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I kind of don’t like calling it “Batman 3,” but in any case, Mike Fleming is reporting at Deadline that Tom Hardy, star of Christopher Nolan’s “Inception,” has been cast in a “lead role” in the sequel to 2008′s “The Dark Knight.”
Naturally, “insiders are keeping the role secret and won’t even say if he’s up for a villain role, but that seems a reasonable assumption,” Fleming writes. I find myself wondering. I heard an interesting theory (there are many surrounding these films) some time ago that Hardy would be an intriguing choice for actor Basil Karlo, aka Clayface (given his actorly role in “Inception”). All talk, of course.
There is also discussion that, solely based on the fact that the film is shooting in New Orleans, the villain might be bayou-centric…Killer Croc. I’d frankly be all about that if they could pull it off. Part of me wants this third film to embrace the heightened reality of the universe, rather than boil too much further into realism. Supernatural elements could be done in a classy fashion, I think.
The most likely rumor to be circulated from here will be that Hardy will play The Riddler, since most think that will be our next villain. The more I think about it, the more I want something fresher. Karlo, Croc, maybe even Roman Sionis/Black Mask (which can be done realistically, I think).
Furthermore, I Tweeted last night something I know won’t happen (given how precious Nolan wants to keep the Batman universe, virginal, removed from the rest of DC — which I agree with in principle but the fact is it’s not the case), but I think it would be kind of badass to introduce Superman briefly, really briefly, toward the end of this film and then carry him over into his own franchise. It’s lazy to think they can’t inhabit the same terrain, I think, and it would be intriguing as hell. It doesn’t have to be a “vs.” kind of thing, but…
…ah screw it. I’m done geeking out for now. It’s just nice to know casting is getting off on the right foot.
[Photo: Evening Standard]
71 responses so far
1 10-13-2010 at 11:07 am
RyanT said...
Still hoping he’s cast as Catwoman. Come on Nolan, surprise us!
2 10-13-2010 at 11:10 am
Drew said...
Bane?
3 10-13-2010 at 11:10 am
Hans said...
Exciting! As much as I love him, that’s a more inspired choice than Joseph Gordon-Levitt, methinks. I agree about the fresher villains; it was great to see Ra’s and Scarecrow on screen. But if Nolan could take a classic like the Joker and make him fresh and exciting again, I don’t doubt his skills if we get the Riddler for 3atman. Hardy doesn’t have the build for the Riddler, though, I would think, so those options you listed are intriguing.
4 10-13-2010 at 11:12 am
Estefan said...
I’m still hoping we get Harley Quinn. Really, my only disappointment with The Dark Knight was that she wasn’t in it.
5 10-13-2010 at 11:15 am
Mr. Gittes said...
It makes ZERO sense to exclude the joker from “Batman 3.”
6 10-13-2010 at 11:27 am
Duncan Houst said...
Really Mr. Gittes? It actually makes perfect sense for all the reasons stated before!
As for you Kris (That sounds a lot more sinister than I intended), I think that throwing Killer Croc or Clayface into Nolan’s “Batman” universe would ruin it. Neither of those characters follows the theme that this trilogy has been working on. I’m sure Nolan will figure out a way to do it fantastically, and perhaps even better than “The Dark Knight”. I look forward to whatever character Nolan has placed Hardy as.
7 10-13-2010 at 11:27 am
red_wine said...
Hardy was a revelation in Inception. I wanna see more of this guy in good roles soon.
But Nolan continues the trend of casting far better actors than Bale and giving them more interesting characters than Batman. Batman himself is such a boring supporting character in the Nolan movies where he is constantly over shadowed by great actors doing great work in great roles.
8 10-13-2010 at 11:31 am
Joe W said...
red_wine, I would have to disagree with you there. While you can make a good case for The Dark Knight being Joker’s movie, Batman Begins very much belongs to Bruce Wayne and Christian Bale continues to be the perfect fit for the role.
9 10-13-2010 at 11:32 am
Mr. Gittes said...
Watching TDK shows me that the Joker must be in the next film. It seems to me that he clearly was going to be prior to Heath Ledger’s death.
I betcha “Batman 3″ will be Bale’s time to shine. It all comes down to Bruce Wayne.
10 10-13-2010 at 11:35 am
James said...
In terms of supernatural, I wouldn’t be totally opposed to something like Killer Croc, but I think something like Clayface is far too out there for the universe he’s created. You hit the nail right on the head though with Black Mask which could reasonably be brought to screen.
I’d be fine with reinterpretations of something like The Penguin(fits universe, even though Nolan won’t for some reason), and The Riddler. Given Nolan’s multiple narratives and interesting plot details, The Riddler should be a formidable opponent who embraces a different kind of criminal, a narcissist.
Either way, while this is putting an end to the franchise I hope that literally doesn’t mean the character stops being a symbol, because he just wouldn’t do that. That being said, Nolan’s last film managed to have his main character forgive himself and move forward and remove the weight of guilt.
Also Nolan’s films have generally tapped into the idea of identity, and with Dent gone, Bruce’s identity is even more at stake. At what point will he become more of the Bat, than the man? So I’ll be interested to see where they go with this.
As for the casting of Hardy, I couldn’t be anymore excited. He was perfectly cheeky and a scene stealer if there ever was one in Inception.
11 10-13-2010 at 11:38 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
Duncan: Do back up your contention that neither character fits the thematic of the franchise. Don’t just state it. Because I think anything’s possible. And those are two characters that haven’t been properly defined on the page and could be marvelously detailed on the screen.
12 10-13-2010 at 11:38 am
Mr. Gittes said...
Am I the only one who thought Cillian Murphy gave the best supporting performance in Inception?
13 10-13-2010 at 11:40 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
And I think red_wine is pretty close to correct, by the way.
14 10-13-2010 at 11:42 am
Drew said...
Maybe he’s playing robin.
15 10-13-2010 at 11:48 am
Pete said...
I completely disagree with you, Tapley. There is no way to introducing Superman into Nolan’s Batman world. First of all, the whole idea that Superman exists in Batman’s world is ridiculous. What is the need for Batman then???? Superman is known to save people around the world. Ex. Paris. What keeps him away from Gotham???? Makes no sense. It can work as a cartoon for kids. But Superman inhabiting the same world as Batman makes no sense on an adult level. That would be like saying we have this great movie about a fireman, but let’s find a way to introduce Jesus Christ into his world. Jesus christ can put out flames in the blink of an eye. What sense does it make for the fireman to keep fighting fire. They are two separate characters that function in two separate worlds with separate rules. Keep them away from each other at all costs.
16 10-13-2010 at 11:50 am
James said...
Mr. Gittes-I agree with you about Cillian Murphy. He gave my favorite performance, but I said Hardy was a scene stealer on the basis of his interaction with the cast and the nature of his character.
17 10-13-2010 at 11:54 am
Zach Dickson said...
I actually predicted him as a possibility to be cast in my vision of what the third movie should be, playing a reinvention of the Mad Hatter. Check it out here:
http://zachdicks0n.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/my-batman-3-treatment/
18 10-13-2010 at 12:09 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Pete: It could be done. Perhaps Superman doesn’t reveal himself to the world until the end of this film. Would make a poetic sort of “I’m not needed anymore” moment for Batman.
There are a million roads to take it down and, again, it’s lazy to just instinctively say “no” and shut down any arguments. I feel the same way about Robin.
I appreciate that you feel so strongly you have to multiply question marks in your response, though.
(And by the way, the two characters have co-existed just fine in the same world on the page for 80 years, often crossing over in somewhat realistic storylines.)
19 10-13-2010 at 12:16 pm
emma Olands said...
maybe cotillard will be catwoman or talia, it will be Batception . I say that because Mad max is delayed for hardy, and after Contagion ( Soderbergh movie) Marion Cotillard was committed to the new upcoming project Cosmopolis with director Cronenberg (strangely the production seems delayed)
20 10-13-2010 at 12:17 pm
emma said...
maybe cotillard will be catwoman or talia, it will be Batception . I say that because Mad max is delayed for hardy, and after Contagion ( Soderbergh movie) Marion Cotillard was committed to the new upcoming project Cosmopolis with director Cronenberg (strangely the production seems delayed)
21 10-13-2010 at 12:21 pm
Drew said...
Honeslty, the one villain that sicks out in my mind for Hardy in the Batman universe is Black Mask. I think I remember reading somewhere that Goyer had written the character in an early draft of Dark Knight but was forced to cut him later on. So if Mr. Hardy is in fact the bad guy in this latest installment, that afforementioned part could be the role.
22 10-13-2010 at 12:27 pm
Ben M. said...
Actually a more realistic take on Killer Croc is in the Gotham Knights dvd which is set in Nolan’s Batman universe and approved by the team behind the live-action films, so I suppose there is some chance they could go with him. I really like Clayface but don’t see him working with the series, if they are going to use Hardy as an villain, Bane would be my first choice.
23 10-13-2010 at 12:31 pm
Fitz said...
Clayface could work as a man with a vast array of disguises. Similar to his character in Inception.
I didn’t know that Black Mask was in a draft of TDK though. Where did you hear that Drew?
24 10-13-2010 at 12:35 pm
Kyle said...
“It could be done. Perhaps Superman doesn’t reveal himself to the world until the end of this film. Would make a poetic sort of “I’m not needed anymore” moment for Batman.”
Well done Mr. Tapley…couldn’t think of a better ending myself.
25 10-13-2010 at 12:43 pm
Drew said...
Fitz-it was in an older wikipedia article I remember reading after Dark Knight came out two summers ago. There was a link to it that I followed to make sure it was true. Unfortunatley, it’s not there anymore, so maybe the story was merley rumor and the source wasn’t as accurate as believed. Either way, I think that character would fit pretty well into the Nolan take on the caped crusader.
26 10-13-2010 at 12:47 pm
Loyal said...
I tend to think that having Nolan working on both The Dark Knight Returns and Man of Steel adds some credibility to the idea of a shared universe.
The rumored storyline for Man of Steel: ” Clark Kent is a journalist traveling the world trying to decide if he should, in fact, even become Superman.” That fits perfectly into the Batman universe.
Keeping them apart doesn’t make much sense for WB and DC Entertainment.
27 10-13-2010 at 12:51 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Especially with Marvel being as ambitious as it is with its titles as of late.
28 10-13-2010 at 12:55 pm
Jonathan Spuij said...
Robin, Robin, Robin.
29 10-13-2010 at 1:17 pm
al b. said...
I think it’s pretty funny that everyone just assumes he’s playing a villain. It’s obvious, right? So obvious, that I think Nolan is gonna slyly put him in the role of ROBIN! A more mature Robin, definitely not the boy-wonder! One who is as equal to Batman and works his way in as a partner, not a sidekick.
This is all just speculation, but it would be almost a disappointment to see him as a villain… again! Do I need to bring up Nemesis?!
30 10-13-2010 at 1:28 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Might as well skip over Robin on to Nightwing if that were the case, but I doubt it is. Bale has had some scathing things to say about the character before.
31 10-13-2010 at 1:32 pm
Mike said...
I want Marion Cotillard in this so badly.
32 10-13-2010 at 1:41 pm
Jack said...
Even if Nolan could handle the supernatural aspects (Superman, more fantasy-esque villains), and even if it might be a good idea to try, I imagine there would be a HUGE backlash.
33 10-13-2010 at 1:42 pm
Patriotsfan said...
I hope Nolan doesn’t bring Robin into the franchise. One of the cool things about Nolan’s Batman films is the isolation Bruce Wayne/Batman imposes on himself. If Robin came into the picture and the movie turned into a morality lesson about how we all need someone (cue “I am a Rock”), I would be bitterly disappointed. I like my Batman broody and unhappy.
As for the next villain, I tend to be on the realistic side, but I am not 100% against the idea of supernatural villains (face it, Scarecrow didn’t exactly fit in the “that could happen” category). I just think that while it is possible to make a great movie with a supernatural villain, it would be much more difficult, and there would be a much higher risk that the film would be bad.
34 10-13-2010 at 1:43 pm
tony rock said...
Both Nolan and Bale have said Robin will never appear in their Batman films. So you can count him out. Due to Hardy’s appearance, I’m also doubting Riddler. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s one of two choices…Deadshot or Killer Croc. The former would be a natural progression of the story (Deadshot is a hitman who hunts and attempts to replace Batman in the comics), and the latter would fit with the recent news that they’re filming in New Orleans. Not to mention comic-book writer Mark Millar is outright claiming on his Twitter page that Hardy is playing the Croc
35 10-13-2010 at 1:48 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Nothing Mark Millar ever says — ever — is to be believed. It’s like when Michael Caine or Ian McKellen say something about Batman or The Hobbit, respectively.
36 10-13-2010 at 1:49 pm
Loyal said...
“Even if Nolan could handle the supernatural aspects (Superman, more fantasy-esque villains), and even if it might be a good idea to try, I imagine there would be a HUGE backlash.”
Yeah, that internet backlash is really going to hamper TDK2 from breaking 1 billion dollars at the box office.
At the end of the day, it’s about $$$. $$$ is why we’re going to see TDK2 in 3D (sad but true) and money is why WB and DC Entertainment are going to move things towards a shared universe. Potter’s done, DC is Warner’s new cash cow. It would be fiscally irresponsible to chart any other course.
37 10-13-2010 at 1:55 pm
Gareth said...
I was given some B3 info back on the third of this month that I simply disregarded. However, since one nugget contained within said info was that Hardy had been cast as Riddler, I’m now giving it a second look. What other nuggets were there you ask?
I was also told that the title was “The Caped Crusader” and that Rose Byrne had been cast as Selina Kyle… Yes, THAT Selina Kyle…
Time will tell…
38 10-13-2010 at 2:03 pm
al b. said...
Kris, I’m not against Nightwing at all! He could definitely fit in for sure!
If Hardy HAD to play a villain, the Black Mask would be best for him, IMO.
39 10-13-2010 at 2:04 pm
James said...
Honestly too Nolan’s Batman films seem to be expansive and have villains that threaten on a large scale. So I’m sure he will continue with that tradition. That is why someone as interesting as Catwoman could never be a reasonable choice in my opinion. Also where she stands its tough to call her a straight forward villain.
40 10-13-2010 at 2:10 pm
frank visco said...
I’m not really in the know of the extended cast of characters, but is there one that would fit this scenario for Hardy, or someone else, to play? —
A nut rises up to fight against Batman (since the public views him as a bad guy at the end of TDK), causing problems for Batman as he battles a real villian in the film. Could be interesting…
Or not. I don’t know. It just seems possible to me at the moment to go in that direction somehow.
41 10-13-2010 at 2:10 pm
tony rock said...
That’s why if Catwoman is in it she won’t be the only villian, and certainly not the main villian as she’s also a love interest.
42 10-13-2010 at 2:18 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Wish I could take that at face value, Gareth. Time will tell indeed.
43 10-13-2010 at 2:19 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Also, Catwoman is lame. There’s never been any “there” there, IMO. Seriously. Talia would be a much better choice for a love interest, obviously given the ties to Ra’s.
44 10-13-2010 at 2:23 pm
Chris said...
Kris – spot on with both the Superman theory and your last comment about Ian McKellen constantly giving us Hobbit fans false hope. (or should I say, just a fools hope)
I still think that the reason we won’t see Joseph Gordon Levitt in the new Batman is because he’s being looked at for Superman.
I think Hardy will be a villain but not a marquee villain – I think (who doesn’t) that the main villain will be The Riddler.
I heard some fan theory that The Riddler should be a bomb expert type guy. So that it would be like a Chris Nolan “Blown Away”.
My dream choice for The Riddler is Andy Serkis.
45 10-13-2010 at 2:26 pm
Jonathan Spuij said...
Catwoman would at least be interesting to see in this universe, but perhaps it’ll follow the Burton films too closely in terms of villains. In my opinion it’s a 50/50 chance wether she’s in but all the chatter is can’t come out of the blue.
46 10-13-2010 at 2:43 pm
Gareth said...
Catwoman lame? seriously???
If done right it will be AMAZING.
47 10-13-2010 at 3:36 pm
rizza said...
I know this is kind of impossible, but I think a love triangle between Batman, Catwoman and Poison Ivy would be nice…. I just don’t know how Nolan will be able to write that knowing his style…
Jim Carrey for me did a very good job in playing the role of The Riddler.. Very quirky, funny but vile…
48 10-13-2010 at 3:42 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Gareth: It’s just tired.
49 10-13-2010 at 3:44 pm
The Dude said...
Kris- love that you brought “Clayface” into the discussion. Nolan is known for making his Batman more “realistic,” and while the traditional version of Clayface has supernatural-like powers/abilities, it would be very easy to re-tool him into a sort of “master of disguise” character (of which, as you’ve mentioned, Hardy had previously done in “Inception”).
I also like you’re idea of bringing Superman into it all. Not as a main character, but as a brief cameo at the end (he doesn’t even need to be Superman, just Clark Kent). Very cool indeed.
50 10-13-2010 at 3:51 pm
Duncan Houst said...
Nolan’s films have a realistic grit that seems completely plausible. That’s one of the things this series has going for it, and it shouldn’t go in another direction with that. The films we’ve gotten so far have stayed consistent on the crime thriller angle, and journeying into the supernatural would ruin everything “The Dark Knight” was about. Also, Nolan tries to shoot as much as he can for real, rather than use a green screen. That says a lot about the kind of filmmaker he is, and I think we know by now what he is and isn’t willing to do.
51 10-13-2010 at 4:25 pm
Carson Dyle said...
Catwoman can be done right if you basically use the character as someone who is inspired by Batman but doesn’t follow his “one rule.” Burton touched upon it briefly, but it was just a passing thing.
I think Nolan is basically going to be going deeper into the “how Batman inspires Gotham” thing, because that’s one of the few ways you can have a satisfactory wrap-up to the trilogy.
I like the idea of a Clark Kent cameo as a journalist at the end of Batman Trois.
And yes, Cillian Murphy gave the best supporting performance in Inception.
52 10-13-2010 at 4:33 pm
Clayton said...
I suppose we’d be jumping to conclusions about the supposed use of Killer Croc in the film, as their reasoning for shooting in New Orleans may just be the tax breaks. Didn’t Green Lantern (also a WB production) just finish filming in that area?
Regardless, I hope not too much of the film takes place outside of Gotham. I mean, the first flick in the franchise already spent a good deal of its first act in an icy mountainous area, away from any dark cityscapes.
53 10-13-2010 at 4:34 pm
Jack said...
I think the fun thing about Tom Hardy being cast is that he’s so versatile that he could be playing literally anybody.
It’s almost as if we know less than we did before.
54 10-13-2010 at 4:56 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Duncan: Who said he needs to use a green screen to have Superman do a walk-on?
55 10-13-2010 at 4:56 pm
caro said...
@jack:tom Hardy can’t be Wayne’s love interest! LOL
and my fav in Inception was Cillian Murphy(but he was “very bruce wayne”)
56 10-13-2010 at 5:00 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
And yes, it’s all about tax breaks. People were jumping to conclusions on Croc. He still could be in it, obviously, but as you say, WB is just utilizing the area lately.
57 10-13-2010 at 5:31 pm
Jack Wyle said...
It seems to me the inclusion of Robin is misplaced- both where Nolan’s involvement is concerned as well as Batman/Bruce Wayne’s development.
In the comics, Robin is introduced in “Year 3″ or during a period in Bruce’s life where he is going off the deep-end; his crusade is getting the best of him. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than when a gang of street punks roughs Batman up a bit and Alfred appears to punctuate Bruce’s reckless aggression by saying, “You used to think with your mind, not your fists.”
It seems to me that the inclusion of Robin would work well in a 4th Batman film. This, of course, depends on where Nolan leaves the character after “3,” but I think Bruce needs to further go off the deep end before a Robin becomes necessary. Thus, I don’t think Hardy has anything to do with Robin.
As for Kris’ suggestion that Superman/Clark Kent appear at the end: it sounds like a cool novelty, but a novelty nonetheless. Nolan’s endings to BB and TDK were jaw-dropping. The end of B3 needs to leave audiences in a similar fashion. Because it is likely the end of Nolan’s involvement with the character, it also needs to have some degree of resolution for the character. Throwing Superman into the ending would be a short-sighted marketing move for the up-coming Superman film and would dilute what I’m guessing would be an otherwise epic ending to the Batman saga. People should leave B3 talking about the film’s greatness- not about, “Hey, cool! Superman!”
58 10-13-2010 at 6:00 pm
Glenn said...
Catwoman has been done 100% perfectly already. We do NOT need another version of it unless it’s like that crazy Cher-as-older-retired-Catwoman rumour. Although I would love a female villain for a change, Nolan is just not that good with the women in his films (bar maybe Cotillard in “Inception”, and even then she’s far from nomination-worthy.)
59 10-13-2010 at 6:14 pm
Daniel said...
Somewhat off topic, but the villain in spider-man will be the lizard :D
60 10-13-2010 at 7:41 pm
Chad Hartigan said...
Am I the only person who liked The Dark Knight enough to NOT want a sequel?
61 10-13-2010 at 7:52 pm
James D. said...
No, I agree with that, Chad. Personally, I found Batman Begins dreadful. Without the Joker, I can only see bad things.
62 10-13-2010 at 8:04 pm
Pete said...
Kris: I see your enthusiasm for Superman and Batman to exist in the same world on screen. But Nolan won’t have it. He has even stated that he wants to keep them separate. I believe, maybe in another franchise, it can be done.
63 10-13-2010 at 8:06 pm
Pete said...
Jett from Batman on Film said that WB is looking at New Orleans for soundstage work. They are looking to move the soundstage stuff from London to New Orleans; it will cut the budget down quite a bit. But Nolan is not too fond of it. This shoots down that silly Killer Croc Rumor. New Orleans has nothing to do with it.
64 10-13-2010 at 8:17 pm
al b. said...
I think the only way Superman can be brought in is with a post-credits scene. Whether it’s a cameo, or if there a very mention of anything Superman-related within the main narrative itself… well Jack Wyle said it best, it would dilute the ending to a potentially great movie.
65 10-13-2010 at 8:57 pm
MattyD. said...
I think anyone who has seen ‘Bronson’ can attest to Hardy’s ability to be both wickedly charming and batshit insane in one character. I feel like much of what he did in that film is similar to what Ledger did with The Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’, albeit made Bronson much more human.
I am surprised by the casting, but should’ve seen it coming all along!
66 10-13-2010 at 10:36 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
I don’t think Superman would dilute anything nor would he be a mere “novelty.” I think, as I stated, the character could be used thematically and brilliantly.
Pete: I’m well aware of Nolan’s statements. As I said, it won’t happen. But it probably should.
67 10-13-2010 at 10:48 pm
Derek 8-Track said...
Kris,
“It could be done. Perhaps Superman doesn’t reveal himself to the world until the end of this film. Would make a poetic sort of “I’m not needed anymore” moment for Batman.”
While I love that I would also love this…
Superman just revealed himself to the world 3 or so months before the end of this film. Supes comes up to Batman and says ‘hey buddy I’m a sweet invincible alien who can take over for you here.’
Batman says “All I needed was a few cents for a book of matches to get rid the one from Mars. I just bought a $70,000 piece of radioactive meteor for you. GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY CITY!”
68 10-14-2010 at 12:02 am
A.J said...
He could play any gangster villain in the Batman Universe and fit in perfectly. There are a lot that are barely supernatural, if at all. Tim Burton ruined the Penguin for general audiences. He’s just supposed to be some gangster and could easily fit into the films but Danny DeVito had to be raised by Penguins for some reason…
69 10-14-2010 at 12:33 am
Jonathan Spuij said...
Glenn is right about Catwoman. Hale Berry nailed the character in a downright comic-book adaptation classic.
lol.
70 10-14-2010 at 12:50 am
Tye-Grr said...
LMFAO! Some of these responses are HILARIOUS! I’m glad I read through all of this.
Whoever Hardy is playing (though I highly doubt it’s either Killer Croc or Robin, especially Robin) he’ll be great, I’m sure. And I’m with those who want a prominent female in the cast, and I’d love to see Cotillard work with Nolan again.
71 10-16-2010 at 11:32 am
Corran Horn said...
Mr. Gittes: Actually, I too think Cillian gave the best supporting performance, though both Cotillard and Hardy came very close.
Admittledly, I know next to nothing about the Bat-universe apart from what has been shown in movies or the animated series. However, from what I’ve read elsewhere, there’s one villain Hardy would be perfect for: Hush.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush_(comics)
Granted, he isn’t a well-known villain, but his bio is definitely one of the more intriguing.