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Monarch Theatre => Burton's Bat => Batman Returns (1992) => Topic started by: Edd Grayson on Sat, 24 May 2014, 12:47

Title: If not the Penguin...
Post by: Edd Grayson on Sat, 24 May 2014, 12:47
Who would've been a good villain for Batman Returns at the time beside the Penguin?

While it's not my favorite version of the character, I like Tim Burton's more tragic and monster-like Penguin and I thought Danny DeVito did a good job in playing  but I wonder what would Batman Returns have been like if they had used another villain along with Catwoman and Shreck.

Two-Face would've beeen interesting with Billy Dee Williams possibly reprising his role as Harvey Dent from the first film. I think Harvey's transformation in Tim Burton's vision would've been great to see.

Another villain I think that could have worked is Mr Freeze, because of the Christmas setting and because he's a tragic character in his own right. If they made him similar to "Heart of Ice" it would've been fantastic.


What do you think?

Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: Catwoman on Sat, 24 May 2014, 15:01
the riddler. maybe he could have been another employee of shreck's along with selina and they would be completely oblivious to the fact that they were coworkers for the son of a bitch until the end. everyone would find out who everyone else was at the end and it would be like this collective "....what...the....hell" moment lol.
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: Edd Grayson on Sat, 24 May 2014, 16:41
That's a good idea, Catwoman. What would the Riddler be like? Comedic or darker?
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: Catwoman on Sun, 25 May 2014, 01:54
a dry sarcastic wit to go along with his riddles.
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: JokerMeThis on Mon, 26 May 2014, 22:26
I would've liked to have seen Two-Face played by Billy Dee Williams. Mr. Freeze would've been good for the reasons already stated. A dark Riddler maybe. Or maybe Killer Croc. Some people may think the Penguin in this movie is like Killer Croc. Or maybe Poison Ivy. I'd like to see Catwoman and Poison Ivy meet each other and hear what they'd have to say to each other.
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: Catwoman on Mon, 26 May 2014, 23:09
maybe catwoman would have said to ivy what magpie said to katana in one of the "lost eps" of beware the batman

"timed to get pruned, little flower!"

lol
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: The Dark Knight on Tue, 27 May 2014, 02:10
Mr Freeze, potentially.

"Stop global warming, start global cooling. Make the world a giant icebox."
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: johnnygobbs on Tue, 27 May 2014, 08:57
Quote from: Edd Grayson on Sat, 24 May  2014, 12:47
Who would've been a good villain for Batman Returns at the time beside the Penguin?

While it's not my favorite version of the character, I like Tim Burton's more tragic and monster-like Penguin and I thought Danny DeVito did a good job in playing  but I wonder what would Batman Returns have been like if they had used another villain along with Catwoman and Shreck.

Two-Face would've beeen interesting with Billy Dee Williams possibly reprising his role as Harvey Dent from the first film. I think Harvey's transformation in Tim Burton's vision would've been great to see.

Another villain I think that could have worked is Mr Freeze, because of the Christmas setting and because he's a tragic character in his own right. If they made him similar to "Heart of Ice" it would've been fantastic.


What do you think?
Catwoman was already a tragic, sympathetic villain so you needed someone unrepentantly evil to balance her out.  I guess that's the role that Shreck filled but if Shreck didn't exist I'm not sure Two-Face or Mr Freeze, in his 'B:TAS' guise would suffice.  Both Two-Face and Mr Freeze are tragic villains who once had a very good side.

Maybe The Scarecrow would have been a good villain for Burton since he would suit his creepy, gothic, macabre vibe.  But a more traditional Penguin, assuming some of the characteristics of Shreck in the final film would be my preference.
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: The Laughing Fish on Tue, 27 May 2014, 11:21
I can imagine the film merging Shreck and Penguin as the same character; the business tycoon and the aspiring mayor campaigner. It would sacrifice the Penguin's gothic backstory though, so would it make the film more interesting? Probably not.
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: johnnygobbs on Tue, 27 May 2014, 11:52
Quote from: The Laughing Fish on Tue, 27 May  2014, 11:21
I can imagine the film merging Shreck and Penguin as the same character; the business tycoon and the aspiring mayor campaigner. It would sacrifice the Penguin's gothic backstory though, so would it make the film more interesting? Probably not.
I have mixed feelings.  On one hand I think Burton's sensibilities were better suited to a more tragic, sympathetic villain (i.e. the outcast we ended up with in 'Batman Returns').  On the other hand, if it wasn't for Burton I'd have preferred to have seen a more traditional, loathsome version of the Penguin (either a spoiled rich boy or a self-made tycoon, who pulls strings to plot Gotham's downfall).  In some ways, the Penguin in this film is the opposite to that version; he's the poor, dispossessed outsider lashing back at the relatively privileged, content society that he blames for rejecting him.
Title: Re: If not the Penguin...
Post by: riddler on Wed, 28 May 2014, 02:28
maybe the mad hatter since we know Burton did have a vision for the characte and alice and wonderland.


One thing we know is that Burton didn't read the comics (though his screenwriters did) so it likely would have been a character featured in the 60s series. That's why he wanted to use the 4 villains from the 55 film in his (riddler would have been his third film choice).

Riddler would have been deranged (big surprise) but likely not as eccentric as carrey; more of a plotter. I think he would have left more riddles, perhaps in the form of presents.

While I do think he would have done freeze eventually, I don't think the chrismas setting would have worked with him; freezing things in the winter isn't quite as effective.