(CASTER'S NOTE: Since all the characters in the Script are not actual Comic Book Characters, I grabbed Screen Shots of other Batman Characters to fill in. This is based on the Darren Aronofsky/Frank Miller Script, and is there for cast specifically to that script, not to the Character from the Comics. This is after all "Darren Aronofsky's Bat-Man Year One. With all that in mind I hope you enjoy my take on the character.)
(Addtional Note: If you haven't read the Film's Script, it's a pretty good read and worth it, and it will help you understand my choice in this cast, you can find the script at this link: http://leonscripts.users5.50megs.com/scripts/BATMANYEARONEscript.htm)
Composer: A film score (also sometimes called background music or incidental music) is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score forms part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects, and comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental or choral pieces called cues which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to enhance the dramatic narrative and the emotional impact of the scene in question. Scores are written by one or more composers, under the guidance of the film's director and/or producer, and are then usually performed by an ensemble of musicians – most often comprising an orchestra or band, instrumental soloists, and choir or vocalists – and recorded by a sound engineer.
Graeme Revell (Notable Works: The Crow, The Saint, Spawn): His score for the Crow is beat by beat the score I imagined the tone and sound of Aronofsky's Bat-Man. Graeme is a wonderful composer who gives the film exactly what it needs for the quality of film it is.
Director: Directors are responsible for overseeing creative aspects of a film under the overall control of the film producer. They often develop the vision for a film and carry out the vision, deciding how the film should look, in other words they make their vision come to life. They are responsible for turning the script into a sequence of shots. They also direct what tone it should have and what an audience should gain from the cinematic experience. Film directors are responsible for deciding camera angles, lens effects and lighting with the help of the cinematographer and set design with the production designer. They will often take part in hiring the cast and key crew members. They coordinate the actors' moves, or blocking and also may be involved in the writing, financing and editing of a film.
Darren Aronofsky (Notable Works: Pi, Requiem for a Dream): The obvious choice, having wanted to direct the film, putting together a script with Frank Miller that massively departed from the Comics while retaining it's inner essence and spirit. Darren's Batman film would have been an amazing take on the Dark Knight.
Screenplay: Screenwriters are responsible for researching the story, developing the narrative, writing the screenplay, and delivering it, in the required format, to Development Executives. Screenwriters therefore have great influence over the creative direction and emotional impact of the screenplay and, arguably, of the finished film. They either pitch original ideas to Producers in the hope that they will be optioned or sold, or screenwriters are commissioned by a producer to create a screenplay from a concept, true story, existing screen work or literary work, such as a novel, poem, play, comic book or short story.
Frank Miller (Notable Works: Robocop 2, Robocop 3, Big Guy and Rusty The Boy Robot): His Year One Script is by far the best mass re-invention to Batman that has ever been done. He was able to strip away many of the typical story assets and reinvent the character in one of the best things Miller has ever wrote. While the film on the whole isn't as good as Nolan's take in Batman Begins, it still would have been one hell of a film.
Bruce Wayne/The Bat-Man (Height: 6' 2", Age: 20's): The 20-Something year old heir to the Wayne Fortune. Having ran away after his parents Murder and has since lived with "Little" Al, growing up, working as a Mechanic in Gotham until his rage sets him on a war on crime.
Leonardo Dicaprio (Height: 6', Age: 28 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Titanic, The Quick and The Dead, Gangs of New York): He is the actor I envisioned as Bruce, age wise, height wise, voice wise. He is the Bruce Wayne I saw and heard when reading the Aronofsky script. He was a younger actor at the time, old enough to franchise and young enough to stay along the character before "aging out" in his 40's leaving him plenty of time to return to more artistic films.
"Little" Al (Height: 6'5", Age: 40's) LITTLE AL, a gigantic, early middle-aged black man.
Michael Clarke Duncan (Height: 6' 5", Age: 45 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Armageddon, The Green Mile, Planet of the Apes): This description is almost perfect to Michael. He's a great actor and this role was obviously made for him.
Lt. James Gordon (Height: 6', Age: 30's-40's): A Police lieutenant with suicidal tendencies trying to cope with the scum of Gotham. Soon becoming a Hero cop after apprehended a mentally ill suspect without killing him.
Brad Pitt (Height: 5' 11", Age: 39 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Legends of the Fall, Se7en, Fight Club): His performance in Se7en is my entire reasoning for casting him as a younger Gordon for this film. By this time he was already 39 so having him play this Jim Gordon is just perfect.
Ann Gordon (Height: 5' 6", Age: 30's) The Pregnant wife to James Gordon.
Samantha Mathis (Height: 5' 5", Age: 32 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Super Mario Bros., Sweet Jane, American Psycho): An actress i absolutely adore. My first exposure to her was in the Super Mario Bros. Movie and then second in 2004's The Punisher. I think from her body of work that she could really fit the characteristic of Ann Gordon's character and persona.
Harvey Dent (Height: 6', Age: 30's) Gotham's Young Assistant {and eventual} District Attorney, suspected of being The Bat-Man.
Michael C. Hall (Height: 5' 10½", Age: 31 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Six Feet Under): Now best known as Dexter Morgan, he was then known as David Fisher from Six Feet Under. A truly gifted actor he frequents most of my Batman Casts as Mr. Freeze, but in this case He is a remarkable choice for the type of Harvey that Miller and Aronofsky put together.
Officer Stanley Merkel (Height: 6', Age: 20's-30's): A young police officer.
Mark Whalberg (Height: 5' 8", Age: 31 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Boogie Nights, Three Kings, Planet of the Apes): Whalberg was still in his early stage of acting, a young kid in the field, a role like this would allow him some onscreen time with a visionary and allow him to build his skills instead of chucking him in the deep end by casting him as a lead.
Selina Kyle (Height: 5' 9", Age: 21): a long, lean black woman, SELINA, 21, 5'9" 120 pounds. Works an S&M dungeon.
Zoe Saldana (Height: 5' 7", Age: 24 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Snipes, Drumline, Get Over It): She is one of my Favorite actresses of the new generation, she's got looks style, feminism, and Beauty. She could be pitch perfect for this version of Selina matching her in nearly height and age, she might have been the perfect choice, I know she is for my vision.
Holly Robinson - The young prostitute, HOLLY, protected by her best friend Selina Kyle.
Raven Symone (Height: 5' 2", Age: 17 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Cosby Show, Doctor Dolittle, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century): To be honest she is a decent young actress, and I wanted an actress of the same race to kind of represent Selina's inner self, her soul. I think with the character written Raven would do a smashing job and really help seperate herself from the Disney character she's created her self to be.
Chi-Chi (Height: 5' 9", Age: 20's): CHI-CHI, a young PIMP with long, greasy hair and felt bell bottoms.
Giovanni Ribisi (Height: 5' 7½", Age: 28 {As of 2002} Notable Works: SubUrbia, Lost Highway, The Gift): I love Giovanni Ribisi, he's a hilarious and wonderful actor who adds the comedic touch to any role. This was the guy I envisioned Chi-Chi to be like, Giovanni has done darker roles and lighter roles and i could really see him ingrained into this character.
Sanchez (Height: 5' 8", Age: 40's): SANCHEZ, an older, fat man, sits behind a desk on the phone.
Danny Trejo (Height: 5' 7", Age: 58 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Heat, From Dusk Till Dawn, Skippy): Danny has become a cult-name, some might say He is the Mexican Bruce Campbell. He's really not what i envisioned the character to look like so much as sound and act. Trejo is a great actor and gives wonderful performances in everything he's done and I'm more prown to cast on his talent then his looks when i feel he works for a character.
Carlos Emilio Estrada (Height: 6' 2" Age: 30's-40's): His face is an emotionless mask, perfectly smooth and featureless, the result of a compulsive addiction to cosmetic surgery.
Jimmy Smits (Height: 6'3", Age: 47 {As of 2002} Notable Works: NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, Murder In Mind): I don't know what it was about Jimmy but he is just how i really envisioned the character. He's always been known to play nice likable characters and Really it gives him ground for him to play these sleazy psycopathic characters.
Detective Campbell (Height: 5' 10", Age: 40's): DETECTIVE CAMPBELL, a fat cop in a wrinkled suit, slaps him on the shoulder.
Mark Boone Junior (Height: 5' 8", Age: 47 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Se7en, Memento): I found out early that reading the Script for the film certain actors were just envisioned, I found that the role of Detective Campbell echoed Mark's portrayel of Flass to the "T" He is a perfect fit for the role.
Detective Jonathan Arnold Flass (Height: 6'4", Age: 40's): DETECTIVE FLASS, about 40, blond crew cut. Loeb's Chief Lieutenant.
David Morse (Height: 6' 4", Age: 49 {As of 2002} Notable Works: The Rock, Contact, The Green Mile): A fantastic actor by any standards, best known as Brutal from The Green Mile, if you've seen his work you could see that a role like Flass is tailor made for Morse. He's got his size and natural traits that match the character to make him a perfect Flass.
S.W.A.T. Commander Branden (Height: 6' 1", Age: 30's-40's): GCPD's S.W.A.T. Captain and personal hit-man to Commissioner Loeb.
John C. McGinley (Height: 6' 2", Age: 43 {AS of 2002} Notable Works: Platoon, Se7en, The Rock): It was a lot of his performance in Se7en that i chose McGinley to play the ruthless S.W.A.T. Captain.
Mayor Francis Noone (Height: 6', Age: 30's-40's): The weak willed bribe taking Mayor of Gotham City.
Christopher McDonald (Height: 6' 3", Age: 47 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Happy Gilmore, Iron Giant, Reqium for a Dream): McDonald is an actor who's had many run ins with the DC Universe, having done voices for the Justice League Animated Series and teh Superman Animated Series. The reasoning for Casting him in this role is while i was reading the script he was the first person to come to mind every time i read Mayor Noone's lines. I could really see Chris in this role.
Commissioner Gillian Loeb (Height: 5' 9", Age: 50's-60's): GCPD Police Commissioner in charge of all Gotham's Organized Crime.
Harvey Kietel (Height: 5' 7½", Age: 63 {As of 2002} Notable Works: Taxi Driver, Pulp Fiction, Red Dragon): A legendary actor in the crime drama field, I feel that if anyone was ever really born to play a role like Gillian Loeb {As the character was in the comics or the Frank Miller/Darren Aronofsky Script} He's a great actor and I doubt any one could disagree with Keitel.