I really hope the Hugo Strange rumour is true. That's a character that could really fit into the quasi-Real World approach of the Nolan-verse Batflicks.

I never cared for Hugo Strange. Sort of a weak Batman villain. But if Nolan works his magic he could do something with him. But Nolan said this will be the end. Hugo Strange is a villain of the week or fill-in comic character with weak story lines. Filler material. Having him as the final villain for the Nolan universe doesn't sound very good to me. Maybe if he creates the venom that results in Bane being in the film ... now that could work. Mixing Hugo Strange and Hush together or something. I just don't know. He'd have to be reinvisioned, made darker, and do something really terrible and personal to Batman to merit being the final villain. Perhaps he will go after / kidnap / kill Alfred?

EDIT: For those of you that have Batman: The Animated Series - Volume 2 or the complete series. See episode 37 "The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne" to see this guy in action. But even on that show they realized how weak / lame he was so they added The Joker, Two-Face and the Penguin in the plot.

Huh, I never the series and don't remember the guy at all. Thanks for the tip on that.

Hugo Strange was only a good villain because he could get the other villains to go after batman. Will be interesting to see where they go with him.

It's just a rumor...

thank you for pointing that out.

I have to say that if nothing else, Nolan has proven himself a fan of the comics by mostly utlizing lesser know characters such as Zsasz (very brief, but present nonetheless), Ras Al Ghul, Scarecrow, and now Hugo Strange for his movies. Heck, even Two-Face was not that well known to people who just followed Batman casually. Joker was great in the second one, but Nolan used him because he realized a full Batman story could not be told without him.

As I have said before, this whole arc is about the early days of Batman when all is said and done.

I kinda want to see Catwoman but I know i'll be happy with the end product regardless if Nolan takes it from the front or back, he'll sweep me of my feet again

Doesn't Catwomen show up in one of the Hugo Strange stories? I know Scarecrow does, and I'm sure Nolan would love to have Cillian back.

BTW, Hugo Strange will also has a role in Arkham City, the sequel to Arkham Asylum. He was in Batman: TAS, as previously mentioned, as well as Justice League as a member of the Doomsday Sanction.

I don't know if I agree with that. Maybe the Harvey Dent aspect which was what we mostly saw in The Dark Knight, but I'd say Two-Face is one of the better known Batman villains to casuals. I do agree though it is nice to see Nolan using other lesser known villains such as Ras and Scarecrow thus far.

As far as the rumor for Strange I don't mind it. He isn't personally my favorite of the Batman villains but he is realistic enough to work for Nolan's Batman series. I think it would be better if they added another villain along with him though if this is the route they choose to go.

Hugo Strange would be awesome. I never heard of him and I didn't know he was in Batman comics since 1940. It would be a great choice, especially if it was Tom Hardy in the role.

Isn't it just a rumor for right now?

Yea, just a rumor, like Knightley having a chance at being in the movie. I'd die a little if she actually gets a part.


Someone on another board mentioned something interesting, well enough to stop and make you think.

Batman Begins: Bruce Wayne calls the party guests "Two-Faced" and we see a 'Joker card' at the end. Major Villians in the TDK: Joker/Two Face

The Dark Knight: During the bank heist Joker mentions what doesn't kill you, only makes you "Stranger". Fox tells Bruce that his armor can withstand a 'Cat'.

Wouldn't that be something if it's Hugo Strange/Catwoman all along?

Also, in The Dark Knight you can see a crock pot in Rachel's apartment, as well as a Harlequin romance novel.

Rachel's apartment? Is this the XXX version?

The cat reference in The Dark Knight was deliberate.

Guess so because I don't remember it in the theatrical version...

Oh, I see what he was doing there... Nice try Groucho but a big old fail for you.

Hugo Strange is an intriguing character on paper, and could fit in swimmingly within Nolan's universe. Can't really piece the whole Hardy / Bronson / Strange puzzle together in my mind yet, but I dig the character's potential and the actor behind him (if, of course, this end up being more than a rumor).

Deliberate? Yes. Whether it's a hint or just a tongue-in-cheek wink to the audience -- which is how I took it -- remains to be seen.

I thought it was a nod to Batman Returns specifically.

Check it at 1:22...

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Two-Face was in Batman Forever, and I'd say that he's probably the third best known villain in Batman's rogues gallery, after The Joker and The Penguin... and I might even put him ahead of the Penguin.

Eh, I think Catwoman is pretty well known. Probably even more so than Two-Face or The Penguin, but definitely not as well known as The Joker.

Catwoman hasn't really been a "villain" for a long time, so I don't think of her as being in Batman's rogues gallery. Though it's not something that people who don't follow comics would necessarily be aware of.

If Catwoman were to show up in a Nolanverse Batman movie, I would expect her to be a romantic interest/rival for Bruce and not an actual villain. As in the comics, she would best be served as being a morally ambiguous mercenary that shares a mutual attraction with Batman than someone who's going to team up with the Joker to kill him.

Yeah, you're right. I should've been a little clearer in that she isn't a traditional villain; sometimes romantic interest, sometimes ally, sometimes criminal, etc.

I'm sure Haley Berry's box office bomb as Catwoman also plays into their decision not to incorporate her into this. That character has been far too over-exposed, and never in a good way.

I've changed my stance on the Penguin however... IMO Joker and Penquin have always been Batman villains 1a and 1b respectively. If this is really going to be the last Nolan Batman, I think I am disappointed that the Penguin won't be in it.

Dude, I don't think more than 50 people even saw Catwoman lol.

The top villains to me were always Joker, Penguin, Catwoman and Riddler, though today I'd also put Two Face and 'maybe' Bane on the list.

I still wouldn;t discount a mob boss Penguin btw.