Depp to be The Riddler?

[Last Line Hero]

I'm sure that most fans of Christopher Nolan's re-invigorated Batman franchise have already eagerly immersed themselves in the rumours that screen star Johnny Depp appears in line to reprise the role of Batman villain The Riddler, should there be a 3rd installment following the success of The Dark Knight. The Daily Telegraph in the UK reported:

Johnny Depp to play The Riddler?
Johnny Depp is being tipped to play The Riddler in the sequel to The Dark Knight.

Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor
31Jul2008

Reports in the US say studio bosses have set their sights on Depp as The Riddler

Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker has set the bar high for Gotham City villains, but reports in the US say studio bosses have set their sights on Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.

"Producers are convinced that the role of The Riddler is perfect for Depp. Johnny's a pro. He'll be able to take direction and still make the character his own. And what better Penguin is there than Philip Seymour Hoffman?" a source said.

They could be joining Angelina Jolie - the actress is reported to be after the role of Catwoman.

The Riddler was played by Jim Carrey in 1995 film Batman Forever and Frank Gorshin in the Sixties television series. As for The Penguin, he was portrayed on the small screen by Burgess Meredith and in 1992 film Batman returns by Danny DeVito.

Plans for the sequel are yet to be announced but it is likely to star Christian Bale reprising his role as The Caped Crusader.

The Dark Knight has smashed box office records in the US, taking $314 million in just 10 days.

There is even talk of it challenging Titanic to become the biggest movie of all time. Titanic took $600 million in the US. The Dark Knight certainly looks set to reach second place in the all-time chart and beat Star Wars, which made $460 million.

Ofcourse, at this point they remian only rumours, however there is little to no doubt that producers will obviously be keen to strike whilst the iron is hot, and capitalise on the windfall of hysteria that will linger long after The Dark Knight is out of cinemas by convincing Chris Nolan to conjure a 3rd film.

And The Riddler appears the most likely of Batman's super villains to make the smooth transition into Nolan's more "realistic" adaptions. The director himself has essentially already ruled out casting a Penguin, it would be doubtful for the third leg of a trilogy to unleash a lesser known culprit like Hugo Strange or Deadshot (as Batman Begins did with Scarecrow) at the risk of poorer marketing, whilst the thought of a beautiful villainess wondering the streets of Gotham in a Cat suit just doesn't seem to fit the bill no matter how glorious for male viewers.​

No, The Riddler with Nolan's caliginous touch and played by a screen powerhouse who would suite a "serious" and menacing E. Nigma down to a tee seems just about right on all fronts, and would have fans flocking.

With Johnny Depp in mind, the "old" adaption of The Riddler as a campy and nerdy figure appear dashed in the light of a darker more decadent characterisation, a man perhaps with just the right hint of charisma and witty humour overshadowing a deep seeded sadism. Pictures of a twisted, compulsive, academic genius spring to mind, decked out in a verdant green suite and top hat with walking stick in hand.

And imagine the script? Batman Begins was defined by plot, The Dark Knight was defined by character, ??? could be defined by dialogue alone if they got those riddles in tune. The potential scope of the character is vast and mouth- watering already.

What are your opinions on Depp as The Riddler, Nolan adopting The Riddler and what you believe would make The Riddler a good character?

Thoughts?

 

[Upgrayedd]

PLEASE No Riddler.

Shocking, they need either Bane or Harley Quinn as the next villain

 

[Jabso]

Isn't Riddler pretty much the same deal as The Joker? I'd hold off so close to The Dark Knight.

I don't know much about Batman villains, but shouldn't they just make Two Face the main villain in the next one?

The Penguin isn't too cartoony as long as you keep the penguins out of it. Maybe play down the resemblence to a penguin (i.e. no waddling or pointed nose).

 

[Upgrayedd]

Isn't Riddler pretty much the same deal as The Joker? I'd hold off so close to The Dark Knight.

I don't know much about Batman villains, but shouldn't they just make Two Face the main villain in the next one?

The Penguin isn't too cartoony as long as you keep the penguins out of it. Maybe play down the resemblence to a penguin (i.e. no waddling or pointed nose).

I wont blast you because you have stated you dont know much about batman villains. But he is a mafia boss who's nickname was the penguin because he was short, and had hip problems which caused him to waddle rather then walk.

Penguin would be an intresting choice, but for me it MUST be bane, Following the story of breaking the batman from the comics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bane_(comics)#The_Man_who_broke_the_Bat

Hope they play him truer to his comic character, not just a mindless brute

 

[Prolix]

*keeps fingers crossed for Harley Quinn*

 

[Last Line Hero]

Isn't Riddler pretty much the same deal as The Joker? I'd hold off so close to The Dark Knight.

I don't know much about Batman villains, but shouldn't they just make Two Face the main villain in the next one?

The Penguin isn't too cartoony as long as you keep the penguins out of it. Maybe play down the resemblence to a penguin (i.e. no waddling or pointed nose).

I stated in the OP that if they were to cast Depp, combined with Nolan's more realistic and "dark" take on the characters, you could almost assure that the "old" version of the Riddler would be dead and buried in place of a far more serious, menacing one.

I also said that yes, they remain only rumours at this stage and I was merely putting it out there to see what people's reactions would be. I'm not sure what other people believe but I interpreted that Two- Face died in the Dark Knight so I doubt we'll see him again.

If they got the Riddler right, the scope for the character would be quite vast I think. I'd love to see the character given some originality and essentially given a chance to be his own villian rather than always being cast in the shadows of a nerdier, less frightening Joker who couldn't be taken seriously. Make him like a Jigsaw from Saw with the deathtraps, or a Jekyll & Hyde type, some twisted genius.

 

[davey_magik]

IMO it could work well if they got someone like Depp and paired him with Nolan.

I'd hate to see Catwoman or bringing Two Face back brought into it.

 

[DB10]

re. Jolie as Catwoman ...

Has she ever played a villain or an antagonist in anything I'd have heard of? Usually she's cast as a likeable "good" protagonist, probably because of her looks.

Mind you, Heath Ledger usually had them sorts of roles as well and look at the job he did.

 

[drew_j]

I wan't Mr Freeze. I like his cold body, cold heart, no mercy menace, but he could be a bit too un-realistic. The Riddler could work, he has some interesting story lines. Just no Penguin. I've always hated him as a bad guy. He's just so lame.

Bane leave for a 4th movie and then call it quits. You really need all the bad guys introduced and let lose on Gotham at once for Bane's story to be told. If you did a Riddler with Penguin (as a Two Face type roll in TDK) You could have, Two Face, Riddler, Penguin, Joker, Scarecrow, Zsasz and say throw in Firefly or Scarface like Zsasz was in Begins as the force Batman has to stop before his Bane face off. It'd be twice as long as TDK though.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I wan't Mr Freeze. I like his cold body, cold heart, no mercy menace, but he could be a bit too un-realistic. The Riddler could work, he has some interesting story lines. Just no Penguin. I've always hated him as a bad guy. He's just so lame.

Bane leave for a 4th movie and then call it quits. You really need all the bad guys introduced and let lose on Gotham at once for Bane's story to be told. If you did a Riddler with Penguin (as a Two Face type roll in TDK) You could have, Two Face, Riddler, Penguin, Joker, Scarecrow, Zsasz and say throw in Firefly or Scarface like Zsasz was in Begins as the force Batman has to stop before his Bane face off. It'd be twice as long as TDK though.

Mr Freeze could be done well. With todays technology surely a suit like that could be explained. And if you get the characterisation right he could be a sensational villian.

 

[stephen_bayne]

If they got the Riddler right, the scope for the character would be quite vast I think. I'd love to see the character given some originality and essentially given a chance to be his own villian rather than always being cast in the shadows of a nerdier, less frightening Joker who couldn't be taken seriously. Make him like a Jigsaw from Saw with the deathtraps, or a Jekyll & Hyde type, some twisted genius.

I agree. And Depp would be a the perfect choice for the role too. Another good choice would be Jake Gyllenhaal.

re. Jolie as Catwoman ...

Has she ever played a villain or an antagonist in anything I'd have heard of? Usually she's cast as a likeable "good" protagonist, probably because of her looks.

Mind you, Heath Ledger usually had them sorts of roles as well and look at the job he did.

I remember her being the villian in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow but... Yeah, that movie sucked.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I agree. And Depp would be a the perfect choice for the role too. Another good choice would be Jake Gyllenhaal.



I remember her being the villian in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow but... Yeah, that movie sucked.

Angelina Jolie has never made a good film. I don't want her anywhere near a Batman movie.

 

[Jabso]

I wont blast you because you have stated you dont know much about batman villains. But he is a mafia boss who's nickname was the penguin because he was short, and had hip problems which caused him to waddle rather then walk.

Penguin would be an intresting choice, but for me it MUST be bane, Following the story of breaking the batman from the comics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bane_(comics)#The_Man_who_broke_the_Bat

Hope they play him truer to his comic character, not just a mindless brute

Didn't know about the hip thing, but the only way it's too cartoony is if they make Penguin's nose unusually pointy and give him the ability to command penguins. I guess having him obsessed with penguin paraphernalia might be stretching it too, but not that far.

 

[Last Line Hero]

I wan't Mr Freeze. I like his cold body, cold heart, no mercy menace, but he could be a bit too un-realistic. The Riddler could work, he has some interesting story lines. Just no Penguin. I've always hated him as a bad guy. He's just so lame.

Bane leave for a 4th movie and then call it quits. You really need all the bad guys introduced and let lose on Gotham at once for Bane's story to be told. If you did a Riddler with Penguin (as a Two Face type roll in TDK) You could have, Two Face, Riddler, Penguin, Joker, Scarecrow, Zsasz and say throw in Firefly or Scarface like Zsasz was in Begins as the force Batman has to stop before his Bane face off. It'd be twice as long as TDK though.

The question with Bane is: who would play him? His character in the comic books is good, but transitioned onto the big screen?

Chris Nolan has a gift for attracting great acting talent to the roles in these movies, it is what ices the characters beautifully, but Bane, a giant superhuman would no doubt need one of those two- bit, shithouse wrestler/actors like Kane or Goldberg to play him in real life and not only would that be an injustice to the character of Bane (as he is much more than just a strong brute but a keen intellect), it would stuff the credibility and quality of the film, no doubt in my mind.

Angelina Jolie has never made a good film. I don't want her anywhere near a Batman movie.

As I said a female villainess wondering the streets of Gotham in a leather Cat suit just wouldn't be Nolan's style IMHO. They could do something with it, but it's a stretch.

 

[Karl Pilkington]

Well Christopher Nolan has previously stated the Penguin is absolutely no chance of showing up, Hoffman or not. He also stated he wants to focus on NEW villains that haven't been shown in the previous movies.

Make of that what you will, but of the other villains available, I'm slowly coming around to the idea of The Riddler played by Depp.

He is different than the Joker, for sure.

Joker's base desire is to show how weak society as a whole is, to destroy just because it CAN be destroyed.

The Riddler is a pure sadist and because of his intellect he sees himself as superior to everyone else.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Well Christopher Nolan has previously stated the Penguin is absolutely no chance of showing up, Hoffman or not. He also stated he wants to focus on NEW villains that haven't been shown in the previous movies.

Make of that what you will, but of the other villains available, I'm slowly coming around to the idea of The Riddler played by Depp.

He is different than the Joker, for sure.

Joker's base desire is to show how weak society as a whole is, to destroy just because it CAN be destroyed.

The Riddler is a pure sadist and because of his intellect he sees himself as superior to everyone else.

I didn't know that.

I just think that with the hype that will surround that film following the success of the Dark Knight, having a superstar actor playing the lead antagonist role as one of Batman's super villains would be the best way to market it, and have one of the lesser known villains in a "Two- Face" type role.

 

[Jabso]

I stated in the OP that if they were to cast Depp, combined with Nolan's more realistic and "dark" take on the characters, you could almost assure that the "old" version of the Riddler would be dead and buried in place of a far more serious, menacing one.

I also said that yes, they remain only rumours at this stage and I was merely putting it out there to see what people's reactions would be. I'm not sure what other people believe but I interpreted that Two- Face died in the Dark Knight so I doubt we'll see him again.

If they got the Riddler right, the scope for the character would be quite vast I think. I'd love to see the character given some originality and essentially given a chance to be his own villian rather than always being cast in the shadows of a nerdier, less frightening Joker who couldn't be taken seriously. Make him like a Jigsaw from Saw with the deathtraps, or a Jekyll & Hyde type, some twisted genius.

It might not be that bad but having The Riddler the next villain so close to Ledger's acclaimed performance is asking for trouble PR wise. People are going to be comparing him to the joker, some people would just say it's the same film again etc no matter how good it is.

Nonetheless the Riddler would need a different hook, perhaps introduce him in the next movie, perhaps start him as an ally of Batman.

Another note is if he hadn't acted in that other crap movie as the riddler, Jim Carey would have been a good option to play him under this new style. I think he would have done a great job.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Riddler has to be the next logical step, don't think you could really do the penguin, the Catwoman could be set up in this one as a love interest for Bruce and then becomes Catwoman in the fourth. Only way I could see it working.

 

[Karl Pilkington]

Well Bale and Nolan are only signed on for one more movie, so the villain in the third has to be the ultimate challenge for Batman.

Bane would be awesome, but you kind of really needed the Joker around for that storyline to work, and Bane would take a while to be built up and get rolling.

Mr Freeze could actually be done pretty well, but it could also come undone really easily.

Depp as Riddler would work I reckon, but the comparisons to The Joker would happen for sure.

Black Mask would suit really well, cause he combines the best parts of The Penguin (i.e. runs a powerful syndicate, in it for the money etc) with a childhood connection to Batman and a really sick calling card. but the character is barely known to anyone who hasn't read up on the history of Batman.

Penguin would really suck imo. He's just a run of the mill mob boss. He doesn't have a freakish intellect like Riddler or the animal cunning of the Joker. He's just a small fat guy who waddles and carries an umbrella.

Nolan all but ruled out Catwoman/Penguin/Riddler already anyway. But Depp as Riddler could work imo. Mind you, I wouldn't mind seeing Ed Norton as Black Mask (Norton originally wanted the Harvey Dent/Two Face part lost out to Eckhart).

 

[ManWithNoName]

Well Bale and Nolan are only signed on for one more movie, so the villain in the third has to be the ultimate challenge for Batman.

Bane would be awesome, but you kind of really needed the Joker around for that storyline to work, and Bane would take a while to be built up and get rolling.

Mr Freeze could actually be done pretty well, but it could also come undone really easily.

Depp as Riddler would work I reckon, but the comparisons to The Joker would happen for sure.

Black Mask would suit really well, cause he combines the best parts of The Penguin (i.e. runs a powerful syndicate, in it for the money etc) with a childhood connection to Batman and a really sick calling card. but the character is barely known to anyone who hasn't read up on the history of Batman.

Penguin would really suck imo. He's just a run of the mill mob boss. He doesn't have a freakish intellect like Riddler or the animal cunning of the Joker. He's just a small fat guy who waddles and carries an umbrella.

Nolan all but ruled out Catwoman/Penguin/Riddler already anyway. But Depp as Riddler could work imo. Mind you, I wouldn't mind seeing Ed Norton as Black Mask (Norton originally wanted the Harvey Dent/Two Face part lost out to Eckhart).

How many non-Batman-nerd people would've heard of Ra's Al Ghul before Batman Begins?

 

[Karl Pilkington]

How many non-Batman-nerd people would've heard of Ra's Al Ghul before Batman Begins?

True but the first movie was an introduction to the new series and the character. so it worked. For the last villain, as I said, you want the 'ultimate' challenge to Batman. I tihnk you need a more well known character.

 

[Dagless]

Bloody hell, didn't think of him until you brought him up, but Black would be awesome IMO... Could easily be worked into the style Nolan has adopted.

Mainstream is unneccessary IMO and if they did BM then it would get more interest in the depth of the history of Batman not just the populars...

Riddler would be my favourite mainstream one though...

 

[Last Line Hero]

True but the first movie was an introduction to the new series and the character. so it worked. For the last villain, as I said, you want the 'ultimate' challenge to Batman. I tihnk you need a more well known character.

Exactly, Batman Begins was driven by the plot of Batman's story, the villains played second fiddle and our focus was drawn to Batman, so it was pretty obvious Nolan made the choice to use lesser known villains so as to not steal any attention away from the uprising of The Caped Crusader. On the other hand, The Dark Knight was made by Heath Ledger's Joker, there was a distinctly greater emphasis on the characterisation of the villain. I guess for the 3rd movie it will depend on what sought of direction they want to take.

 

[Karl Pilkington]

Well, I have faith in Nolan to make something great, but I'd be happy as a pig in shit if he went with either Depp as The Riddler or Ed Norton as Black Mask.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Bloody hell, didn't think of him until you brought him up, but Black would be awesome IMO... Could easily be worked into the style Nolan has adopted.

Mainstream is unneccessary IMO and if they did BM then it would get more interest in the depth of the history of Batman not just the populars...

Riddler would be my favourite mainstream one though...

If you incorporated Black Mask, you'd have to go back to Wayne's childhood to establish their relationship, I'm not sure they'd do that again.