10 Batman castings that could have been perfect (but never materialized)

Batman is one of the most cherished superhero characters in the history of comic books and it helps that the character has seen a variety of adaptations on the movie screen. Therefore, playing the role of Batman or any of the other characters from the DC comics is a moment of prestige and pride for the actors. With so many adaptations of the caped crusader, there has been a history of interesting casting choices that unfortunately did not end up successfully. However, if they had worked out, it would be interesting to see those castings on screen. Therefore, here are 10 Batman castings that would have been perfect but never materialized.

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Nicole Kidman as Poison Ivy, Steve Martin as Riddler, and other Batman castings that unfortunately did not materialize

1. Cillian Murphy as Batman

Cillian Murphy has proved his capabilities as an actor over the years and he and Christopher Nolan share a special relationship. Therefore, when Nolan decided to make a trilogy of Batman movies based on the DC comics character, it was well known that Murphy was the top choice of the director. Nolan’s trilogy has been one of the most critically and commercially successful adaptations of the character and is a part of pop culture. Before Batman Begins was filmed however, there were other names as well in contention for the role of the superhero. The studio wanted Ashton Kutcher and Josh Hartnett, while Murphy was Nolan’s favorite and had already auditioned for the role. However, none of the three choices got the role and it eventually went to Christian Bale. While Murphy did not get the role, he is a thorough actor and would have taken on the mantle of playing the tortured Bruce Wayne and his alter ego with terrific capability. While Bale did an impressive job himself, Murphy would have made an interesting choice as well.

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2. Bill Murray as Batman

The 1989 version of Batman has forever been etched into the minds of the viewers. Directed by Tim Burton, the superhero movie was based on the DC comics character and featured Michael Keaton in the titular role. The film also featured Jack Nicholson as the Joker. The movie focuses on Batman’s enmity with the Joker and his will to deliver Gotham from injustice. The movie was a critical and commercial success. However, the movie went through its fair share of controversy. While Keaton donned the cape of Batman, he received a lot of criticism as he was known for being a comedic actor. Other leading men were also considered for the role. One of them was Bill Murray. The movie was originally going to be directed by Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman and was planned as a comedy movie. Therefore, there were rumors that Murray would be the next Batman, however, the actor denied being offered the role. While a comedic version of Batman would be interesting, only Bill Murray would be able to pull off the role in such a version of Batman.

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3. Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Two-Face

Harvey Dent has a considerable amount of screen time when the character appeared in the 1989 version of the Batman, therefore, it was assumed that the character was being transformed into the villainous persona in Batman Returns, which is the second installment in the movie series. And that is what was supposed to happen and Billy Dee Williams was going to take the role. However, the idea was scrapped altogether and Harvey Dent was not seen in the movie at all. While Williams went on to voice the character in The Lego Batman Movie, the viewers would have been able to see an interesting portrayal of the character had the actor been in the 1992 movie.

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4. Robin Williams as Joker

The 1989 version of the Batman has had a controversial history of securing its leading men for the role of Batman and the Joker. While many actors were considered to don the black cape, such was also the case for the Joker. The maniacal villain is one of the most popular villains in comic book history and Warner Bros always wanted Jack Nicholson to play the role. However, the actor initially denied it. Therefore, the studio decided to play an elaborate ruse and offered the role to Robin Williams, who was also a famous star during the period. However, the studio never had any intention of giving the role to him and all of this was planned so that Nicholson accepts the role when he sees that another megastar is being offered the role. While this tactic was cruel, it paid off and Nicholson eventually said yes to the role. While the actor has done a commendable job of bringing the character to life on screen, this ploy led to some controversy as Robin Williams was upset and furious by the whole strategy. Further, Williams is a brilliant actor and he would have been able to pull off the darkly tragic past of the Joker well enough.

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5. Steve Martin as Riddler

Batman Forever is the third installment in the Batman film series that began in 1989. For this movie, it was not Keaton but Val Kilmer, who essayed the role of the titular hero. The movie was directed by Joel Schumacher and focused on the superhero tackling two of his enemies, Two-Face and the Riddler. The movie had a different tone from the previous two movies and was more light-hearted. This led to mixed reviews upon release as people liked the more dark and deep tone of the previous movies. However, one interesting fact surrounding the casting of the movie is that getting the right actor to play the role of The Riddler was a big task for the studio. While Jim Carrey did a great job of playing the character, the studio had also approached Steve Martin. Martin is a veteran comedic actor and he can handle exaggerated frustration and chaos well. Therefore, he would have made a perfect casting choice. However, the timing didn’t work and he had backed out due to some things going on with his personal life.

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6. Nicole Kidman as Poison Ivy

The third installment of the Batman franchise saw Joel Schumacher in the director’s chair. When he began planning the movie, he had a lot of ideas. However, most of them did not make the final cut. The Batman Forever movie was a strong departure from the previous two movies in terms of tone and many new actors coming on the screen. Therefore, the director also had plans in mind to reveal Nicole Kidman as Poison Ivy, midway in the movie. While other ideas of Joel might not have materialized it is unfortunate that this one also did not see the light of the day. Kidman is a stellar actress who can take on any kind of role and add a touch of sultriness to it. However, the studio felt that two villains were already enough and viewers could not see Kidman in the role.

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7. Nicolas Cage as Scarecrow

Many viewers might not know that Joel Schumacher had also planned to do a Batman Unchained movie in the late 1990s. However, this idea never came to fruition. Interestingly, Nicolas Cage was being considered for the role of the Scarecrow, who is one of Batman’s primary enemies. Nicolas Cage is one actor in the canon of Hollywood stars, who is known for his ability to take up diverse roles. Therefore, the actor could have been the perfect choice to play such an interesting character on screen. Scarecrow is known for being a psychologist who dresses as a scarecrow and is out to defeat the caped crusader through his use of phobias. Unfortunately, the movie never saw the light of the day and any considerations about Cage playing the role of the villain were also removed. However, the actor would have made an interesting villain definitely.

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8. Kate Mara as Catwoman

The Dark Knight Rises is the final installment in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of movies. While all three of the film have fared well, there were quite some actresses who were considered for the role of Catwoman. There were many actresses who auditioned for the prized role and the three who were in top contention were Jessica Biel, Kate Mara, and Anne Hathaway. While Hathaway eventually took away the role, and did an impressive job of portraying the character, it would have been interesting to see Kate Mara in the role as well. The actress has her own distinct style of acting and her playing the complex character of Catwoman would be extremely interesting to see. Catwoman is a character that is both good and evil and Mara would be able to embody these two distinct personas well.

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9. Ryan Gosling as Joker

The Joker is one of the most cherished villains in the history of comic books and even though he is a villainous character, his backstory and the fact that actors like Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix have essayed the role, have made him a prestigious character to be portrayed. Therefore, when news broke that Jared Leto had been signed to play the character in Suicide Squad, there was tremendous outrage and ultimately, the actor was unable to live up to the viewers' expectations and received heavy criticism. However, there was a time when the David Ayer directorial had Ryan Gosling in the talks to play the Joker. However, Gosling did not want to sign multiple movies and Jared Leto got the role. Gosling would have been a better choice as the actor has the ability to take on both serious and comedic roles and Joker is a character that has hints of both.

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10. Ethan Hawke as Batman

Ethan Hawke is another versatile actor who has proven that he can handle leading man roles in Hollywood movies. Therefore, when Michael Keaton decided to step down from playing the role of Batman in the third installment of the film series, the studio was once again in a frenzy to cast the perfect actor for the prestigious role. Once again, a bevy of actors were considered and one of them was Ethan Hawke. The actor had earned a name for himself in the 1990s and the Warner Bros. were eager to get him on the role. However, the actor turned down the role because he felt that playing the superhero would lead to typecasting. While the actor has stated in later interviews that he regrets his decision as instead of typecasting, the role of the superhero could have opened more doors for him, the viewers were also bereft of an interesting choice for the role of the superhero. While Val Kilmer does a good job, Hawke would also have been able to take on the role of the hero.