You’re going to hear all of us over here at moviereign talking a lot about The Dark Knight for a while as it is currently in it’s glory in the theaters and as talks within Warner Bros. regarding the third installment approaches (I’m guessing) within the next month or two, a lot of rumors will be tossed about and spit to and fro from movie site to movie blog about guess what? The next villain in the Batman series. So, this post is going to be a re-approach to a post that I put up a couple days ago about Batman’s next foe. Not only is this just a re-hash of that post, deeper and more thought driven, but I’m going to play the role of detective and through process of elimination and aligning of the stars. We’re going to “try” “try” … let me reiterate… “try” and see how close or accurate we can get to pinning the next baddy in “Batty 3″ (lol). Before I begin I feel obligated to mention that Christopher Nolan is not signed up to do a third installment yet… I emphasize “yet”. It’s entirely possible and likely that he will return because he’s standing on top of gold right now but you never know. Studios as we speak could already be flooding his voicemail with offers to direct and he may and does have the right to say “I think I’d like to move on” and that’s cool with me mang. Nolan brought us something that we comic books fans needed to see before the end of the decade. Add to that if he chooses not to direct the third Batman, they could bring on Campy Joe Walters to direct and holy crap we get another Shumacher like Batman at the helm. Let’s hope Nolan sticks it out for at least one more installment. And with that I begin. I’d like to point out that I mentioned Nolan not being signed up yet because it is pertinent in what would come of Batman 3 but I’m going to talk openly and freely about possible next bad guy as if Nolan is already signed on for a third Batman.

I honestly have no idea what the general consensus is as to whether or not Two-Face is dead. If you look around the online community it’s pretty split. People are saying “yes, it’s apparent that he died when he fell” and others are saying “there is absolutely no way they could have Two-Face in the movie for that short of time and not carry his story into the third one… He’s not dead, they just wanted you to believe that”. Okay but regardless of your position, it doesn’t matter. Nobody’s position really does and I’ll tell you why. Two-Face had a half hour of screen time almost. You as the moviegoer and Batman fan; 1) saw his face (looked awesome) 2) saw him flip his coin (trademark of two-face) 3) saw him switch from hero, to vigilante, to evil (his story). Is there something else that I’m missing besides going for Batman? That brings me to my next point which I’ve mentioned before. Does anybody feel they’ve already seen enough of Two-Face? All you hardcore Two-Face fans out there I know are dying for more, but the rest of you who may be impartial to the whole character, are you guys ready to move on? I think Nolan, assuming that he is directing B3 is in the mode of “alright, we’ve established a hero (Batman) and now we need to establish villains that can be Batman’s “Kryptonite” per se.” It doesn’t matter if Two-Face will be in the next installment because we all know there will be another and lets talk about some of the possibilities.

The following excerpts are from Wikipedia. Now I know that they are all user based info but it’s worked pretty well for me so far therefore giddy up gang.

Nolan series - The Riddler (Excerpt from Wiki)  

Director Christopher Nolan took the helm as director of the new Batman franchise with the 2005 film Batman Begins. In The Gotham Times, a viral marketing website promoting the 2008 film The Dark Knight, Edward Nashton, an alias of The Riddler, is credited for an editorial in Volume 2 about a Batman statue being added to the Wax Museum. The editorial parallels a 1966 episode of the Batman TV series, in which the Riddler used a Batman statue to smuggle in a ‘Universal Wax Solvent’ from France. Although Anthony Michael Hall was rumored to be playing the Riddler, Hall is playing a reporter named Mike Engel. While doing press for The Dark Knight, Gary Oldman alluded that the Riddler could be the villain in the proposed third film. David Tennant has expressed an interest in the role.

It’s going around the web that obviously The Riddler is the most likely candidate for the next bad guy. Or at least most people want to see a Nolan version of The Riddler. I have to say myself that after some thought. I would have to agree and when I think of a dark, gritty, smart Riddler, some pretty cool stuff comes to mind. Like his staff. The guy carries a staff in the comics that has a question mark at the top of it. How cool would it be to see this guy walking around on the big screen in Gotham wearing custom dirty dark green suit or something of the like carrying that staff like a sweet pimp that he could be. Who comes to mind when you think of a possible actor to play the Riddler? I’m going to leave those ideas up to you but I personally like the idea of Crispin Glover. The guy is naturally creepy and smart. Plus, if anybody could compare to Heath Ledger it would be this guy. I know people thought he should have played The Joker but I personally think this would be a better role for him.

Nolan Series - Catwoman (Wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and The Dark Knight is a reboot of the Batman films, having no ties to the Burton/Schumacher series and is set during Batman’s early era. Prior to the release of The Dark Knight in 2008, David Goyer ruled out using The Penguin or Catwoman as a villain in a future film, preferring to use antagonists from the comics that have not yet been portrayed on the big screen.

Okay, please let me know if I’m completely blind or mistaken but… Haven’t we already seen The Joker and Two-Face? I think after seeing Ras who was never portrayed on the big screen or Scarecrow that we got our fill of villains that were left out before no? So if The Joker and Two-Face have already been in previous Batman films, what would stop them from creating a new spin on Catwoman or The Penguin. After Halle Berry’s mess in her version of Catwoman it’s just like the Ang Lee Hulk which some people liked. But I’m just not ready for a Catwoman personally. Although we cant rule it out and here’s why. Rachel Dawes was capped in TDK right? All comic book movies are so fucking awesome and love to introduce love stories to their storyline (I understand it’s in the comics) but please don’t think we the audience are total retards when we see the two actors on screen in a total cheese fest that the audience laughs. I’m not talking just Batman, I’m talking all comic book, sci-fi, and action movies. Please for the love of God, reduce it to a bare hint of a love interest. That’s all we need and want. I digress, going back to my point, studios love to add love. Therefore, although I was freakin pumped that they popped Rach. Because there was no more love interest and perfectly fueled the rest of the story, I know in the back of my mind that when script writing time comes for B3, love may very well be in the air. And who the hell does Batman end up having a thing for in the comics… Catwoman! End the love with Rachel start it with Catwoman in B3 have Two-Face jealous of Batman for his “interest” in Catwoman because he can’t have his own and tries taking them out. Maybe he finds out that Rachel and him had a thing going? Hmmmm. Again, that’s assuming Two-Face is still alive. An idea of who could play Catwoman?… I was thinking ohhhhhh Halle Berry lol… Ellen Degeneresesesses? Who the fuck knows. Any thoughts gang? 

Nolan Series - The Penguin (wiki) 

In response to speculation that Philip Seymour Hoffman was approached for the role of the Penguin, as a British arms dealer in The Dark Knight, franchise director Christopher Nolan said he considered the character difficult to portray on film, explaining, “I’d be more excited to have Philip Seymour Hoffman in the film than to have the Penguin. There are certain characters that are easier to mesh with the more real take on Batman we’re doing. The Penguin would be tricky.”[3] Recently, viral marketing for The Dark Knight included a Gotham Times newspaper, featuring a newspaper ad for the Iceberg Lounge, one of the Penguin’s businesses. Prior to the release of The Dark Knight in 2008, David Goyer ruled out using the Penguin or Catwoman as a villain in a future film, preferring to use antagonists from the comic that had not yet been portrayed on the big screen.

Philip Seymour Hoffman would rock my shit in the new series and as The Penguin would be even better but apparently Nolan doesn’t think it could be done. This is a short one because I think Danny Devito pulled a Heath Ledger when he portrayed The Penguin in Batman Returns and did such a damn good job that Nolan would be hardpressed to create something so good in his universe. Thoughts of who could play him… Phil Hoffman, Danny Devito would be damn cool to get back although doubtful and it’s been done. Thoughts gang?

Nolan Series - Black Mask (wiki) 

When the very first details about The Dark Knight were released, they alleged that Roman Sionis/Black Mask was to be one of the antagonists of the film. He was described as an industrial heir who loses his company to Bruce Wayne and adopts the Black Mask persona for revenge. By the time Jonathan Nolan wrote the final draft, he was cut.

I don’t know much about the Black Mask character but apparently he was in the original script. I do know that he is connected to the mob and would fit in perfectly with the mob theme from the first two films. Anybody have any insight about the Mask for me?