THE DARK KNIGHT (Nolan's BATMAN sequel)

Now that the casting rumors have given way to an actual cast, what are your initial thoughts on what Christopher Nolan has in store for his Batman follow-up?

On the heels of the Heath Ledger as Joker news, looks like Ryan Phillippe is going to be Harvey Dent/Two Face.



On the surface anyway, both are casting against type. But after the way Batman Begins turned out, I give Nolan the benefit of the doubt, and then some. He's earned it.

I remember how many of the "fans" were up in arms the first time they got a glimpse of the Batmobile from Begins. True, it doesn't look anything close to any conception of the standard vehicle ever seen in the comics and certainly not the other movies, but damn if it wasn't perfect in Nolan's movie. If he can cast a car againt type and make it work, I'm sure Ledger and Phillippe are in very good hands.

I hadn't thought too much of Ledger as an actor, until last year. His Oscar-nominated work in Brokeback Mountain was a revelation: the guy can flat-out act. I never gave Phillippe a second thought as he was coming up, but he started turning the corner for me with his role in Altman's Gosford Park. I thought he was good in Igby Goes Down as well, and he too really impressed me just last year with his work in Crash. He brought his acting up a few notches there, and knowing he's in Eastwood's upcoming Flags of Our Fathers gives me faith too, that Clint saw something there.

Returning to the cast are Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox, Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as Gordon and of course Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

I'm all for casting against the type so long as that isn't the point. "Hey look, we're doing something different! Go us!"

Heath Ledger and Ryan Phillippe are fine young actors some of the time, and I'm just wondering if giving them these roles will be in their best interest as much as ours. Because if they aren't equipped to handle the characters, then the roles might quickly become burdens they'd just rather be rid of. It takes a sturdy, creative actor to make a character one's own - particularly a character who's been around for decades, and who is too acute and complex to get the "half-ass" treatment. Not that I'm really worried that Ledger and Phillippe will fudge their responsibilities, but I'm not so sure they're going to be able to match the intensity of Bale's Batman and Nolan's grit, much less the intensity of the characters they're about to play.

That said, I'll concede to giving Nolan the benefit of the doubt, because you're right: he's most certainly earned it. I trust that he'll have an interesting take on the characters (just as before), and hope that this take will play to Ledger and Phillippe's strengths. And to be sure, Nolan still has stellar anchors in Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman.

I somewhat disagree here. It's true, Nolan pulled the Tumbler out of left field, and it worked because he designed it to fit the formula he created for Batman Begins. But I imagine it's far more difficult to re-envision a character for that same formula. Because in the end, the Batmobile is just a design element that contributes to style and not much else. If it doesn't fit quite right with the rest of the film, well... that's only a minor problem. But a living personality like the Joker or Two-Face requires a little more attention and finesse to translate, and there's greater room for error. If they're not right, the whole film suffers.

I have FAR more confidence in Ledger to pull off his role than I do in Phillippe.

I don't like the casting choices...but I'll echo the sentiment of giving Nolan the benefit of the doubt. After all...I would've thought Jack Nicholson would've been perfect for The Joker, but I can't freakin' stand his interpretation of the character.

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"Like all dreamers, Steven mistook disenchantment for truth."

"Will 'Penguin' Wet His Beak in Warner's Dark Knight?"

From HollywoodNorthReport.com:

Yeah, I already heard the Hoffman as Penguin rumor. But until these things become fact, let's try and keep this thread about the casting decisions that have actually been made.


Nobody else has opinions on Ledger and Phillippe?

The Penguin has to be one of the most ridiculous villains of the Batman comics. I personally cant stand the shrimp and hope he quacks anywhere but on the next film.

If you asked me a year or so ago I would say Ledger is a poor choice, but after B.B.M. I am not so sure. It seems like a weak choice on the surface, but yet it may be golden. I look forward to the outcome.

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“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

I like the choices of Ledger and Phillippe just because they are a bit, as you were saying as well, unexpected.

I have a hard time with all these superhero movies, they almost never interest me. Batman Begins was an exception but mostly because of the background story and the training he went through to become Batman. I don't expect this sequel to be as good as Batman Begins.

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The novelist does not long to see the lion eat grass. He realizes that one and the same God created the wolf and the lamb, then smiled, "seeing that his work was good".

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They had temporarily escaped the factories, the warehouses, the slaughterhouses, the car washes - they'd be back in captivity the next day but now they were out - they were wild with freedom. They weren't thinking about the slavery of poverty. Or the slavery of welfare and food stamps. The rest of us would be all right until the poor learned how to make atom bombs in their basements.

an additional film where Phillippe was good to very good was in 54. yes, he wasn't the seasoned actor he was in Crash, or Igby Goes Down, but the potential was shown, and he delivered a spirited performance in his first "REAL" starring role...(as did Mike Myers!)

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What about Katie Holmes?I know she's a mother and all but the movie comes out in 2008 so isn't she going to play Rachel again?

i would much rather see christian slater pull it together and play the joker. maybe his experiences with one flew over the cuckoos nest in london will give him back his edge

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Undercoverlovers 100 REDUX

I hope not. I didnt care to see her in that movie....and no, I don't know why.

agreed, id really rather she was left out of the next one. I don't think she brought anything to the film, she was just kind of a non entity. I think batman needs someone a lil more sassy opposite him, michelle pheiffer's catwoman was a perfect example, nicole kidman as chase meridian was also someone sexy, smart and worthy of bruce wayne. The character of rachel was only good as a moral compass and now that batman is established within bruce wayne she is no longer needed.

Well they have to kill her because she knows Batman's secret and that's not good for him

but then again chase meridian found out at the end of batman forever and they never had to kill her off, as did the elusive catwoman

now that I've thought about it a little more, don't you think Philippe looks too young and too pretty to play Two Face?

Maybe that's the whole point. When he turns into Two-Face he won't be pretty anymore.

perhaps...but I still think he's too young...unless they planned on makeup'ing his whole face, making the "unaffected" side less young and more experienced, while the other side is the gruesome side...

as much as i would llike to marry him and have his babies, as well as thinking he is a fine young actor - i disagree with the casting of ryan philippe as two face. Who knows, maybe he'll pull something outta left field and surprise us all.