The Batman: 10 Perfect Roles Mahershala Ali Could Play
6. Mr Freeze
Another major Bat villain, Mr Freeze’s big movie appearance in Batman & Robin was decidedly less popular than The Dark Knight’s Two Face. Played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the scenery was well and truly chewed as Freeze spouted camp quips and cheesy puns.
Beneath all that though, Mr Freeze is one of Batman’s most sympathetic villains. His central motivation is his wife, Nora, who is suffering from a terminal, incurable disease. Freeze is determined to save her by any means necessary, and this has led him down a very dark path indeed.
Clearly, despite Schwarzenegger being paid a whopping $25 million for the role of Mr Freeze (with only 25 days on set, that’s a cool million per day), he was totally wrong for the part. Mr Freeze needs to be threatening, yes, but at the same time he needs to be emotionally complex, tender, and deeply hurt.
Not every actor would be up to the task, and as Batman & Robin proved, it’s easy to get wrong. Mahershala Ali though is an actor of immense talent, and his take on the tragic Mr Freeze would be wonderful to see.