The Batman Reboot JOKER Casting Thread

[regwec]

Well, that's the thing. Riding The Joker's coat tails is like the urban myth of the snuff movie: what do they have to pay you to die?

 

[gwynplaine]

The thing that I want the next interpretation of The Joker to stress, that has not yet been fully explored, is the nature of his appeal to others. People follow The Joker to their deaths, and commit acts of which they would not have dreamed before they came under his maniacal influence. They are drawn to him, and the simmering promise of death and evil that he represents, like moths to the flame. Does The Joker represent mankind's darkest desires, or does he inspire by bewilderment and terror alone? Whichever, it seems it is easy to join his wild little band, but impossible to leave alive and unchanged. In that regard, he is a symbol of madness itself.

They explored it in TDK with Thomas Schiff (Batman mentions how the Joker attracts the crazies) and the fat dude with the bomb in his belly ("The boss said he would make the voices go away. He said he would go inside and replace them with bright lights.") I like how they felt more like disciples than just henchmen like Bob in B89 and they reminded of the Manson Family or some crazy followers of a dangerous guru or cult leader.

 

[Rodrigo90]

Harley should be used for that.

 

[gwynplaine]

Not a big fan of Harley (especially the whole puddin'/Mr J thing), just like I don't care much for Robin. I prefer Batman and the Joker to be loners who "complete each other", but to each their own and who knows in the right hands she might be pulled off in the manner you suggest.

 

[gwynplaine]

I thought Rhys Wakefield was pretty creepy and scary as "Polite Leader" in "The Purge." He also has the build and the smile. Who knows maybe he could pull off the Joker?
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=r1fCA3yi4pfyYM&tbnid=4PfPE7KQeqzm2M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zimbio.com%2FRhys%2BWakefield&ei=4RaQUr_8ForkoAT3woGgCA&bvm=bv.56988011,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNHi_nx3o39zaPZ3ugcv64qKKnDR1Q&ust=1385261146655998

 

[regwec]

They explored it in TDK with Thomas Schiff (Batman mentions how the Joker attracts the crazies) and the fat dude with the bomb in his belly ("The boss said he would make the voices go away. He said he would go inside and replace them with bright lights.") I like how they felt more like disciples than just henchmen like Bob in B89 and they reminded of the Manson Family or some crazy followers of a dangerous guru or cult leader.

I wouldn't say they explored it, particularly, since those moments were extremely brief and stemmed from a need to advance quite separate plot points.

Harley should be used for that.

Yes, if adapted sensitively, she could be a very compelling character.

 

[747]

I definitely want Harley!

 

[HR-PUFF&STUFF]

matt smith for the joker

 

[Rodrigo90]

up:

And Harley could work really well, if they lessened her sweetness.
I want the characterizations of characters to be more comic like than what we got in the Nolan's. Not that I didn't mind the changes for Nolan's vision, but that's over now.

Harley should be handled in a certain way however, that changes things to a degree.

I like it how she's a genius, and strict. Normal.
Then Joker breaks her slowly down. She loses her sanity and gains a twisted love for him.

It sounds mushy when you see it in mediums.

But they can handle it more adult, and Harley for that matter, too. We don't have to Nolanize her to get her on screen - stripping her of her key elements.
But we also can't have her as annoying as she is in other things. ..but of course, that's Harley's charm...
So, it would be a challenge to convey her in the right way.

 

[NinjaTurtleFan]

Ben Mendohlson

I know he was Dagget in TDKR but if you watch is work in Animal Kingdom and Killing Them Softly you'll see a seriously underrated actor who knows how to play unhinged and crazy.

And he was in "The Place Beyond the Pines."

I don't know about him being Joker. I do like him though as an actor.

 

[gwynplaine]

CGI Conrad Veidt

 

[Rodrigo90]

DC's Lawyers have warned you about that

 

[chamber-music]

A Australian former Home & Away actor worked well with Heath Ledger so perhaps they should try it again with Rhys Wakefield from The Purge and +1.

 

[shauner111]

No. He's way too young. We need a Joker in his 40s for this universe. Not younger than Heath.

 

[regwec]

Behind the bleached skin and the green hair (and we ****ing have to have both this time), the permissible age range for the actor is probably relatively broad. I'd say anything between 30 and 50 is alright.

Edit- having said that, Mark Heap would still be awesome.

[YT]pUEV4rnu5V8[/YT]

 

[gwynplaine]

I thought Rhys Wakefield was pretty creepy and scary as "Polite Leader" in "The Purge." He also has the build and the smile. Who knows maybe he could pull off the Joker?
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...x3o39zaPZ3ugcv64qKKnDR1Q&ust=1385261146655998

A Australian former Home & Away actor worked well with Heath Ledger so perhaps they should try it again with Rhys Wakefield from The Purge and +1.

I suggested him before and think he might be able to pull it off. Anyway I prefer a younger Joker (Heath Ledger, Malcolm McDowell), than an older one (Nicholson, Romero.)

 

[NinjaTurtleFan]

I instantly thought of Joker while watching that movie (though I found it disappointing to say the least.)

I've gotten into "Almost Human" and Mackenzie Crook has the look.

 

[TheAQU4M4N]

Paul Dano!

 

[Rorschach2012]

as Riddler not Joker

 

[NinjaTurtleFan]

I instantly thought of Joker while watching that movie (though I found it disappointing to say the least.)

I've gotten into "Almost Human" and Mackenzie Crook has the look.

Plus, his work in the "POTC" films.

 

[NinjaTurtleFan]

Sorry, didn't mean to post the same picture twice.

 

[NosfeRomas]

Paul Dano!

Although i dig his performances, i can't say the guy is a good actor. He overacts in every damn movie he is in. In There Will Be Blood i get it, dude you are put up against the colossus that is Daniel Day Lewis but in fricken Looper ? come on, just be natural.

 

[shauner111]

He overacted in There Will Be Blood but he's toned down since. I thought he was perfect in 12 Years A Slave. He's become a good actor. Prisoners was also a good performance for Dano.

I see him more as a younger Riddler or even Mad Hatter. But i see them going with a big star who is the same age as Affleck, for both Riddler and Joker.

I really dont want to see another young Joker. It makes no sense.

We've seen Batman meeting Joker for the first time, twice now. It's done. In this version he needs to be locked up in Arkham at the start. Batfleck should have already encountered Joker at least a couple of times over the last decade or more.

 

[gwynplaine]

I just don't want to see a Joker that's older than Batman again, like in B89. Same age is fine with me, like each others' flip side or something.

 

[BattleAngel]

I'm sure it's been said a zillion times, but after Ledger's masterful Joker-as-darkest-part-of-man (Goyer's dialog aside), and Jack Nicholson's perfect take on the more playful, fun side, I think the role should probably be retired for a while. The New 52 Riddler is so compelling that I think it's really time to see that character.

If it does go forward, Willem Dafoe is really the only choice. You need that level of a hallowed-name actor to bridge the gap between the Ledger & Nicholson version. Essentially, he'd have to play it straight out of the comics/Arkham games, the quintessential non-movie Joker, finally come to life. If the new version of Batman is one that is unabashed in taking its inspiration from the comic/animated/videogame universes, I'd be very happy. That said, I think Joker is rarely done as well in the comics, etc. as he was done by Jack & Heath. The film versions of Joker have always outshined the film versions of Batman. There are plenty of characters from the universe who are waiting for their definitive representations (Batman, Alfred, Grayson, Riddler, Freeze, etc.), but I do think Nolan got Joker, Bane, and maybe even Scarecrow down about as good as they can be done for this age. It's the one aspect of his films that I'm okay with.