as the Riddler thats’ the rumor anyways. wich is a rockin one at that.
i personally think we should see someone new, than rather do charcter’s we have already seen in all the older versions of batman.
i think killer croc, man-bat, or clayface would be something to see.
that’s just my opinion tho.
Firefly would be a good addition to the Nolan bat-mythos. Think he’d probably fit in best in the darker, bleaker Batman world that Nolan has crafted. Nolan could even do a movie version of Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns.” Would really enjoy seeing a movie version of that.
Just so you know, since you seem to know about comics… i’ll refresh for ya. killer croc is convicted serial killer Waylon Jones, born with a skin condition called epidermolytic hyperkeratosis. To wit, he is a human with a disease. Not a crocodilian/human hybrid. I’m not tryin’ to be a douche, but if you’re gonna go into detail, get your facts straight.
hmmm
what about that team, the one themed as cards, they would do great i mean aristocrats, assasins, the card thing maybe be a little corny but it sure is better than killer crock
Did I miss something? I don’t actually remember anything about Harvey Dent actually dying at the end of the Dark Knight. Sure he fell a distance, but I remember thinking he could just be unconscious…
Would make sense for the plan to have been to have the Joker and Harvey Dent back for part 3 as our recogniseable characters in an Arkham Asylum storyline.
Now with Ledger dead, barring a recast or some digital jiggery pokery, I would think Two Face would be a must to maintain a level of character continuity to the third film.
I would love to see the scarecrow in the new batman film.
Honestly, I think given the tone, my favourite villian should be given a chance. Zsasz.
First off, well said, and not just the article but also the comments.
I’d like to say, first, that there’s really no reason why each of these characters couldn’t be adapted to film rather than transposed. Much like Ledger and The Joker, nothing stops this creative team from tweaking stories.
As far as problems with realism to match the films so far, think of the technology already seen, cellphones mapping rooms for one thing, what would keep us from seeing a freeze gun that’s really more like an ice thrower, think replacing napalm with liquid nitrogen. Vioala, Mr. Freeze.
There was a fifth week event in august of 2008 called Joker’s Asylum. 5 issues each dealing with one of the Bat’s more prominent foes; Joker, Penguin, Ivy, Scarecrow, Two-Face. The neatest part of those issues was that they told stories that foil the character, the Joker pulled an awful prank and made someone else act as the bad guy, the Penguin fell in love, Ivy got down to her roots and acts the part of an eco-terrorist (as mentioned above as a possibility), Scarecrow messed with people on a more intimate basis, and Two-Face put a regular guy on the spot and forces a choice A or B situation on him. I think that those 5 are the pantheon of Batman foes. We’ve seen 3 of them, perhaps pair the last 2; Penguin and Ivy.
A high-class gangster filling the void in the aftermath of the last film corrupting the city from within once again, and an eco-terrorist openly attacking the urban beacon of growth from the outside. And both characters have cause to interact with both the man and the bat.
I do think Clay Face would make a compelling character, he could be a shape shifter character that eludes batman much like Mystique did for the X-men movies and never really gets caught.
Well first of all the jocker is what made this movie The Dark Knight awsome!!! I never seen such suspense tension in a movie such as this one! I think if they make a third part they should consider bringing out the riddler and catwomen! I vote for Angelina Jolie as catwomen!!! The riddler can’t be the person who was black mailing batman in the dark knight because it wouldn’t make any sense, he already knows who batman is, so that will only make things easy for him. I so want to see Angelina as catwomen and Harley Quinn as head of the evil operation!
no other villain, except for the riddler, will do these other movies any justice, heath ledger killed as the joker and set the bar pretty freakin high. that being said, who to play the riddler? why not johnny depp, we have seen him be demented, and slightly murderous. and lets face it, who else is really good enough to bring that kind of menace to a movie franchise that has been brought amazingly back to life under nolan.
You know the more I think about it, the more I think a good Catwoman would be very good for this new series. She’d have to have SERIOUS issues though and be presented very darkly to seperate her from past incarnations - if she’s been seductive in the past, make her almost whore-like in the new one, if she’s been agile and ruthless before, make her acrobatic and viciously determined next time. With Batman on the run now from the police it would give her the opportunity to rise up and become a local hero to some districts of Gotham. In fact it would give good interplay because Batman is the true hero of the city but now he’s looked at as a dark force, people would cheer Catwoman if she called him out for battle. Add in Black Mask who has always been an equal villain to both of them and you have a potentially better movie than even Dark Knight (which is absolutely great but I think this would be just as good). Catwoman is the hero of the people, Batman is a vigilante on the run, and Black Mask is a violence first force to unify the gangs and mafias that are desperate for leadership.
I could see a super slutty catwoman in the next movie and it would tie in nicely with the death of Rachel, but who is the right woman for the job? After the horrible chernobyl-esque experiments that were batman and robin or catwoman for that matter some still feel the radiation burns on every crevasse that is their love for the dark knight.Don’t get me wrong i just hope whoever the new villian is, whether the riddler or catwoman, they better not overshadow the joker. But i could see some crazy lunatic woman rampaging through Gotham like its nobodies business and well batman needs that type of woman in his life.
Pulling one up from the depths of obscurity, how about Charlatan? He had connections with Two-Face and Scarecrow, so he would fit right in, and his power (impersonation) is believable and could be made into something interesting.
Charlatan would be great for the second villain,as was rhas al ghoul and two face, but there still needs to be that main psychopath that not only puts a huge dent into Batman’s plans but possibly to tempt him into telling gotham to piss of.
You forgot about Black Mask and Firefly. Black Mask could buy out Wayne Industries from under Bruce Wayne. Firefly should set bombs to Wayne Industries and start a fire and battle Batman to prevent Batman from defusing the bombs. Wayne Industries explodes and millions of life are lost. Firefly should be fired from his job at Wayne Industries for something and join Black Mask and do this for revenge. Riddler kills Commissioner Gordon and the mayor and Batman is blamed.
P.S. You called Ventriloquist a she lol
I think that they should have two face but not as mr Dent. They should keep the role going that would be great! Still have the Joker he is the classic of Batman! I would put a twist to the plot and have two face break the joker out of jail, and the one to break the Joker out of jail would be the BATMAN! STILL keep the Joker i love the Joker and so do a lot of people! But for the maiin 2 villians have TWO FACED AND THE JOKER! I am also leaning on having the riddler instead of two faced but as i said again keep the joker!!
Do not put Cat women in the film she would ruin it, she should just get another movie with her self as the main character. Also no robin, I can see why people want robin put into the movies but not this ONE! The First Dark Knight was Great DON’T ruin it with a side character as dead wait to the movie! PLEASE READ MY COMMENTS! AND THE ONE ABOVE!
If The Riddler is going to be in the next movie, I think he should be played by Rainn Wilson.
After the events of Dark Knight, I think the obvious choice for a main villain would be the Pinquin as the new Godfather in town. With him as the big bad guy but acting as a Gentleman making this movie a detective’s nightmare to prove that he is the bad guy. Pinguin would then hire other villains to do the jobs, so we could have secondary villains. And Catwoman wouldn’t hurt, she is important for Batman.
Hush was mentioned… well it would be interesting to se Batman and Bruce Wayne dealing with different enemies.
Personally, I think Johnny Depp playing the Riddler would make an amazing main villain, as long as most of what Jim Carrey did in the same part is scrapped.
As for the part of the second villain, I think the Penguin (in his original, human form) could nicely fill out the vachuum in the leadership of Gotham’s organized crime, brought by the deaths of Maroni, Gambol, Lau and the Chechen.
As for bringing in new ladies, I think Talia Al Ghul would fit in nicely; rising to become the new leader of the League of Shadows and seek revenge on Batman, while dating Bruce Wayne along the way.