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I feel compelled to pass this along in the midst of the usual Oscar talk because, well, you know me.
I looks like Anne Hathaway has been confirmed for the role of Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman) in Christopher Nolan’s final Batman chapter, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Tom Hardy, meanwhile, who was cast in an unnamed role a few months back, has been confirmed for the role of Bane.
Yep, “Batman Returns” and “Batman & Robin” in one movie, despite a bevy of villains that could have been much more intriguing in this new direction the character has taken. On top of which, as much as I love Hathaway, I don’t like her for Kyle. At all. But you know what they say about opinions…
Anyway, on Hardy (who was speculated for the role of Dr. Hugo Strange in a take on the “Prey” storyline), I’m equal parts intrigued and disappointed by the character choice. Bane was infamously misused in Joel Schumacher’s 1997 craptastic vision, but if you’re looking to close out your trilogy (and three is as far as Nolan ever planned to take it), Bane is a nice character to use — if you’re faithful.
Bane, of course, first appeared in the lead-up to the major “Knightfall” storyline of 1993. The character was an orphan born and raised in a Central America prison who underwent an operation to transform him into a supersoldier. He therefore juices on a substance called “venom,” which turns him into a hulking Blanka-like beast. Enough 90s references for you?
Anyway, Bane frees all of the Arkham Asylum inmates, which Batman naturally tracks down one by one, exhausting him over a six-month period. Just when our hero is at his weakest, Bane strikes and, in a moment that made the DC sky seem like it was falling just half a year after Superman had “died” at the hands of Doomsday, he breaks the Dark Knight’s back right over his knee.
Yeah, we got none of that in Schumacher’s take. Just some comic relief. So let’s hope we get more, and some psychological torment to boot, from Nolan this time around. And there’s much more to that story, too, so who knows what other aspects may be utilized, or how Catwoman will be brought into that folkd? Meanwhile, one unique and interesting characterization of Bane as of late was in the video game “Batman: Arkham Asylum.” I’d love to see that play out in a film.
Anyway, grist for the mill. Back to our regularly scheduled Oscar programming.
[Photo: DC Comics]
77 responses so far
1 1-19-2011 at 10:32 am
amanda said...
Hathaway is such an uninspired choice.
2 1-19-2011 at 10:41 am
JJ1 said...
Come on, Anne’s gonna look HOT in the cat suit.
And ever since Inception, I’m lovin’ Hardy in anything.
Fine choices, says I.
3 1-19-2011 at 10:43 am
Hans said...
I’m surprised at the cybersphere’s ambivalence at Hathaway. It’s going to become a cliche cry, but we all know how Ledger turned out. If there’s one thing Nolan knows how to do, it’s cast.
I’m happily optimistic for now.
(The one thing I wish would change is that title. THAT’S uninspired.)
4 1-19-2011 at 10:46 am
Alex in Movieland said...
Anne doesn’t seem the right choice for me either.
or is it just because I can only think of Michelle?!!!
even so, I think I’ve always prefered Poison Ivy and Uma had just the right image for the role and I believe she could’ve done a great job with a better director and a decent screenplay.
5 1-19-2011 at 10:53 am
Paul Outlaw said...
Not crazy about Hathaway (not bummed either), but I knew Catwoman was gonna be in it! Couldn’t be happier, especially if she’s appropriately butch.
6 1-19-2011 at 10:59 am
geha714 said...
I’m not very keen on Catwoman, but Nolan is someone who knows what he’s doing. I give him the benefit of the doubt and let’s see what happens next year.
7 1-19-2011 at 11:02 am
Andrej said...
Come on, let’s give Anne and Tom a chance. Think that before playing The Joker, Heath Ledger was in 10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight’s Tale and Casanova, of all things!
If that couple makes enough sense in Nolan’s head as Ledged did back then, then let’s have faith in ‘Rises’.
I’ve been wondering lately is that if Inception doesn’t score anything for Nolan, could ‘Rises’ be a Oscar frontrunner if it’s just as good or better than TDK was, or the comic book movies bias’s still around? … I’d like to think that after Avatar there’s not so much ground for ‘bias’ in any specific genre.
8 1-19-2011 at 11:02 am
DarkLayers said...
With mixed casting, it is also worth recalling katie h. & ellen page.
9 1-19-2011 at 11:02 am
Casey Fiore said...
I wanna ignore Batman and thank you for the Street Fighter reference. not enough of those in my life
10 1-19-2011 at 11:05 am
Duncan Houst said...
The only reason I’m disappointed with Hathaway is because her last film didn’t show the best of her. Everyone doubted Heath Ledger when he was cast, raving about how they thought his Joker would be a soft and bumbling lunatic. I’m not going to spew disappointment at Hathaway when we know that she could, and probably will, turn in a fantastic performance.
11 1-19-2011 at 11:18 am
Tye-Grr said...
@DarkLayers- I’ll give you Katie Holmes, his ONE mistake, but I don’t get the hate for Ellen Page. She was just fine.
I think Anne is an interesting choice, and I’m excited to see how that plays out.
12 1-19-2011 at 11:19 am
Matthew Starr said...
“If there’s one thing Nolan knows how to do, it’s cast.”
If you are talking about men then yes but women, not so much. (Ellen Page, Scarlett J and Katie Holmes).
13 1-19-2011 at 11:26 am
Ziyad Abul Hawa said...
Everybody was so pessimistic about Ledger too, and looked how that turned out.
In the end everybody will be shocked and she’ll win an Oscar.
14 1-19-2011 at 11:34 am
red_wine said...
Hathaway is so vanilla. There are so many great young actresses in Hollywood and around the world. Why Hathaway?
But I’m most interested in Tom Hardy’s character. The guy has charisma to burn and will just completely act Christian Bale off the screen.
But for the multitudes of fans, let the hysteria begin! For the next few days I will have to look and step around the internet lest I fall into some orgy of fanaticism.
15 1-19-2011 at 11:35 am
Jon_Shoe said...
I would have liked Marion Cotillard — or even Angelina Jolie — in the Catwoman role. Come on, someone seductive, with gravitas. I generally like Hathaway, but isn’t she always a bit “jazzhands”?
16 1-19-2011 at 11:35 am
Matthew Starr said...
Let’s not say everyone was pessimistic about Ledger. The guy had already given a stellar leading performance a few years prior and had shown he had the talent to hit the right notes for the Joker.
The Joker is also one of the great fictional villains. Catwoman is just naturally corny. It worked in Batman Returns because the character fit Burton’s comic-like style but she seems out of place for Nolan’s more authentic real world vision.
17 1-19-2011 at 11:40 am
Joey said...
I don’t get the hate for Ellen Page in Inception. If anything, her character was poorly written.
How about we hear about a script, see an image, wait for a trailer before we go judging about how she’s going to do in a movie we know nothing about…
18 1-19-2011 at 11:41 am
Andrew M said...
Hardy is going to be great. Seeing Bronson, he knows how to play those big, meaty guys. And Bane has always intrigued me, and I think he’ll be a great villain.
Catwoman could be a hit or miss. The character has been a little overused, but I bet Nolan will bring a fresh take on it, like he has done with everything else. I think Hathaway will do fine. Like everyone else has said, Ledger got a lot of flak when he was casted.
19 1-19-2011 at 11:43 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
Everyone getting up in arms about someone having an opinion about a casting decision: CHILL.
20 1-19-2011 at 11:43 am
Joey said...
I do remember that I heard Marion Cotillard was rumored to be Catwoman. I would have LOVED to have seen that.
My dad still refers to Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman instead of her actual name. I believe he will be skipping this one.
21 1-19-2011 at 11:47 am
Maxim said...
“I wanna ignore Batman and thank you for the Street Fighter reference. not enough of those in my life.”
+1. Ditto. And can I just say, that Street Fighter: The Movie is absolutely 100% everything a Street Fighter movie should be?
People, even fans of the game like to critisize it and pretend they are embarassed for it, while I have only one question: what the heck did you guys expect it t be?
Second only to the first Mortal Kombat as the best video game movie ever made.
Hathaway is a better choice for Catwoman than Cottilard, imo.
Oh and since they got her as vilain, hope there’s like nud1ty in this film. Not because of her specifically and not for its own sake, just fits my picture of how it could go.
One more thing, not every decision Schumaker has made in his Batman films was bad. In fact, Batman Forever is a pretty great 90s-style batman film. And Batman and Robin is not as bad as people say, either.
22 1-19-2011 at 11:48 am
Maxim said...
“don’t get the hate for Ellen Page in Inception.”
Honestly? Her is one of the top two performances in the movie. Take it to the bank.
23 1-19-2011 at 11:54 am
j said...
Well, Baftas did put Page on their longlist for Inception.
Ledger in Brokeback Mountain>>>Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married.
24 1-19-2011 at 12:10 pm
Robert Hamer said...
Oh come on, Kris, did you really expect there to be muted reactions to Batman casting news? I’ll bet you it’s very reasonable here compared to the rest of the internet.
Is it wrong for me to rather have Batman fight Tom Hardy as Bronson instead of Tom Hardy as Bane? Whatever, he’ll be great.
I’m willing to give Hathaway a chance, too. She looks a little too…”sunny” for the part, but she’s a terrific actress (Rachel Getting Married, anyone?) and Heath Ledger wasn’t exactly the most obvious choice for The Joker.
25 1-19-2011 at 12:11 pm
Mitchell said...
Not too crazy about this, but I trust in Nolan.
OT: “What Doesn’t Kill You”? Was that in theaters? I like the leads, but I don’t remember ever hearing about it. Is it any good? I think it’s the first non-awards related movie ad I’ve seen on this site, especially at this time of year.
26 1-19-2011 at 12:12 pm
Tye-Grr said...
@j- Yes, Ledger was better than Hathaway in their respective Oscar nominated roles. Now how does that matter exactly?
27 1-19-2011 at 12:14 pm
Tye-Grr said...
@Mitchell- I don’t get that ad. ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ came out like 2 years ago.
28 1-19-2011 at 12:14 pm
Tye-Grr said...
^AND it’s been on blu-ray/DVD for over a year. So… ?
29 1-19-2011 at 12:15 pm
John G said...
Is he going to wear that stupid costume?
30 1-19-2011 at 12:15 pm
Maxim said...
I know an actress who would have made a terrific Catwoman: Mia Kirshner. At one point in time she was considered for the role of Louis Lane, but this – this would have been even better.
31 1-19-2011 at 12:15 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
“And Batman and Robin is not as bad as people say, either.”
Yes it most certainly is.
32 1-19-2011 at 12:17 pm
The Dude said...
Hardy will do fine as Bane (anyone who has doubts, of which I feel there will be very few, can look to his work in “Bronson” for proof that he can nail this character). I’m intrigued by the casting of Hathaway…if we’re going for the “traditional” view of Catwoman, then no, I don’t think she would have been the optimal choice. But I have a feeling Nolan’s characterization of Catowoman may be a bit different from what we are used to, so she may fit perfectly in his world. We’ll see…all I know is that no matter WHAT happens I’ll be there opening night :)
33 1-19-2011 at 12:17 pm
mrmcfall said...
Andrej: “Come on, let’s give Anne and Tom a chance. Think that before playing The Joker, Heath Ledger was in 10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight’s Tale and Casanova, of all things!
If that couple makes enough sense in Nolan’s head as Ledged did back then, then let’s have faith in ‘Rises’.”
I agree!
34 1-19-2011 at 12:21 pm
Maxim said...
Nah, It’s too mediocre for that.
Also, I’m partial to Arnold’s Mr. Freeze, I can’t help it. It fits my view of it being a live action cartoon.
35 1-19-2011 at 12:26 pm
RyanT said...
Sigh. And I thought we could’ve gotten the stars of American Psycho together for this film with Mila Kunis in the role. I’m only half-kidding.
I’m okay with Hathaway in the role, but a lot of people are already being weirdly defensive. I don’t think people are questioning her acting abilities, but more if she’s “right” for the part. I mean Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep, but you wouldn’t want her to play Batman… or would we? Hm…
36 1-19-2011 at 12:28 pm
Paul Outlaw said...
Catwoman is not necessarily “corny.” Pfeiffer was great as a corny version of the character that I personally thought was poorly and misguidedly conceived–blonde (!), neurotic, a mouse-that-roared–much like Nicholson’s Joker was nothing more than Jack in whiteface. If Nolan follows any of the contemporary Catwoman templates (like Mindy Newell’s take) and not the campy earlier versions, the character can be much more interesting than the cliché “exotic femme fatale” Talia or the ridiculous Poison Ivy. I can’t wait for Nolan and Hathaway to do with Catwoman what he and Ledger did with the Joker.
37 1-19-2011 at 12:31 pm
R.J. said...
I’m oddly excited about Hathaway being cast, despite the fact that I don’t necessarily see her fitting the role. I was hoping to see Catwoman in the film so I guess a part of my excitement stems from the inclusion of the character – or is it just her alter-ego we’ll be seeing? At the very least I give Nolan props for not going with a more obvious choice for the role, but I may be the only one who see’s it that way.
38 1-19-2011 at 12:33 pm
Maxim said...
” I mean Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep, but you wouldn’t want her to play Batman… or would we?”
The funny thing is, Streep could probably not only play Batman – she could also play Bale play Batman and do a better job at it.
If I was making a Batman film, I’d have an older Catwoman as a villain and I would cast Helen Mirren.
How’s that for fet1shistic?
39 1-19-2011 at 12:37 pm
R.J. said...
Also, isn’t there another female role being cast? Anyone know anything about that?
40 1-19-2011 at 12:40 pm
Mike said...
Did anyone see that episode of Modern Family where Cam says that Meryl Streep could play Batman? That is so funny.
41 1-19-2011 at 12:51 pm
A.J said...
There is still another female role being cast. Seeing as Hardy is Bane my guess (which was my guess before we got the Bane confirmation) is Talia al Ghul. She’s the daughter of Batman Begins’s villain to bring the trilogy full circle and she has ties with Bane as well as Selina Kyle.
42 1-19-2011 at 12:53 pm
Tyler said...
Hathaway is a good actress and sexy as all hell. This will work.
43 1-19-2011 at 1:01 pm
Hans said...
RyanT: “I mean Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep, but you wouldn’t want her to play Batman… or would we? Hm…”
“Excuse me. Meryl Streep COULD play Batman and she’d be right for the role.” -Cameron
44 1-19-2011 at 1:26 pm
Fitz said...
So does this mean that Watts will still be playing Vale, or the new D.A.?
45 1-19-2011 at 1:30 pm
Kyle said...
I bet Bill Ramey is jumping for joy though, I know he was real big on Catwoman being in the film. In Nolan I trust, Bane can be bad-ass given the right script.
46 1-19-2011 at 1:37 pm
Paul Outlaw said...
So, were Spider-Man and Catwoman separated at birth?
47 1-19-2011 at 1:43 pm
Jack Wyle said...
Excited at today’s news but like others, I’m not sure on Hathaway. As someone else said, she seems a bit “sunny” for the role whereas a Rachel Weisz or Eva Green might have been easier to see. I’m sure she’ll be great- I’m just having a hard time getting my mind out of the comic book version of Catwoman.
Hardy is a great Bane. The rumored Hugo Strange would have been interesting, too, but I am curious to see how Nolan incorporates Bane. Will his character have a backstory or will he just “exist” like the Joker. It seems unlikely that Bane would just be hired muscle for the mob as that seems too cliche for Nolan and unbefitting of Hardy’s rising star.
Either way, it’s exciting to finally have news. I wonder if the rumors pertaining to a second female role (Naomi Watts?) are true- perhaps we’ll have more casting announcements later.
And, as Kris said, “Batman and Robin” was most definitely as bad as it was made out to be. Worse, actually.
48 1-19-2011 at 2:03 pm
Loyal said...
Deadshot, Hush, Clayface, or Huge Strange would have all been far more interesting characters for Hardy to play than Bane.
While we haven’t read the screenplay or know which other characters are showing up, on the surface Catwoman/Bane seem like a huge step down from Joker/Two Face.
49 1-19-2011 at 2:09 pm
RealDogBoy said...
I like Mila Kunis as Catwoman — give her turn in Black Swan.
50 1-19-2011 at 2:09 pm
JJ1 said...
Tyler says, “Hathaway is a good actress and sexy as all hell. This will work”.
I say “could”.
51 1-19-2011 at 2:22 pm
Marc R. said...
Don’t wanna be a stickler Kris, but when will we see the top ten shots of the year column. And also, could you give us a hint as to what one of the shots is?
Oh and Anne Hathaway as catwomen: ????
52 1-19-2011 at 3:02 pm
Graysmith said...
All your dicks are gonna fall off seeing Hathaway in a Catwoman suit.
53 1-19-2011 at 3:18 pm
SJG said...
I agree that Anne Hathaway seems like a pretty insipid choice for Catwoman.
My favorite suggestions thus far have been Marion Cotillard and Mila Kunis.
For some reason, though, the only woman I think could pull of the sexiness as well as the neuroticism of Selina Kyle is–and perhaps this is weird–Chloe Sevigny.
54 1-19-2011 at 3:33 pm
RyanT said...
@Mike @Hans – I didn’t think about Cameron when I wrote the thing about Meryl being Batman, but it must’ve been in my subconscious since I’m a huge fan of Modern Family. Hilarious.
55 1-19-2011 at 3:36 pm
ninja said...
Cotillard is pregnant so out of question. Kunis would`ve been great but they are probably saving her for Lois Lane. I just can`t imagine that she won`t land some high-profile role in a comic book franchise and Lois is the highest-profile that`s left save MJ Watson in Spiderman reboot. But Hathaway is great choice. Girl`s gorgous, c`mon now.
Hardy is the one to see this movie for, though.
56 1-19-2011 at 4:01 pm
Glenn said...
“Hathaway is such an uninspired choice.”
How is casting one of biggest names in the business “inspired”? The rumours of Marion Cotillard or Cher would have been far more inspired.
The press release I read only said she was cast as Selena Kyle… could this be a Billy Dee Williams/Harvey Dent in “Batman” situation? I almost hope it is purely because I can’t stand the thought of another Catwoman. I’m sure she’ll be fine, but in a Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin starring in a made-for-TV remake of “Streetcar Named Desire” kinda way.
57 1-19-2011 at 4:51 pm
/3rtfu11 said...
If there’s any disappointment to be had it’s the choice of the villains not the actors. Nolan sucks when casting women because he’s not invested in them.
58 1-19-2011 at 5:02 pm
eurocheese said...
I think this is a great chance to see Anne stretch. Nolan seems to know what he wants in his actors, and I’m excited to see why he picked her.
59 1-19-2011 at 5:20 pm
tony rock said...
Why are people so against Hathaway? She’s never given a bad performance. So what, you’ve all forgotten about Rachel Getting Married?
60 1-19-2011 at 5:48 pm
Plainview said...
I do think Cotillard was the best choice, but there were rumors that she turned down the role, and besides, she’s pregnant and wouldn’t be able to do it.
Anne Hattaway wouldn’t be the first one to come to my mind, but it’s not a terrible choice. I can see her pulling it off.
61 1-19-2011 at 6:17 pm
Chris138 said...
“Hathaway is such an uninspired choice.”
How is casting one of biggest names in the business “inspired”?
(You might want to read the quotation over again)
62 1-19-2011 at 9:00 pm
Pete said...
Hathaway as Catwoman? They should have cast Jesse Eisenberg as Bane to fit in. LOL! Hathaway seems so soft and the typical girl next door with average looks. I don’t see her as Selina Kyle at all.
63 1-19-2011 at 9:02 pm
Pete said...
Would loved to have seen Eva Green get this role, but oh well, we all don’t know what the story is so it’s moot trying to decipher what this casting really means or how it fits… because we don’t know the story. Nolan does.
64 1-19-2011 at 9:05 pm
Pete said...
TO GLENN:
Having a little trouble reading English, Glenn? It said “uninspired.”
65 1-20-2011 at 1:11 am
Pete said...
TO KRIS:
You say, “Batman Returns and Batman and Robin in one film.” That’s an ignorant statement. A statement that would come from a small-minded film/batman/comic geek. You know why? Because Nolan is a filmmaker, not a consumer. He is and has said numerous times that he is NOT reactive at all to things that have come before. That means he just goes where his mind takes him, ignoring any previous incarnations of the character. I’m pretty damn sure he hasn’t even seen Batman Returns or Batman and Robin. So when he chooses the characters he does – he does so because that’s where the story takes him. He could care less about crappy films he probably hasn’t seen.
66 1-20-2011 at 1:12 am
Pete said...
By the way, Batman Returns and Batman and Robin are the two worst films ever made in the history of movies.
67 1-20-2011 at 5:57 am
Mark said...
Batman Returns is excellent. And i’m pretty sure Chris Nolan will have seen it.
68 1-20-2011 at 6:50 am
Chris said...
This is seriously fucked.
Anne Hathaway over Halle Berry?
69 1-20-2011 at 10:59 am
Jack Wyle said...
@ Pete:
Admittedly, Batman Returns is not everyone’s cup-of-tea, but at least it has its advocates.
Batman & Robin, so far as I can tell, has none.
70 1-20-2011 at 11:37 am
Maxim said...
How bad can Batman & Robin be if it’s still better than Batman Begins?
71 1-20-2011 at 1:10 pm
Jack Wyle said...
@ Maxim:
Adam West, is that you?
72 1-20-2011 at 7:07 pm
The Q-Mann said...
@ Maxim:
Even if you’re kidding, you’re going to hell.
73 1-20-2011 at 11:32 pm
Pete said...
TO MARK:
Well, Chris Nolan, in an interview, quite classy in his remarks, displayed his distaste for Tim Burton’s first Batman. So if he is not a fan of Burton’s first Batman, he certainly won’t be of Batman Returns. He said that he found Batman (1989) extremely stylized and idiosyncratic. LOL! I can only imagine what he must think of Batman Returns if he thought Batman (1989) was highly stylized and idiosyncratic.
74 1-21-2011 at 2:16 am
Eunice said...
@Chris, did you see what happened when Halle Berry took the role? Enough said.
I don’t know why people are all so up in arms about Hathaway. Nolan may have had some casting issues (or well, what people perceive as casting issues), but when it comes to characters, he gives them enough edges or nuances, that we might not expect from an actor. Honestly, I don’t think anyone of us anticipated that Joseph Gordon Levitt will be on a zero-gravity fight scene after 500 Days of Summer, or that Heath Ledger would be the best Joker of all time.
(Or that Ben Affleck could bounce from the epic disaster that was Gigli, but that’s a whole new ballgame.)
Hey, for all we know, the next time we see Anne Hathaway, she’ll be buff and kickass in the Catwoman suit–if they’re going that route. If I’m not mistaken, Catwoman has been portrayed as an antihero, and given how Batman is one (at least at this point), it’s interesting to see how they would interact, collide, and form a working/romantic relationship.
All I’m saying is that even given a filmography, we can’t predict these kinds of things. Actors shine through with good direction, good writing, and good cast members, and I believe Nolan has no shortage of the three. Let’s not make preliminary judgments if we don’t know the story or the treatment. Just sayin’.
Given ‘Bronson’, Hardy’s choice is inspired–I’m interested to see how Bane will be played out, given his backstory.
If there’s anything we should be worried about, it’s the growling Batman that Nolan should ease up a bit on. I don’t think it really won anyone over.
75 1-21-2011 at 8:27 am
Chris G. said...
Has anyone considered the fact that one of the reasons Anne Hathaway landed the role is because she’s considered to be such a “girl next door” type? When we see her as Catwoman, it will probably be edgy, and because it’s so far removed from her public impression/personality, we’ll be seing Catwoman, and not as much Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.
Kind of the same story with Ledger probably. No one “saw” him as the Joker, simply because he’d never played a villain and had done a lot of comedy and indie drama.
As far as I know, Anne hasn’t ever played a villain before. I bet she gave one hell of a performance in casting, and this will be the role that changes her image, much like Ennis/Joker did for Ledger.
They’re both phenomenal actors. And the proof is in their works, even when you don’t count Rachel/Brokeback/TDK.
Just wait and see.
76 1-21-2011 at 5:24 pm
Glenn said...
Indeed. My mistake. :)