Sometimes you have to post stories that you pray are wrong.
The Sun has reported today that Eddie Murphy, of Pluto Nash infamy, will be playing the Riddler in the sequel for the Dark Knight. According to the article, apparently Shia Lebeouf has also been signed on to play Robin.
Now, after reading this article (I almost hate Troy Brownfield for finding articles that I can’t unsee), the Robin rumor seems to be hokum to me, as director Christopher Nolan said he’s “in a crib somewhere.”
To which all this makes me feel it would turn into this.
UPDATE: Hilarious. While it’s pretty clear that Christopher Nolan would never actually slip box office cyanide like this into the tentatively titled Gotham, Eddie Murphy still has been flooded with questions about a possible Riddler role. Click here for the emphatic no.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39487
How’s that for a followup?
December 17th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
It is so crazy and over the top, I just couldn’t resist.
December 18th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Yep… Harry Knowles gave the best resposne I’ve seen to all this crazy bullshit. I disagree with his idea of jumping ahead to making the next movie The Dark Knight Returns (I just don’t think it will translate effectively), and I really disagree with his idea of making Mickey Rourke (Bale is Batman/Bruce Wayne to me) the older, DKR, Bats, but he’s spot on with the rest. Besides, Rourke said in an interview the other day he wasn’t interested in stuff like Batman. Apparently, now that he has hyped-up film coming out and he’s hot again something like a comic book movie is beneath him. But, he’s OK with playing a professional wrestler.
Anyhow, the most interesting part of Harry’s little rant is the idea that Nolan may be interested in making a film version of The Prisoner again… One of my favorite TV programs ever, one that I don’t know I’d ever want to see remade, but in Nolan’s hands I think it could be done justice, maybe even be something really special (certainly moreso than the TV miniseries that’s supposed to come out next year). He probably doesn’t want to cast Bale in all of his films, but I could definitely see Bale as No. 6. Or perhaps Clive Owen?
Back on topic though, I’m sick of all the BS Batman rumors. Until Nolan’s actually signed for third movie everyone should disamiss this crap. Who honestly believes Nolan would cast Eddie Murphy in his Bat-universe?
December 18th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Eddie Murphy is going to play the Riddler.. A very interesting idea which might be worth a try..
December 18th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
The Sun? Really? We’re quoting articles from the U.K.’s version of The National Enquirer? Wow. How about we use a little common sense and not spread this sensationalist crap.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Eddie Murphy is box office poison. He was going to get an Oscar nom for Dreamgirls and then turned around and did Norbit, one of the most universally reviled movies of this decade, and got snubbed. Outside of Dreamgirls, Murphy hasn’t done a good movie in over a decade. This is a BS rumor to the highest degree. I believe Harry that Nolan probably isn’t even thinking much about a 3rd Batman yet. If someone’s going to come up with a rumor, and least make it semi-plausible.
December 18th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I’d really love to get in on this “spew ridiculous lies about upcoming Batman movies and have them reported as news” action. Who do I contact?
December 18th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
micheal sheen for riddler end of!
December 19th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Whatever, “News Review”… Nolan, according to the rather dull accounting of his BD-Live chat for TDK that I read earlier this morning, has only started the very earliest of story discussions for a 3rd Batman movie. Story discussions. As in, there’s no story yet, let alone a script, let alone a cast (aside from Bale, Caine, Oldman and Freeman of course). That comes from Chris Nolan himself. He also has other things on his plate he wants to work on (I’m hoping for The Prisoner), and there’s pretty much no chance that Eddie Freakin’ Muprhy would show up in Nolan’s dark, more “realistic” (for a comic book) take on Batman.
I don’t think it even has anything to do with Murphy being “box office poison,” as Johhny D suggests. He would simply stick out like a sore thumb and pull you right out of the movie every time he was on screen. That’s because he’s Eddie Murphy and he’s been so ubquitous over the past 25 years. Paramount tried to stick him in Star Trek IV way back when, and that ultimately fell through for much the same reason. He would’ve overwhelmed what was already a great story and fun script. But at least that film was something of a comedy in parts, and it made a little more sense than having him in Nolan’s Bat-films.
Murphy might’ve fit in one of Burton’s or (especially) Schumacher’s Batman films, but not a follow-up to The Dark Knight. That would simply further the “curse” of third films that many think exists. Think Richard Pryor in Superman 3, folks.