HOLY BAT-CASTING!!!

I’m just going to say it now: If the next Batman film/prequel/whatever-you-want-to-call-it (and currently the title is Batman Begins) is not one of the best action films of all time, I’m going to be shocked. The old news is that Christopher Nolan of Memento fame will be directing. The script is being written by Nolan and David Goyer, who basically makes a living adapting dark-themed comic books/graphic novels for the screen as he’s done with the Blade films and the vastly underrated Dark City. And then after a long search, it was announced that Christian Bale would be playing Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Bale has been around forever, and you’ve probably seen him without if realizing who he is. He is a very talented, chameleon-like British actor who’s probably been seen more utilizing his flawless American accent. One of his first roles was as the main character — the little boy named Jim — in Stephen Spielberg’s first, and often forgotten, World War II drama, Empire of the Sun. He played the audience’s eyes into the world of 70s glam rock in Todd Haynes’ fantastic Velvet Goldmine, and he played the sociopathic serial killer in Mary Herron’s awful adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ awful novel American Psycho. He’s even played Jesus once. Personally, I love this choice as the next man to dawn the cape and cowel. He’s going to hopefully bring a level a depth, brooding and darkness to this role that we have yet to see (although I blame that more on the director who ruined the franchise than anything else).

In recent weeks, the casting news has been coming down like wildfire, and each name (generally) has been a jaw-dropping addition of talent. Currently confirmed as participating in the film are Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, Katie Holmes, Michael Caine and Ken Watanabe. And then today, both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter report that Tom Wilkinson and Rutger Hauer have joined this stellar cast as well.

The one thing absolutely brilliant about this entire cast list is that it’s filled with actors! This is not a cast that has been assembled for its box office clout. There’s not one name in that list (with the potential exception of Freeman) that is considered a box office draw. Sure, there are several above-the-title names, but these are all people who have talent, have proven so time and again, and, I’m assuming, have been cast because Nolan believes they best fit their individual specific roles.

I’m not one to rush time these days … I’m already getting too damn old as it is, and mid-thirties is far closer than I would prefer. But every new bit of news about this film makes me look forward to summer 2005 more-and-more.