Yesterday, news hit Reddit, by way of MTV, that Philip Seymour Hoffman is (supposedly) slated to play The Penguin in the next installment of Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" Batman movie series. And you know what? I'm totally okay with that.
I IMed Makal after reading the MTV article, to see what he thought. He responded that he didn't like the Penguin as a villain--though honestly I think he was saying this based off Nolan's being quoted, once upon a time, that the Penguin was an unbelievable character in a realistic world, and that he'd never use him in a movie. Makal also said that he doesn't like the idea of Nolan being forced to use a character he doesn't like (which is fair), and that he'd much rather see Catwoman.
Ah, Catwoman. Everyone's been ga-ga over "who will the next villain(s) be?!?!" since it was officially announced that WB, Nolan and crew are working on the next movie. Hell, my friends and I were talking about it in the neon-lit hallway just after seeing the movie opening day. Catwoman is an obvious favourite, so much so that big names like Angelina Jolie are vying for the role, with an enthusiastic "pick me! pick me!" attitude.
And that's great; Catwoman really deserves to have her good-girl-gone-bad name revived after the Halle Berry debacle. But pardon me for saying so, Angelina, I just don't know that you're right for the role--and as is, I'm not sure movie studios are ready to revisit the character just yet. You all know I am a little biased; Michelle Pfeiffer's catwoman was a coming-of-age experience for me and my vinyl fetishism, but I'm not going to say that she was the end-all of Catwoman actresses. No, there's always room for improvement and adaptation. But I think Jolie, as an actress, is just too strong to play Catwoman. The character comes from a humble beginning, meek and beaten down by the men in this world, and Jolie really is just a little too confident and headstrong for that. And, dare I say it? A little too built like a classic comic book female. I think the best Catwoman is a scrawny, emaciated alley cat of a villain, if we're talking "realistic" portrayals--which is what Nolan is all about.
It was even rumored/discussed for a short time that, if Catwoman did make her comeback in the next movie, it might be Rachel Dawes herself, Maggie Gyllenhaal, to play the feline anti-heroine. To which I say: BULL-FUCKING-SHIT. Sorry, was that a big strong-handed? In all seriousness, hell no Rachel Dawes cannot magically resurrect as Catwoman. Just... just NO god dammit. SO MUCH WRONG. I'm all for Nolan putting his own spin on the characters and the Gotham universe, but that would completely change Catwoman's background in a way I am just never going to be okay with. Yeah I know she'd be hot in the catsuit, but it's sheer and utter blasphemy, and may we never speak of it again. There is, however, another great villain whom Gyllenhaal's Dawes is primed to play, which I'll get to in a moment.
But back to the MTV article at hand. My favourite excerpt from the article is this exchange between Michael Caine and the interviewer:
“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!’”
Now, yes, I realize that Nolan has said he does not want to use the Penguin. I am amused that no one seems to dispute how great it would be to see Depp as The Riddler, because yeah, that would totally fucking rock. Bring it on! But PSH as The Penguin, you say? Now that I could actually get behind. And here's why...
If Nolan is intent on portraying Batman and the Gotham villains in a realistic manner--normal people who are just crazy, and who happen to have a nice wardrobe designer on hand--then there is no reason he could not give us a Penguin unlike any we've seen. Frankly I was never fond of Danny De Vito's Penguin in "Batman Returns", he was just gross and, having grown up with the animated series and later some of the comics, I prefer my Penguins with a little more class and less festering or nose-biting-off. I think PSH would do a great job as The Penguin in this regard: we know he can be terrifyingly creepy while seeming unimposing, as seen in Capote, and we know he looks slick in a suit.
I think The Riddler and The Penguin would work really well together as criminal allies. I can picture it now, a Gotham wrought with crime and uncertainty, still reeling in the wake of The Joker's spree of mayhem. His clown possies are still about, being mischievious hooligans and trying to continue the anarchy in honor of their lost boss. In comes The Penguin, with his smooth business talk, bringing some sort of mafia undertone to it all. One of the things I did like about Tim Burton's Penguin in Returns was the creepy carnival that went along with him, and I'd love to see that brought back, under Nolan's guiding hand. We've got the clowns, we just need a ringmaster. PSH as The Penguin could do that.
Now, about Gyllenhaal... we know she signed a contract for two movies, so what will we see of Dawes in the next movie? Could be flashbacks... could be. Or maybe we'll see a villain people just aren't expecting, now that The Joker is out of the picture... someone we think would only work, as a villain, when paired with The Joker. Yes, my lovelies, I'm talking Harley Quinn. Go ahead, think about that for a minute. Think about it for five minutes. You thought she'd look good in a catsuit, yes? Why not take a post-traumatic stressed Dawes, toss in a concussion and possible amnesia, and throw in a fair bit of anger that her beloved Batman didn't save her. Maybe the Joker didn't really try to kill her, maybe he did, but the event would surely be enough to shock poor Dawes into some serious insane-villaine headspace.
And and and maybe they (Nolan & co.) could make a fourth movie, and Angelina Jolie could play the very headstrong and vivaciously-built villain, Poison Ivy! And then we could have Harley Quinne and Poison Ivy and oh... yes, much delicious movie-viewage would ensue. At least, that's my fantasy...
Note to comic book nerds: I realize that there is an established history of Quinn originating as Harleen Quinzel, a psychologist at Arkham. But I don't feel it would be terribly harmful to the plot or character to evolve Dawes into Quinn; after all, the former does have a criminal law background and has interacted with The Joker on several occasions, and they already have that sado-masochistic relationship established, what with the blowing up and all. I'm just speculating here; but do consider it, yaknow?
3 comments:
After TDK, I was saying to my girlfirend: I bet Maggie comes back as Harlequin. That would be just awesome, she'd do a wonderful job at it. I'd almost like to see Johnny Depp as the Riddler and MG as Harlequin. That'd be a good movie.
I'd love Maggie as Harlequin!... actually I'd love her as anything, ever since H2G2 I've had a crush on her and I never have crushes with actresses. Cant help it thought, loveliest geeky girl on screen in a long time.
As creative as the idea of Dawes being Harley Quinn is, it just doesn't work on so many levels - even though I like the idea of Gyllenhaal playing Harley.
One, Racheal Dawes just isn't the woman to be turned on by pain. That's been clearly defined in the first two movies as she only resorts to giving pain in self-defence (the first movie, where she threatens her potential murders with a tazer and the second, where she punches the Joker)and the fact that she'd even protect herself suggests that she doesn't particularly like recieving it.
Two, partnered with the previous point in that it's out of character for Dawes is that, the way I see it, she represents very much the good in Bruce Wayne. The kind of person he wants to one day be again, to fight crime outside of the darkness. Not only would it be wrong for her to 'cross over the to dark side' but if Bruce found out it would lead to the degeneration of this belief in the goodness of mankind, and thus the degeneration of Batman.
Think about it. He believed in Harvey Dent and look what happened to him. He lost that which was most important to him and turned into a monster (And incredibly awesome monster, but one nevertheless) Racheal's would be the next one to go. If he lost her than all his hope would be gone. (To say that Gordon and Alfred have the same kind of effect on Bruce I think is a weak argument)
And, Three, they'd need the Joker in some form to bring in Harley Quinn successfully. I'm not too sure how they are going to handle the Joker in future films.
On another note, If they do introduce Harley, they have the perfect set up to. I mean, the Joker was captured by the end of 'The Dark Knight', so it's safe to assume that he will be sent to Arkham and that is where he met Harleen.
I know that you don't see it as "terribly harmful to the plot or character to evolve Dawes into Quinn" but there are those who have a lot of their time and devotion invested in Harleen. The idea that Harley's first film appearance would be as someone other than herself - and to make things worse, as someone completely unlike her - would be devastating to them. And if not all of them, then to atleast me.
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