Batman Begins

[Gold Trumpet]

Isn't Alfred involved in some sort of...spy thing?  I thought I remembered something like that from the animated series

Thats one episode where Batman travels to England to find Alfred after he was kidnapped because he was a member of a spy organization for England years before. The people who kidnap him are trying to get a code out of him that only Alfred and his old partner knew. Batman goes there to rescue him and save the day. It was just one episode and Alfred was diminished to brief scenes per episode at best from then on.

~rougerum

[Sleuth]

Okay, well I didn't think they'd do a direct remake of that episode into a 2 hour film (perhaps show it 4 times?)

[modage]

Scarecrow cameo for BATMAN 5?
Source: Cinescape

As development continues on the fifth BATMAN movie, one of our friends from across the Atlantic Ocean wrote in to tell us of a juicy casting rumor making the rounds over in England. According to our informant, there's talk that BATMAN director Christopher Nolan is seeking to cast an actor for a villain role at the beginning of the film. This character is known to fans of Batman lore, and at one time was rumored to be the main villain in a fan script known as THE FRIGHTENING: none other than The Scarecrow.

According to our source, the film's primary bad guy will remain R'as al Ghul, the immortal whose vision of a world without chaos reaches through centuries of time. But the idea is to introduce the Scarecrow early in the film to show audiences that this BATMAN movie is different than its predecessors; namely, that it's darker and scarier, and that the rogues that Batman face in Nolan's vision of Gotham City are far more dangerous than the ones seen in Joel Schumacher's BATMAN movies.

Our agent tells us that the idea is to show the Scarecrow terrorizing Gotham so Nolan's version of Batman (played by Christopher Bale) can be introduced. After bringing down Scarecrow the plot would then move on to Batman having to leave Gotham City, possibly as a result of the actions of this opening segment, and travelling to London where al Ghul is located. There the majority of the film's story takes place.

The part is small and isn't like the previous three BATMAN films which have seen the Dark Knight face two villains throughout the picture. There may be a possibility that Scarecrow could return in a future BATMAN movie but for now it's meant to be a one-time appearance and that's all.

"The person in mind to play [Scarecrow] is Christopher Eccleston," writes "Lucky Ace", our scooper. Eccleston is British and was most recently seen in Danny Boyle's post-apocalytic zombie movie 28 DAYS LATER as Major West. Curiously, one of Eccleston's co-stars in 28 DAYS LATER was also rumored to be under consideration to play the new Batman before Bale was announced in the role, Cillian Murphy.

The production is also looking to cast the role of R'as al Ghul sooner rather than later and have been considering actors from around the world. Unlike the Scarecrow gossip, our Ace in the hole didn't have any names to report at the present time but they did mention the talk is "of people like a younger Anthony Hopkins-type".

Production on BATMAN 5 is still scheduled to begin in the early months of 2004.

[Kal]

that sounds very interesting... I'm really looking forward to this film!

[MacGuffin]

Caine Aboard Batman!
Source: Variety

Oscar-winning actor Michael Caine has agreed to play the role of Bruce Wayne's trusted butler Alfred in Warner Bros.' new Batman movie.

The film, to be helmed by Christopher Nolan and being penned by David Goyer, is expected to start shooting next year for a 2005 release. Christian Bale has been cast in the title role.

[Kal]

I was really excited about the possibility of Anthony Hopkins playing Alfred... but I guess Caine will make a very good british butler... hmm... I hope so!

[modage]

Source: Hollywood Reporter

On the more speculative front, Batman on Film has a report today about who might be up to play the film's main villian Ra's Al-Ghul - none other than the semi-retired Daniel Day-Lewis: "One name I've heard more than once associated with Ra's is Daniel Day-Lewis; but please take this as strictly rumor right now. But yep, I've heard his name from more than one source".

[NEON MERCURY]

...that would be cool ..but i don't DD-L does  sequels.....

[modage]

its not a sequel.  they're starting over.  so its not "batman 5", but rather batman 1: take 3.

[Gloria]

Hmmmm.....I guess Anthony Hopkins wasn't available.  I think Michael Caine will be good also

[Banky]

so are they gonna do the origin in this one?

[modage]

so are they gonna do the origin in this one?

no, i dont think so.  aronofsky was going to do the 'origin' story, Batman: Year One. which is about his first year as a crimefighter and based on the Frank Miller storyline from the early 80s.  but, i think this one is just going to sort of start.  maybe some sort of flashback, but theyll probably just assume everyone already knows, or that it isnt essential to this particular story.

[Banky]

Batman's lady is... Dec. 1, 2003
Source: JoBlo.com, Batman on Film  by: Mike Sampson


Right before I left for a little Thanksgiving vacation, I was talking to some pals who're in the know, so to speak. I asked one of them their opinion about Michael Caine starring in BATMAN as Alfred and we agreed Nolan's doing a bang-up job so far. Mr. Source then dropped a hint that he had heard Katie Holmes was up for a role. He wasn't too comfortable with the information and I promised I'd look into it once I returned. Lo and behold I return and before I can do much digging, the great Batman-on-Film.com broke the scoop that Katie Holmes is in "deep talks" to star as Bruce Wayne's (Christian Bale) love interest in BATMAN. I brought said information back to a few people I know and was able to confirm that indeed Katie Holmes is in discussions to star and in fact her talks are further along now than Michael Caine's were when that news was announced. From what I hear both actors are right around in the same stage of involvement in BATMAN but for whatever reason (prestige perhaps) the Caine news was reported first. But if all goes according to plan, expect to hear official confirmation soon in the trades. I'm a fan of Katie Holmes (THE GIFT being her favorite work of mine to date...) so I'm pleased with the news. But I'm assuming the "love interest" role isn't exactly a juicy one and doesn't require much.

In other BATMAN news, Britain's Sky News is reporting that Clint Eastwood is in talks for a role but without even running it past anyone I know, I can almost guarantee this is just a big rumor. Eastwood is very, very, VERY selective about the films he takes and hasn't starred in a film he hasn't directed since 1993's IN THE LINE OF FIRE and before that 1989's PINK CADILLAC. The chance he'd break that habit for BATMAN is highly unlikely. They dangled a huge amount of cash in front of his face to star in SIGNS but he repeatedly declined. So while it would be cool to see Eastwood in a BATMAN movie (as Ra's Al Ghul perhaps?) don't bet your ass on it.

[modage]

1.) katie holmes seems too young for a love interest, even if it is a young batman.  
2.) do we really need a love interest in every fucking superhero movie ever made?  can we just tell a story without feeling like having to stick in a love story whether its right for the film or not?

[Banky]

i agree with number 2