Pattinson/Reeves Batman Movie (Formerly Affleck Stand-Alone Film)

[AquaParade]

Look at Bob Kane/Bill Finger's Batman and then look at Frank Miller's Batman.

That isn't the same guy.

But it made for a fantastic Batman story that is forever a milestone in the character's history. The reaction to Heath Ledger's Joker announcement and furthermore his makeup reveal are timeless examples of people being upset with changes before giving them a chance and falling in love. It'd be fun to make a game out of citing other examples, but that's the one everyone remembers.

Let them have their diet Penguin.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

then look at Frank Miller's Batman

..In the 80s.

And then look at Frank Miller's Batman in the 2000s and 2010s

They aren't the same guy

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

..In the 80s.

And then look at Frank Miller's Batman in the 2000s and 2010s

They aren't the same guy

Sad but true.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

..In the 80s.

And then look at Frank Miller's Batman in the 2000s and 2010s

They aren't the same guy

Also true.

I find Frank Miller and his work's journey fascinating, even if it's easy to argue that his current work doesn't fire on all cylinders anymore. When he's good, he's still in his own class. It's quite strange to see how his work evolved, and sort of a mind-bender to imagine it going any other way. I mean, if he had stayed with more straight-forward, hard boiled material, he would have put out tons of great material, no doubt. He got weird instead and it's been fun to watch.

[Andrew NDB]

Farrell spotted filming. Eh, so he's just going to look normal and have blond hair:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/batman-s...uin-pattinson/

[CyberCubed]

So Catwoman is black and Penguin has blonde hair and is thin. And Riddler is probably going to look like a normal guy.

Starting to think none of the iconic characters will look like they're known for.

[Andrew NDB]

And this is not an origin story so the villains should already be settled into how they're going to be.

[Voltron]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

So Catwoman is black and Penguin has blonde hair and is thin. And Riddler is probably going to look like a normal guy.

Starting to think none of the iconic characters will look like they're known for.

Eartha Kitt famously portrayed a black Cat Woman. And I thought Patton Oswald looked awesome as the Penguin in Bad Man. I can see this working out well. I'm willing to give it a chance, anyway.

To be fair, when Bale was cast as Batman I kind of turned my nose up. Same with Ledger as the Joker. Pretty boy couldn't possibly pull off a role like that. And I was more than pleasantly surprised at how incredibly wrong I was on both counts.

[Leo656]

People always lean on Bale and Ledger as if they're the Rule and not the Exception, when it comes to casting against type. In their case, it definitely helps that they have exceptional range AND were willing to do the work and undergo whatever physical transformation is necessary to better fit the role.

That's not what we're seeing, here. We're seeing a bunch of people being told "Just come as you are" because they're making an experiment, not a "movie". They're trying to see just how much they can get away with before people cry foul and ask for more consistency. This group of actors aren't being tasked with transforming themselves to fit the characters, as Bale and Ledger did. Instead, they're changing the characters to better fit the actors, and that... well, it's lazy. Also, purely for reasons of shock and manufactured outrage.

Here's the thing... let's say, hypothetically, that someone was making a movie about Hulk Hogan, and they REALLY didn't care if the actor they cast looked anything like him at all. Well then, in theory, I'd be the best possible choice. I mean, I'm a foot too short and just over 100lbs too small, I'm pale as a ghost and have a full, thick head of hair, as well as a very weak chin... I look nothing like him at all, BUT, according to many, many people who know him VERY well, my impersonation is on point. I can do the voice, the inflections, the body language, everything... By the criteria set forth by some people in this thread, the fact that I can "act" the part of Hulk Hogan extremely well means that I'm the perfect guy for the job of playing "Hulk Hogan" in a movie, even though every single other thing about me is... well, totally wrong for it.

I'd love to play that part, but frankly, I wouldn't feel right about it. I'm not the guy. "Acting" is part of it, but it isn't the only part. I think you DO have to kind of look the part as well, otherwise it's just plain silly. I think you should find an actor who fits the part, NOT change the part to fit the actor.

[AquaParade]

Ledger and Bale are great examples and should be cited often, IMO, because the truth is many people like to get worked up about what they think they’re getting and jump to conclusions before they fully understand. It’s just that simple.

Ben Affleck and Hugh Jackman are some other examples of many fans flipping out at casting before falling in love.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion and if someone looks at Diet Penguin and thinks “that’s stupid. Penguin should be fat”, that’s completely fair.
But others are certainly going to be reminded of all the other times hardcore fans got worked up, in mass number, over appearances and perceived notions of actors before falling in love with those interpretations. It’s a lot like convincing my nephews to try new foods - sometimes they like it, sometimes they don’t, but they’re always apprehensive to try. Hardcore fans can be stubborn.

Btw, I think Hogan is an extreme example because it’s a character based on reality as opposed to a character from Gotham City who is fictional. I get the sentiment but it’s not really the same thing.
That said, you can’t really count on making a great movie by looking around for a lead that resembles Hogan. You need a good actor. And from there you need to figure out how to make him look like Hogan, in my opinion. Camera tricks, movie magic, etc. You do prioritize actor ability over physical appearance.
I mean, to be fair, it depends on the project. If you are making a silent film about Hogan (lol) or all the actor has to do is ham it up and jump off rope, then by all means, cast the talentless Hogan clone.

[Leo656]

Well apparently it's gonna be the guy who played Thor playing Hogan in the upcoming movie for Netflix or whatever, so... yeah, it's probably gonna be Not Very Good.

That's exactly what you do; get an actor who outspokenly hates working out, who asked them to make Thor fat in the newest Avengers movie specifically so he wouldn't have to work out... to play a guy who recently, famously said, "Yeah, I know they just put a dozen giant screws in my back and said 'Don't work out for 6 months', but dammit, I ain't worked out in 15 minutes and I'm already losin' my pump, brotherrrrr!" Clearly, their only criteria in casting was "Tall and Blonde", everything else was negotiable.

Casting directors are incredibly stupid people. At least presently.
-------------------

Anyone who flipped out about Affleck's casting needed to look past "Reindeer Games" and focus on the fact that he's the only actor who's ever been cast to play Batman who happened to look exactly like Bruce Wayne/Batman. Those people are idiots. I have a feeling that ten years from now, he's STILL gonna carry that title. It definitely, definitely won't be RPatz. I'm already seeing people whining about the recent set photos and saying that he clearly didn't bulk up at all for the role. The whole casting thing with this movie is just contrary for the sake of it.

Good for anyone who's excited, I'm gonna sit and wait until they decide to take this stuff seriously and actually cast actors who resemble the characters. Next reboot's probably only about 6-8 years away, knowing WB. For right now, "Different for the sake of being different" famously does not sit well with me. Never has, never, ever, ever will.

[Andrew NDB]

After every even mildly controversial casting decision:

a) "Remember when everyone hated Keaton being cast as Batman?!?!"

b) "Remember when everyone hated Heath Ledger being cast as Joker?!"

Eugh. Shut up. I remember a few people saying that, but it wasn't like a mass.

[Leo656]

You're right. Also, it wasn't because they couldn't physically carry the role(s), it was because their actual acting talents had previously skewed away from those types of characters.

I never, EVER heard anyone express doubt that Keaton would look fine in the Batman costume, or that Ledger would physically look like the Joker with the appropriate costuming and make-up. I heard people express doubt that they could ACT the parts they were hired to play, and those doubts were quickly assuaged with good reason.

With this movie, people are saying the exact opposite. "Well yeah, good actors, but these people don't look at all like the characters as we know them." Totally different conversation. To some people, it doesn't matter. I say, it should matter at least a LITTLE bit. The fact that NOBODY looks like they should is incredibly annoying and what leads me to refer to the movie as a "stunt" and an "experiment". One or two people looking unrecognizable, sure, sh*t happens, but EVERY character? That's a deliberate choice.

"I'm making a movie about Santa Claus. I can't move forward unless I find myself a tall, lanky, beanpole-thin, clean-shaven Chinese guy to play Santa." COME ON, quit screwing around and just do your job. YEEESH.

[Andrew NDB]

I even unearthed and resurrected the actual Dark Knight thread here, for fun. I saw that a couple people had initial misgivings about Ledger (largely out of confusion initially) early but it wasn't like a thing.

[AquaParade]

I don’t think telling people to shut up when they state a relevant fact is... “the way.”

There are more examples already listed, and they actually were “mass opinions”. Many people were, in fact, tripping out over Bale, Ledger, Affleck, Jackman, etc.
Heath was criticized first for his perceived acting ability and again for the visual choices like white makeup and scars on his face. Huge (leaving this typo in) didn’t look like Logan because he is tall and handsome. Affleck was so recent, who could forget. Dude killed it though.

Although, unless either of us care to present some sort of reliable measurement or statistic of fan feedback at the time, it’s anecdotal debate.

I can see how it’s annoying to be told “shut up and wait”, when speculating on a film, but that sort of reply is also sort of warranted when people cast judgement without seeing the completed product. It’s sort of the golden rule, no? Be skeptical but leave room for error, when you don’t have all the facts. It applies to more than just movie speculation.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I even unearthed and resurrected the actual Dark Knight thread here, for fun. I saw that a couple people had initial misgivings about Ledger (largely out of confusion initially) early but it wasn't like a thing.

I honestly hadn't heard much of him before that, I don't think. To this day I've still only seen him in Dark Knight. I knew he was mostly famous for that "gay cowboys eatin' pudding" movie he'd done but stuff like that isn't my taste. So I remember being a little confused that someone with "no resume" would be given such a plum role, but I couldn't speak to his acting or anything because I knew literally nothing about him.

All I really still know about Heath Ledger is, he was a damn good Joker, and he showed us all exactly what happens when you lick an Olsen Twin (nothing good).

.....Too soon, or...?

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Got to admit, those are some 1990s looking cop cars there. Maybe those rumors are true?

* edit: Nevermind. It says "Gotham News HD" on the side of that van. "HD" was definitely not a thing in the 90s.

The Sega Genesis would beg to differ!

[AquaParade]

Will we see Robin play a Sega Genesis?

Things I never knew I wanted.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I honestly hadn't heard much of him before that, I don't think. To this day I've still only seen him in Dark Knight. I knew he was mostly famous for that "gay cowboys eatin' pudding" movie he'd done but stuff like that isn't my taste.

Wasn’t that Brokeback mountain? Wasn’t that the movie with the two gay homosexuals? I never seen it either, just heard of it through the grapevine.

[myconius]

scrawny Pattison in that big puffy jacket looks absolutely ridiculous!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9UUcX7FyFI


they need to retitle this movie "The Flatman"