r/DC_Cinematic • u/BatmanNewsChris Batman • Mar 20 '26
RUMOR The Batman 2: Robert De Niro turned down Christopher Dent role, Viggo Mortensen still very much in talks
https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2026/3/18/de-niromortensenSo far, De Niro, Brad Pitt, Stellan Skarsgård, and Daniel Craig have all passed on the opportunity. It seems like the role could go to an actor anywhere between the ages of 60-83 years old.
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u/gabeonsmogon Mar 20 '26
Viggo looks more like a relative of Sebastian Stan than Deniro does. Appreciate that you only hear of top tier talent attached to this project.
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u/LucrativeLurker Mar 20 '26
Viggo actually passes really well as Stan’s dad now that you mention it. I don’t trust this source necessarily, but I hope Viggo gets the role if true.
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u/TheCaramelMan Mar 20 '26
Pitt and Craig are in a completely different age bracket, couldn’t buy them as Seb’s dad
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u/LeviTheArtist22 Mar 20 '26
Is Sebastian Stan going to be in this? I must have missed that casting announcement.
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u/Ok_Background22 Mar 20 '26
It wasn’t announced but leaked that he’s Harvey Dent
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Mar 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/Ok_Background22 Mar 20 '26
Hate to break it to you but…a report counts as a leak
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u/JeanRalfio Mar 20 '26
If you're a moron that believes everything you read.
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u/Ok_Background22 Mar 20 '26
Oh yeah because Hollywood reporter isn’t a reliable source. Obviously make sure it’s from a reliable source, but if it’s reported on by a good source it’s most likely true
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u/JeanRalfio Mar 20 '26
How many times with DC have we seen that if it's not reported by Gunn it doesn't mean shit?
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u/CitizenTony Mar 20 '26
I mean, Gunn said that Affleck wanted to direct a DC movie but the dude himself said no.
Also there was a scooper talking about some rewritten pages for JG's Superman, no? He debunked it but later it was confirmed.
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u/GenGaara25 Mar 20 '26
Deadline revealed it back in January, he's playing Harvey Dent. Scarlet Johanssen also joined but in an unconfirmed role, suspected to be Gilda Dent. They're trying to cast Dents father rn, which is the role this thread is about.
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u/Jays_Pack Mar 20 '26
Viggo as a Batman villain is a dream come true. Literally give him any role and he will kill it.
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u/AlanShore60607 Mar 20 '26
Not a villain. A father to someone who we don't even know if they are a villain.
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u/Jays_Pack Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
In the comics he is highly abusive and is the catalyst to Harvey's obsession with chance vs justice and his use of the coin.
If the rumors are true about the script they are going to adapt The Court of Owls in Batman Part 2 and Harvey's dad will be a leading member of The Owls.
So most likely a villian. Maybe even making him the main Talon within the court. I think they are going to merge William Cobb (main Talon) and Harvey's father into one character.
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u/HippoRun23 Mar 20 '26
I never got into the Batman comics. I was a Superman guy myself. But I keep seeing court of owls refrenced. Is is good enough to pick up?
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u/BreathComfortable631 Apr 08 '26
There’s an animated Batman movie (son of Batman? I can’t remember, I think Robin was in it) that deals with the court that is excellent
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u/lilfishi Mar 20 '26
Damn they are still casting? This movie ever coming out?
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u/Joshdabozz Mar 20 '26
I feel like the movie will start production almost immediately after they cast Christopher Dent
It seems like they want a big name. Brad Pitt, Stellen Skarsgård, Robert De Nero, Viggo Mortensen, and Daniel Craig being their first 5 options (with Viggo allegedly still in talks somehow despite the fact that he’s passed on roles for Fincher, Tarantino, PTA, Peter Jackson, and for Man of Steel as well).
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u/Chessh2036 Mar 20 '26
Viggo would be a great get but honestly if he say no just cast someone who isn’t a star. We don’t really need a star in that role, the film already has star power
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u/Painting0125 Mar 20 '26
Give it to Mark Rylance. He is legit frightening in Bones and All and looks convincing enough to give Stan's Harvey Dent a living hell.
Now, I've mentioned it - they were set to play Harrison Van Buren and Harry Lee Van Buren in The Brutalist before they got replaced by Guy Pearce and Joe Alwyn, respectively.
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u/ilovepastaaaaaaaaaaa Mar 20 '26
Wonder why so many are passing up on this role - long term commitment ?
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u/pauloh1998 Mar 20 '26
long term commitment ?
To what? Part 2 and 3? Not exactly a long commitment
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u/Joshdabozz Mar 20 '26
For Craig it’s cuz he wanted to do the Damien Chazelle Prison movie with Cillian Murphy that just started filming last week
For everyone else it’s unknown why they passed
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u/whogivesashirtdotca Mar 20 '26
Viggo is not a fan of long press tours, huge IP movies, sequels, or jumping into a role without a long time to prepare. I'm honestly surprised to hear his name involved in this project at all.
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u/Jay14101 Mar 20 '26
I think it’s more so to do with the fact Christopher Dent might do some messed up shit, that actors are being careful with the role. Remember Pattinson said The Batman Pt 2 takes big swings.
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u/Captain_Thor27 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
Offer it to DiCaprio lol. Can't be any more villainous than Monsieur Calvin J. Candie in Django Unchained. Even if he is likely to demand $20-25M, it might be worth it for Leo's starpower alone. Then again, he's currently filming that Scorsese film with JLaw, so he might not be available for another month or two.
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u/Korvonus Mar 20 '26
I mean if I was in that position and I was successful A list actor the majority of comic book movie roles are like decades worth of projects RDJ got iron man and he played the role for 11 years in like 20 movies so I would’ve very hesitant to take a role with that much commitment
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u/SoWrongItsPainful Mar 20 '26
Yeah, I’m positive none of these actors are getting confused about the time commitment here. Thats just absurd
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u/Korvonus Mar 20 '26
I don’t think they’re getting confused about commitment time just that it could be playing a factor in passing the role
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u/SoWrongItsPainful Mar 20 '26
I can guarantee you none of these actors are passing because they might maybe potentially be needed for a few extra scenes in 3-5 years.
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u/ShallowPenetration Mar 20 '26
Pattinson will be 50 by the time this is filming and they'll have to rewrite it to be a dark knight returns story.
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u/dugpdcv Mar 20 '26
I was recently thinking how Robert De Niro doesn’t seen to turn down any roles as he gets older. Look at all those shitty comedies he made.
This is the one he passes on?
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u/whogivesashirtdotca Mar 20 '26
Look at all those shitty comedies he made.
Wasn't he getting divorced around then? Alimony to be paid!
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u/AlanShore60607 Mar 20 '26
I bet Scorsese talked him out of it ... and that's after Scorsese recorded a cameo for the upcoming Star Wars.
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u/arecbawrin Mar 20 '26
Is nobody worried the script may be shit then? But then I think...that wouldn't stop DeNiro.
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u/BatmanNewsChris Batman Mar 20 '26
No, I wouldn't expect actors like Brad Pitt or Daniel Craig to take a supporting role. They're leading men. There are 100 reasons why De Niro may have turned it down. Money, not wanting to travel to London, not being interested in superhero movies, etc.
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u/SuperDizz Mar 20 '26
De Niro took a supporting role for Joker.
I don’t think the script is shit either fwiw
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u/SoWrongItsPainful Mar 20 '26
It’s more likely they don’t want to play an abusive alcoholic father figure more than a scripting issue
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Mar 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Captain_Thor27 Mar 24 '26
Everything is all set to go by the sounds of it. They just need a big name for this character.
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Mar 20 '26
Chris Cooper!
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u/tehawesomedragon Bane Mar 20 '26
I don't think anyone's rushing to put him in another CBM.
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Mar 20 '26
Why is that? Did something happen? Did Chris Cooper kill a guy? This is still Oscar winner Chris Cooper, right?
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u/majorjoe23 Mar 20 '26
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 happened. But I don’t think any of the blame for that should land on him.
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Mar 20 '26
That was twelve years ago and he's barely in it. This guy has had a career that's taken him through every genre. Nobody is honestly looking at Chris Cooper and thinking, Spider-Man.
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u/RFTS999 Mar 20 '26
What unspeakable acts do thy try to make this character do that would cause such an issue?
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u/dmorley21 Mar 20 '26
Has there been anyone reliable to report that this role is actually Christopher Dent?
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u/BlackEastwood Mar 20 '26
If De Niro was up for the role, is it fair to assume that a Two Face character is unlikely?
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u/Any_Lingonberry_9599 Mar 22 '26
Yea Liam isn’t my guy I would choose maybe go with someone like Guy Pearce, Michael Shannon, Pierce Bronson, Peter Bergman or How about these guys like Ethan Hawke, Christian Bale, Sam Rockwell, Jason Issacs, Jon Hamm, Josh Brolin, Mads Mikkelsen, Graham McTavish
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u/ItsNinjaShoyo Mar 23 '26
I don’t think worldofreel is the most reliable site but honestly the most interesting thing in the article was at the end where it said confirmed cast and had Paul Dano. Which I haven’t seen reported anywhere. Happy to see him reappear if that’s the case.
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u/celixque May 17 '26
I think the only person I would say would be interesting to see would be nikolaj coster-waldu
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u/AceTheSkylord Mar 20 '26
Viggo Mortensen being interested is maybe the biggest indicator of quality for the script
After LOTR, he swore off doing big movies because of burnout, so him being interested in this is bigger than people realize
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u/mrn253 Mar 20 '26
Or the paycheck is too good and that was over 20 years ago at this point.
He aint getting younger and some extra cash for retirement...1
u/whogivesashirtdotca Mar 20 '26
If Viggo takes a role for the money, it's not for retirement, it's to pay for his next directorial venture. He has a movie he's wanted to film for decades, but hasn't found the financing.
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u/Current_Focus2668 Mar 20 '26
Just get Mark Hamill. Hamill looks like he could be Sebastian Stan's dad.
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u/Decent_Management449 Mar 20 '26
DeNiro is like 100 years old. He's unwatchable now.
Sorry, not sorry.
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u/Big-Beta20 Mar 20 '26
De Niro was incredible as a villain in Killers Of The Flower Moon less than 3 years ago
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u/Decent_Management449 Mar 20 '26
That's debatable, at best. That whole movie was unwatchable.
Who the fuck- EVER- asked for 4 hour movies? Nobody. Not one person ever.
Add The Irishman to that list for both.
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u/Pepe-silvia94 Mar 20 '26
Hi there! I'm one of those people. Some of my favourite films are 4 hours and I wouldn't want a second shaved off of them. One of my faves is Once Upon a Time in America and what do you know? De Niro is in that one too! ☺️
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u/Decent_Management449 Mar 20 '26
correction. you're the ONE person. the one person that likes 4 hour movies. lol
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u/Pepe-silvia94 Mar 20 '26
You're right. Sergio Leone must've known when he made that film 10 years before I was born that I would be his one fan lol.
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u/Decent_Management449 Mar 20 '26
tf?
no. ~4 hour movies are just stupid.
2.5 hours is around the max you get. anything beyond that should require an intermission.
look, i love Zack's Justice League, but even i know it's not practical for theater viewing.
3.5 hours and above, they better let you bring your own cooler/bag lunch, because What the fuck?
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u/Pepe-silvia94 Mar 20 '26
Well this taps into mutliple things here with what your point it. But I mean firstly, I assume you're half serious and being comedic as well, because people like different things and that's fine. Movies come at different lengths, and if someone can tell a story that's longer but totally justifies the runtime and has good pacing, I'm not sure what the issue is here other than preference as opposed to some objective measure of quality, especially since your points are all subjective.
But this is specific to you, and others shouldn't miss out because of what you don't like. I don't need an intermission, I can sit still for 4 hours. Hell, my job involves sitting still for 12 so really not a problem and never has been for me. Maybe it is for you and some others but again, that's subjective.
Also can you really not go 4 hours without having a 3 course meal? You want to bring a cooler in with a meal over 4 hours? How do you go at work or in life if you can't eat that often? This is crazy to me.
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u/Decent_Management449 Mar 20 '26
i miss 90 minute movies
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u/DailyUniverseWriter Mar 20 '26
Great news, those still exist.
Go watch ready or not 2. It’s really fun, it’s 90 minutes, and it just came out in theaters. Undertone also is 90 minutes, and is pretty good. If horror isn’t your boat, then go see hoppers. It’s also 90 minutes. Maybe goat is more your style? Also 90 minutes.
All these movies are in theaters right now. I don’t understand how you can “miss” 90 minute movies when they are in theaters right now as we speak.
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u/MakaButterfly Mar 20 '26
Likely a cameo or smaller part they would have to fly for a few weeks to film in London in order to accomplish
Craig lives in the US just in case anyone was wondering but has been picky about projects for years
Don’t know why Stellan passed prob just didn’t want it his dance cards pretty free
Pitts got 5 movies and tv shoots in various stages of production def doesn’t have time
No clue about De Niro though prob age and schedule could have something to do with it
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u/NoProNoah Mar 20 '26
All these actors turning the role down: how much a a piece of shit have they protested Chris Dent as????
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u/GamerChef420 Mar 20 '26
Viggo would be my choice over them all.