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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 4, 2017 14:37:45 GMT
This casting call news bite is so interesting and gratifying! The Vine: Holy cattle call, Batman! Young stars eyeing role
It's as if Warner Bros. Pictures were shining a Bat Signal over Burbank, summoning potential Caped Crusaders. Warners and helmer Christopher Nolan are zeroing in on an actor to star in the title role of the studio's next Batman installment, which is scheduled to start shooting in February. Sources said that during the next three days, several young actors are expected to test for the role. The list of potential crime fighters includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Christian Bale, Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek), Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later), Henry Cavill (I Capture the Castle) and Eion Bailey, who stars in the upcoming HBO feature And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself. Meanwhile, sources say Hugh Dancy, currently shooting the Walt Disney Co.'s King Arthur, may test if his schedule permits and he is able to shave the beard his Arthur character, Galahad, is sporting.--- THR via IMDb, d. 3rd Sep, 2003. ______________________________ And like they say, the rest is history... Before this, I never knew that Cavill and Dancy were also supposed to audition. Did they, though?
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 5, 2017 3:34:32 GMT
So it only took a week for the decision: THR report, d. 11 SEP, 2003, via IMDb: New Batman: Christian Bale
Christian Bale has been cast as Bruce Wayne, the millionaire crimefighter also known as the caped crusader, in Warner Bros. Pictures' upcoming Batman movie to be directed by Christopher Nolan and produced by Emma Thomas. "What I see in Christian is the ultimate embodiment of Bruce Wayne," Nolan said in a statement. "He has exactly the balance of darkness and light that we were looking for." Bale first garnered critical attention for his starring role in Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun". He also starred in 2000's controversial "American Psycho". His credits include "Little Women", "Velvet Goldmine", "Reign of Fire" and "Equilibrium". The search for the new Bruce Wayne/Batman role has been a priority for Warners, which is determined to breathe new life into the franchise in the wake of 1997's critically drubbed "Batman and Robin". The new Batman movie, written by Nolan and David Goyer, follows the early years of Batman, as he is embarking on his crime-fighting career. Principal photography is expected to start in February. Bale is repped by Endeavor.
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 5, 2017 3:35:46 GMT
It would be so interesting to be able to see some of the old web journal entries and read people's reactions to this casting news. Do we know of any way of searching the internet archives?
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 5, 2017 4:41:20 GMT
From WENN news at IMDb: Batman Location Controversy
Animal rights protestors in London are furious with plans to shoot the new Batman movie at an animal testing facility. British director Christopher Nolan wants to use the 1950s-built National Institute For Medical Research in Mill Hill, north London, as a location for upcoming prequel Batman Begins - due to star Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Liam Neeson. A Warner Bros spokesperson explains, "We felt this building offered a unique visual element for our movie. Neither Warner Bros Pictures nor the film-makers, cast or crew of Batman Begins wish to endorse or condemn any social or political position by choosing to film the facade of the institute." But members of the Mill Hill Anti-Vivisection Alliance are already vowing to disrupt any filming at the center - where animals are used to research diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. Alliance member Pat Kinnunen tells the Hendon Times newspaper, "It is extremely sad that this has to go ahead. I believe this institute is all about cruelty to animals and it is an awful shame that this is the location that has been chosen to shoot the Batman film."The institute was used for Arkhum Asylum scenes*. Are shots of the facade in the movie, though? Here is a pic. It's a great facade but I can't tell if it's in the movie. *Source: www.times-series.co.uk/news/606532.0/?utag=8269
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 7, 2017 4:49:52 GMT
The actor who played young Batman in Batman Begins: When I was ten, I played the young Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins. Casting agents came to my school during lunchtime one day and within three auditions I’d got the part. The final audition was with the director Christopher Nolan, and I remember being struck by the gentleness of his demeanour. It was the same throughout filming. He would crouch down to my level to deliver his softly spoken notes and was always receptive to anything I had to say in return. He was very different from the gregarious and voluble Michael Caine, but they were both equally welcoming to me in their own way.
I had done a film before, but the budget of Batman Begins - or The Intimidation Game as it was known during production - was on another level entirely. The scale of some of the sets was mindboggling.
A large section of Gotham City – street after street of dystopian urban decay – was built from scratch inside an enormous airship hangar. Many of these meticulously detailed streets were never even used for filming. The design team constructed an entire neighbourhood and then Christopher Nolan selected which parts he wanted to use. Walking through the fabricated metropolis was an unsettling experience, not to mention disorientating. A guide was required if you ever wanted to make it from the entrance to the site of that day’s filming.
It was here that I had my only encounter with Christian Bale – I was lucky to meet him, we didn’t share any scenes. He was sat in his chair, in full Batsuit minus cowl, having a rest between takes where he was rescuing Katie Holmes from Falcone’s henchmen on the monorail stairway. Black circles were painted around his eyes to ensure no bare skin was visible through his eyeholes when masked. I can’t remember much about our conversation, except that he was very nice to me and apologised for having to look like a panda. Afterwards my mum said I looked a bit like him, but that I shouldn’t worry, I didn’t have such thin lips.
The Batcave was constructed in a very high-ceilinged studio space at Shepperton Studios in Surrey. I remember entering that set for the first time and seeing what I thought was a heavily textured rock face on the far side of the studio, then walking over and realising it was actually covered in hundreds, if not thousands, of model bats – each one intricately designed. It was an extraordinary level of detail considering they were only ever hinted at in the background of shots under extremely low light.
And then, of course, there were the Batmobiles, which were not just functional, but bordering on the over-functional – one had apparently almost taken off when they had driven it at top speed down one of the airfield runways.
Everything about the production was scrupulous, authentic and highly immersive. The quality of the sets and props entirely transported you into Nolan’s Gotham. You didn’t have to see the film to understand what he was trying to do; the dark, gritty, muscular tone was evident from the outset and permeated all aspects of the cinematic process. www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/young-bruce-wayne-batman-arkham-vr
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 9, 2017 1:06:25 GMT
David Goyer, the screenwriter, made an appearance at 2004's Comic Con. From a report on the convention regarding Hollywood's then mixed efforts to turn comic strip material into movie gold: www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/business/can-little-known-heroes-be-hollywood-hits.htmlConsider the case of ''Batman.'' Warner Brothers is trying to revive the once popular 1990's franchise with its 2005 movie, ''Batman Begins,'' directed by Christopher Nolan of ''Memento'' fame and starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne. Fans and critics alike hated the fourth and last installment from 1997, ''Batman and Robin,'' and credited it with ending the franchise. Many still hold a grudge.
''I've been burned four times on 'Batman,''' one audience member told the movie's screenwriter, David Goyer, at a panel discussion on Friday of ''Batman Begins.'' Another audience member compared the new batmobile to a bat tractor, while a man at the back of the hall yelled, ''No more Mr. Freeze,'' referring to the character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in ''Batman and Robin.''
Mr. Goyer, who is himself a comic book fan, did his best to quell their concerns, calling the new movie a ''reboot'' and promising that the batmobile was cool. ''I truly believe you guys don't have anything to worry about,'' he said. ''I wouldn't be here if I thought otherwise.''
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 9, 2017 1:17:31 GMT
From an article on the Tumbler which the Warner Brothers revealed a full year before Batman Begins' release: www.nytimes.com/2004/08/02/automobiles/autos-on-monday-design-what-would-batman-drive-these-days-an-assault-vehicle.htmlThe superhero's jet-powered machine was displayed in Manhattan at Licensing 2004 International, a trade show held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
But no Batmobile before has looked remotely like this one. Gone is the sleek, black form topped by winglike fins. The new car is a squat assemblage of faceted panels and monster-truck wheels, part Stealth fighter, part Mad Max.
The new Batmobile is a sport-utility vehicle.
It is also a military vehicle.
It has four enormous tires at the back -- fresh off a swamp buggy, by the looks of them -- and a body that is covered in armored plates like a stegosaurus. Nine feet wide and 15 feet long, the vehicle has been named the Tumbler for its acrobatic powers.____ Why did the studio show off Batman's new set of wheels a year before the movie is to be released? Was it concerned that fans might need a year to warm up to a radically different Batmobile?
The vehicle for ''Batman Begins,'' said Mr. Spencer, the Web site operator, has sparked controversy among fans. ''It's a pretty big departure from previous Batmobiles,'' he said. ''Instead of a smooth, cohesive design, like most other Batmobiles, it looks more like it has been cobbled together from parts of other machines.
''But, I think that can work,'' Mr. Spencer said. ''With 'Batman Begins' taking place at the beginning of Batman's career, it seems right that the car would lack the more stylized look of later cars,'' he said.
The critical difference is that the next Batmobile, the Tumbler, is a military vehicle, and perhaps just the right reflection of the state of the world now. Its appearance brings to mind the Stryker, an armored troop carrier that is the transportation centerpiece of the government's ''objective force'' philosophy, a concept for a lighter and more mobile military.
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 9, 2017 4:03:58 GMT
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 13, 2017 2:59:36 GMT
A pre-release interview at superherohype.com, done right before the film's release. There's lots of interesting stuff here such as his take on the character and relationship with Alfred Pennyworth, his take on the Bruce Wayne 'toys', his moving on to other productions (The New World followed by Harsh Times), and such: www.superherohype.com/features/88865-christian-bale-on-batman-begins-2
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 13, 2017 5:03:06 GMT
A very charming diary entry from Rutger Hauer's official website, d. March 25, 2004, describing the production of his cameo in Batman Begins! There is a great anecdote of how noise kept interfering with filming inside the filming studio and it turned out to be pigeons in season! Read the full entry at: www.rutgerhauer.org/days/mar2504.php
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 13, 2017 5:43:44 GMT
Clint Eastwood and Batman? Was there any other report of it? The Sky news link in this superherohype.com newsbite doesn't work even at the way back machine: ‘Shahzad Ali’ pointed us to another casting rumor for Batman: Intimidation at Sky News…
Clint Eastwood and Batman – I know, a strange combination.
But the man who is better known as Dirty Harry is being wooed by the makers of the new Batman film starring Christian Bale.
Taking no chances after previous flops, they want Clint to play a version of himself as the mayor of Gotham City.
Clint, who is now also known as an award-winning producer/director is said to be really happy with the offer.
He told my spies: “I would like to show a lighter side to my character in my later years.”
Take it with a grain of salt for now, of course.
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 13, 2017 6:09:54 GMT
Interesting Michael Caine comments on being cast as Alfred Pennyworth. I'm quoting the article in full as the primary source link doesn't work. www.megastar.co.uk/ents/news/2004/02/19/sMEG01MTA3NzE4Nzc3NDg.htmlStars commit to Batman
Sid Billington
Holy batman-rumours! There certainly have been plenty of those flying around of late. We already know that Christian Bale will slip into the suit, but some weighty stars are set to join the caped crusader.
Now Batman 5 has a better name than, er, Batman 5. Christopher Nolan's blockbuster will be called Batman: Intimidation.
Not very catchy is it?
According to Variety, Laim Neeson and Morgan Freeman have also signed up for the action-packed flick.
Neeson will be playing the film's baddie, Ra's al Ghul, who is a wealthy international terrorist. How very James Bond.
While Freeman will have the task of character searching: "Lucius Fox, a respected businessman and the Chief Executive Officer of billionaire Bruce Wayne's Wayne Enterprises."
Irish lad of the moment, Cillian Murphy has already said yes, as has kooky Dawson's Creek star Katie Holmes who will play love interest Rachel.
As previously reported, Michael Caine will play Batman's butler Alfred, and is sure to put the man with the animal fetish in his place.
"I'll definitely be the guardian and butler of Batman, which is the next film I do. I do exactly what amuses me. I thought it'd be great to be Batman’s guardian." Caine recently told About.com.
"I've had butlers for 30 years. He's going to be based on my butlers. Butlers always feel superior to you, the employer. They look down on you because they know more about everything than you do. They're older than you, and in my case, I'm Batman's guardian and I actually am with him."
How's that for method acting.
"I've got a three picture deal. I've never had a three picture deal in my life. I feel like a blonde with big boobs. They always get a three picture deal. I never got one, and this is it. And I didn't have to screw the producer or nothing. It's a three picture deal and it's great. It's an old age pension for me if it works. I hope the first one's a hit."
When you're this honest Michael, so do we.____________________ Secondary source: christianbale.livejournal.com/42854.html
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 13, 2017 23:45:40 GMT
During production Bale seems to have given a brief interview for a UK Living TV segment for The Machinist at the end of which he was asked about Batman Begins. A viewer caught the interview on TV and blogged about it. Needless to say, the blog is now defunct but is luckily archived on The Way Back Machine, so I quote in full. Click on the link to read the comments which are quite interesting. One commentator says that the Empire Magazine also ran the interview. We'll have to do a search for that one! web-beta.archive.org/web/20040510060518/http://www.filmrot.com/articles/filmrot_news/004549.phpUPDATED!! BATMAN BEGINS news straight from Bruce Wayne's mouth! Posted by Gazz on April 23, 2004 12:22 PM | [ 19 ]
I was sat up last night watching some old movies and getting a 'touch drunk' (don't you just love having long weekends off work?) when I caught the tale end of an interview here in the UK with Christian Bale regarding his new movie The Machinist on TV.
At the end of the interview he was asked a couple of questions regarding Batman Begins. He made a veiled dig at Mr Knowles and AICN stating that the production has "to be careful and tight security wise in what we are doing otherwise, before you know it, you're getting reviewed and torn to strips by the 'ain't it not cool' community before even a strip of film has been shot!".
Best of all though, he rather angrily denied that he was making a "comic book movie" and said that that was actually an insult to the millions of fans out there. He said "We're making a film based on a much loved graphic novel. I think to use the term 'comic book' really under values the source material!"
And at the interview's end, Bale said that he cannot say much at all about the project but that if he had to describe it, he would say - and get this for uber-coolness - it "is a cross between Serpico and The French Connection mixed with a really f***ing cool samurai, kung fu movie, and there's like some really strong 70s conspiracy movie vibes in their too! It is definitely not a Batman that you've seen on screen before"
This film cannot happen soon enough!
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 14, 2017 2:32:42 GMT
Cillian Murphy was present with screenwriter Goyer on that San Diego Comic Con panel. He had this to say about working with Christian on set: Cillian was asked what it was like working with Christian Bale and the Ying/Yang factor.
Murphy:We did obviously discuss it and like all the scenes with me, Chris & Christian. A fair point they are two polar opposites, both dealing with fear in some way and using it for different ends I guess. Christian just looks so fantastic in the suit, it’s great, you’re like…that’s Batman, he’s wonderful on set, so committed to it, he was in training for months and months before this and all the fight stuff is really impressive. We had good fun too and I really enjoyed it.To read the full transcript of Goyer and Murphy's conversation on the panel, visit: www.superherohype.com/features/86323-comic-con-goyer-murphy-on-batman-begins
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Post by RhodoraO on Mar 14, 2017 5:50:39 GMT
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