Phil Roberts 
The Riddler joins Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon and The Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ gritty noir detective story
“Holy casting news, Batman!”
Hot on the heels of the news that Zoe Kravitz has been cast as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, we have confirmation that another member of Gotham’s Rogue Gallery of criminals will be menacing the Dark Knight on the big screen once again.
Riddle me this, what’s green, cackles hysterically and has black question marks all over his costume? That’s right, we are hearing that Paul Dano has been cast as the iconic super-villain The Riddler. According to reports, Dano’s version of the character will be named Edward Nashton which purists will know is a major departure from the iconic version found in comics, animated series and previous movies. Traditionally, the character is better known as the unhinged genius Edward Nygma and the character has been portrayed by screen legends like Frank Gorshin in Batman: The Classic Series, Jim Carrey in Batman Forever, and the unconquerable John Glover in the definitive Batman: The Animated Series.
Dano joins a wonderful cast which so far includes Robert Pattinson as the Dark Knight, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner James Gordon, and Zoe Kravitz as the notorious Catwoman. But, are two super-villains be enough for Matt Reeves’ Gotham City high jinx? That remains to be seen, however, we can now confirm that Jonah Hill is no longer in talks for a role in the movie. It was previously reported that the Superbad actor was in line to become either The Penguin or The Riddler but with news of Dano’s casting hitting the wires we can assume Reeves has now found his primary villain.
That being said, all previous reports have suggested that the director is eager to incorporate a plethora of Batman’s notorious villains in his gritty detective story which leaves room for more casting announcements in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, much of Reeves’ plans for the film remain under wraps, but the visionary director has stressed that his story will honour the traditions of Batman’s reputation as the World’s Greatest Detective.
“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”
Personally, I am delighted to see The Batman coming together with such a wealth of acting talent … and if I’m honest, the notion of watching Jonah Hill strut around Gotham City did not exactly thrill the lifelong Batman fan inside me. But with Catwoman and The Riddler now confirmed for the film, my excitement levels are already through the roof.
Now, if only they could finally get around to bringing the Man-Bat to the big screen … but maybe that’s asking too much!
The Future of the Force. The future of pop culture writing.
Phil Roberts is the Owner, Daily Content Manager and Editor of Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Batman, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Follow him on Twitter @philthecool where he uses the force frequently!
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Source: THR
Phil Roberts is the Owner, Daily Content Manager, and Editor-In-Chief of The Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Follow him on Twitter where he uses the force and babbles frequently!
