British tabloid The Sun is reporting that Eddie Murphy and Shia Labeouf have been added to the cast of the third Batman film.
“Chris wasn’t sure if he wanted to do another movie but as soon as he decided to, he got the wheels in motion,” a source said to the tabloid. “Eddie’s a fantastic addition. Everyone’s excited to see what he does as the Riddler.”
Except, here’s the thing.
The Sun is full of crap. Christopher Nolan is notoriously closed-mouth about casting decisions, and all that I’ve been hearing about the film revolves around Johnny Depp playing the Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman coming aboard as the Penguin.
Now, I’m not saying that will happen, but I doubt that Nolan is looking to add Robin to his cast. I really do. Because every time I’ve seen Robin, I’ve personally hated him because he’s a weak character with a poor back story.
And Nolan seems more interested in the darker side of Batman’s story – something that Heath Ledger captured perfectly. With Nolan’s foresight to cast Ledger – not that big of a name, but a very talented actor – one would have to figure he casts based on potential for the role that he has drawn up, and not just big name box office draws like Labeouf and Murphy.
After all, the Batman franchise itself will always be popular as long as the director is making quality films. There isn’t a need for a big box office draw.
With all of this being said, Murphy would be a really interesting choice for a part in the film. I’m a big fan of his comedy – which is utterly profane – and I want to see him take on a challenging role that puts him outside of his comedic comfort zone.
Who do you want to see in the new Batman movie? Someone else besides those listed in this report, or do you want a little more Robin in your life?
