Paul Dano In Talks To Join The Batman As The Riddler
by Erik Amaya
The Batman‘s villain has finally been named.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor Paul Dano is in to talks to play the Riddler in Matt Reeves’s upcoming The Batman. The character had been rumored for sometime — particularly when Jonah Hill was in talks to play the part. Hill’s participation ended yesterday when a deal could not be reached.
The character, created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, first appeared in Detective Comics #140, is a criminal mastermind with an obsession over puzzles, games and, of course, riddles. Part of his preoccupation is his need to prove himself smarter than the Batman. It is a drive which has led to his downfall many, many times over the decades. While his first encounters with Batman and Robin were comical, he eventually moved into a more serious mode as an operator in Gotham City. Though typically named Edward Nygman, THR reports Dano’s version will be called Edward Nashton — a seldom used, but established pseudonym for the Riddler.
On screen, the character has been depicted by actors like Frank Gorshin, John Astin, Jim Carrey and, most recently Cory Michael Smith on Gotham. John Glover voiced him on Batman the Animated Series.
The Batman is said to revolve around the character’s early days in Gotham and sees Batman more in a detective mode than previous films. The use of the Riddler as a key villain certain suggests wits will matter as much in this production as fists. The film will star Robert Pattinson in the title role with Zoe Kravitz slated to play Catwoman and Jeffrey Wright attached to play Jim Gordon. It is set for a June 25th, 2021 release.
