More Batman Crew & Hangar:
Here's the rundown on how's working on Nolan's Batman movie...
-Peter Francis (Hellboy, Harry Potter) - Art Director
-Steven Lawrence (Titanic, Harry Potter) - Art Director
-Stuart Kearns (Hellboy, Die Another Day) - Art Director
-James Hambidge (Hellboy, Die Another Day) - Art Director (Models)
-Susan Whitaker (Tomb Raider 1 and 2, Die Another Day) - Assistant Art Director
-Simon Lamont (Hellboy, Die Another Day) - Supervising Art Director
-Sarah Robinson (Around the World in 80 Days, Die Another Day) - Art Department Coordinater
-Guy Bradley (Hellboy, Tomb Raider 2) - Senior Draughtsman
-Toby Britton (Hellboy, Die Another Day) - Draughtsman
-Jordan A.Crockett (Harry Potter 2, 3, 4) - Draughtsman
-Remo Tozzi (Hellboy, Below) - Draughtsman
-Charles Leatherland (Thunderbirds, Johny English) - Draushtsperson
-Martin Asbury (Troy, Resident Evil) - Storyboard Artist
-Larry Frankau - Line Producer
-Nigel Gostelow (Alexander the Great, Agent Cody Banks 2) - Unit Production Manager
-Chris Holt - Location Manager (Bedford)
-Neil Chaplin (Around the World in 80 Days) - Production Accoutant
-Kelly Johnson (Troy, Die Another Day) - Production Accountant
-Karen Alder (Alexander, Die Another Day) - Production Accountant
Cardigan Hangar -
BBC News reports that the Cardigan Hangar will be rented by Warner Bros. for the next two years. The Hangar can be seen for miles around and is not far from London's Shepperton Studios were most shooting takes place. The set will take three months to built and complete since filming is to start there in April.
Watanbe Confirms Possible Role:
Ken Watanbe (The Last Samurai) revealed that Nolan has him up for one of two roles in the Batman film. One of them being a major villian.
More Production Details:
Cinescape has received news from a trust worthy source for the casting of Gordon...
Dennis Quaid is "close" to being signed for the part of Jim Gordon, the Gotham City beat cop that will one day become police Commissioner. Gordon has an important role to play in the picture. One might even say that fate will deal him -- and subsequently the Dark Knight -- a card that sets the course for their future and that of Gotham City.
Bale Talks Batman!:
Here's a clip of Christian Bale's interview with the german magazine Bunte on why he took on the role of Batman...
"I think Batman is probably more aggresive than most everybody I've ever played, you know. I wanted to take it, because, firstly, when I heard that there was a consideration of doing more of the movies, I just felt like I hadn't been quite satisfied with what I'd seen in the other movies. Certainly in the last two. And it seemed as though there was actually a real character here, that it wasn't just a bland kind of superhero, one-dimensional. With him there really was an interesting character to be played. I loved the kind of fantastical notion of the superhero, but at the same time being able to bring a psychologically interesting element to that. And then Chris Nolan is directing who, you know, is not a director I would have expected to do this movie. So that was ideal to me, I liked the fact that the people hiring Chris, hiring myself, were going with people who did want to reinvent the story and have it not just be a continuation."
If you would like to see a clip of this interview or read more of the interview, go to the links at SHH in that article that I got this bit of news from. link: Bat-Media & Full Length Interview
Watanbe As Ra's Al Ghul & No Mortensen!:
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Ken Watanbe will indeed play the villianous Ra's Al Ghul.
Here's a list of the cast thus far -
Christian Bale - Bruce Wayne/Batman
Michael Cane - Alfred
Katie Holmes - (as a childhood friend of Wayne's)
Liam Neesan - Henri Ducard
Morgan Freeman - Lucius Fox
Mortensen Rejects Batman -
Viggo Mortensen wasn't the one who announced his part take in the new Batman film, but it was Cain in an interview with SciFi Wire. Although it sounds like Nolan was eyeing Mortensen for a role, the actor says he was never involved with the project. Plus, he's too busy promoting his new upcoming movie, Hidalgo. (That's what he told Zap2it.com.) <<*cries* I'm so disappointed and a bit unhappy that Viggo didn't want to be in Batman nor is going to be in it. Like I said before, I was really, really looking forward to seeing him play a villian and be in a Batman movie (or at least some superhero movie. Maybe in the near future I hope?). Just for the sake of complaining and sulking, I don't see what's so great about Hidalgo. Sorry.>>
Bale Training on Set & Casting Calls:
An SHH reporter named Robert has reported this...
According to two articles (see here and here) in the Icelandic press Bale is keen to stay bulk. I e-mailed one of the journalist from there and they summarized/translated:
Basically it tells that Christian Bale will arrive in Iceland for some shooting soon an has demanded a first class bodybuilding centre on set. Then we mention that Michael Caine is a good friend of the (Icelandic) president and his wife and will surely visit the president if he has to take part in the shooting in Iceland. However there is nothing that points to his(Caine) presence here being neccessary.
CASTING CALLS:
The Casting Collective Ltd. has casting calls,which looks like it's for Batman. Go to CastingCollective.co.uk and click on 'Artistes' and then on 'Casting Now':
12-02-2004
We are urgently looking for men in good shape that excel at any Martial Art. Please note,this for background work. Good rates of pay. Please send a recent photo and contact details to our office address or email [email protected] or call Rob on 020 8962 0099
15-01-04
We are urgently looking for Tibetan men and women of all ages (Himalayan, Nepalese, Bhutanese or similar looking) for filming on a big Feature Film about to start shooting. Those successful will need a passport and be available for filming abroad for about a week in Feb. Good rates of pay. For more details please contact [email protected] or call Rob on 020 8962 0099
Filming on Batman is scheduled to start on March 16 in London.
<<Let me know if you are interested in having me post the links that are in the first and second paragraph of this article.>>
Official Press Release On Watanbe:
This article just confirms Ken Watanbe's role, cast, and crew. Nothing new here, really. Here's a minor interesting detail...
The film, which explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham, will be released worldwide in 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
BATMAN: THE INTIMIDATION GAME IN 2005...ABOUT 492 MORE DAYS UNTIL RELEASE!
DISCLAIMER: As always, I get my news from SuperHeroHype.com, so I own none of these quotes from their Bat-Media Articles.
Originally posted by ash007
indeed Bale will a great BatmanWatanbe will be good Ra's Al Ghul he has the smae insane look in his eyes as Ra does.
Reallu upset that Viggo didn't wanta part in the Batman film
🙁 he would have been great
i know! he's got the stamina for the action stunts and the voice! 😱 🙁
Originally posted by steely balls
the new batman movies' official title is BATMAN BEGINS.
Not unless they changed it in the last couple of days, Steely. The working title up 'til now has been either "Batman: Intimidation Game" or "Batman: Intimidation." Where and when did you hear about this other title?
I've been to www.empireonline.co.uk - steely is indeed correct. "Batman Begins" is the new proposed title. To be honest, I'm relieved. "Batman: Intimidation"? Hell no
when i want to say something i don't say it unless i know the truth. i hate when people call me retarded when i told them to go to a freakin sight to check out the OFFICIAL NEWS. thank you ahnold for putting up a link for the lazy people, just kiddin every one i'm not angry but think before you call me stupid because i'll get pissed and waste everybodies time bitchin.
I never called you retarded, steely, and neither did BOP. She called the title retarded. I haven't called you stupid, either-- at least recently, I don't remember earlier than that. It's just that I've been keeing up with news on this movie and it's been called "Batman: Intimidation (Game)" for months. My post isn't based on whether the title is "hella sick" or not.
I saw the site, and if those damn Brits are to be believed, the title has just been changed in the public's knowlege. If this is legit, you were right. "Intimidation Game" was an alias for the real title.
I suppose I'm fine with this title. I think "Intimidation Game" sounds idiotic, and "Intimidation" isn't the right title for this movie.
Just got finished reading an article at superherohype.com and the new Batman movie is not going to be called "Batman: Intimidation game".
That was just a pre-production name they used.
The movie is supposedly going to be called "Batman Begins."
sounds okay to me, cosidering that is what the movie is about.
to the person who said they don't know how xian bale will do as batman BUT he makes a fine disturbed rich boy (in American Psycho): sounds like a perfect bruce wayne to me!
on a general note, i find it interesting they're taking the Year One line over the Dark Knight Returns line they also considered a few years back (considering mel gibson for the title part!)... i thought the original burton Batman was more or less dealing with that, although it did more resemble the original 1939 comics intro than miller's y1.
I don't see how they would have actually tried to make a "Batman: Return of the Dark Knight" movie. That would have been too confusing for the general audience, and it wouldn't have been as marketable for comic book tie-ins. Don't get me wrong, I think Frank Miller is a brilliant creator and that book is one of the most important comic book works at the end of the Silver Age of comics. However, Warner Brothers loves them something they can cross-market, and Frank Miller was also behind "Batman: Year One," which is much more easy to fit into normal Batman continuity.
They'd better make this movie better than "Daredevil." "Daredevil" was a piece of crap. I'm immeasurably pissed off at the delay in the release of the director's cut DVD, and I'm hoping that the full version of the movie actually counts as a full movie, unlike the truncated, badly cut piece of trash they showed in the theater and on the DVD they released.
I certainly don't want an overly colorful Batman movie; not like the campy, neon brightness of the last two films. I've heard that the Batman's colors will be as they are in the comics. A dark gray bodysuit (armored, of course) with black boots, gloves,. cape and cowl. This pleases me, but I'm not certain as to whether they will add the yellow insignia oval or if the utility belt will be gold or not. I hope he belt is at least similar in appearance to the one in the comics, but I can go either way on the chest emblem. It would just be really cool to see a Batman on the big screen that really look like the comic book character.