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?
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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.
This is going to sound a little crazy. I think Brad Pitt would be the best Joker. Remember him in 12 Monkeys. Now consider him in The Fight Club. Giving the Joker a violent urban soul rave crazy look.
I heard that Sean Penn would be playing Harvey Dent/Two Face, I think he would be great for that.
Jude Law would be the perfect Joker.
Mark Hamill is definitely the best choice; his voice work on the cartoon was superb and if anyone gets a chance to see some of the behind the scenes footage as he was performing his lines, I think they would be convinced that he could perform just as well–if not better–in live action.
Catherine Zeta-Jones. HOO-ah!!!
Someone has my thoughts, imagine Michael Keaton as the Joker. The torch would officially be passed to Christian Bale. Because we all are aware that when Joel Schumacher killed the franchise, this would be the best way for the movie to continue in its current return to greatness. And just imagine the never ending media attention this would get. It would be amazing.
I think crispin glover is amazing, but I would not want to see him play the joker. I think since Batman is heading in a new, better, and different direction so too should its casting. I think the temptation is to cast someone thought of already as crazy, villainous, or funny but that is lazy and wouldn’t work. Read the comics, and study film and you will see that people like jim carrey, robin williams, jack nicholson, and crispin glover would not be right for the joker. You need to cast a regular actor and make them play crazy, make them act. This is especially true if they plan on doing backstory on the joker because he was not always crazy or criminal (see The Killing Joke). Also, some people are suggesting actors like sean penn or keaton, and these picks don’t work because they are much too old if we are to assume that Batman BEGINS will be followed by joker BEGINS. With all this in mind I concur with adrien brody based on his physical appearance, his oscar, and his range shown in dummy to the village. I also like Guy pearce or peter saarsgard.
I think Crispin Glover would be an excellent choice. He’s a very creative actor, and he looks the part. Of course, he’s not the only one who could do it. Mark Hamill is interesting, but he’s a little too cartoony-sounding and round-faced. Sean Penn was mentioned, and if he would be willing to stop being all “Mr. Serious Actor” for a bit, I’m sure he’d bring something fresh to the role. Of course, a newcomer might be best. We’ll see what they do.
Mark Hammill as the joker? Now that would be wonderful in a twisted way. I mean, Can you imagine Luke Skywalker as the joker? Glover would be able to pull it off…but now that Hamill is in mind, I can totally see it. And if it’s released the summer Indy 4 comes out, it’ll be a show down between the two stars to the original Star Wars. Now that would be fun to see.
I think Bill O’Reilly would make the perfect Joker! He’s already egomaniacal – and he MUST be crazy if he works for FOX News (and believes HALF the things that come out of his mouth is hilarious in itself!).
Plus, it would be a hoot listening to the “voice mails” he would leave for Batgirl and Catwoman…
The Id and I – “More fun than a barrel of journalists!”
I would love to see Billy Bob Thornton get his shot at this. Slingblade showed what a chameleon he can be, he is obviously insane in real life and he is a great actor and that is what this icon of comic villains deserves.
I first want to say that Jack Nicholson as Joker was brilliant. Secondly, it is next to impossible to take on the same role 16 or 17 years after Nicholson, and do as good or better. It was said that they will not do any funny make-up, and will rely strictly on the insanity and crazed laughing of the character.
I found a website poll dedicated to the future of the Joker and Two-Face in the new Batman series. There was a list of possibilities that included the same actor again for roles, down to Jim Carrey for Joker, even though he’s already The Riddler. An interesting name, most likely fueled by the actor’s brilliance as a villain, as well as the Britishness brought by Tom Wilkinson, is Alan Rickman. I’d love to see him in a Batman movie as a villain. My only gripe is he’d better continue as Snape in the Potter movies because that character is the best in that series and he can’t leave it.
Guy Pierce is the best for Joker, as well as Hugo Weaving being a great choice too. As for that poll, asked who would be the best actor to be in the series, no matter the character, the highest with 13% went to Alan Rickman. I guess he’s wanted.
Danny Huston. He already has the Joker smile.
I say no Joker. Why can’t they use a different bad guy instead?
I think Sean Penn would be a great choice. a lot of his quirkier rolls suggest he could do it. Carlitos Way showed he could visually disappear into a roll too. also, the car ride in Sin City suggests benico del toro could do a great job. they gave him the right prosthetic chin in that even.