This is apparently what I would look like if I were drawn by Bryan Lee O’Malley (or his robot proxy).
You can make your own here. You’re welcome, Universal Studios marketing team.
(PS. Don’t even bother on an iPhone or iPod touch. These sites are Flash feasts.)
Well, OK, not really. But as Dark Horizons put it, “the Riddler being the villain for the next Batman film has been upgraded from wild rumor to regular rumor.” Studio casting grids for Batman 3 mentions the character as being in the film, and apparently that’s a pretty good indication, according to firstshowing.net.
Interesting. I’ve spoken to friends who feel that the Riddler is an unlikely villain due to the fact that he could be narratively too similar to the Joker. Personally, I’m feel that the Riddler and Catwoman are obvious choices, and have faith that Christopher and Jonathan Nolan will do something clever and original with them. My hope is that they do something similar to an angle that was used in a recent comic story arc.
Picture this: At the end of The Dark Knight, Batman is an outlaw on the run. Gotham’s police and citizens have turned against him. In Batman 3, the Riddler is introduced as an apparent good guy, a brilliant problem-solver who has offered his services to the police. He helped crack several tough cases and he and the GPD are hard at work tracking down the Batman. Problem is, this Riddler character has darker motives and may actually be responsible for several of the crimes he had a hand in solving. Batman of course figures this out, and the Riddler leads him on a merry chase of increasingly deadly puzzles. By the end, Batman is redeemed in the eyes of Gotham for saving the city and exposing the Riddler’s true criminal nature. Also, a very morally gray Selina Kyle/Catwoman is involved somehow because we need a strong female character and love interest for Bruce Wayne. She will not be played by Angelina Jolie because that is a terrible idea. Anything’s possible, I s’pose, but that’s my take and my prediction. If it turns out to be true, you heard it here first.
Don’t worry, she’s OK. Her words.
Personally, I’m holding out for the Breaking Bad G.I. Joes.
PS. Mom and Dad, I know you’re reading this, and I know you’re not much for TV anymore, but you should get on board with Mad Men. I’m dying to know how it hits with people who actually remember the moon landing and JFK (even if you were just kids at the time). Just sayin’. It’s a great show.
Months have passed since I had to abandon my WTC Week-by-Week project, but every once in a while I like to check in on the official sites and see how everything is going. Since I live so close to the WTC site—hate the term “ground zero”—I have an unquenchable curiosity for the construction, but can never see most of the cool stuff. Case in point: I had no idea that the memorial pools have had their smooth black granite walls for almost a month now.
More images of the pools here and, as always, lots of interesting information at the WTC Progress site. Also worth noting: The Deutsche Bank building has been deconstructed to less than 12 stories tall, and it seems as though they are progressing at about a story a week now. Good news for the view from my apartment.
Dear Chistopher Nolan,
I just returned from a midnight screening of your latest film, Inception. Simply put, well done, sir. Thank you for taking the time to craft a truly original story and cast it out confidently on a sea of franchises and remakes. Thank you for trusting that my fellow movie-goers and I are not slack-jawed idiots who need to be spoon-fed simplicity, familiarity, and banality. Thank you for realizing that “fun” doesn’t have to mean “stupid,” for putting story first, and for understanding that action set pieces can exist because, rather than in spite of, a good story. Thank you for not tricking me with a cheap twist ending. Thank you also for not pulling your punch in the last act and wrapping everything up with a neat happy ending (like certain other formerly-great directors have felt the need to do in their later years). Like Kubrick, Hitchcock, and other artists who have inspired you, you understand that ambiguity can sometimes be a reward rather than a liability.
Keep up the good work. While it goes without saying that I now look forward with impatient eyes to Batman 3 and the new Superman, I think I am most excited about the original projects of which we—and maybe even you—do not yet know. I’ve come to expect only the best from you, and I’m certain that you will not let me down.
Sincerely,
Mike
PS. Thanks also for casting Marion Cotillard. She’s real pretty.
Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly via Dark Horizons.
My opinion of this is still gelling, but I’m surprised that I don’t hate it.
The Seven Simple Shakespeare Covers™ are getting a makeover! Hollywood is going bananas for 3D, so why shouldn’t I, right?
PS. For those who are curious, this is done without the use of custom action scripts or plug-ins.
The Secret Royal Society and This Cursed Host, suggested by Jeremy Bent and Tom Kurzanski, respectively.
