New 'Batman 3' Rumors: Riddler & Penguin
Filed under: Casting, RumorMonger, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
Part of the allure of Batman Begins was seeing a Batman I'd picked out a few years before (when my friend and I tried to figure out who the perfect people were to play all the iconic superhero roles). Now this latest influx of rumor-laden Batman 3 gossip is taking me back there. First, we had Angelina Jolie as Catwoman.Now, Aceshowbiz reports that new "rumors" are tapping Johnny Depp and Philip Seymour Hoffman to grab villainous roles in Batman 3 (something tells me "rumors" means someone scoured the comment section on Cinematical during our Who Should Batman Fight Next post). I'm sure you need no help figuring out who would play who. For some reason, neither of these men ever occured to me, but they could do wonders with the roles -- especially Depp. If you were going to take the RIddler, and make it dark Christopher Nolan-style, is there anyone who could even come close to Depp's suitability? The Riddler came after Tim Burton's days with Batman, but it could also give us an idea of how Joel Schumacher's film would've been different with a darker touch. And PSH as the Penguin? So good.
But what do you think? Do you have any better ideas?









Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
7-31-2008 @ 10:42AM
peter said...
I think you're heading for a disaster if you try to squeeze too many characters into the next movie. Take Spidey 3 for example. It should have either been all Sandman or all Venom. It could have been awesome with either, but kinda sucked with both.
I think they should bring back Two-Face and have Catwoman dropped into the mix. My 3 cents
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7-31-2008 @ 1:11PM
rachel said...
While I agree with Peter that you really can't squeeze too many villains into one movie without losing some cohesion and flow to the story, I do not want to see Catwoman show up. I am hoping for the return of Two-Face (Eckhart) and perhaps the introduction of Riddler or Penguin. Three enemies would be far too many. The casting of Depp or PSH, though, sounds genius. Both are incredible actors that would do Nolan's re-imagination of the comic book series justice.
7-31-2008 @ 8:18PM
jerry (j-bird) said...
I agree that Catwoman should be next introduced in these reinterpretations which obviously follow the darker DC comics as opposed to the cartoonish era of Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, but we should steer clear of having too many villians in one film. More than one adversary adds excitement but opposes the development of each villian. The next Batman film should simply be titled "Gotham" with a focus on Catwoman being a mass danger to the city. I'd love to write this script and I can envision each scene just like a perfect storyboard...anyone listening...the film opens with cat burglars (Catwoman's mineons)
stripping a museum of rare jewels and one of them decides to commit mutiny and take a few for himself...we see a black whip in the foreground slowly hitting the floor and raveling into a circle as it lands...this is followed by a black boot with impossible spaghetti heels touching down...we see a third of Catwoman's rear figure in frame and she says " you know I have always told a would-be thief if your going to take someone else's possession, you must always, always take them first " ...having approached the burglar she then plunges her razor-sharp nails into his spine (censored of course). Catwoman must be slightly less sexual and more sadistic this time around. Angelina Jolie would be too predictable as Catwoman. Another less popular actress would try harder to perfect the role therefore besting any other possible performance. With that said lets look at Kate Beckinsale (despite having played a heroine and tight-wearing heroine several times over already)..Kate has the beautiful yet more intimidating face. There is an underdog choice such as Mena Suvari who could surprise in perfecting the role..Saffron Burrows...Parker Posey..who knows. All of these actresses in my opinion would be good candidates but regardless lets just take the time with this film so that it can match or eclipse "The Dark Knight's" box office intake and critical acclaim. Make the Cat a truly menacing and near invincible force and it'll be a smash.
8-06-2008 @ 11:47PM
Mike said...
From the stand point of a screenwriter, I don't think that anyone should be thinking about what names to cast rather than what they already have to work with. The riddler would be great even though he is a joker knock-off, but why even consider depp when you have William Fichtner who plaid the bank manager that the joker let live. There is a perfect set up, you have a great actor who barely appears in the film, he could be linked back to the Joker and you could really take his character to any size shoe and it should fit nicely. I think with some creative writing,William Fichtner could become an excellent riddler while everyone else's attention is drawn toward PSH as Penguin or maybe even just simply one villain could do fine. I just think that Harvey Dent worked out rather well in this film. From the studio's perspective, you could have a film made of shit, as long as you have Johnny Depp's name, you WILL make your money.
8-03-2008 @ 12:17AM
H.w.O said...
All I Gotta Say Is David Hyde Pierce/Riddler
8-05-2008 @ 1:49AM
lucky said...
i think you have to have the joker back in the movie. he did make the dak night, he's the reason everyone watched it. also i dnt know bout you but i dont think 2 face should have died waste of a character. i say bring back the joker mayb harley quinn can help him escape from prison or jail wherever he went. and you can add the riddler(johnny depp). put the penguin in part 4 with catwoman (hallie berry). one more thing when do you think we will see a robin?
7-31-2008 @ 10:51AM
joey m said...
Penguins weird. I don't think he'd be too appealing. Talia al Ghul would be a good choice, along with the Riddler. Who would play Talia? i don't know. Riddler? Umm... Edward Norton?
look at the picture to the right
http://www.myclassiclyrics.com/artist_biographies/Edward-Norton-Biography.htm
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7-31-2008 @ 10:53AM
techstar25 said...
Actually I was thinking Depp could do some justice to the role of Joker, in the event that he were to appear in the next film. If anybody could pull it off, Depp could.
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7-31-2008 @ 11:02AM
Stranger said...
I thing that getting Johnny Depp in to the Batman movies will be great,
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7-31-2008 @ 11:14AM
Sam said...
Black Mask would be perfect, both in terms of the storyline The Dark Knight set up as well as that its a new villain. Also, Nolan's on record saying he wouldn't want to use the Penguin.
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7-31-2008 @ 11:15AM
JackGonzo said...
Johnny Depp would be an inspired choice to play the Riddler, and as good as PSH would be as Penguin, I don't think he's a movie villain, unless it's very brief at the start of the movie as a cameo.
They have shown they're not afraid of going long with Batman so having more characters work if they stick with the almost three hour time frame. Catwoman, Riddler, Two-Face and Joker could easily work. You don't have to build the Two-Face and Joker storylines, we already have it. You can keep Catwoman's in the dark and have her in a role much like in Long Halloween and Dark Victory.
In a contrast, have the Riddler as vicious as Joker, just intellectually. He's not getting his hands dirty, after all he's much in the same vein of Lex Luther for Batman. Comes up with the schemes, has the ideas, but not one to actually fight that much.
Now as for who should play Joker...I think there is only person out there that fanboys and diehards would easily accept, and that's Mark Hamill.
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7-31-2008 @ 11:22AM
glyn said...
Recast the joker and bring him and two face back, neither character was finished.
There is NO evidence of the perfomer in this movie..Ledger was so good, all the audience saw was the Joker incarnate.
As such, a good actor who is prepared to completely immerse himself in the role should be able to pull it off.
They already recast one role in this movie, it's not like there isn't a precedent.
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7-31-2008 @ 1:11PM
batfan said...
i agree. i think wormtongue from the lord of the rings series would be a great joker replacement brad dourif he has the means and acting skills as well as that voice that gave chucky life. he would be great then we could go on with the original idea batman the trial of the joker.
7-31-2008 @ 11:33AM
LiqwidZero said...
I couldn't see Phillip Seymour Hoffman doing Penguin.
If it did happen, Danny DeVito should reprise the role. He worked perfectly as Penguin.
I could easily see Johnny Depp being Mad Hatter, and I would rather see Mad Hatter as he hasn't had a movie debut yet.
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7-31-2008 @ 11:52AM
peter said...
liqwidzero,
it would be funny if Johnny Depp got cast as the Mad Hatter in Batman 3 seeing as he just got cast as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland!
7-31-2008 @ 12:03PM
LiqwidZero said...
I still think Depp would've done better as the White Rabbit.
8-09-2008 @ 6:19PM
Austin said...
I think David Ogden Stiers would be the best penguin.. It was a thought I had been having only to later learn he provided the penguin's voice in Batman: TAS. As for the Mad Hatter... I don't see that sort of character working with this new style of the Batman world.... but if it did, he'd have to be a dark man obsessed with mind control... a stage hypnotist perhaps? I can see that role played by Anthony Hopkins... an older actor with experience as an intellectual psychotic.
7-31-2008 @ 11:48AM
John R said...
I'm still liking the Talia/Riddler scenario
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7-31-2008 @ 11:49AM
WestCoastPat said...
I think that either character would be a poor choice. I'm pulling for Catwoman and perhaps Harley Quinn (Yes, I think ti can be done without Joker)
and for the guy above who suggested recasting Joker.....Do you honestly think someone else could step in and do that role? Just because it didn't look like Heath doesn't mean he wasn't integral to the role.
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7-31-2008 @ 11:53AM
rufustfirefly1 said...
I think Depp would be great. Not sure about Phil Hoffman. I would love to see Paul Giamatti in the Penguin role.
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