Riddler and Penguin confirmed for Batman 3

[Tiger.Lily]

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/090808batman3.html

"According to Bruce's butler, Depp and Hoffman are in for the sequel!

By Josh Wigler
Posted 9/08/2008



Speculation in a third "Batman" movie—which is likely several years away—has heated up tremendously given the success of "The Dark Knight." There have been ridiculous rumors ranging from Milo Ventimiglia as Robin to Cher as Catwoman. A great deal of attention has focused on Johnny Depp and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Riddler and The Penguin respectively, though Depp himself seems just as puzzled as the rest of us.

So just when you thought that things couldn't get battier, here comes Alfred Pennyworth himself to join in the fun. In an interview with MTV's Splash Page, actor Michael Caine spills the beans on the next movie's villains.

"It's Johnny Depp as The Riddler," says Caine. "And The Penguin is Philip Seymour Hoffman."

"I was with [a Warner Bros.] executive and I said, 'Are we going to make another one?'" Caine continues. "They said yeah. I said, 'How the hell are we going to top Heath?' And he says, 'I'll tell you how you top Heath—Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.'"

So either Mr. Caine has a very active imagination, or the good butler just let one of Hollywood's biggest cats out of the bag. Either way, it's safe to say that Bat-fandom's gonna be hopped up worse than those fear-gassed freaks in the Narrows until someone makes things official."


Thoughts? Comments?

I'm stoked.

 

[tklee88]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Johnny Depp will be awesome! I can't wait!

 

[Adam]

"I was with [a Warner Bros.] executive and I said, 'Are we going to make another one?'" Caine continues. "They said yeah. I said, 'How the hell are we going to top Heath?' And he says, 'I'll tell you how you top Heath—Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.'"

I'd be stoked about this, but the quote above leaves some questions. Was this executive confirming that Depp and Hoffman were on board or just stating his/her own personal preference? Hopefully this info is accurate.

 

[Belmont]

I'm still putting this under the rumor mill, since Nolan was pretty set on moving on to other projects for now. Granted, an ocean liner full of Warner Bros. cash can change many minds.

 

[The Sean Man]

Ehhh, don't be too hasty.

According to Omar Aviles at Joblo.com....

###############

Just when I thought I was out…they pull me back in! The DARK KNIGHT sequel rumors, that is. This particular rumor, however, is a rehash of an old rumor (wow, we're already rehasing rumors?!) but coming from a source who's theoretically in the know.

A while back, a rumor set the internets aflame claiming that Johnny Depp was up for the role of The Riddler and Phillip Seymour Hoffman was looking to become Penguin in director Chris Nolan's theoretical sequel. Today, Michael Caine, who plays noble father figure/butler Alfred to Christian Bale's brooding Batman told MTV's Splash Page "I was with [a Warner Bros.] executive and I said, ‘Are we going to make another one?’ They said yeah. I said, ‘How the hell are we going to top Heath? And he says ‘I’ll tell you how you top Heath — Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.’ I said, ‘S–t, they’ve done it again!’”

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. Are they really thinking along those lines? In short, NO. In all likelihood, this was an executive making a little joke about the rumor. There's not even the thought of a script yet. Plus, why would they rehash villains from the previous Batman films (the Joker was a must given his iconic nature in the Batman mythos but the others aren't). Let's just take a breather until at least Nolan signs on for a sequel, please.

##################

 

[giggle-maker]

Ehhh, don't be too hasty.

According to Omar Aviles at Joblo.com....

###############

Just when I thought I was out…they pull me back in! The DARK KNIGHT sequel rumors, that is. This particular rumor, however, is a rehash of an old rumor (wow, we're already rehasing rumors?!) but coming from a source who's theoretically in the know.

A while back, a rumor set the internets aflame claiming that Johnny Depp was up for the role of The Riddler and Phillip Seymour Hoffman was looking to become Penguin in director Chris Nolan's theoretical sequel. Today, Michael Caine, who plays noble father figure/butler Alfred to Christian Bale's brooding Batman told MTV's Splash Page "I was with [a Warner Bros.] executive and I said, ‘Are we going to make another one?’ They said yeah. I said, ‘How the hell are we going to top Heath? And he says ‘I’ll tell you how you top Heath — Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.’ I said, ‘S–t, they’ve done it again!’”

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. Are they really thinking along those lines? In short, NO. In all likelihood, this was an executive making a little joke about the rumor. There's not even the thought of a script yet. Plus, why would they rehash villains from the previous Batman films (the Joker was a must given his iconic nature in the Batman mythos but the others aren't). Let's just take a breather until at least Nolan signs on for a sequel, please.

##################

Did you just say the Riddler and the Penguine are not iconic Batman villians?


😕

 

[The Sean Man]

Did you just say the Riddler and the Penguine are not iconic Batman villians?


😕

No. As the second line in my post says:

"According to Omar Aviles at Joblo.com..."


And while we're at the rumor mill....

http://joblo.com/will-smith-as-cap

 

[Sandrock74]

I want to see Mr. Freeze and Man-Bat! They haven't been overdone to death. Hell, Man-Bat has never been done!
I just hate the Penguin. May as well bring in King-Tut from the old 60's show...

 

[vladtickleman22]

Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin..... Coolest idea for a batman movie EVER!

 

[cloudgazer2k]

Johnny "I'm in every movie!" Depp?! well, imma go slit my wrists now. Nolan just killed the franchise. nice going, dipshit.

 

[Tamia78]

Johnny "I'm in every movie!" Depp?! well, imma go slit my wrists now. Nolan just killed the franchise. nice going, dipshit.

I'm with cloud on this one. Minus the wrist-slitting. I don't think he could pull the Riddler off. Sure he's can do a good eccentric, but Riddler? noooooooooo, I don't think so.

--T

 

[Headsnap]

I was a bit aggrieved when I read the title. I've never been that big a fan of either of those villains; never saw what was so scary about The Penguin, and The Riddler's always just been a toned-down version of The Joker in my eyes. Then I read this;

"It's Johnny Depp as The Riddler,"

And it started to make sense.


I wonder if they'll get him to say "We can't stop here; this is bat country!"

 

[cloudgazer2k]

I'm with cloud on this one. Minus the wrist-slitting. I don't think he could pull the Riddler off. Sure he's can do a good eccentric, but Riddler? noooooooooo, I don't think so.

--T

it's not only that. when people don't think a movie will do well, that guy is cast. you think Pirates, or Sweeny Todd, would have done half as well without him? no. why? because the girls are all ga-ga for a dude that acts the same in every movie and looks like he's hung-over and strung out 24/7. and Hoffman's only good role was as Capote. everything else has been horrific.

i still believe Freeze needs to be given another shot. hell, the last few Batman flicks have barely touched on him being the World's Greatest Detective, so why start now?

 

[Marquis De Sade]

False.

 

[Headsnap]

it's not only that. when people don't think a movie will do well, that guy is cast. you think Pirates, or Sweeny Todd, would have done half as well without him? no. why? because the girls are all ga-ga for a dude that acts the same in every movie and looks like he's hung-over and strung out 24/7.

Whilst I think this is largely true I can't seem to get too annoyed at Johnny Depp because he played Hunter S. Thompson's alter-ego in the best film ever made in the world ever by anyone. The ether-huffing scene still makes me crease up, literally, even after having seen it like, a billion times. Him and Benicio Del Toro have carte blanche to do whatever they want now as far as I'm concerned, they're both legends.

Also I think the Batman films have gone in a different direction now; rather than being all cartoony and, let's face it, gay as fuck like they were in the days of Jim Carey and Michael Keaton, they're becoming more like actual believable dramas now which probably discounts villains like Mr Freeze from ever appearing in them again. Woo-hoo!

 

[cloudgazer2k]

Also I think the Batman films have gone in a different direction now; rather than being all cartoony and, let's face it, gay as fuck like they were in the days of Jim Carey and Michael Keaton, they're becoming more like actual believable dramas now which probably discounts villains like Mr Freeze from ever appearing in them again. Woo-hoo!

sorry to say, Snappy, but i'd me more afraid of a guy that can freeze me on the spot than a green-suited nutbag with a riddle fetish (no offence to any real riddle fetishists out there).

besides, Mr. Freeze has a great deal of drama in his background, and can be quite evil and real (minus the shitty one-liners). just look at how he was portrayed in the animated series: cold, grim, relentless...all in the name of vengeance and to save the woman he loves. there's a lot that can be done around that storyline in a movie that doesn't involve a stupid body-builder and a pine tree in heat.

 

[Tamia78]

it's not only that. when people don't think a movie will do well, that guy is cast. you think Pirates, or Sweeny Todd, would have done half as well without him? no. why? because the girls are all ga-ga for a dude that acts the same in every movie and looks like he's hung-over and strung out 24/7.

You hit the nail on the head there. Depp will always play weirdo, off-beat characters because that's what sells. But I don't wanna see Captain Jack Sparrow acting as the Riddler. I'd like someone totally fresh to the role come on. I'm liking the Paul Bettany idea. I think he has the look and he's played the role of a villain before. I don't necessarily agree with putting the same villians in the new Batman movies (i.e. Riddler, Penguin), but if they're gonna do it, do it right!

--T

 

[Snail Shell]

Hoffman as the Penguin works.

Depp as the Riddler does not. Depp is too big a star. I'd much rather see a phenomenal up-and-coming actor playing Riddler (or maybe Catwoman. Or maybe Bane) than someone like Depp who already has a well-established career.

Snail Shell

 

[Capnmad]

I like PSH as Penguin. Solid pick. See him in "Punch Drunk Love", "Capote", or "Magnolia". Man has skills.

Johnny could do Riddler, and I think he'd do it well, but rather than seeing his portrayal and detecting moments where I could sense homage to previous actors in the role (Frank Gorshin and Jim Carrey... ...eegh for the latter), like I could with Ledger's Joker (there were touches on Jack, Cesar, and Mark Hammill), I'd be thinking about which of his own previous roles was he hearkening back to (Willy Wonka, the author in "Secret Window", Jack Sparrow (which was really just channelling Keith Richards), or whathaveyou).

I agree with Snail in that I'd like to see someone with less obvious history or at least somewhat less recognizable take it on... A Jonathan Rhys Meyers, maybe, or someone in that vein...

But most of all, Nolan's got to be back on board, and that can be a difficult thing to ask of a director who lost one of his stars in the previous movie.

 

[Cy/MiG]

And it started to make sense.


I wonder if they'll get him to say "We can't stop here; this is bat country!"

YES! That would HAVE to happen if the rumors true!

Personally, I too think Depp is 'too big a star' or 'eccentric' to be cast in the new Batman series.

PSH could be a great Penguin though (The man has range).

Mr. Freeze could fit in nicely somewhere.

And I agree with Cloud that 'The Riddler' is essentially a less evil 'Joker' with a 'riddle fetish'. Never got the deal with him.

So long as they avoid the 'Batman Forever' & 'Batman and Robin' equation they should succeed.

 

[Strider]

Until Nolan weighs in on this, I've got to consider it to be speculation.

 

[drew70]

I'm not very sanguine
for Hoffman as Penguin.
__________________

<a href="http://s367.photobucket.com/albums/oo119/70drew70/?action=view&current=DREW70-small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo119/70drew70/DREW70-small.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://drew70.thumblogger.com"><img src="http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo119/70drew70/drew70piano.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://s367.photobucket.com/albums/oo119/70drew70/?action=view&current=3dancers.gif" target="_blank"><img src="http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo119/70drew70/3dancers.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
​

 

[cloudgazer2k]

I'm not very sanguine

uhm...go take a shower?

seriously, what's on your mind, drew me lad?

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Frankly I think both Depp and Hoffman are way above doing "Batman Villain" roles.


Drew

 

[TinyTickler]

i like it hopefully, they can play the parts just like the comics