The long-gestating ‘Batman’ solo film now has two actors in talks for major roles. If deals close, Jeffrey Wright will portray Commissioner Gordon, while Jonah Hill will play a villain, which is either The Penguin or The Riddler.
Wright is currently in the HBO series ‘Westworld,’ and recently joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as The Watcher in the animated ‘What If…?’ Disney+ series. He will also reprise his ‘Casino Royale’ role in Cary Fukunaga’s ‘No Time to Die,’ releasing April 8, 2020. Other upcoming movies include Wes Anderson’s ‘The French Dispatch’ and Joe Robert Cole’s ‘All Day and a Night.’
Hill was recently in Harmony Korine’s ‘The Beach Bum’ and the Netflix miniseries ‘Maniac,’ also from Cary Fukunaga. This is not his first DC role either, as he voiced Green Lantern in both of Warner Bros. Animation’s ‘The Lego Movie’ films. Other credits include the three ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ films, both ‘Jump Street’ movies, and Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’
Moreover, Robert Pattinson (‘Good Time,’ ‘High Life’) will take on this latest iteration of the Dark Knight. He replaces Ben Affleck (‘Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,’ ‘Justice League’).
Matt Reeves, the helmer of the ‘Dawn’ and ‘War’ installments in ‘Planet of the Apes’ franchise, serves as both writer and director.
Additionally, the film will feature a rogues gallery of villains. Such characters include The Penguin, The Riddler, Catwoman, Firefly, Two-Face, and Mad Hatter. Vanessa Kirby (‘The Crown,’ ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’) is on the radar to play Catwoman.
The crew, so far, comprises of:
- Art directors Oliver Benson (‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle,’ ‘Black Earth Rising,’) and Joe Howard (‘Overlord,’ ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’)
- Cinematographer Greig Fraser (‘‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,’ ‘Vice’)
- Production designer James Chinlund (‘War for the Planet of the Apes,’ ‘The Lion King’)
Further, filming is aiming to begin January 13, 2020 in London, England.
Warner Bros. will release ‘The Batman’ on June 25, 2021.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline