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Batman Begins

  
  

Page: 12(3)45678... 18

 
 
FinderWolf
14:01 / 12.12.03
>> Movie News
Getting close to 28 DAYS LATER, we finally get a BATMAN villain
But it's not who we thought it would be

-------------------------------------------------------
Dateline: Thursday, December 11, 2003

By: PATRICK SAURIOL
By: News Editor
Source: Variety


According to today's Variety, 28 DAYS LATER star Cillian Murphy has been cast in Christopher Nolan's BATMAN film as an unspecified villain. As you may recall, last month we were told by a source that another actor from 28 DAYS LATER, namely Christopher Ecceleston, was in mind to play the part of the diabolical Scarecrow for a short portion of the movie.

Murphy auditioned for the part of Batman in the film, but that role eventually went to Christian Bale. We're awaiting word from our source if they know who Murphy is playing in the film.

------------

Apparently the film opens with Bats taking down the Scarecrow, which this guy (above) will likely be playing. But don't worry, it's not a 'two villains in one film' movie - it's just an establishing scene. The main villain is Ra's, and I agree that Viggo would be a kick-ass Ra's (although I like the rumored Daniel Day-Lewis better, but I hear he likes his retirement from acting - Scorcese had to really work hard to get him to come back to acting and do GANGS OF NY).

Holmes is fine if she's the nice boring girlfriend to contrast bad Bond-girl-type Talia, as I said earlier and as someone also said above.

This movie looks like it could be pretty damn good, I think.
 
 
01
15:01 / 14.12.03
Also, a tip to remember. They are hiring actors in these films. Actors! This means that they are NOT just going to be the characters from the films/shows you've seen them in previously. That's because they are actors, and those characters weren't actually real. I know they are quite believable, but that's why they are paid to do this.

Really? I thought they were actual people inside the screen. Just like at home inside the TV box...

To clarify: When I say "they" should make a good comic book movie and
"they" should not assume to know better than 40 - 50 years of comic history and not radically change stories that work, most people who have a reading comprehension above the fourth grade level would understand that I'm talking about THE DECISION MAKERS BEHIND THIS SHIT. Producers, screen writers, directors, casting directors.

But what about the actors? They are the ones that ultimately have to sell this shit to the audience. Were Macquire and Dunst big Spiderman fans before the movie? Probably not, but I bet they both probably sat down with a stack of Amazing Spiderman and tore through that shit.

Holmes is fine if she's the nice boring girlfriend to contrast bad Bond-girl-type Talia, as I said earlier and as someone also said above.

This movie looks like it could be pretty damn good, I think.

....what can you possibly say to that? It just speaks for itself.
 
 
Saint Keggers
15:15 / 14.12.03
They sooo need Terence Stamp to play Ra's al Ghul.
 
 
Bed Head
15:23 / 14.12.03
Kegboy, you're a bloody genius at this casting thing, dude
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
16:06 / 14.12.03
That casting would be excellent! Nice thinking. Although I do think a Bale/Viggo pairing would be suitably sparky as Fly said earlier on.

zerone: hi! Isn't it funny how comics fans *do* know better in their bowing down to 40 -50 years comics history. After all, history is what makes things matter. Why, if any of that Mel Gibson film diverts from the original text in any way I am gonna be so mad! I don't care if it's 14+ hours long. I expect that Jim Caweazeeel's beard is totally not good enough. They're never going to make a true bible film unless they get me to write, cast and direct it... etc etc. I think you might like to go back and read your previous posts before you accuse me and my pitiful reading standard of not getting what you mean. I do, I really do. It's ok. You know, like how you say bullshit to every actor mentioned because you seem to believe they'll act like they have in other parts/films. Even if you were kidding, you come across like a kid having a hissy fit because you don't want your batman to be camp. And maybe "they "don't assume to know better than all your lovely "history" but instead realise they have to try and make a film to appeal to a huge portion of people. Getting films made isn't easy, and they're not always gonna be good. Especially if you don't even give them a chance... you know, to get made.

Next time you post, take a deep breath and really think about what you want to say. I know you get very emotional about Batman.

Hey, were you crying yourself to sleep over organic webbing?!
 
 
01
18:48 / 14.12.03
Here is my current list of what is bullshit and what is not.

1. Kegboy's choice for Terrence Stamp to play Ra's. Not bullshit.
2. Organic webbing. Bullshit.
3. Black Kingpin. Bullshit.
4. Giving Batman a girlfriend. Bullshit.
5. Making her Katie Holmes. Overflowing, steaming piles of bullshit.
6. Suede's remarkable knack for condescension in explaining the Hollywood machine. Bullshit.

And maybe "they "don't assume to know better than all your lovely "history" but instead realise they have to try and make a film to appeal to a huge portion of people.

Which is exactly my point. Resorting to oh so tired and trite plot conventions and incorporating these elements into the original stories when they weren' t there in the first place ultimately serves to make the movie worse. Case in point being the love interest, the downfall of the superhero movie. Because archaic Hollywood formula dictates that there must be a love angle in every blockbuster film, they have to go and create one in this film where in the comic there never really has been one. Unnecessary drivel that isn't and integral part of the Batman mythos.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
18:58 / 14.12.03
My point.

Organic webbing = bullshit!
Spider-Man = good film!

All of this according to you. Go figure.

Condescension = priceless.
 
 
01
19:12 / 14.12.03
...for Suedehead's eyes only..
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
19:18 / 14.12.03
It makes me want to vomit!
 
 
01
19:28 / 14.12.03
Did you eat too many Jelly Bellies?
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
20:05 / 14.12.03
What a thoroughly pointless exercise.
 
 
01
20:41 / 14.12.03
Indigestion?
 
 
Mike-O
00:06 / 15.12.03
Jesus, the contribution made to a discussion about the forthcoming Batman movie in the last 6 line by u two... STUNNING, the level of analytical dissection.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
00:47 / 15.12.03
Ok ok, backing away from the futility of such "discussion", back on topic!

I read something the other day about John Malkovich being a possible choice for Ra's. I can see that working well, but it might be a bit... obvious?

I think this sounds like it could well be an enormously entertaining bat-movie, and the comments from Caine and Nolan definitely point to a positive portrayal.

The girlfriend thing totally makes sense for a younger batman (and I remember so many women from what batman I've read...all taking up the exact same role). As for Caine, I have a bit of difficulty imagining him as Alfred. I mean, I just see Alfred as a skinnier, haughty British guy. It doesn't seem to blend well, with Caine, so often playing the "solid working chap". I thought the previous guy who played Alfred was fine, to be honest (even though I never really cared for the films) but I can see why they'd want a bigger star for the larger part.

I'll be interested to see more, y'know. Come 2005.
 
 
Mike-O
04:37 / 15.12.03
Suedehead, I agree about Malkovic, I think he's lacking a certain "Je ne sais qoi" to the Ra's role, but just on personal feelings... not that he doesn't have the acting skill to make it work, cause obviously he does. I think Gary Oldman has that quality to him as well, but I don't think he'd be right for the role either.

On the g/f issue... just look to the Animated Batman series of the 90's, in its first few seasons anyway: Bruce ahd girlfriends, though he really is a loveless person regardless, but remember he is in some ways as Bruce "acting", in that he's trying to be what he perceives a "normal" person to be. His dominant persona is obviously as The Batman, tho... so I think his having or not having a girlfriend is regardless, b/c he really isn't interested in his own romance as Bruce... which is where Talia and Selina (in the comics) act so well as an attractive element to Bruce as Batman. That is the persona they fell for, and so he can relate to that, b/c Bruce himself fell in love with the idea of Batman, and thus became it in attempt to deal with tragedy. So to indulge in it in every way is a testement to his pychological attachments to that persona; his keeping of a g/f as Bruce doesn't take away from that, in fact in my eyes it strengthens it b/c it shows he is vested in "keeping up appearances" to sustain The Batman persona.
 
 
01
06:31 / 15.12.03
My day.

For some inescapable reason I was awoken at 6:30 this morning and try as the dickens as I might, I just could not seem to fall back asleep. What was I to do? Toss and turn and in hopes of gaining forty odd more winks? No good. So I opted to hop over to Mr. Internet, perhaps check out some hockey scores and some other happenings in the sporting world and then hopefully returning to a peaceful slumber. When I fired up the computer, I was surprised to find on my homepage the headline "Saddam Hussein Captured". Wow. That's one you don't see everyday. After parusing the story, I figured I should skip on over to Barbelith.com to see what the egghead contingent had to say.

I found the Saddam thread and read a few posts about the story, but nothing really more than just re-tellings of what was coming across the newswire, which was to be expected as the story had just broken and developments were...well...still developing. Scanning the topic abstracts from other sectors of the community I decided to check in on how Warner Brothers was screwing up the latest installation of the Batman franchise. And I was so happy I did, because I managed to get into a quite entertaining flamewar over the casting of a comic book movie. What good fortune indeed. Here I was at the wee hours of the morn, at age 30 no less (brilliant!), typing in arguements as to the unworthiness of the Batman relaunch before it had actually been fully cast nevermind filmed. Silmultaneously balking at and revelling in the sheer ridiculousness of my absurd situation (not to mention seriously contemplating growing a beard and converting to a strict Big Mac and Dr. Pepper diet) I decided to see how far I could go with it. Turns out I could go quite far as it is now 17 hours later and here I am again typing in my continuing two cents on the drawbacks of this film that is turning out to be another one stamped with a gold Schumacher seal of approval

So, to keep the ball rolling:

a. Malkovich. Bullshit.
b. The girlfriend as a part of Bruce Wayne's facade. Not bullshit. However, my faith in Hollywood casting Katie Holmes in such a fringe supporting role is minimal at best. Her role will definitely be expanded to have some kind of impact on young Wayne, and it will suck the edginess out of the movie.
c. Use of the letter u as a substitute for the pronoun in an attempt to:
i. whittle down the English language to it's barest phoenetic essence in an attempt to release us from
the shackles of excessive key strokes or
ii. emulate Prince.

= BS
 
 
Mike-O
07:42 / 15.12.03
zerone:

A. Your despotic imposition of speculation as truth - BULLSHIT
B. Your belief that I could give a rat's ass whether or not u like that I use shorthand (ie: "u") - BULLSHIT
C. This conversation - OVER. PLS try to forget your little egotrip, cause it's got nothing to do with the thread.

Have a nice day, champ.


Suedehead, I'm interested in what "u" think of my interpretation of the Bruce Wayne/g/f relation... (That one was for you, zerone)
 
 
FinderWolf
19:19 / 15.12.03
The Malkovich rumors were about 2 months ago. Viggo's the one being seriously looked at now. I haven't heard Malkovick talk in months so I assume he's not really being looked at anymore.

I don't mind Holmes if she's in a small role as the vanilla nice girl love interest of Bruce. Talia better be damn well-cast, however.
 
 
Mike-O
21:15 / 15.12.03
Assuming Nolan and Goyer decided to keep Talia as a part of the mythos within the film. She's very exotic (obviously), but not overbearing... she has a subtle beauty to her as far as I can see, and so you're right HW, she will be hard to cast. Reccomendations?
 
 
FinderWolf
14:21 / 16.12.03
Catherine Zeta-Jones as Talia. Nuff said!
 
 
Mike-O
15:43 / 16.12.03
I don't know man, she a little old for Talia, no? I mean, yeah okay Talia is TECHNICALLY old (haha) but shit she looks like an early 20-something, no? Since Zeta-Jones started making babies for Douglas... it's just wierd...
 
 
FinderWolf
20:25 / 16.12.03
You have a good point there - right after I posted I thought, "You know, she's a tiny bit too old for the role." So who fits the bill, True Believers? Chime in now!! Who looks hot, exotic, like a Bond girl and can be Talia as drawn by Neal Adams?
 
 
Mr Tricks
22:31 / 16.12.03
it's all about Roselyn Sanchez




  
 
Mike-O
22:52 / 16.12.03
Anyone heard the rumours that apparently the prime antagonist is the Reaper, and not Ra's (assuming Ra's was ever more than a possibility)?
 
 
FinderWolf
14:10 / 17.12.03
Yes, heard those rumors, but honestly don't know what to make of them. On-set spies have said it's Ra's, but maybe they're wrong/liars. All I know is I WANT RA'S, no fucking REAPER BULLSHIT!!!!

And yes, Roselyn Sanchez would be an amazing Talia, even though the first of our 3 pix don't work, Mr. Tricks. Excellent choice. That's the kind of look Talia needs.
 
 
FinderWolf
14:30 / 17.12.03
More speculation/rumor news:

>> BATMAN: INTIMIDATION GAME

Dark Horizons reports that Chris Cooper is not playing a villain, but in discussions for the role of Commissioner Gordon.

This is the first Gordon talk we've heard since Dennis Quaid about 5 months ago...
 
 
Mike-O
18:45 / 17.12.03
Wow, he'd be great. =)
 
 
FinderWolf
19:24 / 17.12.03
Although I'm sure Michael Caine will do a decent job as Alfred (if I understand things correctly he's definitely been cast), I do think he's too a) fat and b) working class. I picture Alfred as thin, guant, and just exuding an upper-crust servant quality. Michael Gough (the 4 Batman movies' Alfred) was great, I want more of that quality. Caine might win me over, I don't think he'll suck, but he's one hell of an odd casting.
 
 
01
06:44 / 18.12.03
B4 I @tempt to give my 2ยข on the latest casting rumor of this latest B@man film, I must say go c Return Of The King!
 
 
Mike-O
07:06 / 18.12.03
Again, wrong thread to be posting that, zerone. Try to stay on topic within the BATMAN forum.

In regards to Caine as Alfred... beyond physicality, I think he could really give the character a much need dynamic and relevant personality, in regards to the film mythos. With an actor of his caliber perhaps Nolan will aim to make Alfred a more integral part of how Batman operates in turn, akin to many comic interpretations of Alfred.
 
 
FinderWolf
20:06 / 18.12.03
I agree that Caine will bring some new, fresh energy to it, and I can see him being damn funny.
 
 
01
22:56 / 18.12.03
Unfortunate that Michael Gough, (1 of the only good elements from the last run of B@man films) won't be returning. I felt that his Alfred was spot on and although Michael Caine is a great actor, I feel his energy will be 2 forceful instead instead of subtle and refined. If what I've read on the net concerning the script is correct, and that Caine's Alfred will B expanded 2 show him B-ing more of a father figure to young Bruce I fear that the audience will B treated to C-ing a young Bruce B-ing taught how to box and survive the streets from a savvy blue collar Londoner, rather than B-ing shown the finer points of Shakespearean acting.

The opening scene with the Scarecrow does sound promising though.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
23:07 / 18.12.03
B-Real!
 
 
01
01:25 / 19.12.03
Sawed off shotgun
Hand on the pump
Left hand on the 40
Puffin' on a blunt!
 
 
Brigade du jour
09:57 / 24.12.03
The Michael Caine thing's buggin, buggin me.

Kind of smells like stunt casting. I mean, as an actor I know he can do it because when he's good (ie when he gives himself a chance to be good instead of just saying "ooh I fancy a Caribbean holiday this year ... Jaws The Revenge it is then") he's very, very good. But Alfred is very much a supporting character and bringing in a major movie star (which Sir Maurice still is, especially in Britain) to play him seems misguided.

Maybe it's a joke to distract little scamps like us in sewing circles like this from what the actual story's going to be.
 
  

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