As previously said, I'm a fan of both DC and Marvel, though lean slightly more to DC given my preference for the World's Finest. Regardless, whilst I'm pretty happy with the output we're getting in terms of both companies' films, I'll admit every now and then they've cast a role that just hasn't sat well with me.
Long story short, for this cast I've decided to cast a potential director as well as (most of) the primary heroes and villains of the Batman mythos, and essentially, who I'd like to appear in the cinematic universe, but for the sake of originality I've gone with completely different choices than the actors/actresses that have been cast already despite however much I like/dislike them.
Anyway, enjoy and leave a comment/thumbs up below!
Frank Darabont | The Director
Notable Credits: The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist, The Walking Dead, Mob City
Darabont is very great director who I think would be an ideal candidate for this position. He’s proven himself to be a great dramatic storyteller and has shown a penchant for many genres which Batman would fall in too. Whilst he hasn't necessarily done anything full on in action, he's shown a clearl penchant for the 'detective noir' genre, as seen in the much overlooked
Mob City, and this personally just makes me think he'd do brillliant in showcasing why/how Batman is the world's great detective. So, he may not be the name on everyone’s lips but in my eyes he’s the best choice to bring a gritty, serious yet fantastical take on the Dark Knight to the big screen, and someone I hope, at least is in contention for the part once Warner Bros. finally decide to start their new Batman series.
The Good:
Anson Mount | Bruce Wayne aka Batman
Notable Credits: Hell on Wheels, Safe, Non-Stop
Mount has nailed it in pretty much everything I've seen him in. Admittedly, I haven't seen him in much, but what little I have showed how capable an actor he is, and also proved how good he is at playing intense, intelligent and badass characters.
Personally, he's one of the few actors that I can genuinely see playing a definitive Batman, and no not 'Bat-God', I mean the tactical genius from comics like
Superman: Red Son,
Justice League: Tower of Babel, and
Batman: Hush.
Jonathan Hyde | Alfred Pennyworth
Notable Credits: Richie Rich,
Jumanji,
The Mummy,
The Strain
I’ve previously cast Hyde as an incarnation of this character for my DCCU, so obviously I’ve cast him again, but to the uninitiated, Hyde is a really great actor. He always adds the perfect touch of class to his roles and is consistent in his performances; I think he’d be very fitting and memorable here, as he’s more than capable of doing a lot with a little and has played very similar characters before very well.
David Harewood | Lucius Fox
Notable Credits: Blood Diamond,
Homeland
I’ll admit to not having seen Harewood in too much, but what little I have has definitely displayed how fitting he is for a role like this. Harewood is a very capable dramatic actor and comes as very weathered and knowledgeable if not always likeable, and that is something which I feel would allow him to put a new spin on this role and just help make it his own.
Bryan Cranston | James Gordon
Notable Credits: Malcolm in the Middle,
Breaking Bad,
Drive
Obviously this one casting decision that has been done to death, and understandably, in some people’s eyes Cranston is overqualified for this role, but granted he’s previously voiced the character and is a visual embodiment as well as fantastic actor, it must just be said; there really is no better choice.
Mackenzie Davis | Barbara Gordon aka Oracle
Notable Credits: That Awkward Moment,
Halt and Catch Fire
I’ve not seen Davis in much, but she’s a very enigmatic young actress who I feel could bring a lot of depth to the role and shine as the Batman’s eyes and ears. Her work in
Halt and Catch Fire personally showed me what she’d be capable if cast and frankly, it’s something that I think would do nothing but benefit her in this role and just further makes me want to see her get the part.
Timothée Chalamet | Tim Drake aka Robin
Notable Credits: Homeland,
Interstellar
Chalamet is a relatively new up and comer, but has most certainly gotten some big roles already and worked them serviceably well. Whilst I haven’t necessarily seen enough of him to confirm if he’d be perfect choice for this role, going on what I have seen, he’s definitely talented and would prove to be an interesting watch at the very least.
Nicola Peltz | Stephanie Brown aka Batgirl
Notable Credits: Bates Motel,
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Whilst Peltz is now mainly known as being Michael Bay's new 'It' girl, she's previously proven herself to be a competent young actress as seen by her work in
Bates Motel- whilst not necessarly anything revolutionary, it's clear she's got talent and I think she'd be able to do something interesting with a role like this.
Kit Harington | Dick Grayson aka Nightwing
Notable Credits: Game of Thrones,
Seventh Son,
Pompeii
Harington is a pretty popular and appropriate choice for this role. He’s previously showed interest in playing Batman, albeit a less serious version and by all rights that makes me think he’d work better as Nightwing, at his core that is what he is. Anyway, with Harington at the helm, I think he’d more than do the character justice and definitely bring the right balance of humour and drama to the role and just put a very definitive stamp on the character too.
Emmy Rossum | Helena Bertinelli aka Huntress
Notable Credits: The Day After Tomorrow,
Beautiful Creatures,
Shameless
To some Rossum is a bit of a strange choice for this role, but given her more recent filmography and her talents as an actress, it just feels highly appropriate. She can do sweet, saucy, dramatic and comedic all very well and as said before she’s just very talented and I think she’d just shine in the role very brightly.
Sammy Williams | Damian Wayne
Notable Credits: The Take,
Wild Bill
Williams is relatively unknown young actor but from his work in
The Take and
Wild Bill, I can’t help but think he’s the definitive choice for this role. He’s a talented young lad and can do serious and light very well and most importantly has previously played disturbed characters with anger issues before.
So, whilst I’m not quite keen on a Damian Wayne Robin (without Tim Drake getting his cinematic dues first), if ever the character is introduced, Williams most definitely appears to be the way to go.
Evangeline Lilly | Selina Kyle aka Catwoman
Notable Credits: Lost,
Real Steel,
The Hobbit Series
Casting this role was a little tough for myself but if I was to think of anyone actress who could play the part perfectly, no one else other than Lilly comes to mind. She’s a highly talented and versatile actress and is more than capable of being serious as well as funny/goofy, and given her more recent filmography she’s also proven herself as highly capable with action. The fact that she is very easy on the eyes also helps and further makes me think there is no better than her for the role.
The Bad:
Michael Pitt | The Joker
Notable Credits: Funny Games, Boardwalk Empire, Hannibal
Whilst a little younger for my liking, Pitt is very gifted actor and definitely someone who excels in dark roles such as this, so despite his 'youth' if he was cast, make up could always age him up a bit. Anyway, he can play charismatic, engaging, dark, funny and very, very scary very well, so is definitely someone I had in mind for the role- the fact that he greatly resembles the current incarnation of the character is something that just further reinforces the idea of me wanting to see what he could do here.
Candice Accola | Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn
Notable Credits: The Vampire Diaries
Whilst again, a little younger from my liking, from what little I’ve seen of Accola, I can definitely see her working this role very well. She’s capable of doing light and easy as well darker characters and has a very natural ‘bubbly’ vibe to her, that added with the fact that she reminds me a great deal of the original DCAU incarnation of the character also helps and makes me think she’d at the very least be an interesting watch.
Andrew Lincoln | Harvey Dent aka Two-Face
Notable Credits: Love Actually,
Strike Back,
The Walking Dead
With his work in
The Walking Dead Lincoln has pretty much auditioned for this role already; there he perfectly plays a good man gone bad (and even good again), and frankly that’s more than applicable in the case of Two-Face. Lincoln is clearly a talented dramatic actor and comes off as pretty badass too, so if cast in a role like this I can really see him putting is heart and soul into and at the very least just serving as a very memorable character.
Stephen Graham | Oswald Cobblepot aka the Penguin
Notable Credits: Snatch,
This is England,
Boardwalk Empire
I’ll admit to casting Graham mainly as I do want to see him reunited cinematically to some extent with Pitt, but ignoring that he’s a great actor who can also stand on his own merits. As said by Martin Scorsese, he’s the ‘British Joe Pesci’, and as such would most definitely own in this role; whilst he doesn’t quite have the nose for it, like Danny DeVito I’d imagine makeup would help in that department.
Cole Hauser | Roman Sionis aka Black Mask
Notable Credits: Pitch Black,
2 Fast 2 Furious,
Chase
Hauser is a very overlooked actor, who for some reason has pretty much disappeared in recent years, but from his earlier filmography, in particularly
2 Fast 2 Furious, I really think he’d be a brilliant addition to the Batman mythos in this role. The fact that he also reminds me a great deal of the
Arkham Origins incarnation of the character also helps, but either way it’s evident he’s an actor who can bring the right amount of physicality and intensity needed for this role.
Eddie Redmayne | Edward Nygma aka the Riddler
Notable Credits: The Pillars of the Earth,
The Theory of Everything,
Jupiter Ascending
Redmayne is the perfect choice for me for this role; he’s got the right kind of cerebral quality and as seen by his work in
The Theory of Everything and even the lacklustre
Jupiter Ascending he’s more than well suited for a role like this. Again my only real criticism is that he’s a little young (looking at least) then what I had in mind, but then again, for a role like this I think that kind of works; I always did see the Riddler as being smug/arrogant, and youth could always help with that.
Katharine Isabelle | Pamela Isley aka Poison Ivy
Notable Credits: American Mary,
Hannibal
Isabelle is a relatively unknown actress but she’s one of the few actresses that I can think of that can bring the perfect balance of smarts, class and seductiveness to this role. She’s obviously very easy on the eyes but fortunately is also pretty talented and enigmatic and would definitely prove to be interesting to see if nothing else.
Harry Treadaway | Jonathan Crane aka the Scarecrow
Notable Credits: Penny Dreadful
I’ve not see Treadaway in much but I really liked his take on Frankenstein in
Penny Dreadful, whilst not necessarily similar to Scarecrow, it more than showed off his talents and proved his capability as playing a creepy intellectual. So, if given the chance here, I think he’d definitely be able to do something interesting and just help craft a new and unique take on this villain.
Aaron Paul | Victor Zsasz
Notable Credits: Breaking Bad, Need for Speed, Exodus: Gods and Kings
Given Paul isn’t necessarily an intimidating individual, I can understand why a lot of people may not dig this choice, but frankly given his rollercoaster performance as Jessie Pinkman, I think he genuinely is the perfect choice for this role. He’s capable of doing funny, intense and broken all very well, and whilst all these factors aren’t necessarily attributable to Zsasz, they most definitely act as a testament to Paul’s talents, and frankly, that alone makes me want to see what he could potentially do in this role.
Jack O’Connell | Jason Todd aka the Red Hood
Notable Credits: Skins, Starred Up, 71, 300: Rise of an Empire
O’Connell is another British actor that I’ve now cast as a former Robin, but for this role in particular, I can think of no better choice. He’s a great young actor who’s finally getting the mainstream attention he deserves, and with his work in
Starred Up in particularly, I think simply put, he’d shine as the kid Batman couldn’t help.
Toby Stephens | Tommy Elliot aka Hush
Notable Credits: Die Another Day, The Machine, Black Sails
Since seeing Stephens back in the bipolar
Die Another Day I thought he’d be great as Hush. I mean, he’s pretty much played the part before, and is also a pretty talented actor, but given he can also play cerebral, smug, charming and tough all very well too, casting him here most definitely feels appropriate.
Norman Reedus | Floyd Lawton aka Deadshot
Notable Credits: The Boondocks Saints Series,
The Walking Dead
This is far from an original casting decision but it works. Reedus is badass, funny and roguish; that more than works for Deadshot, and given his notoriety in
The Walking Dead, I can definitely see him making the character a household name.
Jude Law | Onomatopoeia
Notable Credits: AI: Artificial Intelligence,
Road to Perdition,
Repo Men,
The Sherlock Holmes Series, Don Hemingway
With his work in
Road to Perdition and
Repo Men in particularly, Law’s proven his talents for this role. He’s highly versatile and talented and can playing everything from creepy to charming and badass to hilarious all very well, so with a character as unique as this, I think he’s genuinely one of the few actors that can make it work legitimately.
Nick Tarabay | Morgan Ducard aka Nobody
Notable Credits: Spartacus, Burn Notice, Arrow, Person of Interest
To the uninitiated, granted this character is a New 52 creation, it’s worth note, as evidenced by his name he is Henry Ducard’s son, and also a rival of Batman’s who ultimately looks to corrupt Batman’s protégées due to his dislike for Batman’s style of crime fighting.
So, with that covered, Nick Tarabay? He’s no stranger to the DCU, but ignoring that he’s a solid actor and is great at playing villains you love to hate; he’s played badass, conniving, manipulative and creepy all pretty well and when it gets down to it, given his ethnicity and his talents, he is most definitely a fitting choice for this role.
Brad Pitt | Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke
Notable Credits: Snatch,
Fight Club,
Troy,
Inglorious Basterds,
Fury
Since David Ayer was announced as the director for
The Suicide Squad I’ve greatly wanted Pitt for this role. He’s charismatic, tough, badass and just oozes swagger; to me that pretty much sums up what Deathstroke is, and personally, Pitt as a villain is just something so enticing it needs to happen again.
Ed Skrein | Charles Graham aka Prometheus
Notable Credits: Ill Manors,
Game of Thrones,
The Transporter Legacy (upcoming)
Skrein is a relatively unknown but he’s proven himself to be a solid young performer and like Pitt has a very confident swagger to him that just feels highly appropriate for this role. Whilst it might be a bit early to say, he also does appear to fit the role physically also, so by all rights, is definitely someone I’d consider for this character.
Christoph Waltz | Victor Fries aka Mr Freeze
Notable Credits: Inglorious Basterds,
Django Unchained, Spectre (upcoming)
What can be said here that hasn’t been said already? Waltz is a really great actor and shines in villainous roles and has most definitely proven his talents time and time again. In a role like this, I can only see him elevating the character and frankly, given his last cinematic outing that is more than necessary.
Kevin Greivoux | Waylon Jones aka Killer Croc
Notable Credits: The Underworld Series
Once more a choice that isn’t exactly original, but definitely more than fitting. Whilst I only known Greivoux from his work in
The Underworld Series and am aware he’s not exactly too great an actor, it must be said, he is definitely serviceable and is good at what he does; being big and intimidating. For a role like this, not much else is needed and I think at the very least if someone like Grevioux is at the helm, we’d at the very least get a tough and cool villain for the Bat to face.
Robert Knepper | Basil Carlo aka Clayface
Notable Credits: Prison Break, Heroes, Transporter 3, Mob City, Arrow
Once again, another character who isn’t exactly a stranger to the DCU, but one that I think would work this role brilliantly despite any CGI restraints. As seen by his role in
Prison Break specifically, Knepper is a really brilliant character actor who’s great at playing creepy and sleazy characters. Whilst that’s not necessarily applicable for this role, I think he could make it applicable and just deliver a very unique and dark take on a character that may otherwise come off as cheesy and gimmicky.
Liev Schreiber | Lincoln March aka the Owl King
Notable Credits: The Manchurian Candidate, Repo Men, Salt, Ray Donovan
To the uninitiated, again, this character is another New 52 creation, and is basically the Court of Owls’ (Gotham’s premiere secret society) protégée and subsequently, an enemy of Batman’s.
With Schreiber, whilst to some he may be a bit of a strange choice for this role, given his work in
The Manchurian Candidate specifically, I think he is the ideal choice for this role. He’s physically very imposing, a greatly talented dramatic actor, and knows how to play badass and intimidating all very well, so personally, I’d be more than willing to see him take on this role.
Mads Mikklesen | Ra’s Al Ghul
Notable Credits: Casino Royale,
Valhalla Rising,
Hannibal
Another casting choice that was a little young to my liking, but more than appropriate. Mads is great at playing villains and generally dark characters, as seen through the bulk of his filmography, so in a role like this, I think it’s safe to say he’d do nothing but ‘add another notch on his belt’.
Olga Kurylenko | Talia Al Ghul
Notable Credits: Hitman, Quantum of Solace, Centurion, Oblivion
Kurylenko is a solid actress who knows how to play the part of a femme fatale extremely well and has also proven her action capabilities well in the past too. Whilst this can be said to be somewhat of a safe choice, it evidently still works, and if ever the character is reintroduced, I think Kurylenko would be an ideal choice.
Edgar Ramirez | Bane
Notable Credits: The Bourne Ultimatum, Vantage Point, Carlos, Wrath of the Titans
Again, I’ll admit to have gone for an actor that’s pretty popular for this role, but frankly in terms of a new casting choice, Ramirez is highly appropriate. He’s a pretty badass actor and definitely talented dramatically, whilst not quite as big as the comic book incarnation, given the right movie magic, I’m more than confident he’d own the role and put his own unique spin on it.
So, with that done, please leave a comment/thumbs up below!