News about The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan’s sequel to Batman Begins, is trickling through the grapevine. The best news I’ve heard recently is from a report by Latino Review, stating that Katie Holmes will not be returning.
I could not be more delighted, considering her performance was atrocious. She played lawyer Rachel Dawes, a character with deep moral integrity and driving ambition. Holmes just did her Dawson Creek looks which may convince an audience of sentimental teens, but was embarrassing in this film.
There has been no confirmation why Holmes will not be returning, but I’m guessing the film’s makers spotted the weakest link. However, the character of Dawes will be returning, making her the first Batman love-interest in a movie to return.
The other interesting news is that the character of Two-Face has yet to be cast. Rumour has it that two actors are being sought out for the role, namely Ed Norton and Jamie Foxx. While Ed Norton has the potential to do well, due to the great acting range his career has displayed, I really hope Foxx doesn’t get the role. I doubt he has the talent for bipolar insanity. That said, he’d be better than Tommy-Lee Jones’s camp and painfully awful over-the-top portrayal in Batman Forever.
I’m still not convinced about Nolan’s take on Batman. Batman Begins was a highly flawed movie for me. It took itself far too seriously, when it was dealing with a ridiculously convoluted plot. Plus, I never like the idea of Wayne dealing with his inner demons (i.e. finding his parents’ killer) early in his life. Being a superhero is normally about dealing with an emotional wound that would never heal, and Batman Begins pretty much set out to do that in the film’s first act.
Plus, it was spoiled with too many characters, leaving the interesting ones (Gordon, the Scarecrow) with very little to do. The Dark Knight will feature both Two-Face and The Joker, so I fear it may suffer from the same problem. As for Heath Ledger as the Joker, the boy has proven his talent at times, but I’ve never seen him crack a smile, let alone go nuts. The character should be rewritten as The Mumbler.
The Dark Knight is expected to be released in the summer of 2008.
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david said
January 28 2007 @ 5:47 am
Whew – no Katie! Truly the one weak link in Batman Begins. I’m not too optimistic about Two-Face, I’ll admit, based on Tommy Lee Jones’ sappy performance in the ‘95 (?) Batman pic.
Tommy said
January 28 2007 @ 7:05 am
Little harsh on Tommy Lee Jones there. The whole of Batman Forever was camp and over-the-top. Jones perfomance matched the film.
Eoin said
January 28 2007 @ 3:35 pm
I agree. It’s not like Jim Carrey was brooding and solemn.
Screen Rant Movie News said
January 31 2007 @ 4:09 pm
“It took itself far too seriously”
Gah! Dude… that’s what made it so good!
It drives me absolutely nuts when studios make a comic book movie and some goon thinks that “comic” must mean “funny.”
As to Katie Holmes in the next film: Good riddance. And like you, I have concerns about multiple villains in superhero movies. Much better to concentrate on ONE.
Vic