I'll eventually add the details of my plot ideas to this article, but for now I'll just give a few descriptions in the cast explanations. The plot is loosely based around the "Death of the Family" arc, "Under the Red Hood", and various other events along with original material of my own. The following is my dream cast for if these films were to actually be made. I made sure I included at least one alternate choice for each role to keep my mind open (though this was pointless for a few of them). Enjoy!
Cast:
Pearce has been my Bruce for a while, but after Affleck was announced, I decided to re-evaluate, as I've learned of many other actors since then. And after doing so, I still think Pearce would be the best choice. The way he currently looks can pull off the smarty-Bruce look that Keaton had and the handsome playboy look that Bale had at the same time. Also, his lower face/jawline is absolutely perfect for when he has the cowl on. And, most importantly, he is an amazing actor, being the lead in my personal favorite movie, “Memento”. Guess he'll always be my choice for Bats.
Alternate Choice(s):
Michael Fassbender (Prometheus): The fan-favorite choice, and certainly not a bad one, either. Has both the looks and the talent to play the Bat.
Richard Armitage (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey): Another impressive actor who I'm surprised others haven't cast as Bruce. He certainly looks the part, and his performance in "The Hobbit" shows promise.
Sam Rockwell (Moon): Really reminded me a lot of Christian Bale in "Moon". He'd be an interesting choice, only problem is at 5'9'', he's a little too short, I think.
Alex Haw (Following): I really wanted to choose an unknown actor for the main role, too. The only role Haw has ever had was in none other then Christopher Nolan's first film, in which he was very impressive. He has an interesting face that does feel like Bruce a little. Plus, there's this screenshot from "Following"...
There's just no denying J-Law's raw, pure talent. She's the biggest star in Hollywood right now for a good reason. In my story, Babs is Batman's main ally, his constant sidekick, so it is very important for me to choose an absolutely stellar actress. The events of "The Killing Joke" do happen in my story, too, meaning she does see time as Oracle as well. Jennifer Lawrence's past roles, especially as Katniss Everdeen really complement Barbara. Would absolutely love to see this happen.
Alternate Choice(s):
Juno Temple (Magic Magic): An amazing and unique actress who looks the part, very close second choice.
I'm just really confused as to why I haven't seen this casting before. He gave easily one of the top 5 best acting performances of all time in my eyes as Antonio Salieri in "Amadeus". When he was younger, he could have been the younger version of Alfred just as easy as he could be the older interpretation now. I know this is daring to say, but I'm almost positive he would have been even better than the Michael Caine Alfred, which was very good.
Alternate Choice(s):
Max von Sydow (The Exorcist): Probably looks the part better than anyone else, but I haven't seen him enough to put him above Abraham.
Christopher Plummer (The Tempest): An immensely talented actor who looks the part and has a great sense of humor, an essential for Alfred.
Geoffrey Rush is just such a talented actor. In my opinion, he was the best thing about the "Pirates" series, even over Johnny Depp. Also, he has been amazing in a multitude of films such as "Les Miserables", "Shakespeare in Love", and "The King's Speech". Commissioner Gordon's role in this trilogy would definitely differ from Oldman's version. While he would still be an instrumental character in the plot, there would be a much greater focus on the father-daughter realtion between him and Barbara due to Babs being such a central character. Rush really can look like James Gordon, too. He'd deliver strongly.
Alternate Choice(s):
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad): Perhaps an even bigger fan-favorite than Fassbender as Batman, Cranston would be a great choice. He looks just like the character and he is mind-blowingly good in "Breaking Bad".
Another one that I'm fairly surprised I haven't seen. So many people casting Laurence Fishburne or Billy Dee Williams, which make perfect sense, too, but I know there's a good amount of people around casting Batman that love "Firefly" at least half as much as I do. Glass in "Firefly" really shows his ability to be the wise and witty character, yet also proves himself tough and gritty as well, which is an aspect the Freeman version of Fox seemed to miss.
Alternate Choice(s):
Denzel Washington (Inside Man): If I were going for a younger Lucius, Denzel would be the obvious choice. He is literally one of the absolute greatest actors of all time.
Dennis Haysbert (Heat): I think Haysbert as "the Allstate guy", which somehow has a sort of synergy with Mr. Fox. Would really like to see this.
The instant I watched episode 2.1 of "Sherlock", I felt the need to look up the actress playing Irene Adler. Pulver just has this classiness to her that I feel like would be reflected well in Catwoman. Also, her face fits Selina extremely well. I have to have the short-haired look for Catwoman, too, which Pulver rocks. Really, just watch her in “Sherlock” and you'll understand why she is the perfect Catwoman.
Alternate Choice(s):
Lauren Cohen (The Walking Dead): Though her role in TWD is significantly different from Catwoman, I still can't help but agree when I see people cast her as Selina. She is sexy and she can act.
Vanessa Hudgens (Gimme Shelter): Okay, before your viciously attack me, stop and realize that you probably haven't seen "Gimme Shelter" yet. Hudgens goes through a harsh, dramatic transformation for that film and actually displays some real talent in this role that harmonizes with Selina Kyle. Trust me, there was once a time when I too would gag at the idea of this casting choice. But, alas, the ex-Disney star has proven me wrong. Though I still choose Pulver over her pretty easily.
In addition to Pulver playing grown Selina Kyle, I would make her street-scrounging backstory a focus of the second film, and the perfect actress to play the young, rebellious Selina has to be Sami Gayle ("Detachment")...
This guy, if he were old enough and had been discovered at the time, is the actor who should have played Anakin Skywalker in the "Star Wars" films. He does the voice of Anakin in the "Clone Wars" TV show and absolutely nails the character. He would work like a charm as Nightwing. He has the right look and the necessary acting chops for the part. Though he would not have a lot of screen time in my tale, I'm confident that Lanter would be able to shine even still.
Alternate Choice(s):
Ian Somerhalder (Lost): Has the look for the role like Lanter does, but isn't quite as talented of an actor, in my opinion.
Ben Barnes (Killing Bono): An astonishingly gifted actor who is ridiculously handsome. He's the right age and surely has the skills, but he doesn't quite feel like Dick Grayson the way Lanter does.
Can you say underrated? Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe are still getting plenty of the spotlight post-Potter while Felton has been ignored. The complexity he showed in playing the tortured Draco Malfoy was on par with the original writing of the character by J.K. Rowling. Over the course of the films, you really can feel his character's desperation grow as he starts to crack, but at the same time, he's such a good smart-ass. This all being considered, he would be a great choice for Red Hood. He's not some dime-a-dozen eye-candy actor like some may right him off as. He's got real talent, and to me, he looks like a Robin, though many will probably disagree with me. I'd probably have him keep his blond hair, too, I get tired of all of the Robins having jet-black hair, it makes them all look the same, which is annoying because they are all so different, in truth.
Alternate Choice(s):
Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire): He is one of the many reasons "Catching Fire" was as good as it was. He would play Red Hood very well.
Most of you all probably know him from "Game of Thrones", but the performance that really makes him stand out for me was in the ghost movie "The Awakening". He plays a disturbed young boy and gives a shockingly mature performance, a rarity with such young actors. He would work very well in showing the frustration of young Jason Todd. I'd also probably have him dye his hair a lighter shade to have consistency with Felton.
Alternate Choice(s):
Jack Scanlon (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas): Emotionally charged performance in the heart-wrenching "Boy in the Striped Pajamas". Would make you feel attached to Jason very easily.
Even if it was only in the opening scene, this young actor really tapped into the discomfort of a troubled father-son relationship in Richard Linklater's gem, "Before Midnight". The picture I have here isn't the best, but in other instances he really does look just like Damian. He'd certainly have more screen time than in "Before Midnight" here, but not too much more; he'd only get consistent screen time towards the end of the last film. I'm sure young Davey-Fitzpatrick would be more than up to the task.
Alternate Choice(s):
Asa Butterfield (Ender's Game): Asa is just scary talented for his age, arguably the best child actor around right now. He also has a great look for Damian. The only reason I don't choose him is he doesn't get enough screen time for it to be worth Asa's while.
Ever since I first watched "Batman Begins" and really got into the Caped Crusader, I've wanted to do a completely new approach to Ras' Al Ghul. I thought it would be really cool if his immortality was explained by Ra's being a non-corporal life form who exists in multiple vessels. That way, Ra's conviction would be even more pronounced because Ra's would be more of a concept than an actual person. The odd choice here is Serj, ex-lead singer of rock band System of a Down. He always has been a very theatrical person, so I feel like he'd work, despite having never acted in a film before. He would only be in one scene before he gets killed off and it switched over to Esposito. The other three choices all make plenty of sense, they are some of the greatest actors around. Lee would be the dying final version of Ra's in the third film. Ra's starts to lose power because he is losing grasp on the world due to the Joker's spreading influence. Ra's would start out as the primary antagonist but would eventually become more of a reluctant helper and overseer as Joker becomes the main threat.
Don't think I need to include any alternate choices, I already have four people cast in the role.
This one was one of the hardest choices because I am honestly equally torn between Arterton and my two alternate choices, Emily Blunt and Olivia Wilde. All three are gorgeous, super talented actresses, who all look right for Talia (though Arterton I feel looks the most right, which is probably why I chose her). In my story, Talia is a significantly different character than she is traditionally. She doesn't understand that her father isn't exactly human and she thought her father was dead because she was conceived and raised by the Serj Tankian incarnation of Ra's. Her stress and confusion results in a complicated relationship with Batman, who has sympathy for her. They become lovers, but eventually, Talia does a 180 and changes her mind about how she feels about her father's "death" and becomes Batman's enemy. Gemma Arterton would play this Talia very well, but so would Wilde and especially Blunt. Arterton just barley gets it due to her appearance and certain parts of her performance in PoP:TSoT.
Alternate Choice(s):
Olivia Wilde (Drinking Buddies): Olivia Wilde has improved much as an actress, as seen in "Drinking Buddies". She would make a very sexy Talia.
Emily Blunt (Looper): Her performances in both "Looper" and "The Adjustment Bureau" just scream Talia, specifically my version of her, but at the same time, her appearance seems to fit Talia the least of the three.
Robin Williams would be SUCH an interesting and fun Hugo Strange. Though it's not the type of character he plays normally, Williams is actually amazing at playing a creepy character, as seen in "Insomnia". He's actually better at playing the creepy villainous character than a lot of the actors who are renowned for those roles, in my opinion. This choice feels really fresh and original, and I couldn't be more happy with it. If you haven't watched "Insomnia", do yourself a favor and do so ASAP, Robin Williams will make you squirm.
Alternate Choice(s):
Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method): Really, my only choice for this role is Williams. This is one of those were my "alternate choice" is kind of irrelevant. I basically just threw in Viggo because he looked the part when he play Sigmund Freud and he's a solid overall actor.
Andrew Scott as Jim Moriarty in "Sherlock" = The Riddler. It's uncanny. He could legitimately just do the exact same things he does as Moriarty as the Riddler, and it would be better than anything else anyone else could come up with.
Alternate Choice(s):
David Tennant (Doctor Who): The zany tenth Doctor has the face and the style of Riddler, would play like clockwork.
This was the one that I just really didn't want to even bother doing because I'm convinced that no one will be able to top Cillian Murphy's performance. It was beyond perfect, in my opinion. Every single line and moment, Murphy executed perfectly and I just loved it. Whishaw is the only actor I've considered since then who would be able to measure up. He has a lot of the same appeal as Murphy, which is good exemplified in "Skyfall". On top of this, his character in "Perfume" is downright insane and has notable similarities with Scarecrow. All this considered, I think Whishaw might just be able to create something I'll love just as much as Murphy's Scarecrow, but he'd have to work really hard on it; it'd have to be his best performance yet.
Alternate Choice(s):
Sam Rockwell (The Green Mile): Specializes in portraying characters with mental illness, he gives off the right vibe to play Scarecrow, but I feel like it wouldn't be in the same league as what Murphy did or what Whishaw could do.
Firstly, let me just say that no one has topped Brody's performance in "The Pianist" ever, in my opinion. Secondly, I can't express enough how imprtant including the Man-Bat is to me because it represents the ultimate version of Batman's fear, which does a lot for the plot. Adrien Brody has literally the perfect appearance for a man who changes into a were-creature and, it bears repeating, he is, in my humble opinion, the greatest actor on this planet.
Alternate Choice(s):
Sam Rockwell (Moon): Poor Sam Rockwell, just barely missing out on these roles. His performance in "Moon" is the exact reason I think he could nail this part.
This is another one where there really is only one choice. I have always thought that Christina Hendricks was the most attractive woman in the business and, at the same time, one of the most talented. It would be a cakewalk for her to play the seductress Ivy. I mean, just look at her! It's so obvious! I have an original backstory that I'll post on a later date that gives Pamela Isley some real nice character depth. Because of this backstory, Hendricks would be given the opportunity to delve into the character and show off the extent of her talent, which she hasn't really gotten the chance to do since "Firefly".
Alternate Choice(s):
Bryce Dallas Howard (50/50): Like I just said above, Hendricks is my only choice for Poison Ivy. If she died (knock on wood), then I'd consider giving the part to Howard.
Aaron Paul is brilliant, that's all there is to it. He would bring Zasaz to life like never before. I could go on and on with examples from "Breaking Bad", but I'd this would end up way too long. He has the perfect face for Zasaz and he has such intensity and passion in his acting. This would be soooooo goooooood.
Alternate Choice(s):
Joe Anderson (Across the Universe): Anderson, who impressed me in "Across the Universe", would play Zasaz very well, but would probably be lacking some of the depth and energy that Paul would for sure bring.
Vincent Cassel (La Haine): Probably the most terrifying actor alive, Cassel would give a chilling, disturbing performance as this murdering psycho.
Harley Quinn is one of the most fun characters to cast, there are so many possibilities. The best one, though, I believe, has to be Deschanel. Just look at her face! Beyond perfect for Harley. Also her past roles provide a strong support going into this one. The process of Dr. Harleen Quinzel's transformation into the Joker's other half, Harley Quinn would be a huge focus of the films. She'd be a starring role featured in all three films and would be the most dynamic character in the whole story. I am putting great attention into her character development. She just might be my favorite character, so believe me when I say I am in love with my choice of Zooey Deschanel to play her.
Alternate Choice(s):
Jena Malone (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire): If you've seen "Catching Fire", then you know how just ridiculously entertaining Malone is playing Johanna. She would certain play Harley very well, and she looks the part, too.
Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow): This choice feels a bit cliche, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't still be good. She really does have a good face for Harley, and the role of the Joker's girlfriend is right in Ricci's territory.
Winona Ryder (Heathers): If I were going for an older Harley, my choice would be Winona. She plays a kind of crazy girl influenced by an actually psycho guy who she falls for in "Heathers", who's to say she couldn't nail that type of role a second time?
Juno Temple (Magic Magic): Remember earlier when I said Temple was a unique actress. Well, I meant it. She is so, so outstanding in all of her roles and she would be amazing as Harley Quinn.
And now for the most debated, yet most fun casting. For me, it only took a little bit of thought, and then I had an idea that brought a big Joker smile to my face. Ethan Hawke is my #4 favorite actor alive and he would make an outstanding Joker. By the third film, he'd be playing the Joker at his best and most crazy, (the "Death of the Family" Joker) which would be a very daunting task as no one has really tried to achieve anything like that before. But Ethan Hawke is so, so good at finding all the complexities in a character and expressing them. I point to his performance in “Tape”, specifically. His voice, facial expressions, and mannerisms would make for an extremely entertaining Joker. I've not really seen anyone else make this choice, which makes me even happier with it. Yes, Crispin Glover or Jim Carrey would also be great, but my choice is Hawke. Now, some of you might be repulsed by this choice, but consider... remember how pissed off everyone was when they heard Heath Ledger was going to play Joker? Yeah...
Alternate Choice(s):
Christian Slater (Heathers): I am literally stunned that no one else has made this choice that I've seen. Obviously not enough of you guys have seen "Heathers". His character has striking in that amazing movie has striking similarities with Ledger's Joker, but at the same time with a different twist. Slater had so many subtleties that just made the role that much more amazing. And can we talk about how perfect his face is for the Joker? The main reason I have Hawke as my main choice and Slater as the second is because the only movie I've seen him in is "Heathers" and I want to see more of his films and see if he's got diversity before I put him up against Hawke. No doubt he's got talent, though. Some may write him off because he's not done anything good in recent years, but that's just because he has only been in worthless, trash movies in recent years. Once you're an amazing actor, you're an amazing actor, it doesn't go away with age. It's an inate talent. Point is, Slater is an amazing choice for Joker and I'm really surprised no one else has caught onto it.
Vincent Cassel (La Haine): And here we have Vincent Cassel again. He's one of the more common choices and it's so easy to tell why. You just can't get past that picture! That headshot is the closest I've seen a human get to replicating the face of the Joker as drawn in the comics. He's so good at playing psychos, too, there's no way he'd drop the ball. However, I'm not sure he could supply the same amount of depth that Hawke would.
The rest of these are characters I will not be using in my story, but I still really like these casting picks for them...
O'Brien not only has the perfect visage for Red Robin, but his role in "Teen Wolf" suggests he would nail the personality of Red Robin, too.
Alternate Choice(s)
Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower): An outstanding young actor as seen in "Perks" who fits the description of Tim Drake just about perfectly. A fan-favorite choice.
Hoskins in "Roger Rabbit" is literally just like the classic Penguin. I never was a huge Penguin fan, but if I were to see anyone play him, it'd probably be Hoskins.
Alternate Choice(s):
Joe Pesci (Goodfellas): If someone were to do a more serious re-imagining of the character, which I would encourage, mayhaps Pesci would be the man for the job because you can surely take him seriously but he at the same time can be hilarious.
The story of Mr. Freeze is so tragic, I'd love to see it told in a feature film on the big screen, but alas, there is no room for it in my trilogy. Kingsley would be the man to play him, for sure. He gives some of the most emotional performances and can tug at your heartstrings while on the other hand, he can be cold as ice.
Alternate Choice(s):
Terence Stamp (Unfinished Song): I really, really like Terence Stamp and his melancholy performance in "Unfinished Song" makes it pretty easy to picture him as Mr. Freeze.
I mainly chose Hanmore because of his interesting facial structure. It's like his skull in more pronounced on the surface than it should be. This gives him a menacing presence that makes him memorable despite having only filled minor roles before. I would give him a chance as a pseudo-main role as mob kingpin Black Mask. If you go with the story that Roman Sionis had a black mask fused to his skin, then you could really take advantage of Hanmore's odd visage.
Alternate Choice(s):
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Aviator): If a movie were to be made where Black Mask is the main antagonist, the one to play him should probably be none other than Leo himself. His performances in the Scorsese films "The Aviator" and more recently "The Wolf of Wall Street" really highlight aspects that could be brought into his performance as Roman Sionis. Plus, he's Leo, he can basically do whatever he wants and it would be amazing.
Jon Bernthal was the best thing about TWD, in my opinion. He has such intensity and he can be truly intimidating when he needs to be. One of the most talented actors I've ever seen. He is built for the role. If I were to have Bane in a movie, I would probably use a mask similar in design to the one in Arkham Origins so that, like with Hardy in TDKR, Bernthal could act with his eyes, Bernthal is especially good at.
Alternate Choice(s):
Ron Perlman (Hellboy): This choice would be for a different type of movie. I'm not sure if I'd be able to take it seriously in a Nolan type film, but maybe in a more Guillermo del Toro or Tim Burton-esque film, this could be grand. I kind of can't unsee him as Hellboy, though, which is kind of an issue. Nevertheless, this would still be a lot of fun to see, once again, given the right style of film.
Jude Law has the precise style needed for Thomas Elliot. I personally am not a huge Hush fan, but I know for a fact that Law would do nothing but improve my view of the character. He's such a talented actor, namely in Gattaca.
Alternate Choice(s)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter): He is known for playing a sociopath, so this would be treading familiar ground for him.
So there you have it, my cast for my own Caped Crusader Trilogy. Feel free to comment what you think, I take criticism pretty well so long as it's constructive. Thanks for reading!