The ending of this summer’s Batman Begins suggested that the next bad guy that Christian Bale’s Caped Crusader will face will be the Joker. But who will follow in the footsteps of Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero to play the grinning villain? Warner Bros. tells PopWatch that no one has been cast yet, but a group of online petitioners would like to see the role go to Charlie’s Angels‘ Creepy Thin Man, Crispin Glover (left). He’d certainly be a good choice, though I still think it would be great if the role went to the TV-cartoon Joker, Mark Hamill. Adrien Brody’s name has also been mentioned; he certainly has the right skeletal jack-in-the-box look.
What say you, PopWatchers? Will you endorse Glover, or do you prefer some other Joker?
Glover’s a great way to go. Of the three possible actors mentioned, I’d like to think the former George McFly would bring something completely new, original, and far less “routine,” respectively.
Also, here’s a coincidental choice that’s so crazy it might work: Michael Keaton. All I’m saying is watch Beetlejuice. The former caped crusader packed that movie full of wacky (and villainous!) energy. I think he could pull it off.
crispin glover is a fantastic choice! he’s always been one of my favourites and i love to see him work.
I think Adrien brody is a perfect choice, he’s tall, has angular features, and he’s really talented. I think thats what it boils down to, talent. Jack Nicholson’s joker was awful, at first it might’ve seemed like a good idea but the way Burton directed him was just plain bad. I really think that people need to let go of Burton’s Batman b/c he even admitted that he is not a Batman fan or even a comic book fan. He simply made Bruce Wayne into a mirror of himself and made the Joker the guy who killed his parents, and that was dumb. Bruce Wayne doesn’t need to think that his archnemesis killed his parents. He has enough reason to hate him.
Another great choice would be Hugo Weaving.
I recall seeing a short film a couple years back entitled Batman: Dead End. Besides battling both various Aliens and Predators (from their respective movies), the Dark Knight also confronts The Joker, as portrayed by Andrew Koenig – who believe it or not was “Boner” on “Growing Pains”! Koenig didn’t use a mouth prosthesis in this 8-minute short, and brilliantly pulled off an insane grin! The only other one who may have pulled off this feat has already been in a past Batman movie, and that is none other than Jim Carey.
Whoever is choosen, just let it be somebody who fits the bill and can bring the energy needed. I like Crispin Glover, but he’s never been one for the hyperkinetic energy. Same with Adrien Brody. Isn’t the real question about all this, is whether or not Christopher Nolan and Frank Miller will be involved? Batman Begins was teriffic for a reason.
Chrispin Glover is creepy & cool enough to pull it off.
i don’t think Adrian Brody will work but i could be wrong…
I kind of dislike Glover after he didn’t do Back to The Future part 2 because he wanted too much money. Has he changed since then? I guess he must have…
Two words: Guy Pierce.
I’m liking the scuttlebutt about it being between Paul Bettany and Lachy Hulme. I think that Mr. Hulme deserves a shot at the brass ring after his wonderful performance in Matrix Revolutions.
I’ve heard Sam Rockwell mentioned on some message boards. I think he’d be a perfect villian – he’s the only one I can imagine pulling off the joker’s suave insanity. He made a great charming villian in Charlie’s angels, and his Wild Bill in the Green Mile was terrifying.
Mark Hamill all the way! I would love to see him play something else…other than Luke Skywalker
There have been several good choices for the Joker. Crispin Glover would be good choice, he has an outsider/awkward air about him as if he knows something the rest of us don’t. Someone mentioned Hugo Weaving, another very good choice, I could definitely see him pull off the insane grin! But, then someone else mentioned Michael Keaton! It would be very poetic that the hero of the original film turn around and be the villain in the very successful remake. I just hope the Cillian Murphy (the Scarecrow) makes another appearance, could he embody the creepiness of that bad guy more!
How about going off the wall with somebody like Steve Carrell? He’s definitely gained popularity of late and he has shown through The Office and his films that he can play it straight or very nonsensical at any time. Just a thought out of the box.
The perfect coup: Michael Keaton.
I think Glover, Brodie, and Rockwell are all good ideas, but I think Sean Penn would nail it. Not that he’d ever do it, but still…
Tim Roth would be good as well.