Jonah Hill was in talks to play in Matt Reeves/Robert Pattinson’s The Batman. Many assumed he would play the role Danny Devito made famous. But it turns out, he was lined up to be the Riddler. However, no deal went through. And therefore, Hill wouldn’t move to Gotham City after all. But the casting director moved quick and locked in an actor to wield the question mark cane. And the prize went to Paul Dano.
The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that the There Will Be Blood actor has been cast as a member of Batman’s rogue gallery.
“Filmmaker Matt Reeves has found his Riddler for The Batman. Paul Dano has joined the film as the classic villain, Warner Bros. announced Thursday.”
Two stipulations occur in this casting. First off, it was hoped that a high-profile actor would fill the shoes that Jim Carrey once wore. Several names were tossed out even before Hill was eyed. Such names were Stanley Tucci from Captain America: The First Avenger and David Tennant. The latter is known for such roles from Doctor Who, Good Omens, and Jessica Jones. Instead, this next to near unknown actor was given the role. The other stipulation is that, instead of using the villain’s secret identity, Edward Nygma (or Nigma), the report refers to him as Edward Nashton.
“Dano’s version of the character will be named Edward Nashton, a departure from the comic books in which he goes by the name Edward Nygma. Frank Gorshin and John Astin played the villain in the 1960s TV series, while Jim Carrey played him in 1995’s Batman Forever, directed by Joel Schumacher.”
Evidently, Nashton is the name that recent DC comics have gone by for the Riddler.
Now that we have Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, Zoe Kravitz for Catwoman, and Dano as Riddler, there are the shoes of Firefly and Mad Hatter left to fill. Although, we’re not for certain exactly which villains Reeves will use. These were just names that were attached to rumors. But it’s been said that the Planet of the Apes director wants to use a multitude to sharpen the Dark Knight’s detective skills. Also, there’s rumor that Robin might make an appearance. And there is also the matter of who will play Alfred.
The Batman is scheduled to fly into theaters on June 25th, 2021. To read our coverage on the film so far, dig into our archives. And for further developments, keep a watch on Screen Geek’s future articles.