Thoughts on The Joker being recast in BATMAN 3

[HTownCowboysFan]

I get more "mainstream" feedback here, so I wanted yall's take on the following:

If Chris Nolan plans for The Joker to return in his third -- and probably final -- Batman film, should he recast the role of The Joker or simply eliminate the character entirely from the film.

I do know that he plans to have Aaron Eckhart's Two Face be the focal part of the third film and THE DARK KNIGHT doesn't end in a cliffhanger either. But clearly, Nolan has always intended to tell his story over 3 films.

Keep in mind that the late Heath Ledger is said to be absolutely brilliant in TDK, so I don't know if an actor would want to follow that.

If they did recast, Johnny Depp immidiately comes to mind for me.

Anyway, thoughts.... :starspin

 

[SultanOfSix]

I'm a fan of the Batman movies - well, at least the first two - and the latest rendition with Christian Bale who I like as an actor. The other three or whatever, I couldn't care less about.

It's just hard to say without actually seeing the movie and how well Heath performs in it. If he steals the show as you are suggesting, then it would just seem really odd in the continuity sense of replacing him with another person because he'll not only have to be just as good as him, but he'll have to look like him, and pretty much just mimic his portrayal of the character.

Although Johnny Depp is pretty much my favorite actor, I can't see him as a dark and sinister Joker. But, then I couldn't see Ledger, who's career I really didn't follow, as the Joker either, and he looks amazing from the preview.

Personally, I think if Heath is as good as those in the know are saying, then it's best to leave him out of the third one unless those conditions of absolute mimicing can be done, and that seems really unlikely. Because from the preview, I think he actually "got" the sinister Joker down. It would just be really untrue and insincere to Ledger if it couldn't be done. Some say it would be regardless.

 

[theogt]

I don't see any reason to bring the Joker (or any single villain) back for more than one movie, regardless of whether Ledger was alive or not. I don't like the idea that the Scarecrow is in this one (though he may just be in a minor scene or something at the asylum).

Unless, of course, there was some sort of cliffhanger ending.

 

[Yeagermeister]

It doesn't matter to me since I won't watch either of them until they are on cable.

 

[DallasEast]

Just say no to recasting. Let the Joker be the second jewel of Nolan's Batman films and move on, imo. I hope that he plunges into Two-Face's split personality psyche in the third installment. His audience deserves a more defined character, who is torn (literally) between good and evil. Tommy Lee Jones was good as Harvey Dent, but his portrayal was way over the top and never focused on internal mental conflict which makes his character so unique.

However, should Nolan chooses to recast Ledger (boo!), Johnny Depp is a no-brainer. He is one of the greatest character actors of his generation--with perhaps Daniel Day-Lewis being the only person who can surpass him. If the show must go on, here are my top three choices to replace Ledger (in this order):

Ryan Reynolds. Yeah, he's not 'high profile' enough, but I believe he could pull off the eccentric, psychotic nature of The Joker and be equally serious when his role dictated it. I point more to his supporting role in Blade:Trinity than any comparisons to his Van Wilder character.

Josh Lucas. Loved him in The Hulk (which was one of the few things I did enjoy about the movie) and he was great, imo, as Coach Haskins in Glory Road. He would be a little more 'high strung' than Reynolds, but I think he could do The Joker justice (no pun intended).

Matthew McConaughey. If you want a more laid back kind of Joker, McConaughey would be perfect. His acting chops are superior to Reynolds and Lucas, but he might not be able to fully tap into the utterly insane persona which is The Joker. If he could somehow embody the seriousness and energy of his two roles from A Time To Kill and Sahara, respectively, into one, I think he could pull it off.

It's disappointing about Ledger, but I would rather anticipate seeing his work in TDK than fret about Nolan's third film. It kinda puts a dampener on the wait, you know?

 

[HTownCowboysFan]

It doesn't matter to me since I won't watch either of them until they are on cable.

Then your missing out. Movies were meant to be seen in a theater.

...though he may just be in a minor scene.

It is.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Then your missing out. Movies were meant to be seen in a theater.

IMO I'm not and I'm fine with it.

 

[Kevinicus]

[

Matthew McConaughey. If you want a more laid back kind of Joker, McConaughey would be perfect. His acting chops are superior to Reynolds and Lucas, but he might not be able to fully tap into the utterly insane persona which is The Joker. If he could somehow embody the seriousness and energy of his two roles from A Time To Kill and Sahara, respectively, into one, I think he could pull it off.
[/QUOTE]

I think he pulled off the utterly insane well enough in the Texas Chainsaw movie he did...as awful as that movie was.

 

[morieeel]

I don't see any reason to bring the Joker (or any single villain) back for more than one movie, regardless of whether Ledger was alive or not. I don't like the idea that the Scarecrow is in this one (though he may just be in a minor scene or something at the asylum).

Unless, of course, there was some sort of cliffhanger ending.

Agree. Not a big fan of superhero movies where there are too many villains. I guess thats why I didn't like Spiderman 3. It seems like the plot gets diluted. I really hate when the villains form some pact to get the superhero.

 

[Rack]

No need to bring The Joker back.


Let the third film be about 2-face and 2-face alone. Or if they want to add another villain add one other then The Joker.

 

[AbeBeta]

However, should Nolan chooses to recast Ledger (boo!), Johnny Depp is a no-brainer. He is one of the greatest character actors of his generation--with perhaps Daniel Day-Lewis being the only person who can surpass him. If the show must go on, here are my top three choices to replace Ledger (in this order):

Actually, I strongly believe the best actor of this generation is..... Christian Bale.

But I guess he's busy.

 

[DallasEast]

I think he pulled off the utterly insane well enough in the Texas Chainsaw movie he did...as awful as that movie was.

LOL! I'll take your word for it. I avoided seeing that film because I thought that it was going to be crap and was beneath him. Then again, I thought the same about him doing Reign of Fire...

 

[DallasEast]

Actually, I strongly believe the best actor of this generation is..... Christian Bale.

But I guess he's busy.

I don't necessarily agree, but I do think that he's firmly in the top ten.

 

[ROMOSAPIEN9]

Will we ever get to see The Penguin?

 

[mr.jameswoods]

I get more "mainstream" feedback here, so I wanted yall's take on the following:

If Chris Nolan plans for The Joker to return in his third -- and probably final -- Batman film, should he recast the role of The Joker or simply eliminate the character entirely from the film.

I do know that he plans to have Aaron Eckhart's Two Face be the focal part of the third film and THE DARK KNIGHT doesn't end in a cliffhanger either. But clearly, Nolan has always intended to tell his story over 3 films.

Keep in mind that the late Heath Ledger is said to be absolutely brilliant in TDK, so I don't know if an actor would want to follow that.

If they did recast, Johnny Depp immidiately comes to mind for me.

Anyway, thoughts.... :starspin

Honestly, I don't want Joker to reappear. I think he is the most overrated Batman villain. My problem with the Joker is that he takes over any Batman story or film. The entire plot has to revolve around the Joker. You will see the typical joke venom/gas, traps and clown gadgets. The plots essentially focus on evil clown themes with Batman as a side show. I like the Joker but one film is enough. There are several nice Batman villains that could be explored like Bane, Clayface, Ventriloquist, Soloman Grundy, etc. I personally would love to see someone make a trilogy of Batman Knightfall and Knightsend in which Bane breaks Bruce Wayne's back and he is replaced by Azrael who is eventually taken down by the returning Bruce Wayne.

The last thing I want to see are villain team-ups; that's what ruined the last Batman films. Just my 2 cents.

 

[mr.jameswoods]

Just say no to recasting. Let the Joker be the second jewel of Nolan's Batman films and move on, imo. I hope that he plunges into Two-Face's split personality psyche in the third installment. His audience deserves a more defined character, who is torn (literally) between good and evil. Tommy Lee Jones was good as Harvey Dent, but his portrayal was way over the top and never focused on internal mental conflict which makes his character so unique.

However, should Nolan chooses to recast Ledger (boo!), Johnny Depp is a no-brainer. He is one of the greatest character actors of his generation--with perhaps Daniel Day-Lewis being the only person who can surpass him. If the show must go on, here are my top three choices to replace Ledger (in this order):

Ryan Reynolds. Yeah, he's not 'high profile' enough, but I believe he could pull off the eccentric, psychotic nature of The Joker and be equally serious when his role dictated it. I point more to his supporting role in Blade:Trinity than any comparisons to his Van Wilder character.

Josh Lucas. Loved him in The Hulk (which was one of the few things I did enjoy about the movie) and he was great, imo, as Coach Haskins in Glory Road. He would be a little more 'high strung' than Reynolds, but I think he could do The Joker justice (no pun intended).

Matthew McConaughey. If you want a more laid back kind of Joker, McConaughey would be perfect. His acting chops are superior to Reynolds and Lucas, but he might not be able to fully tap into the utterly insane persona which is The Joker. If he could somehow embody the seriousness and energy of his two roles from A Time To Kill and Sahara, respectively, into one, I think he could pull it off.

It's disappointing about Ledger, but I would rather anticipate seeing his work in TDK than fret about Nolan's third film. It kinda puts a dampener on the wait, you know?

Josh Lucas would be great. The problem with Reynolds is that he is genuinely funny just like Jim Carrey. It will be difficult to fear them. You need someone who can intimidate you first. The Joker is not meant to be funny. The Joker is meant to terrorize you. The Joker is supposed to someone who isn't funny but finds himself to be hilarious. He is psychotic. If he is too funny then it takes away from that element. When Jack Nicholson played him, I laughed and found the portrayal endearing but that wasn't the same Joker I read about in the Killing Joke written by Alan Moore.

I think Johnny Depp is the most overrated actor in Hollywood today. He is not a great actor. He overacts in all his roles. What is Depp does is perform not act. He comes accross as being fake and over-the-top in all of his roles. When I watch a Johnn-Depp character, I never forget the actor playing him is Johnny Depp. If Depp plays the Joker, he will just do his best to ham it up instead of being subtle and becoming the character. A good actor is someone like Gary Oldman who blends in with his characters, and you forget who the actor is who is playing him. And I'm not a big fan of Matthew M., he still has that Texan lisp and drawl in his speech; he still can't enunciate words properly. Matthew still has that frat boy jock image still; I can't take seriously as an intelligent and sophisticated actor.

The truth is, I would rather take my chances with some unknowns. There are brilliant stage actors that don't get their chance because of guys like Depp and Matthew M. being recycled.

 

[Rack]

Clearly the best actor to replace Ledger would be Tom Cruise.


Hell he wouldn't even have to act, he could just be himself and he'd play The Joker perfectly.

 

[zrinkill]

Johnny Depp is the best choice

 

[Khartun]

I don't see Depp really taking that role but he wouldn't be bad.

Daniel Day-Lewis would be good but I see him better as Two-Face.

 

[AbeBeta]

Daniel Day-Lewis would be good but I see him better as Two-Face.

I doubt very much that DD-L would take a role like that.