Honestly Fools, is there a franchise in movie history where rumors and speculations have ignited as much passion and discussion and debate? Heck, rumors have been bouncing around for the third Bat-Nolan film since before The Dark Knight was even released!

Before we launch into it, let’s just make a few things clear: Eddie Murphy is NEVER gonna be in a Christopher Nolan flick (because he likes good actors), Megan Fox will NOT play Catwoman (because he likes good actors) and Joseph Gordon Levitt is not at all a ridiculous choice (because he likes g... you get the point).

So to undertake such a task as casting the next Batman villain, Presterjohn and I had to take a bit of a back seat to our resident Bat-Nut and uber-enthusiast on all things Dark Knight, the great and verbal Biggeoff who gets to kick this one off.

Biggeoff’s Choices:

I’m going to throw this out there, I love Batman. Almost to an unhealthy extent. So much so my middle name is literally Bruce, but that for a totally different reason to Batman. So I’m sorry if this isn’t the short thing you’d usually get from me. Batman is something I’m passionate about. Here are the characters I think will be villains in the next Batman film. First I’ll touch on Catwoman even though I don’t particularly want her in the film. 

Catwoman – there has been so much talk that Catwoman will be the next villain. But in a way I’d prefer it if Catwoman didn’t make a return. I love Michelle Pfieffer’s Catwoman and I don’t want someone like Megan Fox screwing that up. I know there’s been talk that maybe Angelina could be Catwoman but in reality how do you play Catwoman any different to Pfieffer? The only way is to make Catwoman work is to make either more of an Anarchist but then she’s basically the Joker in a Catsuit or making her like the TV series portrayed her as attractive and someone that used her looks to get people like The Penguin to do her will. If Catwoman is used she can’t be the sole villain. Even though she’s the most likely villain to be used I’d still prefer Catwoman to be left alone but Jolie has my thumbs up if she can get a little more meat on her, I’m not super keen on Megan Fox (aside from Jennifer’s Body) she just needs another role to grab me before I can be convinced she’s ready for such a big role. 

But here are the three villains I want in the film 

The Penguin – is definitely a villain I want to see again and I’d love to see Chris Nolan’s spin on the character. I could see him being less of a freak show, ala Tim Burton, and more like the early comics portrayed him, a rich Aristocrat that got involved in a life of thievery and crime. I can see Phillip Seymour Hoffman being perfect for the role, played with an air of arrogance and someone just hell bent for power and riches. 

Harley Quinn – is working with The Penguin to bring chaos back to Gotham. She is upset but the arrest of The Joker so she teams up to bring down Gotham and try to catch Batman, imagine her played by an out of control Zoe Saldana. It’d be pretty cool/ 

The Riddler – Once again I want Nolan’s view on The Riddler and I think a crazed inventor who loves puzzles would be perfectly played by Daniel Day Lewis. Forget Jim Carrey’s over the top performance bring The Riddler as a dark almost serial killer like character who leaves clues and Batman tries to catch him.   

So to surmise here is how I’d love to see Batman 3 on the villain front. I’d love it to be that in between now and The Dark Knight Gotham City has descended into chaos. The Police and the people of Gotham consider Batman to be a menace and it has got so bad he’s had to go into hiding as the city he loves crumbles. A new mob boss who calls himself The Penguin is the main cause of the problem and is assisted by Harley Quinn, The Joker’s girlfriend hell bent on revenge. Meanwhile a serial killer that calls himself The Riddler is leaving a trail of devastation, and clues, around Gotham and Bruce Wayne works to catch him. The Riddler catches the eye of Harley Quinn who tries to get him to use his brilliance to hunt down and kill Batman as revenge for The Joker. Also whilst Batman is away a new vigilante has been working to clean up Gotham calling himself Nightwing, he teams up with Batman to bring order back to Gotham and restore the peoples faith in Batman. 

Nightwing will be played by Joseph Gordon Levitt. 

I know it will be complex but Nolan can handle it.

Prester’s Choices :

What he said!!

Seriously, my villains would be

 Mr.Freeze - Daniel Craig-the cold blue eyes 

Bane- any damn wrestler type 

The Penguin played by Ray Winstone (just a thug character)

Fleetwood’s Choices:

I know lots of people wanna see the Riddler next and granted there are some fantastic actors for that part out there, but I always felt the character is a pale copy of the Joker, and after Heath Ledger’s performance and passing, any actor doing a watered-down Joker would lose right off the gate. As for Catwoman, I just don't see a non-cheesy way to include her. The film needs a realistic villain that will challenge the now-fugitive hero in other ways than we've seen so far.

Deadshot: Peter Dinklage. Batman is on the run, and what’s left of the Gotham underworld want to take advantage of it by hiring the jerkoff sharpshooter to finish him off once and for all. Owen would be perfect, even if typecast a little for that kinda part...

The Penguin:Peter Dinklage. This guy is not a loose-cannon psycho, he’s a cold-blooded serial businessman, a short guy who’s lifetime of discrimination and oppression fuel his no-holds-barred thirst of dominating everyone with the harshest of weapons – money and power; perfect subject for these financially sombre times.  Dinklage, with his incredibly deep and intimidating gaze and that low gruff voice that commands anybody’s respect deserves that kind of huge role to showcase his talent to the whole world. Just watch The Station Agent or Find Me Guilty for good reasons why.

Bane: Kevin Durand. Among Schumacher’s many –MANY- sacrileges, the very worst was to make Bane into a mute & mindless pile of muscles. In the comics he’s not only more than a physical match for Bats, he’s just as highly intelligent and cunning. Not a lot of actors can fit both criteria, but with a little CG help the 6’6 Canuck tree trunk Durand could pull it off and continue his steady rise as one of Hollywood’s new go-to guys. And hey – he’s already worked with Chris Bale in 3:10 to Yuma!

What say you Fools? Got an opinion or choice you,d wanna voice, send us your thoughts or sound off right below. after all, this the final Nolan Bat-Film, and already one of the most anticipated flicks for 2012!