Stephen Spielberg
As Spielberg revels in directing fantastical, epic movies I figured his take on Batman would be an adventure that takes Batman outside of the dark, dingy Gotham and pits him against Ra's al Ghul.
The 1st movie starts with Batman already in career mode, flashing back to the hows and whys.
Gordon and Alfred have small parts in the overall movie but are important in shaping the attitude of Batman; as far as the chemistry goes, it's important.
Ra's al Ghul is an international criminal mastermind whose motives stay as we know them to be. There are no deviations.
When the League of Assassins invade Wayne Biotech and Wayne Enterprises it sends Wayne, who up to this point, as dealt very little in Super villains, after Ra's.
He must use his detective skills to learn about, and prevent, Ra's plans.
He regards Batman (whom, out of respect for his intellectual brilliance, he addresses as "Detective") as his most worthy opponent, and has frequently sought to make the Dark Knight his successor. Batman's opposition to Ra's is complicated by his attraction to the villain's daughter, Talia.
Batman rescues her from Dr. Darkk, apparently the leader of the League of Assassins. It is eventually revealed that the League is just one part of Ra's al Ghul's organization, The Demon, and that Darkk apparently turned against Ra's after failing in a mission (the usual punishment for this being death). She shoots and kills Darkk to save Batman's life.
She is repeatedly torn between loyalty to her father and her love of Batman. However, she has proven an important 'ally' in her way; most prominently, she encourages Batman to return to Gotham City.
In the end, Talia concludes that she can never keep Batman, as he will be continuously forced to defend her. After revealing she is pregnant, she fakes a miscarriage and vanishes, promising never to assosiate with her father, the League or Bruce, for his safety, again.
The epilogue...
Talia gives birth to the child. The child is left at an orphanage; he is adopted and given the name Ibn al Xu'ffasch which is Arabic for 'son of the bat'. The only clue to the child's heritage is a jewel-encrusted necklace Batman had given to Talia which Talia leaves with the child.
THE CAST
Ra's al Ghul
Sam Neill
Age 42
Spielberg film was Jurassic Park
Neill was young enough, with still being aged enough, and suave enough to pull off the Demon's Head. I only hate that, being English, some may think I went there because of Neeson. I assure that is not the case and broke it down between Malcovich, Christopher Lee and Neill.
Talia
Phoebe Cates
Age 26
Spielberg film was Gremlins
Cates has a cuteness that can quickly turn into sexiness. The cuteness will lure both Batman and the viewer in and, suddenly, we see she is far more capable than we all thought.
Dr. Darkk
John Malkovich
Age 36
Spielberg film was Empire of the Sun
After falling a few years short of a believable Ra's, I opted to toss him in as Darkk, the 1st villain of the movie. Just when you think it doesn't get deeper, or more sinister than Darkk, you realize he's a part of something much worse.
Commissioner Gordon
Harrison Ford
Age 47
Spielberg film was Indiana Jones
You may be thinking he's a bit young, but not only is does Ford personify Gordon but this is very early in the career of Batman.
Alfred
Sean Connery
Age 59
Spielberg film was Indiana Jones
Again, I was leaning towards Lee (& by the way, casting Alfred caused me the biggest headache each time) but went with Bond as the Brit butler. He carried all of the traits in Indy anyway.
Batman
Alec Baldwin
Age 31
Working Girl
OK, so he may not have worked with Spielberg, but maybe Harrison Ford put in a good word for him after they worked together in Working Girl. Either way, Baldwin would have made for an amazing Batman in '89.
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Martin Scorsese
As Scorsese tends to develop emotionally committed films through the streets, his movie would be grounded within the gangs of Gotham. Scorsese is famous for his trademarks, such as its focus on a troubled loner.
The story is an exact replica, with subtle (if any) changes, of Batman: Year One. Save the subtraction of Holly. Scorsese already did the child prostitute to eerie perfection in Taxi Driver and may want to avoid that as it would look like he liked that too much for those not familiar with the comics.
THE CAST
Batman
Elias Koteas
Age 28
Scorsese film was Shutter Island
Koteas, as Casey Jones, was so far beyond those kiddie movies (that I loved, being a kid and all) that he would have been more comfortable donning the cape and cowl in this gritty drama.
Captain Gordon
Kris Kristofferson
Age 53
Scorsese film was Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Kristofferson has that tough-as-nails, hardened persona that Gordon must have, especially, if brought to us by Scorsese. No one fits it better.
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Hershey
Age 41
Scorsese film was Temptation of Christ
Hershey has the perfect look for Babs, the wife. It's only a minor role, but every scene counts.
Detective Flass
Ray Liotta
Age 35
Scorsese film was Goodfellas
Originally, I had him as Dent although I couldn't find a better Flass than Liotta himself. Fine by me, I traded up where I'm concerned.
Catwoman
Linda Fiorentino
Age 31
Scorsese film was After Hours
The perfect seductress to helm the cat burglar/prostitute. There is nobody I'd rather see as Catwoman if Scorsese was behind the camera, bringing the best out of her.
Commissioner Loeb
Victor Argo
Age 55
Scorsese film was Mean Streets
If this isn't the mug of Loeb brought to life, than I don't know what is. Argo always brings a gruff attribute that sells every role. He becomes the personas.
Carmine "The Roman" Falcone
Robert De Niro
Age 45
Scorsese film was (8 movies with Scorsese)
Before you go crazy, understand that De Niro is a chameleon and can age himself through make-up. Falcone was based off of Vito Corleone, a character De Niro played (as the younger version) to perfection, his greatest role, if you asked me. I have no doubt in my mind that De Niro could channel his LaMotta and Capone and bring the best Roman. With Scorsese behind him, this would be award winning.
Havey Dent
Willem Dafoe
Age 34
Scorsese film was Temptation of Christ
He may scream Joker (& he was a contender in the actual '89 film) but here, without Joker, Dafoe could pull off the twisted duel peronalities of Dent insanely well. I'd love the chance to see him go from cool to batshiiit in a moment's notice.
Detective Sarah Essen
Annette Bening
Age 31
Scorsese film was Grifters
Benning is very capeable of playing Essen, the detective who flirts with danger. It's easy to see why Gordon would caveto the likes of Essen if she was brought to life by Benning.
Johnny Vitti
Michael Badalucco
Age 35
Scorsese film was Raging Bull
Badalucco has the right intensity in his eyes to match Vitti and the fact that he's packing a few extra pounds too, helps. I thought it was going to be hard to find a heavy that was befitting. I figured the guy was going to be too fat and not pose a physical threat or be too intimidating.
Alfred
Max von Sydow
Age 60
Scorsese film was Shutter Island
The Swede could hopefully adjust his voice to make the perfect Alfred. He voiced the main ghoul in Ghostbusters and I would like to see his take on this supporting character inside this crime drama. He is not to be taken lightly.
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Oliver Stone
A political director, always looking to unearth some disdain for the way society handles itself, Stone, I believe would focus his attention on the corruption. He would also study the source of angst that drives the Batman.
Batman's been around for nearly a decade.
As Batman captures another criminal, delivering him to Arkham Asylum, the Joker has escaped yet again from the asylum, leaving a trail of death behind him.
Batman discovers that he has somehow obtained a nuclear weapon and will sell it to terrorists.
The 2 narrate their beginnings through visuals. "One bad day" being the similar theme. They each describe how they've locked horns over the past few years.
The typical journey of Wayne is shown trough quick clips as Joker's "Killing Joke" history is shown in the same fashion.
Joker discovers Batman's sidekick, Batgirl is really Barbara Gordon, the daughter of the Commissioner.
Joker attempts to drive his greatest enemies, Commissioner James Gordon and Batman, insane.
Joker kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and imprisons him in a run-down amusement park, and films himself relentlessly beating his daughter with a crowbar.
His henchmen then strip Gordon naked and cage him in the park's freak show. He chains Gordon to one of the park's rides and forces him to view giant pictures of his wounded daughter in various states of undress, hoping to drive Gordon insane in order to prove that the most upstanding citizen can go mad after having "one bad day."
Batman's attempts to locate Commissioner Gordon are unsuccessful until the Joker sends him a clue that leads him to the amusement park. Batman arrives to save Gordon, and the Joker retreats into the funhouse.
As his goons engage in warfare with Batman, Joker tells him that Batgirl is waiting for him and there's only so much time before shes blown to little bat bits. The revalation that his daughter is Batman's Batgirl, only adds to the drama in Gordon's case, and only makes things finnier for Joker, as he escapes.
Batman goes after Barbara and pulls her away from the explosives in time, only to realize that she has died from fatal wounds already. All of this is caught on tape for a helpless Gordon to witness.
Though traumatized and angry, Gordon retains his sanity and moral code, and he insists that Batman capture the Joker "by the book" in order to "show him that our way works."
Batman enters the funhouse and faces the Joker's traps while the Joker tries to persuade his old foe that the world is "a black, awful joke," and thus not worth fighting for.
Batman tracks down and subdues the Joker, and tells him that Gordon survived everything he suffered at the Joker's hands, and suggests that the Joker is alone in his madness.
Joker retort's "No, we have each other and only each other, what with your lil' girlfriend dead. HAhaHaHAhA"
Batman beats the tar out of him. Again, all caught on tape.
As Batman is about to break, several CIA arrive and threaten to shoot if he does not cease. Others untie and cover Gordon. At the request of Ralph Bundy, a CIA contact, Joker is given complete diplomatic immunity as he has orchestrated a sting operation and leads the CIA to the terrorists and gleefully hands over the nuke.
As it turns out, he was released, rather than, escaped, in order to aquire the nuke as he promised he could. The Joker intended to wreak havoc knowing he's get away with it.
He returns to Arkham.
The relationship between Gordon and Batman, once stronger than any bond, is now left questionable.
THE CAST
Batman
Kevin Costner
Age 34
Stone film was JFK
Costner was actually considered as a potential Bat in the '89 version. I don't think he fits as well as I'd like, at least physically. I do think that he would bring one of the best performances imaginable as a hardened vet hero. Beaten down and more distant than ever, from the years of abuse, and down and out seeing little change within his city, the Bruce we get here is clearly on the path to The Dark Knight Returns.
Commissioner Gordon
Troy Donahue
Age 53
Stone film was Seizure
The ex-teen idol (by a few years, clearly) would make for a great Gordon. Similar in stature to the Gordon we see in TDKReturns novel, Donahue would deliver a believably heroic Gordon. This, more than Year One, paints the moral obligations Gordon holds dear. I have no doubt the decades long actor would deliver.
Barbara Gordon
Leslie Hope
Age 24
Stone film was Talk Radio
Hope never dons the cape even though she is Batgirl. Seeing her as the red headed Barbara fits seamlessly and the implication that she and Costner's Batman share romantic intimacy, further driving a wedge between our 2 heroes, Batman and Gordon, is also easy to understand when Hope delivers, what I expect to be, a great performance.
Alfred
Sir Lawrence Oliver
Age 72
Spartacus
You got me. The only Brit Stone is familiar with, worthy of this role is Sir Anthony Hopkins, who was too young at the time to portray Alfred. I imagine Stone approaching the uber respected Hopkins for advise on filling the roll and Hopkins bringing him to his mentor, Oliver, who gladly exepts out of respect for his protege. Thing is, in my world, they wrap up filming before July as Oliver passes away that month.
Ralph Bundy
Tommy Lee Jones
Age 43
Stone film was JFK
Jones, damn just realized he was that version of a villain they called 2Face in Batman, screw that, he's so much better than that, would be great as the bastard who pops up at the end to take Joker away from what he was going to receive from the Bat and place him in protective custody. Who better to trust with the character that cleanly connects every part of the movie together than Jones? Jones part shows Joker to be more than a maniac, he shows that Joker is the man with the plan. He also connects Stone's bull headed political views to the Batman mythos by bringing in the powers that be to protect a man not worth protecting.
Joker
James Woods
Age 42
Stone film was Salvador
Woods was already an option in the actual '89 and, IMO, would have been much MUCH better. Woods would effortly tap into the many layers of Joker and surely be the best of this entire fancast. From Joker's Red Hood days to his brutal beating of Barbara to his sadistic mental torture of Jim Gordon to his cat and mouse with Batman to the twit at the end when we discover all of it was part of the plan, Woods would own this role.
These actors have been picked accordingly. They have all starred in movies directed (or produced) by the listed directors.
Which cast would you have liked to see the most?