Caine Confirms Depp and Hoffman as Riddler and Penguin?!
Filed under: Action, Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom, Johnny Depp, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
What can we say -- it's MTV hour here on Cinematical. While grabbing any and every actor ever involved in a superhero film during the Toronto International Film Festival, MTV managed to get a kinda sorta confirmation from Michael Caine that both Johnny Depp and Philip Seymour Hoffman were being considered for the roles of Riddler and Penguin in the next Batman movie. I know, we've gone over this already -- they're just rumors -- but according to Caine, a Warner Bros. executive backed it all up.
Here's what he told MTV: "I was with [a Warner Bros.] executive and I said, 'Are we going to make another one?' They said yeah. I said, 'How the hell are we going to top Heath? And he says 'I'll tell you how you top Heath - Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.' I said, 'S–t, they've done it again!'"
Of course, said exec could be talking hypothetically, in a "We top Heath by bringing on two more A-listers to play two popular villains" sorta way. Seeing as there's no script and no deal for Christopher Nolan (yet), I'm pretty sure they're not at the stage where offers are going out. But it is reassuring to see the studio listening to the fans and actively pursuing a way to "top Heath" -- know what I mean? Then again, maybe both Depp and Hoffman know more than they're letting on ...
Whaddya think?
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(Page 1)2. I just wish Johnny Depp would go away.
Posted at 3:47PM on Sep 8th 2008 by The Addict
4. Come on, Michael, what about Cher??? :p
Posted at 4:15PM on Sep 8th 2008 by totoro
5. I actually liked the idea of a Cher Catwoman...
Posted at 5:41PM on Sep 8th 2008 by mezzanine
6. Do not get me wrong; I really like Johnny Depp as an actor, however, personally, I liked him a lot more before POTC…when he was still a little bit “unknown” to many of the teens out there...
Anyway, I feel he is getting ‘overexposed;’ he is like everywhere!
As for the article: "Seeing as there's no script and no deal for Christopher Nolan;"... it is therefore impossible for anyone to know who is "in" and/or who is "out;" thus, may the whole 'guessing game' continue...
Posted at 4:30PM on Sep 8th 2008 by Anna
7. I think both Depp and Hoffman are great actors. But, I would like to see somebody unexpected in those roles. I know for me when I heard that Ledger was playing Joker, I thought "what the hell were they thinking?" I would like that same surprise for the next one.
Posted at 4:32PM on Sep 8th 2008 by Matt
9. First of all, Johnny Depp and Philip Seymour Hoffman are too big of names to be in Nolan's Batman franchise. And second, the writers have stated they are not interested in using the Penguin or Catwoman for Nolan's Batman franchise.
The fact is even though the Riddler has been done before, he seems like a more realistic choice than the Penguin, though he should be played by someone not as well known as Depp. And that choice is Guy Pearce.
And maybe Nolan might change his mind and say that Two-Face isn't really dead, which I hope he does as his fall from the building didn't really seem fatal.
Posted at 5:51PM on Sep 8th 2008 by Jay
10. I agree with Guy Pierce! My "also for consideration"...
as the penguin:
Ricky Gervais, Steve Carrell
I like Johnny Depp for the Riddler (dark portrayal), but if they want an unexpected "twist" to the character (casting out of nowhere) how about Steven Colbert?
As far as Catwoman goes, NO WAY for CHER. While it's true that on the tv series, Eartha Kitt was "older", I think it should be someone a bit younger. Not Jolie, though. Maybe cast Amy Adfams (from Enchanted) or even better, Bryce Dallas Howard! Heck, put Miley Cyrus in there, just NOT CHER!!
Posted at 8:30PM on Sep 25th 2008 by lisa
11. not ready to believe the bulls*** hype but the idea is certainly awesome.
the only thing i don't like is the idea of, once again, cramming two villains into one movie. Batmans' villains, having been around for numerous decades, have become so complex and versatile that it's just not practical to convey a cohesive story with two of them in one two-hour movie. there's simply not enough time.
if you're going to have a major villain like the Riddler or Penguin, especially if they're gonna be played by major actors like Depp or Hoffman, it has to be one or the other. you can't do both. it's not fair to their creators, the writters who've spent years sculpting their characters and the fans who followed them.
it's that line of thinking that eventually ruined the original franchise and, most recently, the spiderman franchise.
Posted at 6:10PM on Sep 8th 2008 by carg0
12. "Shit they've done it again!" Quote of the week.
Isn't Christopher Nolan still on vacation and he and his brother have not commented on any possibilities yet? And remember how secretive the production of The Dark Knight was and how long it was until we learned anything concrete about its casting and storyline? I predict it won't be until at least a year from now before we learn anything official about the next movie.
As for possible villains: If the Nolan brothers return, I'm going to predict this time they will want to feature villains who have never appeared in any of the prior Batman movies. That means no Riddler or Catwoman. I'm putting my money on Black Mask -- he's a popular villain in the comics, and he would most fit into the Nolans' version of the Batman mythos. The publicity/marketing and movie's storyline could also play up a "Who is the Black Mask?" angle. In the BatNolan-verse, there are already several characters established who could credibly be set up to be revealed as the Black Mask.
Posted at 6:44PM on Sep 8th 2008 by scotty
13. Warner Bros. executives don't cast Batman movies, Christopher Nolan casts Batman movies. There would be nothing wrong with either of these choices (though I agree with an above poster that it should be one or the other, not both), but I just don't believe it...not yet anyway.
If they do go with Riddler or Penguin in part 3, they should throw in a minor new villain as well, someone we've never seen before, maybe a woman? But it would probably be a mistake to include both Riddler and Penguin in the same film.
Posted at 8:03PM on Sep 8th 2008 by Jeff
14. http://img.skitch.com/20080908-t2g4q3skeiufc1i21wumak9rem.png
Posted at 8:49PM on Sep 8th 2008 by Riddle
15. Hate to say it because Ledger was amazing as the Joker, but they really need to fix energy into finding a new Joker. The Riddler and Penguin,...please. The Riddler is nothing but a watered down lame version of the Joker. Penguin is nothing but a fat mob boss in a tux. The Joker is THE number one, hands down, undeniable nemesis for Batman and Gotham is his town. Want to throw a couple more villans in, fine but go with the meat and potatoes. Maybe a twisted Harley Quinn breaks him out of Arkham and throw somebody else in for good measure. But for God's sake, don't ditch the Joker just because you're too scared to get a different actor to play him. Lots of people said Ledger wouldn't be as good as Jack Nicholson, I was saying he would never be as good as the all time greatest Joker, Mark Hamil. But all those people and even myself were proven wrong, and lightning can strike twice. Just need courage for it.
Posted at 10:33PM on Sep 8th 2008 by Napoleon Wilson
16. I loved the idea of the Penguin as a mob boss in Nolan's world. But how about The Squid. He's a CHINESE mob boss, which keeps in line with TDK subplot.
Posted at 10:36PM on Sep 8th 2008 by Travis
17. Mark my words a villian in the nexl film will be Hangman, The Riddler, catwomen, two face and more. Also Robin will make an appearance in the 3rd
Posted at 12:46AM on Sep 11th 2008 by John Niz
18. Riddler and Penguin with Depp and Hoffman respectively cast would work fine. Nolan will demythologize them anyway and both have enough to offer for development in that direction. If he could make a "demythed" Joker work, I have no doubt that he can do the same with the Riddler and Penguin.
Angelina Jolee as Catwoman would conceivably have been very cool, however.
No Robin, ever, please. There is no way to demythologize the idea of a responsibly-minded adult allowing a child to continually risk his life. As Two-face said in the comics, he's just "the Boy-Target".
FWIW.
Posted at 12:24AM on Sep 14th 2008 by outland
19. I think johnny depp as the riddler and philip Hoffman as the
penguin are perfect for the third film! Think about how well nolan did whith the first two movies and what type of disaster
were in the films. Now imagine the Riddler doing that type of
destruction. Black Mask as the villian? Dream on. He seems to
have an interisting story line, but thats like wanting HammerHead be a villian in the 4th spidey movie and you probably don't even know who he is. Remember how no one
liked the governator as Mr.freeze in the 4th movie. That's because most people didn't know who he was. The Dark Knight movie was popular because everyone knew who he was, and he had a popular actor playing him. Sorry, that's how it is. And the penguin whould be cool to have to. I know he
may seem like a simple fat guy, but he is very twisted minded who enjoy's torturing people who have laughed and bullied him, even if someone chuckled at him, he would get even with
that person. Don't believe me? Read Joker's Asylum penguin #1 and see for yourself. Philip Hoffman said loves comic book movies, but he said he would rather have someone else play penguin. But I'm hoping he'll come around.
Posted at 10:48PM on Sep 20th 2008 by Zackary Richey
20. as far as other villians- if you want to add another "minor" villan and have it be a woman, why not Poison Ivy? To me, if Jolie is going to be cast as ANY Batman villian, that would be the one. P S Hoffman would be a better Dr. Freeze, at least in my opinion. If Robin is going to be added, who to cast, who to cast? How about Zac Effron? he is young and up-and-coming. Or that kid on Hannah Montana? I don't know his name in real life, but hi character on the show is named Oliver (I think)
Just my suggestions
Posted at 8:48PM on Sep 25th 2008 by lisa
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1. I think Johnny and PSH are the two best actors working today... you can't make better choices.
Posted at 3:42PM on Sep 8th 2008 by uforeader