Joining the ranks of Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney...

September 12, 2003 1:17 PM

Meet the New Bruce Wayne. And why not? Bats has always been a bit psycho anyway...
posted by grabbingsand (32 comments total)

I don't think I've seen anyone combine hilarity and insanity as well as he did in American Psycho. Amazing.
posted by gottabefunky at 1:23 PM on September 12, 2003

i hope this doesnt mean the 'batman year one' project by aronofsky aint happenin
posted by Peter H at 1:28 PM on September 12, 2003

Holy omissions! How could you not mention the best Batman of them all?
posted by brownpau at 1:29 PM on September 12, 2003

I, for one, welcome our new Batman overlord.
posted by cinderful at 1:32 PM on September 12, 2003

But what's Bruce without his Dick?
posted by WolfDaddy at 1:39 PM on September 12, 2003

this can't be any worse than keanu reeves being casted for the role of DC comics' biggest badass, hellblazer.
posted by lotsofno at 1:43 PM on September 12, 2003

All new cast, no camp, no origin retelling, no rubber nipple suit, no Robin, no Batgirl, no canted angles when the villian is on screen, no major deviations from the mythology... please! -- Bat fan for 30 years and counting
posted by Ben Grimm at 1:45 PM on September 12, 2003

[Bale dangles a mugger over the side of a building.]
Mugger: Don't kill me, man - don't kill me!
Bale: I'm not going to kill you. I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me.
Mugger: What are you?!
Bale: I'm Bateman.
posted by eddydamascene at 2:06 PM on September 12, 2003

[OT] Btw, didn't Nicolas Cage as Superman ever push through?
posted by brownpau at 2:15 PM on September 12, 2003

Dude. Patrick Batman.
posted by angry modem at 3:04 PM on September 12, 2003

I'm with Peter H, I want to know the status of 'Batman Year One', one of the best Batman comics, (though nothing tops 'The Dark Knight').
posted by CoolHandPuke at 3:06 PM on September 12, 2003

Catwoman, don't just stare at it. Eat it.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 3:09 PM on September 12, 2003

anything's got to be better than the previous castings.
posted by t r a c y at 3:17 PM on September 12, 2003

Aronofsky's Year One project is basically dead, unfortunately. It's still considered "In Development" by the studio, but it isn't being worked on any longer. At least this project is being cowritten and directed by Christopher Nolan, so it will likely divest itself of the camp the franchise has developed as its trademark. Rumors are saying that the main villain is Ras Al Ghul, which, if true, could be really interesting.
posted by Schismatic at 3:24 PM on September 12, 2003

I like Christian Bale a lot, good actor, chooses interesting projects, has a certain intensity to him. I just wonder what the wider public will think... some people find him a little creepy, sorta the same problem Anthony Perkins had even before Psycho (originally Perkins was being pushed as a heart throb leading man type in Hollywood).
posted by bobo123 at 3:33 PM on September 12, 2003

That's perfect, then. Batman should be a little creepy.

I'm totally happy with this choice; hope the film gets made.
posted by webmutant at 4:34 PM on September 12, 2003

Keanu is Constantine? Why does God hate us so?
posted by FunkyHelix at 5:58 PM on September 12, 2003

WORST. Casting. Ever.

The plot was pretty crappy, but Clooney's Batman was respectable -- integrating the "toughness" of the "true" Batman with elements of the campy 60s version.
posted by davidmsc at 6:13 PM on September 12, 2003

The most interesting thing about Christian Bale is that the entire geek community is buzzing about how the star of Equilibrium (a fantastically choreographed fight movie, better at times than the original Matrix) would make a tremendous Batman. Indeed, Equilibrium probably contributed alot to Bale's being considered for the role.

Yet there's no mention of this in the popular press.
posted by effugas at 6:56 PM on September 12, 2003

Ras Al Ghul is the villian? Haven't heard from that guy since is "Work it" song about a decade ago.
posted by graventy at 8:08 PM on September 12, 2003

Am I the only person here who thinks the whole batman concept peaked with Julie Newmar? I know there are people who like the "dark" version, but if you're going to have a grown man running around in leotards fighting crime with a teenage boy, I say go with the nipple costume, or perhaps the gray gut-enhancing model.

But I'm willing to compromise. Let's split the difference between the Tim Burton version and the sixties camp version, and get John Waters to direct.
posted by condour75 at 11:15 PM on September 12, 2003

I stopped following the "American Psycho" series after they recast Christian Bale's role with that actress.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:28 PM on September 12, 2003

condour has an excellent idea--john waters could do wonders with all the superhero stuff.

If you don't do these movies with at least a wink, they fall flat (or big and green)
posted by amberglow at 11:30 PM on September 12, 2003

effugas-

Agreed on Bateman's suitability vis a vis Equilibrium. Beats the almighty out of casting The Lizard King as Bats. Still hacked off about the poor treatment Mr. Freeze got in the last one.

Davidmsc -

Clooney was a good Batman? Could have fooled me. Only action role I've ever liked him in was as Seth Gecko...
posted by Samizdata at 12:40 AM on September 13, 2003

Batman is a tough character. Or, more accurately, Bruce Wayne is tough to play. He has to be nuts* but erudite. He has to be Gotham's Most Eligible Batchelor, and yet act just enough "off" that ladies are not demanding he spend all evening out with them. Somehow he has to make time to be the high powered CEO by day and the terror of Arkham by night. All things considered, he is one charity banquet or golddigger away from imploding.

Anybody can pull on a goofy costume and deliver one-liners. It takes a great actor to play Bruce Wayne.



*Not obviously so. After all he somehow got custody of the orphaned Dick Grayson.
posted by ilsa at 12:49 PM on September 13, 2003

On a related note, my computer won't get this film I came across to work; will somebody watch it and tell me if its worth the hassle to try and get it to.
posted by dgaicun at 6:14 PM on September 13, 2003

Actually never mind, I just found this picture from the film, and its the coolest looking live-action Batman I've seen yet. After 50 years of scrawny-ass hollywood Batmen (Adam West!? Michael @%%&* Keaton?!), someone finally remembers that Batman is supposed to be, oh I don't know, strong looking and stuff.
posted by dgaicun at 6:36 PM on September 13, 2003

dgaicun: The first half of the Collora Studios short tops anything from the Bat-Franchise thus far. The second half is an all-out leap into DC Comics territory. Absolutely worth viewing.
posted by LinusMines at 6:57 PM on September 13, 2003

Dude, where'd you get the second half of Batman:DE?

The first half kicked my ass.
posted by tcobretti at 11:07 PM on September 13, 2003

Sorry...I was referring to both halves of the six-minute film.

I am so wishing for a Part 2 of the whole deal.
posted by LinusMines at 12:01 AM on September 14, 2003

I think it's funny that the only way to get a Batman movie the fans really like is to go underground.
posted by tcobretti at 11:51 PM on September 14, 2003

Indeed, Equilibrium probably contributed alot to Bale's being considered for the role.

Yet there's no mention of this in the popular press.

That's because they haven't heard of it.

Christian Bale makes me go a bit funny.
posted by Summer at 2:34 AM on September 15, 2003