I approached yesterday’s Hitfix piece with a healthy amount of apprehension. The article, which Renn wrote about yesterday, claimed that Joseph Gordon Levitt’s TDKR character, Robin Blake, would likely be soldiering on as Batman for all manners of cameos (Man of Steel), team-ups (Justice League) and future Bat-adventures (The Dark Knight Reboots).
With all due respect to Drew McWeeny, who’s undoubtedly an excellent film journalist and highly respected critic, his sources within or near WB haven’t always provided him the best info. Keeping that in mind, and in light of this official denial from JGL’s camp, I thought now would be a good time to throw my two cents in as well. Here goes:
We will never see Joseph Gordon Levitt play John “Robin” Blake again.
But that’s where my certainty ends on the matter. Batman is Bruce Wayne and, aside from perhaps a one-off film, that mantle won’t be held by anyone other than Bruce Wayne on film. A lot of it has to do with the confusion that’s created in having your Batman on film be different from the one’s in other media. People like you and I will always be able to make the differentiation, but think of the common movie-going public outside from our particular brand of internet fixation: kids, teenagers, your parents.
Hollywood, especially now, is crazy in love with Brand Recognition™. The character of Bruce Wayne makes up a large part of the Batman brand. Comics do this all the time, uprooting status quo and putting new characters under cowls. Azrael filled in for Bruce when his back was broken, Peter Parker’s clone served as Spider-Man during the latter’s identity crisis, and Bucky Barnes subbed for Steve Rogers when he was shot in the head and killed (he later recovered). Bucky was an especially beloved character, and actually made for a great Cap; but a funny thing happened right before Captain America: The First Avenger came out, Steve Rogers came back and assumed his alter-ego once again. Point being: brand recognition begets synergy begets the money or, at the very least, that’s been the working theory the people in charge have been operating with these last several decades.
Regardless of whether or not you think the strategy is the right approach, Hollywood does. It’s the action figures, the video game tie-ins, the happy meal toys, the theme park rides, ect. Having Batman on film be different than the Batman everywhere else requires a lot of maintenance on WB’s part. “Is this Batman cereal I’m buying the Bruce Wayne Batman or the John Blake Batman? Who the hell is this caped crusader on my underwear?!” And Bruce Wayne isn’t going anywhere in the comics. That shit was already rebooted last year.
Above I mentioned my belief that we won’t see Levitt play his Dark Knight Rises character. Of that I’m sure. But, what if McWeeny’s sources are still telling the truth? What if the torchpassing at the end of TDKR was a spiritual one? Might the hand-off have included Bruce Wayne with it? The funny thing is, I could see the young actor in the role of Bruce Wayne. I could even see him give a completely different performance than the one he already gave, a performance that’s far removed from Bale’s excellent take and wholly his own. The kid’s that good. But if it’s not Bruce Wayne then I simply don’t care, and I doubt the studio would either.
If DC’s doing the hard Superman reboot on Man of Steel, I say start fresh across the board. Let Nolan’s trilogy mark the end of a successful era for WB and the Batman character, but leave Nolan’s trilogy alone. If they’re replacing Batman, why not consider Gordon-Levitt? He can deliver a Batman and Bruce Wayne that audiences will readily embrace.
But it all comes back to that goddamn brand recognition, of which John Blake has precious little in the long run. Bruce Wayne is synonymous with Batman. It’s my belief his future in Hollywood is secure.
15 comments
You talk about “the confusion that’s created in having your Batman on film be different from the one’s in other media” but keeping JGL while having him play Wayne and not Blake would be an even greater confusion, especially for “kids, teenagers, your parents.”
Agree with Film Freak. Also, if you remember this is apart of a shared universe. The general public would accept John Blake as a character in this just the same…it is a continuation of a beloved franchise that has ended. The recognition is with that franchise, not with the larger concept of Batman, which can be rebooted any time. It is more important to remember what is happening now, instead of looking at this as a product in the truest sense of the term. This is something you have done extensively in your over praising of the Marvel Series-which is a product in that sense( it is really more like a brand of toothpaste then a film series). it is time to look past that when analyzing other things.
Doesn’t matter what it is in the comics. Even if they were rebooted last year. Marvel is currently changing a lot about their comics to mirror the film universe.
And I could very easily see them doing this. It isn’t hard to think they would. Movie execs don’t care about the comics. They care about asses in seats and DVD sales.
I actually find one of the more fascinating features of “The Batman” is that in actuality, he’s one of the few superheroes who can be replaced. And whoever puts on the cowl is in the middle of a powerful character study as they live in the shadow of someone who’s sense of determination was almost mythical.
Many of my favorite stories actually feature Batman with someone else under the cowl. Like Terry McGuinness(Batman Beyond) who has an incredible revelation in his career that he is NOT Wayne and never will be. He finds new methods to achieve the same effect in beating his enemies, while staying true to what makes this character what he is.
Or even Dick Grayson’s run was always fascinating, as he discovered the balance of being a father figure, a hero, a feared monster, a business man, a loyal protector and still maintain his optimism and humor, as his greatest fear was being “swallowed in” by the Batman persona. If that wouldn’t make an amazing film and incredible take on the character, then I honestly don’t know what would.
We’re lucky enough to even have JGL fit both of these characters quite well and have the clean slate to be a mash up of the two. While finally giving us a Batman who feels more physically acrobatic and prepared to fight supernatural forces in a growing universe.
But, if we can’t get that, at least get me JGL as Spike Speigel in a Cowboy Bebop movie.
Yeah, as much as I would tolerate/be intrigued to see a John Blake Batman, that would cripple the hell out of Justice League.
JGL is a fantastic actor, this is not in question, but he is not Batman. He doesn’t have the physique to be Batman, no matter how much they pad up the suit. JGL would make a phenomenal Robin, and an even better Nightwing, but he will never be Batman.
I see your logic, Tim, but honestly… I could care less either way. What I want is for WB to pull its thumb out its arse when it comes to its other IPs that have sat on the shelf.
You can’t have a conversation about a casting rumor for a superhero movie without “insert actor here” supposedly “not having the physique.” This was said about Christian Bale when he was cast as Batman, and about virtually every other actor cast to play a major superhero in the last 40 years. It’s Hollywood. It’s acting. They have ways to solve this problem. It’s not like he’s Peter Dinklage (and all due respect to Peter Dinklage, who would act the hell out of Bruce Wayne/Batman). Chris Evans wasn’t exactly a physically dominating guy when he was cast as the Captain and he left no doubt that he was filling out the costume.
People have already seen JGL alongside Bale’s Batman. They know JGL is a smaller guy. No amount of camera trickery or bulking up is ever going to change someone’s pre-existing perception. If JGL suddenly turns up as a 6′ 2″ Batman, it’s going to be fucking hilarious.
The cold, hard truth is it doesn’t matter what is in the comics because only a small percentage of the movie-going population reads comics. Hollywood knows this and acts accordingly, admittedly while trying to not grossly offend the relatively small but very vocal and somewhat influential portion of ticket buyers that are comic fans. Plus, they buy a lot of merchandise.
This particular brand of faux intellectualism with a pinch of Aspergers reads terribly familiar. Let me guess, philosophy major?
Honestly, I think the JGL news is just a rumour leaked by the studio to drum up publicity for the DKR video release. I know that sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it’s a common trick. They can’t talk about a potential sequel (like GL) because we know for a fact it’s a closed trilogy, so they do the next best thing and tease JGL continuing. Doubtful it will happen if for no other reason than JGL hasn’t exactly been burning up the box office lately – nothing against him as an actor, but I think his cache is limited.
If Michael Keaton can play spindly legs under a muscley bat suit, then anyone could. I’m still convinced this happened:
Tim Burton: Who should play Batman?
Studio Exec: How about whats-his-name from yer Beetleghost movie? He’s got the look and the chops!
Tim Burton: Oh. Okay. Get me Michael Keaton on the phone.
Studio Exec: Is that his name? He should either be Batman or the Shadow, but no one gives a crap about the Shadow.
A likely scenario, sadly.
This would only work if Superman is replaced by Steel, Green Lantern by Guy Gardner, Flash by Wally West, and Aquaman by, well Aquaman would be fine as he is.
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