17. Liam Neeson Has The Distinction Of Playing Two Batman Villains In The Same Movie
Most people with a passing familiarity with the Batman mythos know of Ras al Ghul, the shadowy leader of the League of Assassins (changed to the much more pulp fiction sounding League of Shadows in Batman Begins) who has environmentalist sympathies and a hot daughter. Liam Neeson, of course, plays al Ghul in Batman Begins, but for the first 2/3 of the film, his character masquerades as Ducard, a ninja who trains Bruce Wayne in martial arts disciplines. Ducard wasnt created by the filmmakers; hes actually an obscure character from the comic books a French assassin who appeared briefly in The Man Who Falls (one of the primary comic inspirations for Batman Begins) and in the three part story arc "Blind Justice" (written by Sam Hamm, screenwriter of the 1989 Batman film). Ducard trains Bruce Wayne, has a falling out with him over his refusal to kill and becomes his enemy. Sound familiar? Cannily, Nolan and his fellow filmmakers costumed and designed hair/makeup for Neeson so that he simulatenously looks a little like Ras, and a little like Ducard, insurance to make Begins big third act twist that much more effective. Ras, of course, has been one of the major members of the Batman rogues gallery in the comics since the 1970s; and Ducard recently made a reappearance in the pages of Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleasons monthly "Batman and Robin" title perhaps the success of the Nolan franchise has made comics creators give the character a second look