Recasting the Original Franchise

Ok, after coming across topics about it on the internet, I decided to post my dream cast for main parts in the original franchise...

Bruce Wayne/Batman: Alec Baldwin (age 31 in 89)
Now don't get me wrong, I loved Keaton in Burton's movies, but I think Baldwin could have done just as good, and it would have appeased the raging fanboys of the time... He could be the "near psychotic, brooding Batman" that Burton had wanted and he looked more like Bruce Wayne from the comics, again, to appease the fanboys... And he would have been the right age, too, so he could be in multiple sequels (all of them if I got my way)... Just check out this picture, it SCREAMS Bruce Wayne...
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/images/malice1.JPG

Jack Napier/Joker: Willem Dafoe (age 34 in 89)
Again, don't get me wrong, I loved Nicholoson in B89, but again, I think Dafoe could have done just as good with the Joker character (he could either be over the top, or more subtle, but still psychotic and at times, humorous in a dark way) And he looks more the part, even has the grin... And it would be interesting to see him as Jack Napier the gangster...
http://www.nndb.com/people/789/000022723/willemdafoe.jpg

Vicki Vale: Kim Basinger (age 36 in 89)
Why mess with perfection? She was beautiful... And Baldwin and Basinger might have hit it off sooner, so they would have fond memories of Batman, until they divorce later in life...
http://www.wtad.com/kim-basinger.jpg (beauty if I ever saw it)

Harvey Dent/Two-Face: Val Kilmer (age 30 in 89 and age 36 in 95)
I think he would be a good Harvey Dent if he had a good script and a good director... He looks the part, and could make a good Two-Face that is serious and tragic if given good material to work with...
http://www.geocities.com/brookeandtanya.geo/val/val7.jpg

Commissioner Gordon: Paul Newman (age 64 in 89)
He IS James Gordon, or at least, he was, at a time... I know he could nail the role... (guy on the left, of course)
http://www.americanphoto.co.jp/photosearch/Previews/PLX045286.jpg

Alfred Pennyworth: Michael Gough
He was good and convincing as Alfred, so I would keep him, definitely...

Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin: Joe Pesci (age 49 in 92)
He looks like the Penguin, has the build of the Penguin, and is used to playing gangster roles (the story could be changed to him trying to "reform" the mob with traditional made-men and also with freaks like the Red Triangle Gang, while trying to convince Gotham he's mayor material, so he can control city affairs, making his operations run WAY more smoothly, turning the story into a "Can Batman find evidence of Penguin's real plan while trying to fend off the feline fatale, Catwoman?" He does, and the people and Shrek turn against Oswald, and it drives him crazy, sending the Red Triangle Gang to attack the WayneCorp charity ball to find Shrek, where Selina and Bruce happen to be... Basically more comic accurate while keeping splices of Returns)... Just look at this picture...
http://biografie.leonardo.it/img/bio/j/Joe_Pesci.jpg (THAT is the Penguin)

Selina Kyle/Catwoman: Michelle Pfeiffer (age 34 in 92)
Again, why mess with perfection? And she'd be the same age as Baldwin in 92, so everything a fanboy could complain about is gone... I also think they would have good chemistry (maybe not as great as Keaton/Pfeiffer, but still there)...

Max Shrek: Christopher Walken
He's just awesome... Nuff said (He could be a secret financial aid to Penguin, and his close ally... He ends up double crossing Selina Kyle, which causes her to become Catwoman out of revenge (as a great parallel to the character of Batman)

Chase Meridian: Nicole Kidman
She can stay, just a generic love interest, anyway...

Ed Nigma/Riddler: Bronson Pinchot (age 36 in 95)
He has the ability to play the hyper Frank Gorshin Riddler to Val Kilmer's serious Two-Face...
http://www.matchflick.com/pimages/15324.jpg ("You were supposed to understand... I'll make you understand"😉

Dick Grayson/Robin: Rider Strong (age 16 in 95)
He hit it big with Boy Meets World as Shawn Hunter, a "rebellious bad boy" type character... He's got the ability to pull off the rebellious "Why won't you trust me?" Grayson... And by 19 he could have an argument, break away, and become Nightwing...
http://www.vivianreed.net/BMW/media/rider11.jpg
http://www.blowingsmoke.arizona.edu/scanned_pictures/riderstrong.jpg (Like mentor like ward, I always say)

Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy: Julianne Moore (age 38 in 98)
Natural redhead... Beautiful... From what I've seen, good acting ability... Can be a seductress...
http://www.nndb.com/people/670/000023601/julianne-moore-1-sized.jpg

Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze: Patrick Stewart (age 50 in 98)
He IS Mr. Freeze! Why Schumacher didn't cast him, I'll never know... He would definitely make Freeze the tragic, emotionless character he truly is...
http://www.popentertainment.com/patrickstewart01.jpg

Jonathon Crane/Scarecrow: Johnny Depp (age 38 in 2001)
He's played misunderstood roles before (Edward Scissorhands), and Scarecrow was originally in the comics a professor misunderstood by others, who was gonna use the money he stole to gain acceptance (the Returns Penguin, only not deformed)...
http://www.dvdenlared.com/data/docs/20070524024851/johnny_depp_01.jpg

Harleen Quinzell/Harley Quinn: Courtney Love (age 37 in 2001)
She may not be an actress, but she's blonde, controversial, and looks a lot like Harley Quinn... Give her a good script and she'll do fine... Her character would not be Joker's daughter, but someone who fell in love with the Joker through old newspaper articles and tv reports... She is dedicated to continuing the legacy of her "Mr. J"...
http://www.matgiordano.com/pics/courtney-love-01.jpg (That looks like Harley Quinn a little, doesn't it?)

Everyone else, like Knox, Grissom, Eckhardt, Mayor Borg, Bob the Goon, etc. would still be the actors who portrayed them...

Also, Knox would be in Returns as a reporter covering the elections...

And the Mafia wouldn't just disappear, even if the Joker pretty much destroyed it in B89...

And there'd be more explanation as to where Selina went, where Vale went, if Kyle is ever coming back [I think she'd reappear in the 2001 movie, Triumphant (since B&R wouldn't flop in this alternate universe, we'd get a continuation, a good one too) for some nice girl vs. girl kickboxing with Harley Quinn]

And finally, all the movies would take place in B89 Gotham, with the Elfman score, Burton Batmobile, etc. With no neon, butt/crotch shots, or nipples in sight...

P.S. A nice analysis of the Batman character that would be around in this world... Bruce Wayne (Alec Baldwin) first became Batman out of a "make sure it never happens again" mentality (notice how in the first half of B89 he never intentionally tries to kill someone?), then when he finds out Napier killed his parents, his motive switches to revenge, (second half was filled with him trying to kill Joker, until he finally did) then he triumphantly looks at the Bat Signal, now using his new, lethal methods with the "make sure it never happens again" motive... However, the more criminals he murders, the more distant and cold blooded he becomes (his noticeably darker mood in Returns), until he realizes he needs to stop this monster before anyone else is killed... ("When you find him, and then you kill him, it doesn't go away, you go out into the night, searching for another face, and another and another, until you realize that revenge has become your whole life." I'd keep that line between Bruce and Grayson in film 3, as he doesn't want Grayson to learn that lesson the hard way, the way he did, and the way Selina did) He realizes this around the end of Returns, a little before the dance with Selina scene where they find out who they both are... ("Now don't give me the 'Killing Shrek won't solve anything' speech cause it will..." "Wrong on both accounts..."😉 He tries to tell Selina that killing Shrek will only cause depression and sorrow, and he wants what's best for her... However, she cannot be swayed (like he was in B89) and she kills him the same way she does in Returns... The ending is very much the same, except it's different in Penguin doesn't die... Bruce and Alfred drive off, while Selina triumphantly looks at the Bat Signal (sounds familiar, huh?)

Any thoughts? Sorry for the long post, just wanted my ideas heard...

I've always consider Ray Liotta as a good Harvey Dent/Two face.

I've always thought Ray Liotta would actually be a great Bruce Wayne/Batman. Got those crazy eyes. Gonna go and think about who I'd cast in all the roles if it was being made today.

Originally posted by WrathfulDwarf
I've always consider Ray Liotta as a good Harvey Dent/Two face.

Yeah, his name came up a lot in the places I looked for ideas... He's a great actor (loved Goodfellas) but I just can't see him as Harvey Dent/Two-Face... But, to each his own...

this has been done to death.But since it IS being done again my two major complaints of the casting of the Burton/Scumacher Batman movies have always been the two main characters of course BATMAN "AND" ROBIN. Yeah I always thought that Baldwin should have been cast back then as Bruce Wayne.He is a great actor who would have been so perfect for that role back then and he at least had the right physical build and looked the part which is very crucial for the role of bruce Wayne,his casting choise would have pleased ALL the batman fans.For Robin,

How the hell could Schumacher have passed up Scott Weinger from the show FULL HOUSE? that guy would have been so perfect for the role of Robin.He had the right look,was the right age,had the right charisma for Robin.He would have been PERFECT for that part.anybody would have been a better choice over chris-"no acting talent at all" O'donnel who was also wayyyyyyyyyy too old to be adopted as Robin. 😆 He looked the same age as Kilmer for god sakes.

Originally posted by Mr Parker
this has been done to death.

Well sorry! Maybe I happen to like the casting ideas I posted... And I've only posted my ideas about it ONCE... I haven't been posting it for like a year or anything... I've never seen any others on this forum... Maybe in the Archives (where I never go), but jeez, I joined in 04, and NEVER have I seen an "Original Franchise Casting List"... If you would be so kind as to point me in the direction of one, maybe I'll take your word for it...

I would have to back to the archives and i could do that but I know I will find at least two of them listed cause I know its been done at least twice.

Originally posted by WrathfulDwarf
I've always consider Ray Liotta as a good Harvey Dent/Two face.

Ray Liotta is a fine actor. He should have been considered.

Originally posted by DARKLORDCAEDUS
Ray Liotta is a fine actor. He should have been considered.

I heard that he was at one point considered for the role, but wanted no part of it because he was thinking "Adam West camp"... Once he found out what Burton was doing with it, he kinda regretted not taking the role...

And Mr. Parker: Absoulutely! I forgot that guy existed, but once I googled the name and saw a picture of him, it came back to me... He would have been a great choice for Robin... But if I had to choose between the two, I'd still go with Rider...

As an update in my casting, I remembered that Napier had to be old enough to have killed the Waynes in his early 20s... So I have to scrap Dafoe...

As a replacement, I'd either keep Nicholson or go with Robert DeNiro... I think DeNiro would have been able to play the cocky gangster Jack Napier, while playing the psychotic, homicidal, yet still cocky and self worshipping Joker...

DeNiro in all his glory
http://www.celebritiesfans.com/Pic/robertdeniro.jpg

Whoa, I just noticed I casted 2 of the 3 Goodfellas stars... But I still don't think Liotta as Harvey Dent...

So now that I have a cast, I might as well get to making new plot synopsis's for Returns, Forever, and B&R... And make a new Triumphant... Maybe I'll post them in this thread soon... Got some time on my hands...

Billy Dee Williams is my dream cast for Harvey Dent...and for Batman. Imagine Batman defeating the Joker and then having a Colt 45. Genius.

I wish Billy Dee had gotten to play Two Face too

Billy Dee was all wrong for Dent.

Originally posted by DARKLORDCAEDUS
Billy Dee was all wrong for Dent.

Because he should have played Batman.

From the 1st moment I saw Sophie Ellis Bextor I thought she was born to play Selina Kyle.

Shot at 2007-08-11

And Mr. Parker: Absoulutely! I forgot that guy existed, but once I googled the name and saw a picture of him, it came back to me... He would have been a great choice for Robin... But if I had to choose between the two, I'd still go with Rider...

err Rider,who is that? 😕 Yeah if Weinger had been cats for that role,I would have absolutely have loved Batman Forever.just like christopher reeve brought the character of clark kent/superman to life and JK SIMMONS did wit J Jonah jameson in spiderman as well.Weinger would have brought the character of Robin to life from the comicbook pages as well.There was not a better choice out there better than him.another actor I thought of who would have been better than o'donnel any day of the year is Fred savage.He was the right age as well and could have brought something to the table also I think.ANYBODY other than o'donnel would have been a huge improvement.

Originally posted by Mr Parker
And Mr. Parker: Absoulutely! I forgot that guy existed, but once I googled the name and saw a picture of him, it came back to me... He would have been a great choice for Robin... But if I had to choose between the two, I'd still go with Rider...

err Rider,who is that? 😕 Yeah if Weinger had been cats for that role,I would have absolutely have loved Batman Forever.just like christopher reeve brought the character of clark kent/superman to life and JK SIMMONS did wit J Jonah jameson in spiderman as well.Weinger would have brought the character of Robin to life from the comicbook pages as well.There was not a better choice out there better than him.another actor I thought of who would have been better than o'donnel any day of the year is Fred savage.He was the right age as well and could have brought something to the table also I think.ANYBODY other than o'donnel would have been a huge improvement.

Rider Strong is that guy from Boy Meets World who played Shawn Hunter, the guy who's co-star for the show was Ben Savage (who, ironically, is Fred Savage's younger brother)... He was also in Cabin Fever not too long ago... He'll be in Cabin Fever 2 as well... I just think he would have been able to play the Dick Grayson who wants to be Bruce's aide, but Bruce refuses. He does everything to convince Bruce that he needs him, but Bruce still refuses, knowing it's against the law to put a minor in danger. He goes out and tries to fight a gang, but he fails badly... Something happens to Bruce that makes him realize how mortal he is, and that Gotham will always need Batman, so in the end, Grayson ends up being accepted, if only for Bruce to have an heir...

I don't know if Weinger would have been cats, but if he had been cast, I think he would have done pretty well... Again, like you said, anyone would've been better than O' Donnell...

Originally posted by Bat Dude
Rider Strong is that guy from Boy Meets World who played Shawn Hunter, the guy who's co-star for the show was Ben Savage (who, ironically, is Fred Savage's younger brother)... He was also in Cabin Fever not too long ago... He'll be in Cabin Fever 2 as well... I just think he would have been able to play the Dick Grayson who wants to be Bruce's aide, but Bruce refuses. He does everything to convince Bruce that he needs him, but Bruce still refuses, knowing it's against the law to put a minor in danger. He goes out and tries to fight a gang, but he fails badly... Something happens to Bruce that makes him realize how mortal he is, and that Gotham will always need Batman, so in the end, Grayson ends up being accepted, if only for Bruce to have an heir...

I don't know if Weinger would have been cats, but if he had been cast, I think he would have done pretty well... Again, like you said, anyone would've been better than O' Donnell...

I always thought o'donnel as robin was somthing YOU never had a problem with in that movie.that you liked that casting choice? Rider strong as robin? well if you dye his hair black I can see that. ben savage? was he the guy that played the main character in that show cory? I bet Schumacher only cast o'donel cause he thought he was cute. 😄 thats tthe way a lot of these directors are.Ive see it all the time in hollywood,that Ilearn later that a certain male actor got cast because that director was gay and only cast him because he thought he was cute.because o'donnel sure as hell has no acting ability and like I said,was way too old to be adopted.I mean I dont see how schumacher could possibly have not been aware of him.again I think he would have brought robin straight from the comicbooks to life and people would think of him being robin as in THATS ROBIN! the same way they thought chris reeve as superman or jk simmons as jameson being brought to life straight from the comics.its a shame nobody ever wants to take the time to look up what weinger looks like when I mentioned his name like you did,because i am sure they would all agree if the saw a pic of him,they would all agree with us that HE should have been cast back then.

Originally posted by Mr Parker
I always thought o'donnel as robin was somthing YOU never had a problem with in that movie.that you liked that casting choice?

What's that supposed to mean?

I thought I always remember hearing you say that you thought O'donnel was a good choice.That he was good in that role and fit the part is all is what I was asking? I thought you always said that so I was confused when you agreed with me that anybody would have been a better choice for robin other than o'donnel? we NEVER agree on anything about the batman movies remember? other than begins was a good film anyways.