Pre-Production for Batman pt.1

I was stretched out comfortably on one of the plush couches in the home theatre of my new apartment. My body sank into the soft velvet cushions, and I relaxed, maybe a little too much for my liking. It was almost too soft. The movie Bridget Jones's Diary played on the screen, but my eyes were half-lidded, drifting between the scenes and the soft, twinkling city lights visible through the enormous windows.

It wasn't the kind of movie I usually watched, but I hadn't been the one to pick it.

The person who did pick it walked into the room with a bowl of popcorn in hand. Margot was wearing one of my loose shirts that hung slightly off her shoulder, paired with small shorts underneath. Her hair was slightly tousled, like she'd either just woken up from a nap or spent the entire day being lazy indoors. She handed me the bowl and jumped onto the couch next to me.

"Here," she said, snuggling up close. Her legs tucked against mine, and her head found its place on my chest.

This was why I wanted my own place—I couldn't do this back at the old one.

"You know," I began, half-teasing, "there are other British movies you could watch to help with your accent."

Margot had been cast in a movie a few months ago, before we even started dating. She needed to do a British accent for it, and she had been practicing a lot as the filming date got closer.

"This is a good movie," she replied in a perfectly decent British accent.

I chuckled. "Oh, you're getting good."

"I told you, I don't need an accent coach," she said confidently, leaning into me.

"Well, I mean… you are Australian. I guess it's easier for you, right?"

Margot rolled her eyes dramatically. "They're not even similar, you dumb American."

I smirked. "Well, some people think Australia doesn't exist."

"And most of those people are American," Margot shot back with a playful grin.

I blinked and gave her a mock glare. "Okay, I'll give you that one."

She laughed, shifting her attention back to the movie, occasionally repeating lines in her British accent and looking up at me for approval.

"How was that one?" she asked, eyes wide with fake anticipation.

I tilted my head thoughtfully. "Hmm… an 8 out of 10. Not bad, but you could've gone a bit posher."

Margot pouted playfully. "Posher, really?"

We continued watching, with her occasionally mimicking lines, and each time, I rated her attempts with exaggerated seriousness.

"Okay, okay, how about this?" she said, imitating a line from one of the more emotional scenes.

"That…," I paused for effect, "was a solid 9."

As the movie continued, she shifted slightly, her head still resting on my chest, and turned her eyes up to meet mine.

"So," she began, "what about that role you mentioned when we first met? The one you hinted at?"

"Ah, you mean Harley Quinn?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

Margot's eyes lit up. "What's it about?"

"Well," I said, shifting slightly to face her better, "she's a complex character—definitely fun, but also kind of tragic. She starts off as this brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, who gets manipulated and twisted by the Joker—you know, from the movie we watched last week."

We had watched the old Batman movies from the '80s.

Margot nodded.

"They have this really toxic relationship, and she basically loses herself, becoming Harley Quinn."

"But she's not just a sidekick—she's her own force of chaos."

Margot was quiet for a moment, processing. "So... what's the plan? You think I could actually play her?"

I nodded. "If everything goes well, yeah. We can do a small scene in the second Batman movie. But over time, as the DC Universe expands, so will Harley's story. There's a lot of potential for her to be one of the standout characters, especially in a few of the later movies."

Margot's lips curled into a smirk. "Sounds like I better get started, then."

I laughed softly. "I think you'll be perfect."

.

.

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With the movie greenlit and the budget agreed upon, we began the casting process. It had unofficially started while Nolan and I were working on the script, and we already had a few actors in mind.

I sat at the long conference table with Dave, Christopher Nolan, Jenna Wells (Head of Casting), Martin Corbin (Casting Director), Emily Vaughn (Talent Relations Manager), and Mia Rodriguez (Casting Assistant). The San Diego Comic-Con was looming on the horizon, and we were in a rush to cast our Batman and other key roles before the big DCU reveal.

"We've got a few months before Comic-Con," I began, scanning the room. "We need to lock down our Batman, and fast. He's the centerpiece of the DCU announcement. Everything hinges on getting this right."

Dave nodded, his hands clasped in front of him. "Right. Whoever we choose has to carry not just this film but the entire universe along with the other major heros. They need to embody both sides of the character—Bruce Wayne and Batman. Versatility is key."

Nolan leaned forward slightly. "Before we dive into Batman, there's something else. Daniel and I have narrowed down our choice for Jim Gordon to two actors."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

I glanced around the room. "It's between Bryan Cranston and Gary Oldman. We're still deciding."

Dave nodded thoughtfully as the others exchanged looks of approval.

While I knew Gary personally and had seen his portrayal of Gordon in my previous life, I was torn. Cranston had the perfect comic-book look—he just needed a bushier mustache. Either choice would be fantastic.

"That's solid," Dave said. "Either of those guys could make Gordon their own. But let's move on to the more pressing matter—casting Batman and Ra's al Ghul."

"I have a few perfect actors in mind for Ra's al Ghul," I said. "We need someone unique, mysterious—a guy you can look at and immediately think, 'Yeah, that guy could be an immortal supervillain.'"

Nolan nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Well, my choice is unchanged, Daniel. Liam Neeson. He's got the gravitas, the voice, and the screen presence. He can play that balance of a mentor and a looming threat."

"He's on my list too," I admitted. "Liam's a fantastic choice, no doubt, but I've got two more names that I think could be equally compelling."

"Who are they?" Dave asked, leaning forward, intrigued.

"Javier Bardem and Oded Fehr," I said, pausing to gauge the room's reaction.

Nolan raised an eyebrow. "Javier Bardem, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "He's got that raw, imposing energy, and if you've seen No Country for Old Men, you know he can play menacing in a way that gets under your skin. He's got this quiet intensity, like Ra's should have. Someone who commands respect without even raising his voice."

"I like the sound of Bardem," Nolan admitted. "But Oded Fehr... What made you think of him?"

"Well, think about his roles in The Mummy and Resident Evil. He's got this air of mystique. He has that regal presence. He'd be a more exotic take on Ra's, which could play into the character's background."

Nolan tapped his chin, considering. "Bardem and Fehr are interesting choices, I'll give you that. But there's a weight to Neeson that still stands out to me."

"Agreed, Neeson would be great," I said. "But Bardem could make Ra's feel like a ticking bomb, someone who's coldly calculating."

Dave smiled. "So, where does that leave us?"

I shrugged. "We've got three strong options, each with their own strengths. It just depends on the direction we want to take Ra's in. Either way, I think we'll have an incredible villain on our hands."

Nolan nodded. "We'll have to see who's available and interested. But honestly, I think we can't go wrong with any of them."

"Right, on to the big one then: Batman," I said.

Nolan leaned back, crossing his arms. "Christian Bale would've been my first choice for Batman, but when we spoke, he made it clear—he's not interested in committing long-term to a shared universe like this."

Jenna flipped through her notes, nodding. "So Bale's out. But we've got a few strong contenders. How about Jake Gyllenhaal? He's got the acting range and intensity. Definitely the kind of actor who could pull off both Bruce Wayne and Batman."

Dave raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "Gyllenhaal's a strong choice. He's got the chops for sure."

Martin, however, looked less convinced. "I don't know... He doesn't exactly look the part to me. Can he handle the physicality that comes with the role?"

Emily, who had been scrolling through her phone, looked up. "What about Lee Pace? He's got the height, the presence, and could bring a charismatic Bruce Wayne to life."

I leaned back, considering it. Lee Pace was an interesting option. He had the regal air Bruce needed. "Pace could work," I said thoughtfully. "He definitely has that larger-than-life quality Bruce Wayne needs."

Nolan looked thoughtful for a moment. "There's another one we should consider for Batman: Armie Hammer."

I immediately shook my head. "No," I said, surprising everyone in the room.

Nolan raised an eyebrow, curious. "Why not? What's the issue?"

I hesitated for a second before speaking. "I just... get a bad vibe from him, you know?"

The others exchanged glances, clearly still unsure of what I was getting at. They weren't aware of what I knew from my past life—the man was a cannibal, for God's sake. So I kept it vague. "Look, let's just move on," I said, brushing it aside.

"What about Jensen Ackles?"

"Jensen who?" Emily asked, flipping through her list of actors.

"Jensen Ackles," I repeated. "He's the co-lead of the TV series Supernatural. He's got the body, the looks, and especially the voice."

Mia leaned forward, intrigued. "I've heard of him, but he's mostly been on TV, right? This would be a huge leap into feature films, especially for a role this big."

Martin nodded in agreement but added, "TV actors transitioning to big franchises is very uncommon."

"Ackles could be the fresh face we need. Plus, he's got a loyal fanbase," I added.

Emily quickly brought up some clips from Supernatural on the large TV in the room and played them for the group. As the scenes rolled, Nolan leaned in, watching with growing interest.

"He could work," Nolan said after a few moments, sounding impressed.

"But does he have the range for Bruce Wayne?" Emily asked, still skeptical. "Batman, I think he can do, but Bruce Wayne requires a certain... finesse."

"Bruce Wayne is essentially a mask for Batman. In Supernatural, Jensen's been playing a character who hides behind a tough, gruff exterior for years. He can handle it. And honestly, we need someone who can embody both roles seamlessly," I said.

Dave looked around the room, weighing the options. "Alright, let's put him on the list. We've got Gyllenhaal, Pace, and... Ackles." He paused, glancing at me with a smile. "And no Armie Hammer."

I couldn't help but smirk. "Good call."

Jenna scribbled down the names on her notepad. "Gyllenhaal brings experience and name recognition, Pace has the look and presence, and Ackles is the wild card—less known, but with the potential to surprise everyone."

Martin nodded thoughtfully. "And whoever we pick needs to be willing to commit for years, maybe even a decade, if the DCU takes off the way we're planning."

"Ackles is the right age for that kind of long-term commitment," I pointed out.

Dave leaned back in his chair, summarizing. "So we've got Gyllenhaal, Pace, and Ackles. We'll approach them, see if they're interested, and set up screen tests if they are. We can add more names to the list tomorrow if we need to."