In the Access “Week In Geek,” which Batman villains will not be returning in “The Dark Knight Rises”?… ABC’s “V” signs another ’80s cast member… and Peter Parker gets parents in the 3-D “Spider-Man” reboot.
TWO-FACE AND THE JOKER WILL NOT RETURN FOR “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES”
Aaron Eckhart broke the news to MTV that according to director Christopher Nolan, Harvey Dent/Two-Face will not make a return appearance in the upcoming sequel, “The Dark Knight Rises,” scheduled to hit theaters in 2012.
“Chris and I had a meeting, on the beach, just the two of us,” Eckhart said at the NYC premiere of “Rabbit Hole.” “I said, ‘Chris, a lot of people are asking me if I’m in the next ‘Batman.’ And Chris said, ‘Yes?’ I said, ‘Am I?’ He looked at me and he said, ‘No.’”
By all accounts, the character had met his demise at the end of “The Dark Knight,” but obviously Eckhart and Nolan had discussed the possibility of his return, perhaps even in a flashback sequence.
“We found ourselves alone on the beach together on a stormy day and he delivered the news to me,” Eckhart continued. “I was heartbroken. But Chris has his reasons and my life must go on.”
As for those rampant rumors this week that the Joker could also appear in the film via a combination of CGI and unused outtakes of Heath Ledger from “The Dark Knight,” Nolan’s wife and producing partner Emma Thomas cleared that up to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog.
“I heard the rumor,” said Thomas. “We’re not doing that.”
Nolan has been vocal in past interviews stating that the Oscar winning performance of Heath Ledger would stand on its own. While it is quite possible that there were indeed previous plans to have the Joker appear in Nolan’s conclusion to his Batman trilogy, Ledger’s passing has most likely (and rightfully so) superseded the idea of using the iconic character as a mere bridge between films (just as The Scarecrow was used in “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”).
MARC SINGER RETURNS TO “V”
ABC announced this week that Marc Singer would be returning to the “V” universe. Fans will recall that Singer starred in the original ’80s series as freedom fighter Mike Donovan, and will join Jane Badler (Diana) as the second actor to appear in both the original and the current reboot.
Singer, who previously played a leader of the human resistance who fought back against the alien lizard Visitors, will make his debut on the new show’s second season finale. He will portray a member of a top-secret international organization which has long suspected the Visitors have not come to Earth for the peaceful intentions they claim.
“V” returns to ABC with its second season premiere on Tuesday, January 4, at 9:00 PM.
“PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN” 5 & 6 TO SHOOT BACK TO BACK?
HitFix went on the record to report that Disney has quietly informed the cast and crew of “Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” that they should schedule a big block of time in the near future to shoot two more adventures for Captain Jack Sparrow.
According to the report, as with the second and third films, “they will be shooting them back-to-back as one giant film, and then they’ll release them as two films.”
While the fourth film in the franchise is still months away from its May 2011 release, it is easy to assume that plans are underway for further films in the multi-billion dollar grossing series starring Johnny Depp as the famous swashbuckling pirate.
While Depp is already committed to saddle up as Tonto in the “The Lone Ranger” in that film’s planned 2011 shoot, and also reportedly star as Barnabas Collins in Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows” remake, it is unclear when the next “Pirates” adventure might even begin to set sail.
PETER PARKER’S PARENTS CAST IN “SPIDER-MAN” REBOOT
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Campbell Scott (“Royal Pains”) and Julianne Nicholson (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) have joined the cast of Marc Webb’s “Spider-Man” reboot as Peter Parker’s parents.
The parents of Spider-Man’s alter ego have yet to appear on the big screen, as the orphan character was previously seen solely in the care of his Aunt May and Uncle Ben (who will be reportedly played by Sally Field and Martin Sheen in the new film).
Andrew Garfield stars as the new web slinger and Emma Stone will play love interest Gwen Stacy in the film, set for a 3-D release in July 2012.
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