matty
02-06-2006, 3:55pm
A Brave New Gotham
Though Batman (Christian Bale) was successful in stopping Ra's Al Ghul's (Liam Neeson) plans to completely destroy Gotham City, the Dark Knight did not save the entire city. The Narrows, where Arkham Asylum is located in the film, is completely lost to the toxin. This is perhaps the most important clue to the future of Gotham City.
Have you ever wondered why so many crazy people livein Gotham City? Batman Begins has created its own answer. The people of the Narrows, the mostdown-and-out and desperate of all Gotham's citizenry has suffered the affects of Scarecrow's fear drug, driving many of them completely off their nut. The purpose of the doping was to drive the citizens of Gotham into such a feared frenzy that they tear one another apart. When the dust clears from the Narrows, the city suddenly has a whole new crop of hopelessly
insane inhabitants.
So why are so many of them obsessed with Batman? Remember that as the toxin affected these folks, they saw Batman flying overhead. Thanks to the drug, this beast was their ultimate fear, a shadowy beast with fiery eyes. At the moment of a madman's birth, the Batman is the first thing he sees. It's like that connection a newborn gains the instant it's first held by its mother.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Asylum... In Alan Moore's The Killing Joke, the Joker was created when a first-time criminal fell into a vat of chemicals while fleeing the Batman. However, that origin seems to be changed slightly for the next Batman film. The Joker's arrival is announced by Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman). There is no chemical vat, just a cold-blooded killer with a flair for the theatrics and a habit of leaving a calling card. So how might the Joker have come to be?
It seems more than likely that the Joker is a product of the toxins released in the Narrows. That wouldn't be enough to turn his face white and hair green, however. It's possible that the Joker has two stages of development. That he begins as a crazy ******* and that he gains his lovely complexion and further insanity through a confrontation with Batman in the sequel. In either case, expect a different type of Joker from the one played by Jack Nicholson.
Just as the story of Batman Begins helped to create a very different (and authentic) Batman from Christian Bale, so should the sequel help to offer a much more chilling madman. If Batman 2 is to keep the gritty realism of Begins the Joker must be born not of desperation, not just a chemical bath. Remember that in the comics the Joker was actually a down-and-out comedian trying to provide for his family. He was driven over the edge. In Tim Burton's Batman, Nicholson's Joker had none of that desperate nature. Sure, he played it great, but it worked in the context of the story.
If the overall theme of Batman Begins was fear, then Batman 2 will likely focus on either desperation (a close cousin to fear) or chaos. These are the tools of the Joker as much as fear is that of Scarecrow and Batman. What makes Joker and Batman such great foes isthat they are exact opposites - one for order, one for chaos - but eerily similar in many ways.
There's plenty of speculation on who might play the joker. You can hop over to IGN FilmForce for the latest rumors. While many of suggesting Paul Bettany, our choice would be Alan Cumming. Not only does he look like the man from The Killing Joke, but he has a natural edge to him that is very much like a disturbed clown (Sorry Alan). There's this charming quality to Cumming, something incredibly likable, but also this small underlying vibe of manic energy that would servethe Joker perfectly.
Dent in the System
A few weeks ago, Batman Begins screenwriter David Goyer candidly offered the basic outline for the next two films. If Goyer has his way (and with the success of Begins, he should), the Joker will be the main (but not only) foe of the sequel. At the end of the film, Batman, with the help of Gordon and new District Attorney Harvey Dent, will have nabbed the Joker. No glorious death this time. Instead, the third film focuses on the trial of the Joker and Dent's emergence as Two-Face.
In the comics, it was gangster Sal Maroni who tosses acid at Harvey Dent, horribly scarring one side of his face and bringing forth Dent's latent second personality. But with the Clown Prince of crime on trial, it will likely be up to Joker to scar Dent. Might we see the infamous acid-squirting flower?
As for who should play Dent, we'll second the nomination of Guy Pearce. If anyone can do the role justice, it would be Pearce. Plus, he's worked with Nolan in the past on Memento. That is, of course, assuming Nolan is back for the next two films.
As for the focus of the third film? Again, we take a cue from both Batman and his prime villain. Two-Face is about duality and it's that dual nature that links him so closely to Batman. What makes Two-Face such an interesting foil is that he is both a friend Batman fails to save and a friend who's betrayed his ideals - even if it's "not his fault." It's not enough that Two-Face has two personality and that Batman is both Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight, but their relationship itself takes on two roles. Who knew comics could prove to be deeper than a John Grisham novel?
Guess Who Else is Coming to Dinner?
If Batman Begins is any indication, none of the future Bat-films will focus on a single villain. Instead, several name baddies will come into the picture. While we can be fairly certain that Two-Face and the Joker will be the prime bad-guys, expect some others to play a role. There aren't even hints at who these might be, but we have two guess and they've already starred in previous Batman films - Penguin and Catwoman.
While some others might show up, it makes the most sense to bring these two into the fold. We peg the Penguin for the second film. He's a great illustration of how crime does not have to be insane to bedangerous. With so much focus on the criminally insane, the Penguin acts as an anchor to keep the second film from flying too far into fancy. And don't expect anything close to Danny Devito's vile version. Most likely, with Falcone in the nuthouse, the Penguin will arrive to try and take over his empire.
Catwoman would be a perfect fit for the third film, the one focused on duality. First, let's put to rest the concerns that audiences will still be scarred by Halle Barry's turn as the sexy cat-burglar. Keep in mind that, at its earliest, the third Batman film would arrive six years from now and with a completely different actress and costume. So, don't sweat it.
Why would Selina Kyle make a perfect addition to the final act of the first Batman trilogy? As shown in the comics and even in Batman Returns, there's an interesting love triangle (square?), where Catwoman and Batman have a thing and Selina and Bruce have a thing. The relevance to duality should be fairly obvious.
Birds of a Feather
English rag the Laceby News apparently spoke with Nolan regarding the future of Batman (though this report has not been confirmed). According to the paper, Nolan says that there will be no Robin in the next few Batman films. We, however, have a plausible theory on the Boy Wonder.
Consider the first three Batman films as the "Year One" story-arc. This is Batman's early days. Robin does not come into the picture until year two, or the second trilogy in the series (assuming it makes it that far). While Nolan may say Robin is a long way from being born, we humbly disagree. Our bet is you've already met Robin if you've seen Batman Begins -- even
if he won't become Robin for another three films.
In the Narrows, Batman runs across a little boy (Jack Gleeson) who's parents seem the worse for wear. This down-and-out child even nabs a gadget from the Batman himself. Later, as the Narrows become infected by the Scarecrow's toxin, the same little boy is shielded by Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes). He gets about five minutes of screen time, too much to be mere coincidence in a movie that seems so meticulously plotted. We even learn that the boy's parents can't be found.
While the apparently orphaned boy is not Batman's ward yet, it could be something that comes to pass in thethird film. This child, who could be called Dick Grayson, actually has a similar origin to Jason Todd. Where Dick was a circus performer who lost his parentsin an orchestrated "accident," Jason's folks were lost to a life of crime. More importantly, Jason's dad worked for Two-Face (and was murdered by him). Could it be that in the third Batman film, we discover that this boy's dad has become a stooge for Two-Face? Might Bruce see a parallel in this boy's life as his father is murdered by a criminal? Could the Batman take the boy in at the end of the third film to give him the childhood Bruce Wayne had lost? It would be a perfect set-up to launching the Year Two tales of the next three films.
Of course this is all speculation on the writer's of IGN Filmforce, but it's still interesting...........
Though Batman (Christian Bale) was successful in stopping Ra's Al Ghul's (Liam Neeson) plans to completely destroy Gotham City, the Dark Knight did not save the entire city. The Narrows, where Arkham Asylum is located in the film, is completely lost to the toxin. This is perhaps the most important clue to the future of Gotham City.
Have you ever wondered why so many crazy people livein Gotham City? Batman Begins has created its own answer. The people of the Narrows, the mostdown-and-out and desperate of all Gotham's citizenry has suffered the affects of Scarecrow's fear drug, driving many of them completely off their nut. The purpose of the doping was to drive the citizens of Gotham into such a feared frenzy that they tear one another apart. When the dust clears from the Narrows, the city suddenly has a whole new crop of hopelessly
insane inhabitants.
So why are so many of them obsessed with Batman? Remember that as the toxin affected these folks, they saw Batman flying overhead. Thanks to the drug, this beast was their ultimate fear, a shadowy beast with fiery eyes. At the moment of a madman's birth, the Batman is the first thing he sees. It's like that connection a newborn gains the instant it's first held by its mother.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Asylum... In Alan Moore's The Killing Joke, the Joker was created when a first-time criminal fell into a vat of chemicals while fleeing the Batman. However, that origin seems to be changed slightly for the next Batman film. The Joker's arrival is announced by Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman). There is no chemical vat, just a cold-blooded killer with a flair for the theatrics and a habit of leaving a calling card. So how might the Joker have come to be?
It seems more than likely that the Joker is a product of the toxins released in the Narrows. That wouldn't be enough to turn his face white and hair green, however. It's possible that the Joker has two stages of development. That he begins as a crazy ******* and that he gains his lovely complexion and further insanity through a confrontation with Batman in the sequel. In either case, expect a different type of Joker from the one played by Jack Nicholson.
Just as the story of Batman Begins helped to create a very different (and authentic) Batman from Christian Bale, so should the sequel help to offer a much more chilling madman. If Batman 2 is to keep the gritty realism of Begins the Joker must be born not of desperation, not just a chemical bath. Remember that in the comics the Joker was actually a down-and-out comedian trying to provide for his family. He was driven over the edge. In Tim Burton's Batman, Nicholson's Joker had none of that desperate nature. Sure, he played it great, but it worked in the context of the story.
If the overall theme of Batman Begins was fear, then Batman 2 will likely focus on either desperation (a close cousin to fear) or chaos. These are the tools of the Joker as much as fear is that of Scarecrow and Batman. What makes Joker and Batman such great foes isthat they are exact opposites - one for order, one for chaos - but eerily similar in many ways.
There's plenty of speculation on who might play the joker. You can hop over to IGN FilmForce for the latest rumors. While many of suggesting Paul Bettany, our choice would be Alan Cumming. Not only does he look like the man from The Killing Joke, but he has a natural edge to him that is very much like a disturbed clown (Sorry Alan). There's this charming quality to Cumming, something incredibly likable, but also this small underlying vibe of manic energy that would servethe Joker perfectly.
Dent in the System
A few weeks ago, Batman Begins screenwriter David Goyer candidly offered the basic outline for the next two films. If Goyer has his way (and with the success of Begins, he should), the Joker will be the main (but not only) foe of the sequel. At the end of the film, Batman, with the help of Gordon and new District Attorney Harvey Dent, will have nabbed the Joker. No glorious death this time. Instead, the third film focuses on the trial of the Joker and Dent's emergence as Two-Face.
In the comics, it was gangster Sal Maroni who tosses acid at Harvey Dent, horribly scarring one side of his face and bringing forth Dent's latent second personality. But with the Clown Prince of crime on trial, it will likely be up to Joker to scar Dent. Might we see the infamous acid-squirting flower?
As for who should play Dent, we'll second the nomination of Guy Pearce. If anyone can do the role justice, it would be Pearce. Plus, he's worked with Nolan in the past on Memento. That is, of course, assuming Nolan is back for the next two films.
As for the focus of the third film? Again, we take a cue from both Batman and his prime villain. Two-Face is about duality and it's that dual nature that links him so closely to Batman. What makes Two-Face such an interesting foil is that he is both a friend Batman fails to save and a friend who's betrayed his ideals - even if it's "not his fault." It's not enough that Two-Face has two personality and that Batman is both Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight, but their relationship itself takes on two roles. Who knew comics could prove to be deeper than a John Grisham novel?
Guess Who Else is Coming to Dinner?
If Batman Begins is any indication, none of the future Bat-films will focus on a single villain. Instead, several name baddies will come into the picture. While we can be fairly certain that Two-Face and the Joker will be the prime bad-guys, expect some others to play a role. There aren't even hints at who these might be, but we have two guess and they've already starred in previous Batman films - Penguin and Catwoman.
While some others might show up, it makes the most sense to bring these two into the fold. We peg the Penguin for the second film. He's a great illustration of how crime does not have to be insane to bedangerous. With so much focus on the criminally insane, the Penguin acts as an anchor to keep the second film from flying too far into fancy. And don't expect anything close to Danny Devito's vile version. Most likely, with Falcone in the nuthouse, the Penguin will arrive to try and take over his empire.
Catwoman would be a perfect fit for the third film, the one focused on duality. First, let's put to rest the concerns that audiences will still be scarred by Halle Barry's turn as the sexy cat-burglar. Keep in mind that, at its earliest, the third Batman film would arrive six years from now and with a completely different actress and costume. So, don't sweat it.
Why would Selina Kyle make a perfect addition to the final act of the first Batman trilogy? As shown in the comics and even in Batman Returns, there's an interesting love triangle (square?), where Catwoman and Batman have a thing and Selina and Bruce have a thing. The relevance to duality should be fairly obvious.
Birds of a Feather
English rag the Laceby News apparently spoke with Nolan regarding the future of Batman (though this report has not been confirmed). According to the paper, Nolan says that there will be no Robin in the next few Batman films. We, however, have a plausible theory on the Boy Wonder.
Consider the first three Batman films as the "Year One" story-arc. This is Batman's early days. Robin does not come into the picture until year two, or the second trilogy in the series (assuming it makes it that far). While Nolan may say Robin is a long way from being born, we humbly disagree. Our bet is you've already met Robin if you've seen Batman Begins -- even
if he won't become Robin for another three films.
In the Narrows, Batman runs across a little boy (Jack Gleeson) who's parents seem the worse for wear. This down-and-out child even nabs a gadget from the Batman himself. Later, as the Narrows become infected by the Scarecrow's toxin, the same little boy is shielded by Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes). He gets about five minutes of screen time, too much to be mere coincidence in a movie that seems so meticulously plotted. We even learn that the boy's parents can't be found.
While the apparently orphaned boy is not Batman's ward yet, it could be something that comes to pass in thethird film. This child, who could be called Dick Grayson, actually has a similar origin to Jason Todd. Where Dick was a circus performer who lost his parentsin an orchestrated "accident," Jason's folks were lost to a life of crime. More importantly, Jason's dad worked for Two-Face (and was murdered by him). Could it be that in the third Batman film, we discover that this boy's dad has become a stooge for Two-Face? Might Bruce see a parallel in this boy's life as his father is murdered by a criminal? Could the Batman take the boy in at the end of the third film to give him the childhood Bruce Wayne had lost? It would be a perfect set-up to launching the Year Two tales of the next three films.
Of course this is all speculation on the writer's of IGN Filmforce, but it's still interesting...........