With the crazy cinema success that Batman: The Dark Knight is getting, it’s only natural that leaks about potential new villains for the third film hit the news stands–or the rumour mill.
Luckily for readers out there I am a Batman news bloodhound! During my daily blogroll RSS scan-through, here’s what’s come up for the potential future of the Batman franchise!
First Suspect: The Riddler
In one of my previous posts, Post Dark Knight: Nolan Leaving, The Riddler Coming?, I mention the lead rumour of The Riddler being the next in line for Batman to take down.
At the time of that post there was still no potential name attached to the role. Well one just came out, and would it surprise anyone to learn that Johnny Depp is the guy? Johnny Depp has been a favorite actor of mine since I saw him in Edward Scissorhands, a Tim Burton film, where he plays a silent scissor-handed guy who falls in love with a teenage girl… and turns out to be one hell of a great lawn sculptor… snip snip snip…
Back when I was thirteen years old I never understood a thing about an “actor’s range” and how truely rare it was. Most actors get type-cast into a archetype that they rarely SUCCESSFULLY get out of throughout their career. Johnny Depp may be an example of the opposite. He seems to be the guy to go to when you want a unique perspective on characters–and he delivers!
With his last roles retaining a quirky nature–Willy Wonka, Jack Sparrow, Sweeny Todd–I’m a little fearful that he’s going to fall down the pigeon-hole trap. I have faith though! If anyone can pull off a “re-envisioning” of a Batman lead villain like Heath Ledger did with his Joker performance, Depp is the guy!
Reasons Why I Believe This is a Rumour
As much as I’d like to see this become reality, Depp has a line-up of films in pre-production and/or announced: Sin City 3 (2009) (in production) (rumoured); The Rum Diary (2009) (in production); Dark Shadows (2010) (announced) (rumoured); and Shantaram (2009) (pre-production).
If Batman 3 gets set for a 2011 release Depp would theoretically need studios co-ordinating his filming schedule around 2-3 films (assuming The Rum Diary wraps up sooner than later). I’m not saying this is an impossibility, just not a scenario I’d like to raise my high hopes on.
Second Suspect: Catwoman
It’s been reported that Angelina Jolie is up for the role of the new Catwoman. Whether or not this role is for the upcoming Batman 3, or whether it’s for a spinoff franchise is not confirmed. Can I only say, PLEASE, if this is a spinoff of the Batman films, REBOOT it and split it off of the Haley Barry Catwoman. Angelina Jolie has the potential to pull a “Christian Bale” on the roll an hold together a trilogy for any smart movie studio.
The Catwoman character, if tackled with the same sense of reality as the new Batman series, can have the potential of drawing in movie goers of both sexes much more rapidly an with way greater ease when attached to a strong female personality like that of Jolie.
Catwoman is a symbol of power, freedom and sexuality–something that will draw men and women to the ticket booth without too much begging from either partner. This would be a perfect counterpart to WB’s Batman.
Reasons Why I Believe This is a Rumour
Having Catwoman in the third Batman feels like it would be too soon. That’s my first opinion. Sure they did it for the second Batman in 1992 with Michelle Pfeiffer, but that was a different time, with a different direction. Would it be nicely lined up with the Rachael Dawes relationship being over after The Dark Knight? Yup, absolutely. Bring in another love interest to maintain that all-important “love perspective”.
You know, the more I type about this the more I feel like I’m proving why it WOULD work as a truemor instead of as a rumour. In any case, my second opinion is simply that this character profile holds it own as a separate film with the proper direction.
Third Suspect: The Penguin
Onward to the third role rumor turning in the mill. Philip Seymour Hoffman is in talks for the rol as The Penguin. This discussion is not a new one as it was “reported by a spy” as a landed role for The Dark Knight along side Heath Ledger who had not yet confirmed The Joker role. Made fresh once again, it’s time for the fanboy frenzy to begin!
I still recall the role as played by Danny DiVito in 1992 in Batman Returns. This was a time before that early franchise didn’t plummet in a nipply-armor-grave-pit. I wish I knew more about Hoffman to really have an opinion of the kind of potential he has in bringing a refreshing look at the short, awkward, money-loving gangster.
The character offers the same reality-based angle necessary to keep the rebooted Batman franchise going with such superior force. He can simple be a mob boss that puts a thorn in the side of the underground regulars like Salvatore Maroni. Adding a Catwoman to the script would bring this arch-nemesis duo WAY too close to Batman Returns and thus I believe everyone can safely scratch that reality off the list!
Reasons Why I DON’T Believe This is a Rumor
It’s a lower profile villain character in the mind of the general public–even lower than The Riddler in my opinion. Maybe it was the green spandex with the question marks that confirmed that character’s staying power in the minds of non-Batman fans–who knows?
The Penguin can be really grounded in reality and can fit into the current franchise’s look and feel. The Mob plot has been sneaking throughout the storyline for the first two movies already, I’d gamble that the third film will return to this story in much more force and dedication.
What I also believe though is that The Penguin won’t hold a movie together one his own. There will be a second–there’s always a second. It’s a pattern I’ll commit my hopes to, and my guess is The Riddler… just not played by Johnny Depp.
Here’s to seeing if I nail ANY of these! I’ll be posting new content as things come up!
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