Michael Shannon needs to be Riddler though IMO. Just to repeat myself.

Plus he's already worked with Nolan.

I also love Maxfisher's idea of having Riddler frame Batman for the murders, seeing as how Batman is already on the run, and leaving the riddles solely for Batman. I also want to see how they play out the Batman/Gordon relationship. Gordon will obviously want to continue to help Batman, but can't be seen doing so publicly. His daughter would work well as an intermediary, setting up her role as Oracle, but she's too young in this universe.

I think Glover missed his chance with the Joker (which was probably never an option). I still think he would've been great in the role, and I don't see him working as any other character.

I'm for the Harley Quinn idea. I'd also love to the Joker again in some capacity, plenty of great actors out there to take up the mantel.

I imagine the film jumping quite a few years into the future. There's great potential there with an older Wayne/Batman. It's one way to make a very different film.

Oh Jesus Christ, the guys started threads posting news on movies and interviews hes done with actors, hes said it a zillion fucking times. Get with the program Es'e.

Crispin Glover should play an usher at the world premiere of Batman 3.

Are people seriously debating whether an actor can take over for Heath Ledger as the Joker in the midst of a movie series in which four actors have played the title role?

Which series is that? Nolan's Batman is not a continuation of the previous movies, obviously. It exists on its own.

They shouldn't be. Since James Bond has been able to continue with different actors. And this summer we will have a new Captin Kirk.
Anybody is replaceable.

Why would anyone want Joker back in the third movie? Even if Ledger was still alive, I wouldn't want Joker back in the third film - his story was told and finished. He doesn't need to be in a third film. He shouldn't be used like Lex Luthor in the Superman movies, in which Lex doesn't even benefit Superman 2, 4 and Superman Returns...

Johnny Depp does not belong in Nolan's Batmans. Johnny Depp is too Tim Burton - he'll screw up the films and make it too cartoony and wacky.

Not the same thing.

Eh? I don't think so, over the years I've seen Johnny play all sorts of roles. I don't see why his inclusion equates to cartoony and wacky.

Johnny Depp could play The Joker, but unless there's a scene where they go to Arkham to talk to him, I don't see a need to include The Joker.

that's right! arkham's security is waay too tight for the joker to escape.

There's no "need" to include Joker just like there's no "need" for a third film. If Heath was alive, do you really think he wouldn't be in the third film?

Does The Joker appear in every issue of every Batman comic? Batman has a huge rogue's gallery. No need to repeat villains, especially if the man who played said villain in such an iconic fashion is now dead.

The comics and the movies are apples and oranges. Do you really think an alive Heath Ledger wouldn't have been in Batman 3?

Yep.

That's one of the very few times a villain hasn't been killed in a comic book movie. So, of course they were planning on bringing back the Joker if Ledger stayed alive.

They probably would have, but they don't need the character to tell an effective story now that Ledger is dead. It would just distract from the storytelling. This isn't a case of changing out Katie Holmes for Maggie Gyllenhaal. Ledger defined that character, people would be taken out of the movie if they brought in someone else to play him.

There are SO many other villains in the Batman Universe to use.. I mean I'll admit too that Joker is my favorite, but the fact that Nolan could use someone as obscure as Ra's in Begins and make it work shows you what he man is capable of.

Most other comic books have a sparing rogue gallery.. Batman's is so diverse. I doubt Nolan would recycle Joker.

I disagree that it would distract from the storytelling to recast Joker. I think it would distract more from the storytelling to pretend like Joker is just sitting in Arkham and never hear a peep from him. Judging from you sig and avatar, you really enjoyed Heath's turn as the Joker. I did too. Do you really think though another actor can't provide a good Joker performance?

I loved Heath's performance, no doubt about it. I do think another actor COULD play The Joker, and even do it well. I don't, however, think they could recast The Joker in this upcoming film without it overshadowing the movie itself. Instead of taking the movie on its own merits, all people would be talking about is how actor X's performance compared to Ledger's. It's not crazy to think that Arkham could hold The Joker for an extended period of time. I think there's plenty of story to tell without involving The Joker in this film. If they do a fourth, and feel like bringing back The Joker at that point, it wouldn't be as much of a distraction.

I also think that had Ledger lived to be used in the next Batman, he would only be seen from inside Arkham, just imo. Kind of a Red Dragon/Silence of the Lambs scenario, where he's locked up but still manages to reach out to the current villain anyway.

And again, it's not like I associate posts with certain people. You're all random names to me...I don't keep track of who does what or says what. Not what I come to a forum for. Sorry if that differs from your ideal poster.

You're excused.

when the make the announcement about a 3rd nolan batman flick all im gonna say is ..

"A new batman movie ??? IM THERE !!!!!!!!!"

forget the cast, forget the new villains... its friggin batman !

im sure whatever they come up with is gonna be genius .... i mean who would have thought that a dude that jumps into a pit of liquid to regain energy was gonna work in nolans "batverse"... he pulled it off

I dunno. Everyone said that about Sam Raimi and look what happened to Spider-man 3.