Actor Hugo Weaving (V For Vendetta, The Matrix) is set to star as Detective Aberline for director Joe Johnston in The Wolf Man. Weaving will join a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins (as the Wolf Man’s father), Benicio del Toro (as the Wolf Man) and Emily Blunt (as the love interest). This is the first bit of casting news for the big budget remake of the 1941 horror film since the original director, Mark Romanek, abruptly left at the end of January over budget issues. Romanek had spent a few years working to bring the film to the screen with del Toro, and now Variety reports that Johnston has had David Self (Road to Perdition, The Haunting) do a rewrite of the script by Andrew Scott Walker. A little curious.
Weaving is the guy to go to for classier event films like this and he definitely boosts the movie’s chances of being a creative success. But Johnston, who previously directed Hidalgo, Jumanji and Jurassic Park III, inspires nothing. He has a surprising number of defenders online, but to me, this is the equivalent of hypothetically never seeing Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are. Would this lavish project have happened with Johnston on board originally? No. And such a thought will be in the back of my head for sometime, perhaps even while watching the film in February ‘09, if applicable. Romanek hasn’t updated the news page on his official website in years; you have to wonder if he’ll ever open up about what happened.
Discuss: If Hugo Weaving ever plays a villain in Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, who should he play?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
The Riddler. Isn’t that obvious, Hunter?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
why does he have such a huge beard …
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Yeah, Riddler. Thats some inspired casting, as he’d be wonderful. But barring that obvious choice… he’d have been a good R’as. I agree about the Wolfman film though, Romanek leaving is tragic. It was almost too good to be true, now I will not see the film in theatres, at all.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
@salthegeeek
It’s winter, and why not?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pm
With Heath no longer being an option (r.i.p.), I think Weaving would make a really interesting and menacing Joker. I don’t think he’s quite right for the Riddler, but I’ve been wrong before. The Mad Hatter is a possibility as well, but not a likely one for film. He does look kind of like the comic version of Mr. Freeze though. It’d be nice to have that mess remedied.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I’m from Colombia, and i agree! Hugo is the riddler, he has that voice, that dark and yet playful voice!!! if you have seen V for Vendetta you know what i’m talking about!
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Mr Freeze.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Question: By the end of The Dark Knight, is the Joker alive or dead?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
David Tennant said he wants to be the Riddler. Weaving could always be Hugo Strange though (not just for sharing the same first name). That could be creepy…
I do hope Joker isn’t killed off though (despite the tragedy with Heath). I remember Nolan saying that was Tim Burton’s biggest mistake with the first movie. Wonder if he fell into that trap in the end. We’ll see in a few months though!
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:40 pm
He would be amazing as the Riddler!
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Penguin duh! In all seriousness probably Hugo Strange or the Mad Hatter.
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
i agree that mr. weaving
would be the perfect RIDDLER!!!!!!
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:32 am
Hugo for victor zaza or Basil Karlo the original demented actor version of clayface (not the walking pottery factory)
David Tennant for the Riddler
and johnny depp to play the joker if he survives
and robin williams for mad hatter (gotta give the guy a chance in a good movie)
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:46 am
Weaving would be great as Dr. Hugo Strange, Black Mask, or the Mad Hatter.
I could see Riddler, but I think he’d do better at the above - not to mention they’ve not been done before in Batman movies.
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:33 am
Carey’s Riddler was an abortion. He was some kind of zany character, for sure, just not the Riddler that we’ve known for 40+ years or something. A serious, maliciously genius Riddler would be phenomenal, and most importantly give Bats a chance to show off his DETECTIVE skills that were lacking in BB. Remember Nolan, he IS the world’s greatest detective….
March 6th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Hugo would be awesome as Hugo Strange for sure! Although strange isn’t very well known as a villain outside of hardcore batman circles. I could see his as Riddler, but would certainly prefer Tennant in that role. Weaving could also pull off any of the other anti-Batmen (Wrath, Promethius, Killer Moth, Man-Bat) or one of the really nasty villains like the canible Cornelius Stirk if they really wanted to push the darkness of a Bats movie.