Following yesterday’s news that Jonah Hill was out as The Batman’s villain, Warner Bros. and director Matt Reeves have already found their replacement. And this time, there’s no ambiguity about who he’s playing. According to Variety, Paul Dano has joined the upcoming reboot as Edward Nygma, a.k.a. the Riddler.
Dano’s breakthrough came in 2004 when he co-starred in Little Miss Sunshine. Since then, he’s landed more substantial gigs in films like There Will Be Blood, Looper, Prisoners, and 12 Years a Slave. His performance in Love & Mercy in 2014 earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Last year, Dano appeared in the Showtime miniseries Escape at Dannemora, for which he received an Emmy nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie.
RELATED: Jonah Hill Passes on Matt Reeves’ The Batman
Obviously, this won’t be the first time we’ve seen the Riddler in live action. Frank Gorshin was the first actor to bring the character to life on the ‘60s Batman series. Cory Michael Smith most recently put his own spin on the character over the course of five seasons on Fox’s Gotham. However, fans will never forget Jim Carrey’s over-the-top performance in Batman Forever in 1995. Needless to say, it seems likely that Reeves and company are approaching the Riddler from a less goofy perspective this time around. Perhaps we’ll see him as the brilliant (albeit disturbed) tactician we’ve come to expect from the Batman: Arkham series of video games.
So far, The Batman’s cast includes Robert Pattinson as the title character and Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Jeffrey Wright is reportedly still in talks to play Commissioner Gordon. The film opens in theaters on June 25, 2021.
What are your thoughts on Paul Dano playing the Riddler? Give us your impressions in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Batman, Vol. 4: Zero Year – Secret City
