20 replies to this topic

[JulesLuvsShinzon]

Hi, I was just having a discussion about the Batman franchise on another forum. Can anyone tell me who actually controls the intellectual property? Is it DC Comics, and if so, can the allow writers to create their own villains instead of reusing the iconic ones such as Catwoman, The Joker, and The Riddler? I specifically refer to the movie franchise and how far producers can go in terms ofinventing new things for it.

Thanks

JulesX

[The_Donster]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Time Warner actually owns DC Comics and the movie franchises As far as creating new characters, it's done every once in awhile in the comics. However when it comes to the movies, I think they try to coincide something they can tie into a storyline in the comics too.

[JulesLuvsShinzon]

Thanks Donster!

So I take it that the third movie in the current Batman Begins/Dark Knight series could contain a totally new villain if required?

[FHC]

I doubt that will happen. There are just to many well known ones left. I'd bet next weeks paycheck that Cat Women is going to be in there. And, that is why a certain someone had to not make it out of the last movie, so Bat Man could have a new love interest.

[JulesLuvsShinzon]

Oh you could be right - but would Batman and Catwoman ever get it together? Have they ever done that in the past?

[weyoun_9]

There is a comic (short lived tv-show as well) called "Birds of Prey" where the lead female hero, Helena Kyle/Huntress, is the daughter of Batman and Catwoman, if I'm not mistaken. Here's what Wiki had to say about her (based on the TV show):

* Helena Kyle/Huntress - (Ashley Scott)

The daughter of Batman and Catwoman. She is half-metahuman, with cat-like abilities inherited from her mother (also a metahuman in the Birds of Prey continuity): enhanced agility, strength, healing and a sixth sense for danger, as well as the ability to shift her eyes to a feline form. This change is usually triggered by strong emotion, but can also be used to grant Helena enhanced night vision. She was raised by her mother, without ever knowing who her father was, until the night Catwoman was murdered in cold blood on the street, right in front of her. After this she was taken in by Barbara Gordon, who raised and trained her.

So, yes.

[weyoun_9]

Correction...her lineage was altered for the series...she is NOT their daughter in the comics...again...according to the ever-so-accurate Wikipedia.

[knightone]

They can pretty much play with continuity if they want so, in theory, they could come up with a completely new villain. Although the Batman mythos is already ripe with a plethora of villains so, considering they can play with all the backgrounds/appearance/etc., they already have a wide palette to work with.

[TheHSBR]

Batman and Catwoman have made out in the past and do have a close relationship but never have they had a sustained relationship from what I can recall.

[Quadrotritacale]

I'm really curious about what they're going to do for a female lead in the next Batman movie. I've always thought the Catwoman character wouldn't fit into the world established by the previous two films, but there aren't a lot of other options. I think that unless they invent a female character like Rachel or the women in the first four Batman movies, Batman's love life is going to be perpetually disastrous. The only other character from the comics I can think of possibly becoming his love interest is Talia, but she'd probably betray him at some point since she's Ra's Al Ghul's daughter.

[Gothneo]

For me, what works about the new movies, and was lacking in the old, was a real strong connection to his love interests. They really built the back story with Rachel. You felt the connection, and ultimately the loss to Bruce when she died.

In the original movies, all the love interests seemed like campy 1 night stands to me.

Talia is probably the best option as they can backfill her in. There's a connection in the comics and in the current movie... But to do it they are going to have to do some type of "flash backs" to Batman Begins.

[JulesLuvsShinzon]

Thanks guys for you insights!

I must say that I am very impressed by Nolan's Batman movies. I recently saw Batman Begins (after I saw The Dark Knight!) and enjoyed it very much, although I will say that I thought it was a bit front heavy with backstory.

The rumours seem to be flying around regarding the third movie. Apparently TOM HARDY is in talks - Nolan having been impressed by his performance in Inception.

[FHC]

I think Johnny Depp as The Riddler.

[Quadrotritacale]

Everyone was sure The Riddler would be the next villain, but Nolan confirmed that he won't be. I've always thought of The Joker, The Penguin, and The Riddler as the top three Batman villains, but Nolan seems to think The Penguin and The Riddler are too ridiculous. It's hard to think of who he will choose instead. A lot of people are thinking Catwoman since he's apparently meeting a lot of actresses, but that could just be for a love interest.

All the speculation is a bit of a stretch so far. Some guess Clayface, because comic book love interest 'Julie Madson' might be used and she supposedly has a connection to him, and some are guessing Killer Croc because they're doing filming in Louisiana (although it's more likely they're just filming there because it's cheap). Others predict Black Mask or Deadshot because they're more grounded in reality, but I'd prefer someone more high profile, who I'd recognize from the Batman cartoons I watched as a kid. Black Mask is a comic character I don't know much about and don't find very interesting. I can imagine Clayface being cool if he's like T-1000.

[Commodore Kor'Tar]

Clayface would be an interesting choice, especially when you consider how much CGI has progressed over the last couple of decades. He can assume any form lash out with clay weapons, and looks awesome as his natural monster self.

[Jedigreedo]

I would think Poison Ivy could work in the Nolanverse, she could be an assassin that is impossible to catch due to her extensive knowledge of lethal plants. She might be difficult to use as a main villain, though.

I REALLY want to see Bane at some point, but I doubt that'll happen.

[JulesLuvsShinzon]

If the rumours are true and Hardy signs up for this it'll be because Nolan is looking to replicate the success he had with Heath Ledger's Joker. Forget Clayface or the Penguin, the smart money is on The Riddler. Clayface would be too CGI for Nolan's gritty Batman, and the Penguin is just plain ...ridiculous. It could be a villain combo with Catwoman involved, and there hasn't been a decent Catwoman since Julie Newmar.

[Quadrotritacale]

I REALLY want to see Bane at some point, but I doubt that'll happen.

Wow, this thread is really out-of-date. Well, Jedigreedo called it...Bane is indeed in the film, to be played by Tom Hardy! I loved Tom Hardy's performance in "Star Trek: Nemesis", but I did not like his character. I thought his back story was too convoluted and his motivations were unconvincing. I'm sure Hardy will play a more impressive villain this time.

Bane is in some ways a rather ludicrous character, but I can imagine Nolan finding a way to make the character work in live action (after Joel Schumacher completely bungled the opportunity by turning him into a brainless, grunting thug). What I'm wondering is how he'll handle the whole gimmick of Bane's venom formula (if at all). I can't imagine a guy pumping up his body to grotesquely gigantic size with super vein-y muscles in a Christopher Nolan movie.

I figured Bane might be in the movie because he's one of the more realistic Batman villains, being a really muscular and tough assassin who is extremely intelligent and famous for hunting down and seriously injuring Batman in the comics. Also, there was apparently a poll where fans voted for which villains they most wanted to see in the sequel, and the top votes went to The Penguin, The Riddler (both of whom Nolan considers too wacky for his more realistic Batman world), Catwoman (who will be in the movie, or at least her alter ego Selina Kyle will be), and Bane.

So we now know Selina Kyle and Bane will be in the movie. Marion Coitillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("Inception" reunion!) are also rumoured to join. Their roles are unknown, but I think it's a safe bet that Marion will be Talia. Thoughts on the latest developments?

[JulesLuvsShinzon]

Yes, this thread is very out of date, although there is another more up-to-date thread in the Sci-fi news section of this forum where news of Tom Hardy being signed up by Nolan has been discussed. However, since this is about the most exciting comic-book movie news I've heard for around forever, I'll happily discuss this anywhere!

Yes, basically Nolan has said that he will be working with Hardy to bring his own interpretation of this Batvillain to the screen. If you can't imagine an actor bulking up to the size of a muscle-bound Bane for the big screen, then you haven't heard of how hard Hardy works to build his shape to quite alarming proportions to play beefy roles. You'll be seeing him a movie, Warrior this coming September playing a cage fighter and the best idea of how Bane might pan out is to grab yourself a copy of Bronson in which Hardy plays Charles Bronson, the self-confessed most violent prisoner in Britain. You'll be impressed because Hardy can play hard and scary.

Even in his resting phase - there is no way that Tommy could squeeze himself into that shiny Nemesis catsuit anymore. Nowadays, he's a pumped-up hunk covered in fascinating array of tattoos, and he often trades on his previous "bad boy" history. It looks like his casting has excited a few Batfans into making their own fake movie posters and putting them in the web. I think that's good news.

[Quadrotritacale]

Thanks for the response, Jules. I didn't know about the other thread...I'll post about the new Batman movie over there from now on. One thing about Hardy's casting that intrigues me is how it will likely lead to his role in "Star Trek: Nemesis" being one of the things he's LEAST remembered for! How many actors star as the villain in a Star Trek movie and that ends up only being a stepping stone to better roles rather than one of the roles they're best known for?

Shinzon was one of Hardy's first roles, but it already seems to be forgotten by many since the movie was not a hit. In his review of "Bronson", critic Roger Ebert identifies Hardy as a veteran of British gangster films. It is only now, after almost 10 years since "Star Trek: Nemesis" that Hardy is starting to be seen as a 'rising star'.

I think I'll have to check out "Bronson" to help me get psyched for "The Dark Knight Rises" before it comes out. It would be like how I watched "Equilibrium" and "American Psycho" to get pumped up for "Batman Begins" when I heard about Christian Bale being cast as Batman.