Michael C. Hall = The Riddler

[farzad]

Christopher Nolan is coming back to do to a sequel to The Dark Knight and make his Batman series a trilogy. That’s good news, because there’s at least one villain left who is tailor made for Nolan’s style — the Riddler. Gary Oldman has even hinted that the Riddler will be the baddie in the third installment. If Nolan was born to bring a Zodiac-style Riddler to the screen, Michael C. Hall was born to play that character. Anyone who’s seen his work as the titular character on Dexter knows that.

Imagine this scenario: Commissioner Gordan and the rest of Gotham City’s finest continue to hunt public enemy No. 1 — the Dark Knight himself. If that wasn’t enough for the Caped Crusader to handle, he also has a new archenemy — the Riddler. While the Joker thrived in the spotlight, the Riddler lurks in the shadows. If the Joker was a dog chasing cars, the Riddler is something more camouflaged, more cannibalistic. He’s the praying mantis.

Speaking of Dexter, picture the Ice Truck Killer meets Alex from A Clockwork Orange. Batman would have to track down this ghost of killer while he’s on the run from the law. Picture a room wrapped in plastic with Alfred on the table. How do you defeat the smartest, most-sociopathic opponent you’ve faced with one arm tied behind your back? Even Batman would have a tough time solving that riddle.

Hall is a brilliant actor who’s mastered the nuanced art of acting clever, crazy and calm simultaneously. A serene serial killer seems like an oxymoron, but Hall has been pulling it off for four seasons on Showtime. If there is one actor who can take where Heath Ledger left off and up the ante, it’s Golden Globe winner Hall. Additionally, he’s got a great sense of comedic timing. There isn’t much that could possibly be more difficult acting-wise than making an audience chuckle while playing a serial killer, but Hall does just that and does it routinely.

I’m clearly not the first person to think this as there is actually a Michael C. Hall as the Riddler in Nolan’s Batman Facebook page. That’s proof that Batman fans would get behind this casting choice. He sure the hell beats David Tennant. That guy is better suited to play Bilbo Baggins.

Hall is the Riddler. No different than how American Psycho served as Christian Bale’s Batman audition, Hall has been auditioning for this role for years as the star of Dexter. Christopher Nolan, there’s one sure-fire way to keep the momentum of The Dark Knight going. As you gear up for Batman 3, cast Michael C. Hall as the Riddler.

http://flicksided.com/2010/02/casting-couch-dexters-michael-c-hall-the-riddler/

[ry]

i sure hope thats not the actual costume.

[croat]

thats owsome

[DocM]

fake poster:



Riddler is not the only option for this movie tho.

[Josh]

Exactly Doc.....

you have (in no particular order):

* The Riddler (with Johnny Depp being rumored before Michael C. Hall)
* The Penguin (with Philip Seymour Hoffman rumored)
* Catwoman
* Poison Ivy
* The Black Mask (who was supposed to be in The Dark Knight)
* Hush
* DeadShot
* The Mad Hatter
* Ras Al Ghul's daughter Talia (revenge factor for Batman killing her dad in the first movie, and running the league of shadows)
* Bane


and don't forget that they still need to continue two lines from the movies.  the first being joker's line to the bank manager during the robbery of "I believe whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you… stranger."   and the second being when Lucious Fox told Bruce that "it'll do just fine against cats".

[DocM]

I think it'd be great if they did continue either of those two lines you mentioned, but I doubt they will feel obligated to. I sincerely doubt they'll bring the Joker back next movie, unless the studio forces it (in which case I think Nolan would be mighty pissed, if they even have the power to do that with him.)

Hush... I don't like him. The series was good, but not because he was in it- they just made up some guy who was supposedly a huge part of Bruce's childhood we'd never heard of before? Boo.

I think the third movie could stand to focus more on women- Ivy (or Harley, or both) could be causing trouble, but there could be "love triangle" tension if they brought in Catwoman and Talia, Catwoman ultimately being the "right" choice for Bruce since Talia is essentially evil.
Alternately, Penguin/Black Mask/Deadshot could make a good gang-war movie. There is also the Ventriloquist in that category, and imho, it wouldn't be hard to explain Two Face surviving somehow.
However, the movie that nobody has had (or probably will ever have) the balls to make is Knightfall. Bane is the only person to have totally pwned Batman in combat, and outsmarted him as well... the problem with the movie is that Knightfall includes practically every major Batman villain and with Azrael's important subplot it's practically two movies at least.

Very frustrating. Anyways, let me sum up with the bat movies I'd like to see-

1. Knightfall, directed by Nolan
2. The Dark Knight Returns, directed by Zack Snyder
3. Gang war movie (ala No Man's Land)
4. Catwoman/Talia/Ivy/Harley movie?
5. Something with Riddler or Freeze...

Whatever Nolan does (is he actually confirmed now?) he really should bring in Catwoman- ideal for his semi-realistic/intense style, and his movies could use a better female lead than Rachael Dawes. Nolan has kind of wrote himself into a corner by apparently killing Ras and Two Face, while Ledger effectively killed the Joker (at least for the next movie, imho.) Running out of the truly great villains to use, except Bane and Catwoman.

[pink posey]

the one withe the govenator as freeze was on the other night. The cheezy factor made me die of laughter

[DocM]

FREEZE IN HELL, BATMAN!

[Josh]

I dont' think he wants to carry on this as a 17 chapter movie, so I can understand him wanting to kill off certain ppl as time goes on.  I'd be very surprised if this isn't a 3 and out series, but wouldn't imagine it going past 6 films (groups of 3 seem to be the meal ticket in the box office).

they still have scarecrow alive, there is a possibility of Hugo Strange, they haven't used Robin yet (even tho he doesn't want to use character re-hashes from the first batman movies that were horribly made), there is Clayface or Croc (but both aren't really realistic criminals for this type of movie).  bottom line tho, is Nolan wants realistic vilians, and not to use a ton of special effects/cgi....hmmm.

[DocM]

I think, given some reworking, Croc could be believable (and very cool.) It would be great to have a real physical villain... croc after all is supposed to be a normal guy with a crazy medical condition- just make him look less green/crocodile-like and more normal/freakish, perhaps. The Bane/Croc showdowns in Knightfall were epic.
I think Nolan may drop out after this, but the studio may stick with his style for a while...

[Josh]

Doc, my memory is shotty with this one, but do you recall if they showed Harvey Dent in the casket for his cermony/funeral?  or was it a closed casket with a picture of him above it?   Because they could still do something along the lines of them hiding Harvey Dent to rehab him and get him out of the public eye as a gross looking politician, shit goes wrong, and then Two-Face comes into play to hunt down Batman.

I also guess that Johnny Depp has been leaking hints in interviews that he's going to be playing the part of The Riddler in part 3, but it could just be him screwing with everyone and the conspiracy theory minded running with anything they can grab onto.

[farzad]

its shoddy - not shotty - how many times do I have to tell you

[DocM]

Doing a little googling-
Two Face/Dent died in the script, but I am pretty sure it was a closed casket in the movie. I was thinking a similar conspiracy thing like you posted could easily be written if Eckhart and Nolan want Two Face back.
Even though I really like Depp, I don't want him as the Riddler. In fact, I don't even really want the Riddler to follow Ledger's Joker regardless of who plays him. He's too silly and never does any real damage. The next movie has to be as intense as Dark Knight, or it's not worth making. If Depp is in, make him Black Mask or Deadshot (I would say reprise the Hatter, but again, too silly.)
I am wondering if there has been a credible confirmation Nolan is even confirmed on Batman 3? I keep looking around, and everybody says he is, but I can't find an interview quote or anything.

[Josh]

its shoddy - not shotty - how many times do I have to tell you

listen grandpa, if yer not gonna be my friend in the real world and hang out with me, then yer not allowed to comment on shit I post

[pink posey]

actually... When talking about memory the right word is spotty... Like holes in your memory- like swiss cheese. Shoddy = shitty like when a mechanic does half assed work on your car. Shotty isnt anything.

farz, i want a plastic star badge so i can be your deputy grammer officer.