Paul Dano is going from indie favorite to comic-book movie villain as Edward Nashton/The Riddler in director Matt Reeves’ upcoming “The Batman.” Warner Bros. has confirmed the casting to IndieWire, which comes on the heels of Dano’s recent Primetime Emmy Award nomination Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role in Showtime’s “Escape at Dannemora.” Dano is beloved in the indie film world for his acclaimed performances in movies such as “Love and Mercy,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Prisoners.” Last year, he released his directorial debut “Wildlife,” which earned acclaim throughout bows at the Sundance Film Festival and Cannes.
News broke earlier this year that Warner Bros. and Jonah Hill were in talks for the comedian to taken the role of The Riddler, a character that was previously played by Jim Carrey in “Batman Forever.” Variety reported yesterday that Hill passed on the role after failing to reach a deal with Warner Bros. Dano is the latest actor to join the cast of “The Batman,” which will star Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader and Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman — a role previously played by the likes of Michelle Pfeiffer, Anne Hathaway, and Halle Berry.
“The Batman” is being directed by “War for the Planet of the Apes” filmmaker Matt Reeves. While the plot of the movie is being kept under wraps, Reeves has been vocal about the movie centering on a younger version of the Batman character. The film is not expected to be an origin story such as Christopher Nolan’s iconic 2005 “Batman Begins.” As Kravitz and Dano’s casting confirms, “The Batman” will use various characters from the Batman comic book series. More familiar names are expected to be cast in the future.
“The Batman” will feature a score by Reeves regular Michael Giacchino and cinematography from “Lion” Oscar nominee Greig Fraser, who also shot “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming “Dune” movie. Giacchino teased “The Batman” during an appearance at Comic-Con earlier this year. Warner Bros. will open “The Batman” in theaters June 25, 2021. Production on the movie begins in 2020.
