The Dark Knight to have a female villain?

[Too Much Fun]

The best thing about Watanabe being cast was that after we heard Watanabe was going to play the main villain of the piece, the film's first poster came out with every major cast member's name except Watanabe written across the top and my friend said, "What is this racist shit?". Then the movie came out and we knew why he wasn't there.

I've always wondered why Nolan never worked with Guy Pearce again after "Memento". He's one of the best actors of his generation, and I've kept hoping Nolan would give him a chance to really shine in a big movie, but it seems like Pearce generally prefers to be in more obscure stuff (despite appearing in "Bedroom Stories").

I can't think of any possible reason why Nolan wouldn't want to work with him again. IMDB says Alec Baldwin was his first choice for "Memento", but I can't imagine anyone doing a better job than Pearce. Speaking of "Memento" (and getting back on topic), Carrie-Anne Moss is someone else I'd like to see Nolan work with again too, although she may be too old now to play one of the female leads in this movie.

[Admiral_Young]

It's probably not a matter of Nolan WANTING to work with Pearce again as opposed to writing something for him that fits his ability.

[Myasishchev]

Too Much Fun wrote:

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Speaking of "Memento" (and getting back on topic), Carrie-Anne Moss is someone else I'd like to see Nolan work with again too, although she may be too old now to play one of the female leads in this movie.

You realize, of course, that Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss are the exact same age, yes?

[Too Much Fun]

Yeah, but there's a difference between casting for a love interest or Catwoman and casting for a male villain isn't there? And more generally, there are different ages required for each individual character. I just figured with a female villain and love interest they'd be skewing younger (30 to mid 30s or younger), while with male villains, they might be more open to casting someone 40 or older (i.e. Liam Neeson).

[Myasishchev]

I'm sure they'd rather cast an under-30 actress in just about every prominent role, which is why they do, and in part how barely human abominations like Blake Lively get leading roles in films despite their cue cards needing to be spelled out phonetically, opposite a leading man a decade or more their senior.

I dunno, I think a 43 year old Catwoman is not much less plausible than a 36 year old Batman. Not to say that Moss is right for that role, although I can think of worse casting decisions (Blake Lively, for example).

[Captaindemotion]

This is kind of a non-story but some people are taking quotes from Australian actress Teresa Palmer - who would've played Talia in the abortive Justice League movie - to mean that Talia will appear in TDKR. Personally, I think they're putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 44 ...

http://www.scriptflags.com/2010/11/h...-revealed.html

[Admiral_Young]

Until it's confirmed that Selena and or Talia or both will be in the movie it's purely speculation. Teresa Palmer would have made an interesting Talia had that movie been made...she was very much connected to the Batman part in the JLA film.

[the G-man]

Kestrel wrote:

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Not to step in the way of your raging wrath, but Bush and co's vast overstatement of a problem for clearly political means doesn't mean such a problem doesn't exist.

[JacksonArcher]

Teresa Palmer, who was slated to star as Talia al Ghul in George Miller's planned but eventually aborted Justice League film, apparently wishes to star as the character in the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises. Did she just reveal that Talia is in fact a character in the film or is it just her wishful thinking that she portray any female role (Nolan is currently looking for two female leads)? You be the judge.

“I’ve definitely put the feelers out there with my agents and that would be something I would be really glad to have happen,” Palmer replied. “I doubt I would be one of the actresses high up on Nolan’s list. I think they are definitely going after woman with a much bigger profile than I,” she added. “It is the longest shot in history for sure but I’ve put my name out there with my agents and things. So we’ll see who ends up doing that role. My managers made the phone calls but I’m pretty sure that they will end up going with a big name girl.”

Click here for more. So, what do you think? Would you want Palmer in TDKR playing Talia of all characters? Do you even want Talia in the film, and does Palmer's comments put more weight to the rumors that Talia is a character in the film?

[Myasishchev]

A 24 year old white woman who has never been in a particularly successful film? Well, sign me up.

[Allyn Gibson]

JacksonArcher wrote:

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I remember when the trades formally announced that Liam Neeson would be starring in Batman Begins... they announced him as Ra's al Ghul. Then, not even a day later, the trades (I think it was Variety or the Hollywood Reporter) corrected themselves and said Neeson was actually playing Ducard, much to the chagrin of fans everywhere.

A former co-worker of mine insists that in Batman Begins "Ra's al-Ghul" is a title for the head of the League of Assassins, and that when Bruce kills Watanabe-Ra's and burns down their fortress, the highest ranking person left is Ducard who becomes the new Ra's al-Ghul.

I'm not sold on the theory, but I can accept it as a valid interpretation of the evidence in the film.

[Aragorn]

"But is Ra's al Ghul immortal? Are his methods supernatural?"

"Or cheap parlor tricks to conceal your true identity, Ra's?"

"Surely a man who spends his nights scrambling over the rooftops of Gotham wouldn't begrudge me dual identities."

That seemed pretty self-explanatory to me.

[Allyn Gibson]

Aragorn, I'm not disagreeing with you. I think the film's clear and should be taken at face value. My former co-worker doesn't. And we (including some others in my department) have had heated arguments over the Ra's/Ducard duality.

[stj]

the G-man wrote:

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Conceding Bush vastly overstated the problem means it's necessary to make a valid argument, citing evidence. There is no presumption that statements by authority figures have to be given some credence, despite the evidence, just because. That kind of servility to authority is reprehensible. Confusing a foolish insult with an argument is just sad.

The Nolan-verse Gotham is an Augean stables of corruption and filth. But it's mainly off screen, asserted. But the Nolan-verse's Bat-cure is Batman nobly sacrificing himself as a symbolic scapegoat. The series is so thematically absurd that there's no rational continuation. But news media spectacles and the follies of celebrity probably seem like they're somehow relevant to crime and civic corruption to these people, so any females are likely to be TV reporters or whatever. Or possibly the ultimate evil, movie reviewers. Any suitably young and physically attractive female would serve. A pulse, not a personality, will be the desideratum.

[Admiral_Young]

@JacksonArcher that was posted two posts above me by Captaindemotion. If Teresa is given a chance to play Talia then Brandon Routh should be given a chance to reprise Superman. As I stated in my post I think she would have made an interesting choice to play Talia.