Exclusive: Casting News On The Dark Knight
Date: January 25, 2007
By: El Mayimbe
Source: Latino Review
OYE!
EL MOFACKIN' MAYIMBE AQUI!
After much speculation on the web, I got some news concerning casting on THE DARK KNIGHT, the sequel to BATMAN BEGINS!
We gave the world the first look at the script review for BATMAN BEGINS 3 years ago so it goes without saying that my information is solid concerning this project. I don't get my information from any publicists, like other people do, those folks get spoon fed and believe me you expect other sites to start calling their peeps at WB to find out if this is true….Like they will ever tell you the truth.
So that being said...
It's official (no surprise), HARVEY DENT is in THE DARK KNIGHT. Matt Damon passed on the role. The filmmakers met Josh Lucas and there is an interest in Jamie Foxx and Ed Norton. I'm pretty sure there are other actors that I'm not aware of up for the Harvey Dent role.
Now the big news is that the character of RACHEL DAWES is back in THE DARK KNIGHT but Katie Holmes won't be playing her!
No surprise there.
She is being replaced and the filmmakers are looking for that actress now. Let the speculation begin...
Some other minor roles...
Eastern European Heavy - tough bad guy mobster, 40s-50s
Female Cop - Latin, 30s. Elizabeth Pena type.
Asian Accountant - male, 40s
Sounds like a lot of diversity in the sequel!
Also according to Production Weekly, the film has been in pre-production as of January 11th.
Lastly there is no Oswald Cobblepot AKA The Penguin in THE DARK KNIGHT.
That is all I have for now so stick with the hardest working Beaners in showbiz here at Latinoreview as further information develops on THE DARK KNIGHT! In the meantime, I have to change back into my housekeeping clothes and sneak onto the Warner lot here in Burbank. Wow, Alan Horn has quite a nice office!
HASTA EL PROXIMO CAPITULO...
"Female cop,Latin"--Sounds like we'll be seeing Rene Montoya.
I'd go with Josh Lucas over Liev Schrieber anyday to play Harvey Dent.Lucas is traditionally handsome,with even chiseled features,unlike Schrieber--who,through no fault of his own--has beady eyes and an enormous nose.Harvey Dent's supposed to be incredibly vain because he's considered the handsomest man in Gotham City.Looks are everything to him so when his face is destroyed he loses his mind and allows the evil repressed side of his personality to take over completely.I realy believe this role requires a handsome actor.
I suspect Lucas is probably less well known than Schrieber--which,for this role,would be a big plus.He could thus "become" Two-Face in a way Schrieber never could.We've already seen Schrieber play the bad guy.Additionally,Schrieber's now in his late 30s to early 40s,but Dent was always meant to be a younger man and a contemporary of Bruce Wayne.I think Lucas is(or looks) much closer to the right age for this role than Schrieber does.
These kinds of movies are always very expensive to make and I think the actors selected to portray the main characters(not supporting parts-give those to some big names) should be cast less for their immediate name recognition and more for their visual suitability to their roles.Looks really matter, as Gary Oldman's amazing resemblance to the Gordon of the comics proves.Ultimately,casting actors suited to their roles by virtue of their appearanceand their talent, would probably be less expensive than just packing a cast with big names and revising all of the characters to match the actors signed.
Anybody else remember the (brief) period when Nic Cage was signed to play Superman by Tim Burton?Yikes.I'd really rather not see that kind of miscasting reoccur in any of the new Batman films.
But I suspect this is all academic anyway,since Nolan will probably cast a British actor to play Dent.;)
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
But this is all academic anyway,since Nolan will probably cast a British actor to play Dent.;)
Respectfully, W.G. I can't agree with you on the Lucas choice because to me, his range is questionable. The Two-Face character needs a talented enough actor to not just wage war against Batman but with his own torn psyche as well. I just don't think Lucas' looks and youth are enough to fit the bill...
...but I do agree with you that the Dent character being cast has a 95% chance of being British.
Like you said, it's all academic anyway.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
These kinds of movies are always very expensive to make and I think the actors selected to portray the main characters(not supporting parts-give those to some big names) should be cast less for their immediate name recognition and more for their visual suitability to their roles.
That shouldn't be an issue since not only was the first film a critical and commercial triumph, but we are also talking about one of the most famous characters in cinema. Those who would only see Batman:The Dark Knight because the villains are played by well-known actors (as opposed to Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman ) would almost certainly constitute just a fraction of those who end up seeing the film.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
But this is all academic anyway,since Nolan will probably cast a British actor to play Dent.;)
Respectfully, W.G. I can't agree with you on the Lucas choice because to me, his range is questionable. The Two-Face character needs a talented enough actor to not just wage war against Batman but with his own torn psyche as well. I just don't think Lucas' looks and youth are enough to fit the bill...
...but I do agree with you that the Dent character being cast has a 95% chance of being British.
Like you said, it's all academic anyway.
Exactly and we'll just disagree agreeably.But Harvey Dent's supposed to be classically handsome--and that's just not Schrieber.
By contrast,Irishman Jonathan Rhys-Myers might be good as Dent/Two-Face.He is traditionally handsome and has plenty of range.I thought his Elvis was remarkable and the critics have said very good things about his Henry in the upcoming "The Tudors" miniseries.But who knows who Nolan wants anyway.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
But this is all academic anyway,since Nolan will probably cast a British actor to play Dent.;)
Respectfully, W.G. I can't agree with you on the Lucas choice because to me, his range is questionable. The Two-Face character needs a talented enough actor to not just wage war against Batman but with his own torn psyche as well. I just don't think Lucas' looks and youth are enough to fit the bill...
...but I do agree with you that the Dent character being cast has a 95% chance of being British.
Like you said, it's all academic anyway.
Exactly and we'll just disagree agreeably.But Harvey Dent's supposed to be classically handsome--and that's just not Schrieber.
By contrast,Irishman Jonathan Rhys-Myers might be good as Dent/Two-Face.He is traditionally handsome and has plenty of range.I thought his Elvis was remarkable and the critics have said very good things about his Henry in the upcoming "The Tudors" miniseries.But who knows who Nolan wants anyway.
) ) Okay...I don't want to get all weird about what guy looks handsomer than who but Schrieber is good looking enough to play Dent and he can be creepy and suave. Just goes to show how some of us interpret things. )
Now I wonder why was Tommie Lee Jones cast as Dent years ago? ?:)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
I can't wait for the Tudors, it looks great, although I think Rhys Meyers is far too thin for the role.
Respectfully, W.G. I can't agree with you on the Lucas choice because to me, his range is questionable. The Two-Face character needs a talented enough actor to not just wage war against Batman but with his own torn psyche as well. I just don't think Lucas' looks and youth are enough to fit the bill...
...but I do agree with you that the Dent character being cast has a 95% chance of being British.
Like you said, it's all academic anyway.
Exactly and we'll just disagree agreeably.But Harvey Dent's supposed to be classically handsome--and that's just not Schrieber.
By contrast,Irishman Jonathan Rhys-Myers might be good as Dent/Two-Face.He is traditionally handsome and has plenty of range.I thought his Elvis was remarkable and the critics have said very good things about his Henry in the upcoming "The Tudors" miniseries.But who knows who Nolan wants anyway.
) ) Okay...I don't want to get all weird about what guy looks handsomer than who but Schrieber is good looking enough to play Dent and he can be creepy and suave. Just goes to show how some of us interpret things. )
Now I wonder why was Tommie Lee Jones cast as Dent years ago? ?:)
Actually,if we're just going by looks,Henry Cavill would be a better choice than Rhys-Meyers.He's also in "The Tudors" and is now quite handsome.It's very easy to see why he was on the short list to play James Bond and was once considered to play Superman.
Never liked Tommy Lee as Harvey Dent but I know the majority of the filmgoers unfamiliar with the original character could care less.His was a bad Jack Nicholson-as-The Joker imitation.In fact,he made Jack's Joker look like subtlety itself-underplaying and disappearing into the role.And I didn't like Jack as The Joker or Keaton as Bruce Wayne.But that's just me.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Never liked Tommy Lee as Harvey Dent but I know the majority of the filmgoers unfamiliar with the original character could care less.His was a bad Jack Nicholson-as-The Joker imitation.In fact,he made Jack's Joker look like subtlety itself-underplaying and disappearing into the role.And I didn't like Jack as The Joker or Keaton as Bruce Wayne.But that's just me.
We're in agreement about Jones because he was just AWFUL, W.G.
But I had no idea you didn't care for Jack or Keaton in their respective roles... ?:)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Jones was, indeed, AWFUL. Nothing like Two Face. The acting was just atrocious.
Anymore, I think the only person not to be rumored to be in The Dark Knight is me (and I haven't checked my phone messages lately). According to this site, the latest candidate for Harvey Dent is Aaron Eckhart; and there are two new contenders for Rachel Dawes--Emily Blunt and Maggie Gyllenhaal. How soon before Judi Dench's name is bandied about. . .?
Anymore, I think the only person not to be rumored to be in The Dark Knight is me (and I haven't checked my phone messages lately). According to this site, the latest candidate for Harvey Dent is Aaron Eckhart; and there are two new contenders for Rachel Dawes--Emily Blunt and Maggie Gyllenhaal. How soon before Judi Dench's name is bandied about. . .?
Any day now...And Cate Blanchett,Tilda Swinton,Calista Flockhart,Anna Trebenko and Halle Berry will probably follow soon after--along with Candice Bergen and Betty White.Plus Mary Hart.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Just off the cuff here...can Jack Davenport play a convincing Dent? I've never seen him play a twisted part before but he does have the "handsome" thing working for him I guess...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Here's a little more info on BB#2. Looks like there's a possibility Morgan Freeman may not be in the film; that would be a bummer for as I thought he brought a lot to first one.
grr I hope freeman comes back, I train with a couple of FX guys who worked on BB and are I think now over in chicago or are about to go over there for BB#2 soon as I know anythng I'll pass it on (just dont tell anyone you heard it from me :v)
Here's a little more info on BB#2. Looks like there's a possibility Morgan Freeman may not be in the film; that would be a bummer for as I thought he brought a lot to first one.
I hope that's not true. I thought Freeman was terrific (Freeman and Caine in the same film {[]) and I think that the relationship between Fox and Wayne, and the importance of Fox to Batman's operation can be sources of enormous wealth in upcoming Batman films. Here's hoping it's just a rumour. -{
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
According to IGN, Latino Review (usually a pretty reliable site for these kinds of rumors) is reporting that Maggie Gyllenhaal has been signed as Rachel Dawes in Batman: The Dark Knight.
Given the arc of Rachel and Bruce's relationship in BB, I still don't see much point to having her character in this film, unless she is to be a sacrificial lamb in Batman's battle with the Joker.
unless she is to be a sacrificial lamb in Batman's battle with the Joker.
Oh, no. Not again. What do Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 and Superman Returns have in common? In each of them, the hero's GF/love gets captured by the villain. Is it possible to have a superhero film in the 21st century which doesn't feature this unoriginal plot point?
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
A ton of sites including IGN are reporting that Aaron Eckhart has been cast as Harvey Dent for Batman: The Dark Knight.
Personally, I think this is a great piece of casting; Eckhart has shown that he can play both sides of the coin (no pun intended) and is a very solid actor. Way more preferable than some of the other names that were being bandied about.
About the only downside for me is that I thought he'd be perfect as Captain America (he really has a square jaw) but if he's now attached to the Batman franchise, that will never happen.
A ton of sites including IGN are reporting that Aaron Eckhart has been cast as Harvey Dent for Batman: The Dark Knight.
Personally, I think this is a great piece of casting; Eckhart has shown that he can play both sides of the coin (no pun intended) and is a very solid actor. Way more preferable than some of the other names that were being bandied about.
About the only downside for me is that I thought he'd be perfect as Captain America (he really has a square jaw) but if he's now attached to the Batman franchise, that will never happen.
I too like this casting choice, Tony but you lost me when you thought that Eckhart was Captain America material...no way - square jaw or not.
And Dan has a point with that love interest thing; it can be a bit overplayed. I'd rather Bruce just played the high-rolling swinger and then fight crime...yeesh. 8-)
Maybe they should do a live action World's Finest type theme like the cartoon. Cool way Bruce moved in on Lois like that... B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'm sick of the romance angle too; especially as it plays such a small part in the comics. I think its a concession to the female audience, which studios probably think will shun this kind of film if it doesn't have some romantic angle. Just the price we pay to see Batsy on the big screen.
Still think Eckhart would make a good Cap: he's got the build and the all-American looks; but that's just my opinion.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I dunno, I see a little bit of Steve Rogers here ... {:)
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
I'm with Tony on this one, just because of that picture.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
The Dark Knight Begins in April
Source: Retroman February 20, 2007
LA Daily News talked to The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan who revealed when the Batman Begins sequel will start filming:
Right now, Nolan is deeply in pre-production for the next Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," which starts filming in April and also stars Bale. Nolan's reason for casting him in three films?
"Christian has got a very, very extreme form of intensity that comes across on the screen."
Stay tuned for a lot more news as we get closer to production.
Can't wait for the production photos to start hitting the net.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Can't wait for the production photos to start hitting the net.
Ditto that. I especially want to see what Heath Ledger's Joker will look like. Oh, and I want to add that I think that Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent is excellent casting. He's a good actor and he's especially good at playing sleazy and smarmy (perfect qualities for a lawyer), and he has the Ken doll looks that are required. If he doesn't become Two-Face in TDK, I hope he's retained to play him in the third film.
Here's some interesting news about Aaron Eckhart's take on Harvey Dent, courtesy IGN:
Eckhart Talks Two-Face!
Harvey Dent spills a mess o' beans!
by Stax
February 26, 2007 - Now that Aaron Eckhart has been cast as Gotham City district attorney Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face, in The Dark Knight, the actor is expressing his enthusiasm for the project.
"Batman is a complex character, and Two-Face comes a little bit from the same world," Eckhart told MTV.com. "But [at the same time] he's apart from it. ... I'm looking for the tension between the two, the similarities between the two."
He added, "I want to find what's similar to Batman and then find what's opposite to him."
Eckhart confirmed that he will only play Dent in Dark Knight but will portray Two-Face in the next Bat-film. He would not, however, comment on the rumor that The Joker (Heath Ledger) is responsible for Dent's scarring and transformation from good guy to bad.
The thesp added that he will film his scenes in both London and Chicago.
Comments
"Female cop,Latin"--Sounds like we'll be seeing Rene Montoya.
I'd go with Josh Lucas over Liev Schrieber anyday to play Harvey Dent.Lucas is traditionally handsome,with even chiseled features,unlike Schrieber--who,through no fault of his own--has beady eyes and an enormous nose.Harvey Dent's supposed to be incredibly vain because he's considered the handsomest man in Gotham City.Looks are everything to him so when his face is destroyed he loses his mind and allows the evil repressed side of his personality to take over completely.I realy believe this role requires a handsome actor.
I suspect Lucas is probably less well known than Schrieber--which,for this role,would be a big plus.He could thus "become" Two-Face in a way Schrieber never could.We've already seen Schrieber play the bad guy.Additionally,Schrieber's now in his late 30s to early 40s,but Dent was always meant to be a younger man and a contemporary of Bruce Wayne.I think Lucas is(or looks) much closer to the right age for this role than Schrieber does.
These kinds of movies are always very expensive to make and I think the actors selected to portray the main characters(not supporting parts-give those to some big names) should be cast less for their immediate name recognition and more for their visual suitability to their roles.Looks really matter, as Gary Oldman's amazing resemblance to the Gordon of the comics proves.Ultimately,casting actors suited to their roles by virtue of their appearance and their talent, would probably be less expensive than just packing a cast with big names and revising all of the characters to match the actors signed.
Anybody else remember the (brief) period when Nic Cage was signed to play Superman by Tim Burton?Yikes.I'd really rather not see that kind of miscasting reoccur in any of the new Batman films.
But I suspect this is all academic anyway,since Nolan will probably cast a British actor to play Dent.;)
Respectfully, W.G. I can't agree with you on the Lucas choice because to me, his range is questionable. The Two-Face character needs a talented enough actor to not just wage war against Batman but with his own torn psyche as well. I just don't think Lucas' looks and youth are enough to fit the bill...
...but I do agree with you that the Dent character being cast has a 95% chance of being British.
Like you said, it's all academic anyway.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
*cough* Rhys Meyers *cough*
I'd take him over Lucas who's acting is just flat IMO...
Lucas did play an anal-retentive in HULK but that doesn't take much for anyone to do.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Exactly and we'll just disagree agreeably.But Harvey Dent's supposed to be classically handsome--and that's just not Schrieber.
By contrast,Irishman Jonathan Rhys-Myers might be good as Dent/Two-Face.He is traditionally handsome and has plenty of range.I thought his Elvis was remarkable and the critics have said very good things about his Henry in the upcoming "The Tudors" miniseries.But who knows who Nolan wants anyway.
Now I wonder why was Tommie Lee Jones cast as Dent years ago? ?:)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Actually,if we're just going by looks,Henry Cavill would be a better choice than Rhys-Meyers.He's also in "The Tudors" and is now quite handsome.It's very easy to see why he was on the short list to play James Bond and was once considered to play Superman.
Never liked Tommy Lee as Harvey Dent but I know the majority of the filmgoers unfamiliar with the original character could care less.His was a bad Jack Nicholson-as-The Joker imitation.In fact,he made Jack's Joker look like subtlety itself-underplaying and disappearing into the role.And I didn't like Jack as The Joker or Keaton as Bruce Wayne.But that's just me.
We're in agreement about Jones because he was just AWFUL, W.G.
But I had no idea you didn't care for Jack or Keaton in their respective roles... ?:)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Any day now...And Cate Blanchett,Tilda Swinton,Calista Flockhart,Anna Trebenko and Halle Berry will probably follow soon after--along with Candice Bergen and Betty White.Plus Mary Hart.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
http://movies.ign.com/articles/763/763319p1.html
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
He's still a vital character(Fox) and Freeman added so much depth to the overall picture as far as development is concerned.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
http://movies.ign.com/articles/764/764795p1.html
Given the arc of Rachel and Bruce's relationship in BB, I still don't see much point to having her character in this film, unless she is to be a sacrificial lamb in Batman's battle with the Joker.
Personally, I think this is a great piece of casting; Eckhart has shown that he can play both sides of the coin (no pun intended) and is a very solid actor. Way more preferable than some of the other names that were being bandied about.
About the only downside for me is that I thought he'd be perfect as Captain America (he really has a square jaw) but if he's now attached to the Batman franchise, that will never happen.
http://movies.ign.com/articles/765/765206p1.html
I too like this casting choice, Tony but you lost me when you thought that Eckhart was Captain America material...no way - square jaw or not.
And Dan has a point with that love interest thing; it can be a bit overplayed. I'd rather Bruce just played the high-rolling swinger and then fight crime...yeesh. 8-)
Maybe they should do a live action World's Finest type theme like the cartoon. Cool way Bruce moved in on Lois like that... B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Still think Eckhart would make a good Cap: he's got the build and the all-American looks; but that's just my opinion.
This is your Cap? Are you serious, Tony?
GRIZZLY ADAMS: The Movie to be made soon...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Source: Retroman February 20, 2007
LA Daily News talked to The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan who revealed when the Batman Begins sequel will start filming:
Right now, Nolan is deeply in pre-production for the next Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," which starts filming in April and also stars Bale. Nolan's reason for casting him in three films?
"Christian has got a very, very extreme form of intensity that comes across on the screen."
Stay tuned for a lot more news as we get closer to production.
Can't wait for the production photos to start hitting the net.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Ditto that. I especially want to see what Heath Ledger's Joker will look like. Oh, and I want to add that I think that Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent is excellent casting. He's a good actor and he's especially good at playing sleazy and smarmy (perfect qualities for a lawyer), and he has the Ken doll looks that are required. If he doesn't become Two-Face in TDK, I hope he's retained to play him in the third film.
Eckhart Talks Two-Face!
Harvey Dent spills a mess o' beans!
by Stax
February 26, 2007 - Now that Aaron Eckhart has been cast as Gotham City district attorney Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face, in The Dark Knight, the actor is expressing his enthusiasm for the project.
"Batman is a complex character, and Two-Face comes a little bit from the same world," Eckhart told MTV.com. "But [at the same time] he's apart from it. ... I'm looking for the tension between the two, the similarities between the two."
He added, "I want to find what's similar to Batman and then find what's opposite to him."
Eckhart confirmed that he will only play Dent in Dark Knight but will portray Two-Face in the next Bat-film. He would not, however, comment on the rumor that The Joker (Heath Ledger) is responsible for Dent's scarring and transformation from good guy to bad.
The thesp added that he will film his scenes in both London and Chicago.