Ashton Kutcher as Batman? Dear god, I hope we are all just being punk'd.
6/20/03 at 9:17pm
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Batman: Year One (and casting ideas)
6/20/03 at 9:22pm
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Gotta jump in on the last two:
Dan - Kutchner is the flavor of the month. Just because he was in a steaming pile doesn't make it any less of a pile. I enjoyed Dude, Where's My Car? to an extent but he's obviously getting a push for face-o-the-month, being with Demi Moore and the (M)TV series, Punk'd.
Jason, so what you're saying is it'd be logical to consider Steve Martin to play Jimi Hendrix in a biographical film?
Dan - Kutchner is the flavor of the month. Just because he was in a steaming pile doesn't make it any less of a pile. I enjoyed Dude, Where's My Car? to an extent but he's obviously getting a push for face-o-the-month, being with Demi Moore and the (M)TV series, Punk'd.
Jason, so what you're saying is it'd be logical to consider Steve Martin to play Jimi Hendrix in a biographical film?
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6/21/03 at 2:49am
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As much as I love Tony Leung, I really want a big guy to play Batman. I've loved Frank Miller's image of Batman, big and brooding. Like others have said, the guy doesn't have any superpowers, it would be natural for him to be more physically imposing. From those pics on page 2, the John Doe guy fits the bill more than others mentioned in this thread.
6/21/03 at 4:48am
- Joined: August 2000
- Post Count: 2,329
Quote:
| Dan - Kutchner is the flavor of the month. Just because he was in a steaming pile doesn't make it any less of a pile. I enjoyed Dude, Where's My Car? to an extent but he's obviously getting a push for face-o-the-month, being with Demi Moore and the (M)TV series, Punk'd. |
Yup. He's getting the Vin Diesel push - don't worry about track record; if you only tell everyone that he's a huge star and the future king of Hollywood, then just maybe it'll come true
Personally, Christian Bale would be my only choice for Batman. He looks exactly like Bruce Wayne, is an excellent actor, and he has the lean, muscular build that I've always seen superheroes like Batman having.
6/21/03 at 6:20am
Good grief, who's next? Wilmer "Fez" Valderrama as Robin?
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6/21/03 at 7:12am
- Joined: December 1969
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Quote:
| Jason, so what you're saying is it'd be logical to consider Steve Martin to play Jimi Hendrix in a biographical film? |
Clearly, Hendrix's appearance and skin color would be a factor in the story and make Martin unsuitable. But for Batman - well, there's no reason in the twenty-first century that he has to be white. He's been drawn that way, but there's nothing in his character that requires it. If the best actor you can find for the role is someone out of Hong Kong, well, I'll take that over a completely immobile Michael Keaton.
Besides, I generally feel that remakes/adaptations should try to do something new, anyway.
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6/21/03 at 11:52am
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I think bamtan's back ground pretty much does require he's white, unless someone can beliebe a non-white family has owned a controlling interest in a huge multinational technology company for a long time. IMHO, this just isn't plausbile. Most non-white success stories in this field are fairly recent.
6/22/03 at 5:48am
- Joined: April 1999
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Quote:
| it would do less damage to the character of bruce wayne and the dark knight if they cast the back of my sack in the role. |
Hey, don't knock the back of your sack. I heard the back of your sack was really overlooked at Oscar time last year. The back of your sack can ACT, guys!
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6/22/03 at 10:06am
- Joined: May 2000
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Batman: Year One
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screenplay: David Goyer
- Cast -
Batman/Bruce Wayne: The back of your sack
Robin/Dick Grayson: Wilmer "Fez" Valderrama
Jimi Hendrix: Steve Martin
Well I don't know about you but to me this is shaping up to be one hell of a project!
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screenplay: David Goyer
- Cast -
Batman/Bruce Wayne: The back of your sack
Robin/Dick Grayson: Wilmer "Fez" Valderrama
Jimi Hendrix: Steve Martin
Well I don't know about you but to me this is shaping up to be one hell of a project!
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6/22/03 at 10:40am
Might as well throw Verne "Mini-Me" Troyer in as Alfred!
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6/23/03 at 6:06am
- Joined: December 1998
- Post Count: 7,277
" Ashton Kutcher "
oh fucking kill me now please.
I never get why they put people in charge of property that they dont care about or understand.
With everything Marvel has been doing right lately and WB still doesnt learn,theyre still screwing around(Even Daredevil which has probally been the worst recent adaption is better than any of the Batman films).
As if seeing Keaton say "Im Batman" wasnt bad enough -I can already see it ..."Dude wheres my Batmobile?"
(In Simpsons Comicbook Guy voice) "Worst casting EVER"
I just cant see this happening
oh fucking kill me now please.
I never get why they put people in charge of property that they dont care about or understand.
With everything Marvel has been doing right lately and WB still doesnt learn,theyre still screwing around(Even Daredevil which has probally been the worst recent adaption is better than any of the Batman films).
As if seeing Keaton say "Im Batman" wasnt bad enough -I can already see it ..."Dude wheres my Batmobile?"
(In Simpsons Comicbook Guy voice) "Worst casting EVER"
I just cant see this happening
6/23/03 at 7:27am
- Joined: January 2002
- Location: Toronto
- Post Count: 1,300
Quote:
| ..."Dude wheres my Batmobile?" |
fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
6/23/03 at 9:40am
- Joined: July 1999
- Post Count: 6,451
Ashton Kutcher as Batman??...What's next Sean William Scott in a martial arts action film?? 
Seriously, someone at the Toonzone forum made a valid point in Ashton's defense. Here it is....
Calm down. What strikes me as hilarious is that everyone loves Christian Bale, but most people rejected the idea of Brad Pitt, one of the best actors in Hollywood, under the cowl, or Matt Damon. Yet, then people embraced the idea of Colin Farrel and have jumped all over Guy Pearce, men who look and really act nothing like Batman and give no indication that they could. Yet when rumors begin of someone Ashton Kutcher, who FITS THE ROLE that David Goyer and Chris Nolan seem to be going for, people are up in arms because he's Kelso and Jesse hasn't played Batman or a dark character like him before.
People should be praising WB if this news is true, for even considering Kutcher, not condemning them. Here's why:
Chris Nolan appears to be going with a younger Batman in this restart, so he'll probably want to show some flashbacks of Bruce's teenage years. That means he needs an actor who can look younger. Kutcher can be that, as we've seen. We're used to seeing the rugged, handsome Bruce Wayne, but in most Year One style comics, Bruce is the clean cut All-American boy. Ashton Kutcher has that look. It's hard to see it with that long hair he has now, but check out some of his older modeling photos. Not only does he look much better with short hair, but he also has that grim, brooding look, seemingly without even trying.
http://www.efanguide.com/~akutcher/images/52.jpg
As far as acting goes, the man clearly wants to play the character if he turned down Superman for Batman. So he's probably a fan on some level. I'd imagine Kutcher, who has been quoted as saying that he'd like to be the hardest working actor in Hollywood, would do what it takes to prepare for the role of Batman. He's already got quite a build, and his height is nothing to sneeze at (6'3). At 25 years old, he still looks young enough to play a 20ish Bruce Wayne, and would be young enough for the role in several sequels. He doesn't have a huge career, and he probably never would, so he wouldn't worry about being typecast. His film career would be mostly "Batman", and he seems fine with that, if that's the case. There's been nothing but talk about his great Superman screentests. Brett Ratner saw something. Several people must have. Under a solid director like Chris Nolan, Kutcher would only flourish. It's a well known fact that comedians make the best actors, and since Kutcher's made a career of making people laugh, he's a solid comedian. He has excellent comic timing, which translates into good dramatic timing, which lends itself to good acting. His voice is a little suspect, but we saw Schumacher alter Val Kilmer's voice in BATMAN FOREVER, so who knows?
As far as finances go, Kutcher would be a huge box-office draw, from pre-teens to teenagers to the middle age people that watch THAT 70's SHOW and have followed his career. The next Batman movie would be an almost guaranteed smash with Ashton Kutcher in the lead role, a solid supporting cast (Guy Pearce as The Scarecrow?), the screenwriter of the Blade movies, and the director of MEMENTO and INSOMNIA at the helm.
This seems like a win-win situation for fans and moviegoers, and I'm much happier with the possible choice of Kutcher than I am with Guy Pearce, who I'll bet will end up as The Scarecrow if he's attached to the project.
Seriously, someone at the Toonzone forum made a valid point in Ashton's defense. Here it is....
Calm down. What strikes me as hilarious is that everyone loves Christian Bale, but most people rejected the idea of Brad Pitt, one of the best actors in Hollywood, under the cowl, or Matt Damon. Yet, then people embraced the idea of Colin Farrel and have jumped all over Guy Pearce, men who look and really act nothing like Batman and give no indication that they could. Yet when rumors begin of someone Ashton Kutcher, who FITS THE ROLE that David Goyer and Chris Nolan seem to be going for, people are up in arms because he's Kelso and Jesse hasn't played Batman or a dark character like him before.
People should be praising WB if this news is true, for even considering Kutcher, not condemning them. Here's why:
Chris Nolan appears to be going with a younger Batman in this restart, so he'll probably want to show some flashbacks of Bruce's teenage years. That means he needs an actor who can look younger. Kutcher can be that, as we've seen. We're used to seeing the rugged, handsome Bruce Wayne, but in most Year One style comics, Bruce is the clean cut All-American boy. Ashton Kutcher has that look. It's hard to see it with that long hair he has now, but check out some of his older modeling photos. Not only does he look much better with short hair, but he also has that grim, brooding look, seemingly without even trying.
http://www.efanguide.com/~akutcher/images/52.jpg
As far as acting goes, the man clearly wants to play the character if he turned down Superman for Batman. So he's probably a fan on some level. I'd imagine Kutcher, who has been quoted as saying that he'd like to be the hardest working actor in Hollywood, would do what it takes to prepare for the role of Batman. He's already got quite a build, and his height is nothing to sneeze at (6'3). At 25 years old, he still looks young enough to play a 20ish Bruce Wayne, and would be young enough for the role in several sequels. He doesn't have a huge career, and he probably never would, so he wouldn't worry about being typecast. His film career would be mostly "Batman", and he seems fine with that, if that's the case. There's been nothing but talk about his great Superman screentests. Brett Ratner saw something. Several people must have. Under a solid director like Chris Nolan, Kutcher would only flourish. It's a well known fact that comedians make the best actors, and since Kutcher's made a career of making people laugh, he's a solid comedian. He has excellent comic timing, which translates into good dramatic timing, which lends itself to good acting. His voice is a little suspect, but we saw Schumacher alter Val Kilmer's voice in BATMAN FOREVER, so who knows?
As far as finances go, Kutcher would be a huge box-office draw, from pre-teens to teenagers to the middle age people that watch THAT 70's SHOW and have followed his career. The next Batman movie would be an almost guaranteed smash with Ashton Kutcher in the lead role, a solid supporting cast (Guy Pearce as The Scarecrow?), the screenwriter of the Blade movies, and the director of MEMENTO and INSOMNIA at the helm.
This seems like a win-win situation for fans and moviegoers, and I'm much happier with the possible choice of Kutcher than I am with Guy Pearce, who I'll bet will end up as The Scarecrow if he's attached to the project.
Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.
6/23/03 at 10:17am
- Joined: September 1999
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Post Count: 694
Great discussion. I am HUGE fan of the Frank Miller versions of the Caped Crusader. I agree that we should be seeing someone of size...say 6'2" or so and 225lbs. I can't think of an actor in Hollywood right now that really fits the part. Keaton should never, EVER have been Batman. Geeze...Mr. Mom to Batman?
Get an unknown, teach him to act and become the Bat.
Oh, and don't trust the listed heights on IMDB. After working with Andy Garcia, John Rys-Davis, Judd Nelson and others, I can tell you that they are nowhere near as tall as they are listed on IMDB. I am 6'0" and I was waaay taller than all of them. I think they snuck a few inches in just for good publicity.
(edited for crappy spelling)
Get an unknown, teach him to act and become the Bat.
Oh, and don't trust the listed heights on IMDB. After working with Andy Garcia, John Rys-Davis, Judd Nelson and others, I can tell you that they are nowhere near as tall as they are listed on IMDB. I am 6'0" and I was waaay taller than all of them. I think they snuck a few inches in just for good publicity.
(edited for crappy spelling)
Scott A. McGillivray
Vancouver, B.C.
Struggling Actor and Movie Nut!
(Check out my profile on IMDB!)http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1425496/
Vancouver, B.C.
Struggling Actor and Movie Nut!
(Check out my profile on IMDB!)http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1425496/
6/23/03 at 10:33am
- Joined: March 2003
- Post Count: 466
I'll pass on the modeling photos. Thanks.
I'm not necssarily against AK, but if I didn't know any better I'd believe Bale was a self made billionaire, lived in a mansion with an underground complex, and fought crime in his spare time. Kutcher may be the pefect young Batman etc., but with Bale there's actually a chance of seeing some real quality action on screen and he'd be the perfect young Wayne.
I'm not necssarily against AK, but if I didn't know any better I'd believe Bale was a self made billionaire, lived in a mansion with an underground complex, and fought crime in his spare time. Kutcher may be the pefect young Batman etc., but with Bale there's actually a chance of seeing some real quality action on screen and he'd be the perfect young Wayne.
6/23/03 at 10:35am
- Joined: August 2001
- Post Count: 7,528
todd s,
I found it less valid when it starts off pissing over Christian Bale, who can ACT effing circles around Ashton at his best. And unlike Pitt or Damon (both are great actors), he PHYSICALLY already fits the role. And he can do action with the best of them. I am not up on Bale as a flavor of the month. He's good enough to play him many different ways.
If I thought WB was chasing Ashton because he was RIGHT for the role, I'd agree with that. But they are chasing him because Just Married made money. Because he's the "It" fellow. I don't trust their motivations. Based on their track record, it seems a VERY WISE policy.
Take care,
Chuck
I found it less valid when it starts off pissing over Christian Bale, who can ACT effing circles around Ashton at his best. And unlike Pitt or Damon (both are great actors), he PHYSICALLY already fits the role. And he can do action with the best of them. I am not up on Bale as a flavor of the month. He's good enough to play him many different ways.
If I thought WB was chasing Ashton because he was RIGHT for the role, I'd agree with that. But they are chasing him because Just Married made money. Because he's the "It" fellow. I don't trust their motivations. Based on their track record, it seems a VERY WISE policy.
Take care,
Chuck
Hey buddy...did you just see a real bright light?
6/23/03 at 10:53am
- Joined: July 1999
- Post Count: 6,451
Chuck,
I am not saying I agree with all of the guys points. I though Bale would be a good Batman after seeing him in Reign of Fire. That being said. I still like Dominic Purcell as Bats.
I am not saying I agree with all of the guys points. I though Bale would be a good Batman after seeing him in Reign of Fire. That being said. I still like Dominic Purcell as Bats.
Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.
6/23/03 at 11:10am
- Joined: August 2001
- Post Count: 7,528
todd,
I understand that The guy even made good points. I think much of the bitching about Ashton comes from the WHY the studio wants him, moreso than about the actor himself.
Hey, we all have our favorites. It's just that NO ONE's is AK
Them's the breaks,
Chuck
I understand that
The guy even made good points. I think much of the bitching about Ashton comes from the WHY the studio wants him, moreso than about the actor himself.Hey, we all have our favorites. It's just that NO ONE's is AK
Them's the breaks,
Chuck
Hey buddy...did you just see a real bright light?
6/23/03 at 12:15pm
- Joined: December 2002
- Post Count: 4,030
My favorite's AK, but that's probably because he's from my hometown and went to high school at the same time as me (different school though), so I sort of know him. We've got three well-known actors from Cedar Rapids. Elijah Wood has become a big star now, so just Terry Farrell and Ashton Kutcher to go.
6/23/03 at 12:23pm
- Joined: August 2001
- Post Count: 7,528
Well, no one that isn't from the boonies in Iowa or related to him
j/k
Chuck
j/k
Chuck
Hey buddy...did you just see a real bright light?
6/24/03 at 1:27am
- Joined: December 2002
- Post Count: 4,030
The Iowa Boonies have produced such luminaries as Riley Finn, Jim Kirk and Andy Williams. besides, Cedar Rapids is hardly boonies.
6/24/03 at 5:07am
- Joined: December 1998
- Post Count: 7,277
Im 6'1 and 230 pounds and dont think Im physically impressive enough to scare people(that arent afraid of a fight anyway).There are guys in my gym that are bigger than me.
Michael Keaton is what,5'8or 9 170 pounds? Of course a smaller man whos trained correctly can take on much bigger guys but being physically imposing is part of what makes the Bat Costume and character work.
I felt they should have gone with a unknown, but if they needed a name for the first movie,I always thought Bruce Willis would have done very well.
He had a decent build they could work on and I always felt he had the smugness and look to be a great Bruce Wayne.
Michael Keaton is what,5'8or 9 170 pounds? Of course a smaller man whos trained correctly can take on much bigger guys but being physically imposing is part of what makes the Bat Costume and character work.
I felt they should have gone with a unknown, but if they needed a name for the first movie,I always thought Bruce Willis would have done very well.
He had a decent build they could work on and I always felt he had the smugness and look to be a great Bruce Wayne.
6/24/03 at 5:36am
- Joined: January 2002
- Location: Toronto
- Post Count: 1,300
Quote:
| Im 6'1 and 230 pounds and dont think Im physically impressive enough to scare people(that arent afraid of a fight anyway). |
hey, man. you're a big boy. if that's a lean 230, then i say you should be batman.
as for the physically imposing thing, the whole raison d'etre of wayne's adopting the bat motif was precisely to strike fear into the hearts of criminals. in short, he became batman precisely to make everyone afraid of a fight.
so there. i think the part's a lock for you, JonZ.
fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
6/24/03 at 6:21am
- Joined: December 1998
- Post Count: 7,277
Right, but mask or no mask, I dont find Michael Keaton to be imposing
I dont think Id get the part, Im a Mudblood (to use a phrase from the book I just finished reading)
I dont think Id get the part, Im a Mudblood (to use a phrase from the book I just finished reading
)
6/24/03 at 9:17am
- Joined: January 2002
- Location: Toronto
- Post Count: 1,300
Quote:
| Right, but mask or no mask, I dont find Michael Keaton to be imposing |
you make a good point. but i think that this is wholly and entirely tim burton's fault for making what is for me almost the worst batman movie possible. just thinking about it makes me alternately sick, horrified, and angry.
burton could have made genghis khan look like a girlscout in those movies.
someone should burn every existing copy of those movies and then use a giant neuralizer to make us all forget it was even made.
fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
6/24/03 at 12:28pm
- Joined: February 1999
- Post Count: 260
Quote:
| but i think that this is wholly and entirely tim burton's fault for making what is for me almost the worst batman movie possible. |
Don't forget about Jon Peters, I think he might have helped a bit.
I thought the article posted by Todd_s was interesting and it made a valid point if that's the direction they want to go in, but I still wouldn't want "it-boy" Kutcher anywhere near this film.
Quote:
| I think much of the bitching about Ashton comes from the WHY the studio wants him, moreso than about the actor himself. |
Big box office numbers maybe?
That's fine, I just want to see chances taken like Richard Donner did in the late seventies and Ang Lee did recently.
Going back to Tim Burton's reasoning for choosing Michael Keaton, he said it had to do with his eyes, you can see something behind them. I have to admit, it worked to a certain degree, I just would rather have someone with a lower profile.
We need first and foremost, a very good actor, young, at least 6', and relatively unknown, that eliminates just about everyone mentioned here.
I am not counting out Christian Bale, I'll just reserve judgement until I've seen Equilibrium, but I haven't been impressed with his last few efforts.
6/24/03 at 12:40pm
- Joined: October 2002
- Post Count: 444
| someone should burn every existing copy of those movies and then use a giant neuralizer to make us all forget it was even made. |
I stongly concur John!
Somehow those Batman franchises just don't sit well with me.
I too just want to flush those movies down the toilet and hope they never existed.
Let's hope 'Year One' performs well when it comes out so I can quickly forget the others ever existed.
6/24/03 at 4:22pm
- Joined: December 2002
- Post Count: 4,030
Since some people are making a big deal about height, I should point out Ashton Kutcher is 6'3". Not sure how much he weighs, but he seems pretty built.
6/25/03 at 5:45am
- Joined: December 1998
- Post Count: 7,277
It does my heart good to see some here to realize Burtons Batman was so "off" its a bad joke.Id gladly burn every copy in existance.
About 2 years ago, I thought Id give it another chance after not seeing it for about 6 years(Best Buy had it for $9)
I ended up returning it,I hated it so much - which Ive never done with a DVD before or since.
Dan,
I could see Kutcher playing other characters - The Flash for example, but hes not Bruce Wayne and definitely not Batman(which is the real person - Bruce Wayne is the "act")
About 2 years ago, I thought Id give it another chance after not seeing it for about 6 years(Best Buy had it for $9)
I ended up returning it,I hated it so much - which Ive never done with a DVD before or since.
Dan,
I could see Kutcher playing other characters - The Flash for example, but hes not Bruce Wayne and definitely not Batman(which is the real person - Bruce Wayne is the "act")
6/25/03 at 11:15am
- Joined: February 1999
- Post Count: 260
Quote:
| It does my heart good to see some here to realize Burtons Batman was so "off" its a bad joke.Id gladly burn every copy in existance. |
One of the things I found funny about Batman is that when they were hyping it, they said that it was going to be really "dark" and nothing like the TV show. Well, I found it to be really "light" and too much like the TV show. At least the TV show admitted to being campy.
