MrDonut Presents: 'The Batman'

Those of you who checked my previous fan casts will know for my casts I’ve taken on a bit more a generic view with casting, those of you who don’t, just to make it clear; rather than cast one specific film entry in a franchise I decided to cast of characters I’d expect to be around in the ‘5 year’ window of the New 52/existence of the Justice League, and who will hopefully crop up in DC’s future films.

So, before I get started I’d just like to mention for the (inevitable) next Batman film I personally hope they go for something that is tonally more in line with New 52 and a cross between Tim Burton’s Batman and Chris Nolan’s Batman Begins- I’d even be happy with an ‘alternate reality’ sequel to Batman Begins which expands into the greater DC universe, why? Well, personally speaking, not only is Begins the best of the trilogy but it has a great comic book tone like Iron Man; meaning, the way it left off it could’ve introduced fantastical elements into the mythos naturally.

Anyway, rather than start with a new origin story for the Dark Knight though, I’d expect to be introduced to a fairly established (yet young) Batman; basically someone who’s still early in his career but has been around for a few years- maybe reintroduce audiences to the character through the eyes/introduction of Robin? Obviously if Warner Bros. don’t go this route it’s not the end of the world, but in my eyes, this is the best way to introduce Batman into a wider DCU in a new and interesting way.

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Jack Huston as Bruce Wayne/The Batman

Who’s Jack Huston? Watch Boardwalk Empire. A relative unknown but a rising up and comer and definite great actor. Huston can undoubtedly deliver on the intensity needed for the role, and could bring a nice suave and smooth swagger to the role too. Bottom line is, I think he could bring out the detective/master strategist/intelligent aspect of the character out well and also be the happy medium between Mike Keaton’s take on the character and Chris Bale’s/Nolan’s.

Worth mentioning, most recently in the Nolan films, one notable criticism that always came up was the fight choreography. I’m a fan of Nolan’s but his choreography sucked ass for most of his Bat films. When Batman is brought back to the big screen I hope the fighting is more in line with what we saw in Batman Begins and The Bourne Trillogy; Batman should be fast, ferocious and smart when he fights; I want to see him punching, kicking, head-butting, using smoke bombs, flash bangs, gadgets, Batarangs and even the environment when fighting, not just his elbows. Point is Batman is a genius who has mastered all forms of combat; he should be portrayed as such. Also, as for the whole ‘no killing’ rule, I think Batman Begins handled it best; Batman doesn’t kill but he doesn’t have to save anyone either; frankly, it’s more realistic and fits with his personality.

Noah Bean and Rosamund Pike as Thomas and Martha Wayne

Both of them are great actors and have the right kind of presence to them that just sells me on the idea of them being Gotham’s favourite power couple. Whilst I’ve only seen Bean from Damages and Nikita its clear he can bring a lot of depth and emotion to his roles and I think he’d be able to bring some nobility to the role. As for Pike? Again, also very talented and like with Bean I think can bring some nobility and depth to the character.

Liam Cunningham as Alfred Pennyworth

Cunningham is a criminally underrated actor. Literally, there is no other way to put it. He’s ridiculously talented and like the recent Batman: Earth One incarnation of the character, I think he can bring a more gruff and tough take on Batman’s butler and just prove to be a worthy addition to the cast.

David Oyelowo as Lucius Fox

Why Oyelowo? After seeing him in The Last King of Scotland and Complicit I think it’s safe to say he’d be able to do the role justice. He’s a pretty damn talented actor and genuinely comes off as classy and intelligent and work well as Bruce’s business partner. Now, despite his age I still think he’d be a solid choice for the role as I prefer Alfred to be the sole father-figure to Bruce and Lucius to be more of a childhood friend/protégé of Thomas Wayne’s; something I think Oyelowo could work well with.

Anyway, just wanted to mention, unlike the last take on the character, I want Fox to be portrayed next time round just as Bruce’s armorer; he should just make/provide the Batsuits, gadgets and vehicles whilst Bruce himself, does the detective work and science stuff; I think this would be a more realistic depiction of Batman’s intelligence and show that he can work without Fox’s aid to a degree.

Chandler Riggs as Dick Grayson/Robin

I haven’t seen Riggs in anything outside of The Walking Dead, but it’s clear he’s a very talented young actor. I think he could bring depth and toughness to the role and make for a brilliant incarnation of the iconic sidekick. As for those of you who think Robin has no place in the movies, well to that say; handle him like Hit-Girl. If done like that Robin could come across as credible but also bring some humour to what would probably be a reasonably dark film.

Only other thing I’d like to mention is rather than give Robin a bright ‘shoot me, I’m a target’ costume, I’d expect the Boy Wonder to be given a similar coloured suit to the Dark Knight himself; maybe something in line with the Young Justice stealth suits – Click Here to See

Bryan Cranston as James Gordon

Cranston has been ridiculously overused for Gordon, but [frick] it; it works. He’s a popular choice for the role for a reason; he looks the part and is talented as hell and very, very versatile. His work as Walter White in Breaking Bad also makes me think he’d be able to bring a darker edge to Gordon and just give audiences a new take on the character.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Harvey Bullock

Supernatural, The Texas Killing Fields, Watchmen and The Losers have all shown audiences that Morgan can play the gruff and tough guy with a heart (ok maybe not Watchmen but he was still pretty badass there). He’s a talented actor and I think he’d work well off Cranston as Gordon so would love to see him in the role one day.

Daniella Alonso as Renee Montoya

I’ve seen Alonso in a bunch of things, and as a result haven’t really cast her for any one specific role but throughout her career (what I’ve seen of it at least) she’s played tough, feisty and capable characters well and like Morgan I think would help flesh out the cast nicely.

Elle Fanning as Barbara Gordon

This was a very tough role for me to cast, but in the end Fanning seemed to be the best choice, especially after seeing her in Super 8. I’m not sure how to put it but she’s got a Barbara Gordon vibe to her and comes off as smarter than her years so could definitely help bring something unique to the series.

Just want to mention though, I personally am a bit torn on having Batgirl make an appearance in the next Bat series. Too many sidekicks seems like overkill but Batgirl (Barbara’s version at least) brings with it some great stories (admittedly they still can be brought to the big screen if altered a bit), but personally if her costumed alter-ego is ditched I’d like her to be introduced as a protégée of sorts to Lucius Fox; essentially, like Tim Drake she should figure out Batman’s identity and maybe leading to her becoming Oracle (as the actress gets older through the series, of course).

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller

This roles always been pretty tough to cast for me, but Davis is a very talented actress who I can actually picture as an intelligent badass, so it just seems very fitting to cast her here.

Hugo Weaving as Hugo Strange

Weaving is pretty damn versatile and pretty great at playing villains who just get under your skin. He has an intense cerebral and detached appeal to him too, so I could definitely see him give us an almost ‘Hannibal Lector’ style take on this crazy ass villain. Plus, if it helps, he’s also called Hugo… :P

Abbie Cornish as Vicki Vale

Cornish is fairly versatile and talented and after seeing her in a few things now it’s clear she’s a pretty cool actress as well as being easy on the eyes. I think she could give a very ‘Lois Lane’ style take on the character and just further help elevate the Bat’s supporting cast.

Michael Pitt as the Joker

Replacing the late, great Heath Ledger is going to be a monumental task for anyone, but Pitt is a rising young actor who is very underrated. His work in Funny Games and Boardwalk Empire convinced me he’d be a worthy candidate for the role, plus a reunion between Richard Harrow and Jimmy Darmody? Definitely something I’d love to see again, especially on a larger scale!

Only thing left to say is, next time the Joker is brought to the big screen I want him to be more capable a fighter; Batman: Lovers and Madmen portrayed him as a nihilistic adrenalin-junkie hitman prior to his transformation, so this might be a good place to draw from. Anyway, as most of you’d expect, I’d like him to look like the above picture, but a little bit more scary; a cross between the above look and Nate Belegarde’s redesign would be a great look to adapt – Click Here to See

Andrew Lincoln as Harvey Dent/Two-Face

This might seem like a bit of odd choice at first glance, but The Walking Dead has more than proven Lincoln’s talents. Put simply, he’s good at playing a good man who’s fallen down a dark path. I think he could bring a balance of nobility, grit and darkness to the role and really just make Two-Face a more memorable villain.

Eddie Marsan as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin

Marsan is a great character actor. He can play a villainous prick like a pro and is ridiculously underrated; after seeing him in The Disappearance of Alice Creed and Little Dorrit I became a fan. Forgetting his acting chops, just look at him; he looks a realistic version of the character and I can imagine him giving fans a really savage performance of the character that’d just help modernize him and cement his position as one of the great cinematic villain in history.

Vincent Kartheiser as Edward Nigma/the Riddler

I haven’t seen Kartheiser in much but from his roles in Mad Men and In Time I think it’s safe to say he can play an intelligent and smug dick-bag like a pro. He seems to play characters with something of a God/superiority complex and with a character like this, it just seems oh so fitting.

Desmond Harrington as Roman Sionis/Black Mask

It was due to his roles in Dexter and Justified that I thought Harrington would be an ideal choice for the role. Admittedly, he was in The Dark Knight Rises for like 2 seconds, but truthfully no one really cares or remembers so I still think he could do the job. I mean, he can play a cool, intense, sleazy scumbag really well, and when you get down to basics, that is pretty much what the character is.

Jessica Marais as Selina Kyle/Catwoman

Thanks to Magic City, Jessica Marais hit my radar. Whilst the show itself is hit and miss, Ms Marais has proven herself to be a capable actress, very sexy and seductive and has shown the world how great she looks in her birthday suit (FAP!) Jokes aside, I think Marais would own the role; she’s hot and talented so why not?

Alexandra Breckenridge as Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn

Breckenridge is another pretty versatile actress I’ve cast here; she’s hot, capable with both drama and comedy, quirkily funny and can play psychotic sexpot well. Those of you who’ve seen her in American Horror Story will be able to tell she’s got what it takes to both enthral and scare so I’d love to see her alongside Pitt as the Joker.

Emily Blunt as Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy

I’ve seen Blunt in a bunch of things now and whilst none of her performances really showed she was right for the role, it’s pretty clear she’s got the talent and integrity to give us a more credible take on the character. She’s hot and comes across as pretty smart plus she’s pretty versatile too so I’d love to see her the take on the task.

Elijah Wood as Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow

Wood is one of my favourite actors around; he’s very versatile and talented, and since seeing him as Kevin in Sin City I can’t help but love him in psycho roles; his recent role in Maniac just reiterates how good he is in them and he’s got a bit of a ‘Norman Bates’ vibe to him, so, it only feels natural to cast him in role like this.

Anyway I’d just like to say, with Scarecrow like a few characters I've cast here, the Arkham look found a special place in my heart so I’d love to see it influence his eventual look next time the character's brought to the big screen – Click Here to See

J.J. Field as Thomas Elliot/Hush

This was a pretty tough role for me to cast, really had to think about. Whilst I haven’t really seen Field in much, it was his role in Centurion that made me think he’d be able to pull it off. Like Kartheiser, Field has a certain smugness/arrogance to him which I think just really works well for the character and put simply, I think he could really shine as the envious villain.

Logan Marshall-Greene as Floyd Lawton/Deadshot

Two words; Dark Blue. Marshall-Greene’s work there speaks for itself; he’s badass and talented and can balance humour and drama very well too, so I’d definitely love to see him as the iconic assassin.

Brad Pitt as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke

Pitt's a very talented actor and a badass. Whilst he may not typically be associate with a role like this I think he'd be the best man for the job, especially given his role in films like Inglorious Basterds and Killing Them Softly. He can play suave and gruff and he's very charismatic and pretty badass too, so put simply, I think Pitt could make Deathstroke an iconic and memorable villain and just really do wonders in the role.

Daniel Craig as Victor Fries/Mr Freeze

Craig is very simply one of the best actors there is; he’s at the top of his game and acts like a boss. His role as James Bond was evidence enough to me that he’d deliver in the role; put simply, he can play cold hearted bastard well whilst bringing a good balance of grit, intelligence and depth. So, if ever there was an actor to rid the shit stain that was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s portrayal of the character from our minds, I’d bet my left nut it’s Craig.

Still, worth mentioning, whilst I like the above look of the character I’d like to see more of an Arkham City influence brought to the big screen; just looks more badass – Click Here to See

Damion Poitier as Waylon Jones/Killer Croc

Prior to Poitier’s recent bout of fame, I always thought he’d be a great choice for the role. He’s a pretty solid actor, a big dude, a fanboy and very imposing, so whilst Croc is little more than superhuman thug I think Poitier could bring some depth to the role and play up the whole man/monster a little bit more.

Only thing I want to say is, from the above pic you guys might have guessed I like the beasty looking Croc; well, frankly throughout his presence in the Bat films I’d like to see the character start of more human only to be experimented on (maybe by Hugo Strange) only to become the more monstrous incarnation of the character we now know.

Jason Clarke as Basil Carlo/Clayface

Since seeing him in Lawless and Zero Dark Thirty I’ve become a big fan of Clarke. He’s a powerhouse of an actor and just really talented. He can play sleazy and tough and charismatic all at the same time and I think he’d just prove to be a very memorable villain despite the evident CGI limitations that’d come with the role.

Edgar Ramirez as Bane

Replacing Tom Hardy is no easy task but after a long and tough search, Ramirez stood out to me. His roles in Vantage Point, The Bourne Ultimatum, Carlos, Wrath of the Titans and Zero Dark Thirty just convinced me he was the best man for the job. He’s a very talented actor and fairly imposing; there’s something about him that just reminds of Javier Bardem too, so that kinda works well in this case too. Long story short, if given the chance I think he’d be able to do the role justice; he looks the part and has the skills, so why not?

Janet Montgomery as Talia Al Ghul

What can I say about this? Montgomery is hot, talented and has an exotic look going for her. I think it’s safe to say Marion Cotilard’s portrayal is hardly a difficult role to overthrow, but even so, Montgomery just feels like the best choice to me for it; she can do action, drama, comedy and even serious/dark material so I’d be more than willing to give her a shot.

Viggo Mortensen as Ra’s Al Ghul

Shout out goes to UnderDog for this one!
The Prophecy, The Lord of the Rings, A History of Violence and Eastern Promises; all these films best display why Mortesen is perfect for the role (and many others too, but that’s something else). He’s one of the most transformative and talented actors around, and probably the only guy who could surpass Liam Neeson’s epic portray of the leader of the League of Shadows.

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So, that’s my ideal cast for Batman. I hope you enjoyed checking it out, and if you did look out for my Green Lantern cast!