1. The Execution
This next stage is very engrossing because it asks the question on everyone's mind. It asks that one imperative question that fans are dying to find out and research the holy hell out of. The final stage, the
execution, is simply, by definition: filling in the shoes of Bruce Wayne/Batman. It's that one topic that no one wants to talk about because it scares them because some consider Christian Bale the definitive Batman of this generation (despite the graveling voice), and it's the one topic that has the world on fire with its constant guessing games over will inevitably take Bale's place as the Dark Knight. The stellar ending to The Dark Knight Rises answered a lot of questions people had in mind with how Christopher Nolan would end his highly-praised franchise, mostly with how he would tie everything up to where Bruce Wayne is justified and Gotham remains safe in the end. It ultimately ended his his honest retirement from the cape and cowl, passing the torch to Robin John Blake, who would probably change the origin of the character into Nightwing if given the chance. With Nolan's trilogy capped and Bale out of the picture, the hunt for someone else to wear the Bat's mantle is on. But who should be considered worthy enough to put it on for the fifth time in film? Before I continue, I must say that this stage
isn't to find out who should play Bruce Wayne/Batman in the
Man of Steel sequel. It's merely to explain the reasoning behind:
A.) Choosing the actor that could sell the illusion like Christian Bale did, and
B.) Choosing an actor that could play off of Bruce Wayne's/Batman's emotions properly, just like Christian Bale did.
Simply choosing an actor based off their standing in today's society isn't enough, in fact it's not even close. DC and Warner Bros. needs to put an expert level of consideration when looking out for the right man to take up the mantle. But more importantly, they need to choose someone who at first doesn't exactly fit the bill, but over time reveal exactly why they
do fit the bill. I'm talking physically casting someone who could pass for a real-life Bruce Wayne. Because let's be honest: I don't see either Michael Keaton OR George Clooney playing someone as important and socially high-standing as Bruce Wayne. Val Kilmer barely passes by with an accepting nod because of his wit and charm; Keaton and Clooney only got the part because of their successes during those time periods (Keaton with
Beetlejuice and Clooney with whatever big Hollywood production he was involved with at the time). The fact of the matter is appointing an actor not based off their success in society. They should wisely choose someone that would never in a million years run a continent's distance in Bruce Wayne's shoes, but only at first glance. Over time, have it make sense as to why he earned the role of a lifetime. This is how Christian Bale pulled off the miracle of earning the chance to play Bruce Wayne/Batman; he was insanely out of shape, being deemed way too skinny for the role, until dedication and a strict schedule turned him into a beefed-up actor waiting to be told what to do next. And at that time, his only big success was
American Psycho, being released in 2000 and production on
Batman Begins launching in 2004, making people turn their heads at Bale, asking "How exactly did HE end up earning the stripes to play Batman?" For those that watched his performance in the Dark Knight trilogy, we all know
exactly why he earned those stripes. Because he was that damn good. And the next actor needs to have that same effect. One of Christian Bale's biggest selling points in the Dark Knight trilogy was how he brought a realistic, personally scarred version of Bruce Wayne/Batman to the silver screen. His performance as a rising youth becoming a vigilante, to a eccentric billionaire living two separate lives as both a party-goer and crime fighter, to a physically out of shape man who is damaged by his experiences as a symbol of justice is worthy of is simply remarkable. He undoubtedly raised the bar for future generations. And now comes the time where the torch is passed onto another actor worthy enough to hold it. The biggest challenge would be to capture that essence that Bale captured in his performance, of a personalized Bruce Wayne that was almost exclusive to Bale himself and no one else. He literally molded himself after Bruce Wayne, evolving into the character and becoming one with his on-screen experiences. This must happen with the new Batman in the
Man of Steel reboot. Since there will obviously not be a solo film dedicated to introducing a new Batman before hand, the sequel will solely rely on showing us a version of Batman already in his prime, already at home with fighting crime and more than willing to fight side by side with Superman. So there won't be any time to reintroduce the origin story we're all familiar with at this point. Whoever is cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman will play at it a bit differently in this case, as it will start on uncommon ground that harkens back to the days of Tim Burton and (God spare me for saying his name) Joel Schumacher's days of filming Batman. That version of Bruce Wayne was already full-steam into his career, as will this next version. So the actor chosen to fill in the role will have to mold that to his advantage and virtually become Bruce Wayne/Batman, just as Christian Bale effortlessly did. To capture the same essence that Bale did, this new actor needs to make this version of Bruce Wayne/Batman their own. They need to bring their own level of flair, wit, charm, humor, and charisma to the board if we are to believe that this new version is willing to not only be the next Batman, but join Superman and become a single fighting force for the good of mankind. This all leaves a lot on the table, and yet still leaves a lot to be desired. For no matter how hard we look into DC and Warner Bros. crystal ball, the results will always be the same: wait until an official announcement. Once again, this is all speculation in the name of high anticipation., as I know I'm not the only one who is dying to find out who will play Batman, where they'll start with the character, and how they'll approach it with Zack Snyder's rebooted version of Superman. The year 2015 can't come soon enough. Do you agree with these stages? Any suggestions for where to start or carry on from
Man of Steel? Or who should be next in line to play Bruce Wayne/Batman? Leave a comment below with your opinions on the matter.