Gotham City is turning into a Hollywood A-lister rollercoaster. Very famous dudes might be starring as Harvey Dent, the Penguin and Alfred. It’s another round of Bat-tastic casting rumors!
Director Matt Reeves promised that he’d find actors for supporting roles once he found his Batman, and he’s been true to his word. After casting Robert in the title role, Reeves added Paul Dano as The Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman. And now it looks like this stacked cast is getting not one but two more exciting additions.
Deadline reports that Colin Farrell is in negotiations to play The Penguin, and The Wrap says that talks are also happening that would make Andy Serkis Alfred Pennyworth.
Reeves has said that his take on the Caped Crusader would be “defining” and “very personal,” something of a departure from the Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, and Zack Snyder films. In that light, these casting decisions make sense.
Let’s start with the brusque, Irish-born Farrell. He brings a completely different sensibility to a character last portrayed by Danny freaking DeVito in 1992. We’re fans of both, but it’s hard to think of two more different actors.
Serkis is best known, of course, for portraying Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and he’s also worked with Reeves on two Planet of the Apes films. He’s British, but typically brings a sort of roguish energy to the screen that’s quite different from the proper, somewhat stuffy way Alfred has been portrayed in the past.
Even if, as is rumored, Matthew McConaughey doesn’t play Harvey Dent, Reeves has an all-star cast. That gives us hope that his take on Batman will be fresh and interesting, not a rehash of previous efforts.
