Batman was meant to be a dark tale about tragedy and loss, not an expanded McDonald’s commercial.
The campy tone wasn’t what fans were wanting.
The final product for Batman Forever was a mixed bag. Most importantly, his comedic timing and physical presence were perfect for what the Riddler had been in the past, and for how much farther the character could be pushed. In the previous year, a trifecta of mega hits ( Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber) launched Carrey into super stardom. For one, in 1995, he was arguably the most famous comic actor on the planet. That goes to Robin Williams, who no doubt would have nailed the role with his own comic mastery. He was surrounded by a stellar cast of 90s heavyweights, including Nicole Kidman, Tommy Lee Jones, and Carrey.Ĭarrey wasn’t the first choice to play the Riddler. After an exhausting search, Val Kilmer was chosen to be the next Batman. While this could have been a death knell, the film still continued on and found footing in its cast. This turned out to be a near catastrophic choice that led a disagreeing Michael Keaton to drop out. His replacement, Joel Schumacher envisioned a more campy vibe that rejected the previous two films darker tone. Tim Burton, the director of Batman and Batman Returns, decided not to return this time around. To give a performance that differs from what fans know can be challenging enough, but in Carrey’s case, to lean into what we know and expect, to conform to the boundaries of such an exaggerated character, but also to bring in your own personality to help make the role your own, is perhaps even more challenging.īatman Forever may have been the biggest film of 1995, but it was also a film with a lot of turmoil. This isn’t some lighthearted comic book movie here.ĭano is great in his portrayal in this new version of the Riddler, but it also brings an added respect for what Jim Carrey did as the Riddler in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. Reeves himself has said that he modeled this take on the Zodiac Killer. With the long dirty coat and the creepy mask, Paul Dano’s version looks more like a terrorist.
Gone from the Riddler is the over-the-top brightness. The latter has received a lot of attention for the changes he has undergone from the character we have known in past interpretations. Now that Matt Reeves’ The Batman has been released, we have gotten to see his take not only on the Caped Crusader, but on Catwoman, the Penguin, and the Riddler.
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