Fifteen months from now, The Dark Knight Rises will be released and serve as the conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s genre-bending, gritty, urban comic book movie epic. The script is written, the villains are cast and the wait has begun. Myself, I expect it to be the best one yet and I really look forward to it, not only to see how it all ends, but to see it end as well. More to the point, I look forward to a time when I can look forward to a reboot of the series.
I have a couple reasons for that. Firstly, I’m never comfortable with the people behind certain franchises leave. Whatever comes next in the series, even if the cast remains the same, feels off. Rebooting the series keeps the Nolan trilogy a nicely bundled story arc immune from whatever effect any further movies have, good or bad.
Secondly, and much more importantly, I long for a fresh perspective on the mythos.
While setting up the characters and plots in ways that were not exactly realistic, but still plausible, was an amazing idea at the time, and has served the dark knight well, I find myself longing for a time when entertainment didn’t have to be plausible, but just had to be fun. A certain degree of realism and plausibility are still highly desirable for various properties. Some even need them. But I think a return to a less realistic Gotham is in order. Particularly as I have a hard time imagining anyone pulling off a realistic Gotham better than Chris Nolan.
Having been living under a rock, I only recently played Batman: Arkham Asylum, and it is phenomenal. Grim, atmospheric, and still fantastical, and as such is the image of what I imagine the direction that franchise should follow next. Also like Arkham Asylum, I think the next series should begin with Batman, and his rogues gallery already established. No need for a new origin story when almost everyone already knows it.
For your consideration, my cast and partial crew of the future Batman reboot.
First off, my choice of director is….
Guillermo Del Toto, director of the Hellboy, Blade II and Pan’s Labyrinth. The man’s work speaks for itself. So I’m not going to say anything.
As soundtrack score composer, I pic…
As for who should play whom, well, look for yourself…
Eric Dane as Batman
This one will be quite unpopular, I think. So best to get it out of the way. Personally, I think he has a great voice for the character.
Bill Nighy as Alfred Pennyworth
Bill Nighy is a great British thespian and he can definitely play the sarcastic butler. Much as I love Michael Caine as Alfred, he’s low on that air of refined gentlemaness that Nighy has and Alfred requires.
You may know Nighy from Valkyrie and Shaun of the Dead.
Stephen Lang as Commissioner Gordon
I will admit that Lang only came to my attention following Avatar, in which he had me cheering for him throughout. I think he could play the sort of a man, like Gordon, who will not waver in the pursuit of performing his duty. J
You may know Lang from Avatar, Gettysburg and Public Enemies.
Clarke Peters as Lucius Fox
Those who follow my fancasts know I’m a huge fan of The Wire and will instantly pick actors from among its amazing roster. In it, Peters played a tenacious, intellectual, smooth detective. He has a voice that makes Morgan Freeman sound like Justin Bie—That’s too far… He has a voice that makes Morgan Freeman sound like someone who has a lesser voice than Morgan Freeman.
You may know Peters from HBO’s The Wire and Treme.
Felicia Day as Barbara Gordon
I never liked Batman’s abundance of sidekicks. I like Barbara Gordon as Oracle, though.
You may know Day from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along-blog.
Clancy Brown as Thomas Wayne
Because if I can’t have Brown as old Bruce Wayne, I’d have him as Thomas Wayne.
You may know Brown from Highlander and Carnivale.
Gemma Arterton as Catwoman
You may know Arterton from Quantum of Solace and Clash of the Titans.
Rachel Weisz as Poison Ivy
You may know Weisz from The Mummy, Constantine and the Constant Gardner.
Mia Wasikowska as Harley Quinn
You may know Wasikowska from Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.
Joseph Fiennes as The Joker
Another potential crowd displeaser. But there it is. I actually think The Joker could have less of a presence this time around.
Rhona Mitra as Talia Al Ghul
You may know Mitra from Nip/Tuck, Boston Legal and Doomsday.
Mark Strong as Ra’s Al Ghul
You may know Strong from Sherlock Holmes, Kick-Ass and Robin Hood.
Tobin Bell as Ventriloquist
You may know Bell from the Saw film series.
William Shatner for Scarface’s voice
Case in point.
You may know Shatner from a little knows show about aliens and stuff.
Djimon Hansou as Killer Croc
You may know Hansou from Constantine and Amistad.
Jeremy Irons as Hugo Strange
You may know Irons from The Merchant of Venice.
Mads Mikkelsen as Mr. Freeze
I am ashamed to admit, my perception of the character is affected by the Governator’s portrayal. For some reason, I always imagine Freeze speaking with an accent.
You may know Mikkelsen from Casino Royale and Clash of the Titans.
Robert Knepper as Mr. Szasz
You may know Knepper from Prison Break.
Adrien Brody as Scarecrow
You may know Brody from The Pianist and King Kong.
Sharlto Copley as The Riddler
You may know Copley from District 9 and The A-Team.
Jon Hamm as Two-Face
He’s a fan favorite for Batman himself. But I think that’s a little too on the nose.
You may know Hamm from AMC’s Mad Men and The Town.