Reports have surfaced recently that Oscar Isaac has met with Warner Brothers to discuss a potential role in The Batman, and fans are going insane with speculation. Will he get the role? Who is he going to play? Well, it seems that only time will be able to give us those answers, but we all can’t help but to wonder what will happen. However, I believe that I’ve pinned down a select few roles Isaac may be suited for, and I hope that I manage to predict the one he gets.
1. The Riddler
While Oscar Isaac may not look exactly how The Riddler appears in the comic books, you can’t deny the fact that he would do the character justice. Isaac is one of the most ranged actors in Hollywood today, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the studio sees potential in him to play someone as sophisticated as The Riddler. I feel like Oscar could make up for not having the exact look by giving a truly charismatic, yet unhinged performance, and I would love to see the DCEU gain a fantastic actor playing such a beloved villain.
2. Black Mask
Black Mask has been confirmed as the main villain for an upcoming Birds of Prey movie, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they introduced the character in The Batman. Not only would this set up the entire movie, but we would also have a fan favorite villain that adds a lot of weight to a Batman movie, and it could give Oscar Isaac a chance to acclimate himself to the character. I think that Isaac could pull off the role of a ruthless mobster perfectly, and having him portray Black Mask could give the DCEU a menacing antagonist for several different films.
3. Two-Face
It would make sense to have Two-Face appear in a movie where The Penguin is the main villain, seeing as how the two frequently collaborate with each other, and it would also make a lot of sense to cast Oscar Isaac in the role. Not only is Two-Face a murderous psychopath, but he also still has remnants of Harvey Dent inside of him that creates conflict with every action he performs, and I feel like Isaac could portray that perfectly. While I’m not sure if using Two-Face in a movie again so soon is a good idea, I wouldn’t mind it nearly as much if an actor as good as Oscar Isaac were cast in the role, and I know for a fact that he would blow everyone’s minds with his performance.
4. Ra’s Al Ghul
Oscar Isaac may not be the old man with grey hair that you envision when you think of Ra’s Al Ghul, but I feel like he may actually be perfect for the role. What makes Ra’s special is that he’s an immortal being due to his Lazarus Pit, so having a younger actor portray the character would actually play into him being somewhat immortal, and I couldn’t think of anyone that could do that better than Isaac. Ra’s Al Ghul is a power hungry, murderous adversary of Batman, and someone with as imposing of an on screen presence as Oscar Isaac would be sure to make everyone take the character seriously.
5. Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze is an interesting character to me, mainly because he’s not really a villain. He is a character that is widely misunderstood, and all of the cruel actions he performs are in an attempt to save the life of his dying spouse. Someone who does all the wrong things for the right reasons sounds exactly like a role Oscar Isaac would play (see Poe Dameron), and I would love to see him use his uncanny knack for making an audience love him with this character.
6. Hugo Strange
I know this seems like a bad idea, but just hear me out. Whenever you think of Hugo Strange you usually picture an older bald man, but seeing B.D. Wong portray the character on Gotham has made me see him in a different light. Of course the whole point of the show Gotham is that all of the Batman villains we know and love are younger versions of themselves, but Hugo Strange doesn’t have to be old. Picture a bald Oscar Isaac with a magnificent beard, similar to how he looked in Ex Machina, and tell me that doesn’t scream Hugo Strange to you. Isaac could use his exuberant charisma and an intimidating demeanour to bring the mad scientist to life, and I would prefer that as opposed to any older actor you could name.
7. Scarecrow
Although Scarecrow has appeared in one of the most recent Batman movies, I still feel that he is an underutilized character. Dr. Jonathan Crane is one of The Dark Knight’s most popular and most ruthless villains, and while Cillian Murphy did an excellent job of portraying him, there was still something missing. No one has really captured just how much of a sociopath the character is. He lives a double life, much like Batman does, except that he can go from a brilliant doctor to a cruel torturer in seconds. With Oscar Isaac taking on that role, I think that he would accurately depict both sides of the crazed lunatic, and he could bring some star power that the role has never really had.
8. Azrael
Every casting suggestion so far has been a villain, but the truth is that Oscar Isaac may be more suited for a protagonist. Azrael is a complicated character, often struggling between his instincts to kill Batman and his quest to bring justice to Gotham, but he is mainly seen as a dark anti-hero. With the rumors of Ben Affleck not even being in The Batman, grooming Azrael to take up the mantel could be the next logical step, and having Isaac in that role could set up a possible solo movie of his own. Many people want to see Azrael’s version of Batman on the big screen, and casting Oscar Isaac in the role would be the perfect opportunity to have just that.
