The Next Villains for The Dark Knight Part II?

[gordonblu]

Without the creative limitations, my favorite villain would still be a viable candidate for this film 'cuz he wouldn't  be dead.

[The Joker]

Out of just personal preference, I would have gone with the Riddler as the villain in the second sequel to the Nolan Batman franchise. Despite the unjust criticism that character gets from some circles, he was definately one that people wanted to see next. Which is why people naturally assumed that it would be the Riddler who would follow Ledger's Joker as the next big Nolan Bat-Villain.

With Hugo Strange, I'm pretty optimistic that this could very well turn out good. It's just a wait and see game right now, but it's a choice that does have potential as far as the remaining list of Batman villains go (excluding Catwoman, Penguin, and Riddler of course). Certainly more exciting than Killer Croc, or Black Mask. Though another good villain out of the early Batman villains would be Basil Karlo (Clayface).

[Grissom]

I think Nolan is gonna end his trilogy on a high note. It might feature many villains actually, but balances of course and I would actually like to see him tackle a lesser villain and make it worthwile. Looking forward to what Nolan would do with this and still regretting that Burton never got to finish his trilogy.

[gordonblu]

Aaron Eckhart was recently interviewed by MTV and he confirmed that he was NOT going to be in the next film.

I know Harvey's arc was the supposed point of TDK ( although it was overshadowed by Ledger), but if that was all Nolan could think of doing with the character, this director has seriously been knocked down a peg in my book.

Let's see... I'll have him burned, then he'll shoot a couple guys and get knocked off a building and die.... GENIUS.

[The Dark Knight]

Let's see... I'll have him burned, then he'll shoot a couple guys and get knocked off a building and die.... GENIUS.

While I think his arc is more considered than you, I have to agree with this initial impression. I was hoping Nolan would do something visibly different to the Forever version in terms of his fate. On face value, he's not much different to Tommy Lee Jones' version, except more serious. Both last one film, die from a fall, have a shot of his coin falling, etc.

[johnnygobbs]

While I think his arc is more considered than you, I have to agree with this initial impression. I was hoping Nolan would do something visibly different to the Forever version in terms of his fate. On face value, he's not much different to Tommy Lee Jones' version, except more serious. Both last one film, die from a fall, have a shot of his coin falling, etc.

Actually, he's very much different to Batman Forever's version, and not just in terms of characterisation.  Although Forever was officially a sequel to Burton's films, and Two-Face was therefore an extension of Billy Dee Williams' Harvey Dent, we never really get to see Tommy Lee Jones pre-Two Face.  In Batman Forever, the audience only knows the character by his reputation as an infamous arch-villain.

By contrast, in TDK Harvey Dent never really attains the status of super-villain since as far as all but a handful of people know, Dent died a hero.  Indeed, very few people got to see Dent in his deformed state, and most of them ended up dead by the film's climax.  That's why it's such a pity, as Gordonblu has identified, that Aarom Eckhart won't be returning as Two-Face, since it would have been facinating to see the authorities try and fail to suppress the truth about what happened to the man.  It would also allow the audience to relish him becoming a true super-villain in the same way that The Joker and to lesser extent, Ras Al Ghul and The Scarecrow became in the first film.

[The Dark Knight]

I was talking more about their respective fates. You can throw down the hostage situation similarity as well.

Yes, TDK?s Two-Face never becomes a true villain, and we see his downfall, and in BF we don?t. But I think to the casual onlooker, on face value, they?re not really much different. To simplify things: One is goofy, one is serious. And they?re both dead at the end.

I just think their demises ultimately make them one and the same. That?s the lasting impression audiences leave with. While TDK?s version works, it?s a shame Nolan went and basically copied the BF finale, and added in more exposition. He had the chance to do something radically different. Like, as you and others have pointed out, had Dent roaming the streets, deranged in Batman 3. With the police cover-up going at the same time.

[Matuatay]

I quite agree.  Ending Two-Face in TDK is a HUGE missed opportunity and we really never get to see Two-Face to begin with.  We see a pissed off Dent with half his face missing...and we got about 10 minutes of that, tops.  Nolan should have stuck with his original idea and set Two-Face up to be the main villain in the third film instead of knocking him off this early.  Big mistake, imo.

As far as Strange is concerned, has it even been confirmed that he's even going to be the villain of TDKR?  Last I looked it seemed to be one of those internet rumors that has just snowballed until now everyone is taking it as gospel. 

I'm still hoping against hope that Nolan will change his mind and bring in The Penguin, even as just a bit player in the story. 

It's a shame to hear that Eckart told MTV he's definitely not going to be in TDKR because I am one of those who was really holding out hope that somehow Dent/Two-Face survived that fall and would cause some major havoc in the final film.  Oh well.

[Seantastic]

I think Nolan originally had Joker in mind for the third again, what with Ledger being signed on for 2 films

[gordonblu]

From Moviehole..

    ?It?s just not real?, says a contact at Warner Bros in relation to a news item suggesting that, thanks to CGI and some unused footage from the previous flick, Ledger will reprise his ?Joker? role for ?Dark Knight Rises? Firstly, yes, the original plan was to have The Joker play a small part in the third ?Batman? movie. He would?ve been in a prison, and much like Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter, would?ve played an unlikely aide to his arch-nemesis Batman, who?d be on a mission to to stop? Two Face.