10 Actors Who Were Almost Cast In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy

Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy is well-known for its many standout performances, but many of the characters in Nolan’s Gotham were nearly portrayed by someone else. The Dark Knight Trilogy was merely one stop in Christopher Nolan’s impressive filmography, and featured many recurring actors the prestige director frequently collaborated with. But with such a broad and eclectic cast of characters, it’s no wonder that Nolan was drowning in options when it came to filling out the roster of the Batman mythos.

Some of the performers who suffered from near-misses in finding a place in the Dark Knight Trilogy are indeed recurring regulars in Christopher Nolan’s movies. However, the director has also considered some surprising choices for the franchise from far outside his usual lineup of stars. In most cases, Nolan’s ultimate vision for the characters was strong enough that most final castings were his first choice, resulting in some of the best superhero movie performances of all time.

10 Robert Downey Jr As Scarecrow In Batman Begins (2005)

Who Was Cast: Cillian Murphy

Key Background

In an age before Robert Downey Jr.’s iconic casting as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he expressed interest in joining Batman Begins as a villain instead. Allegedly, Downey sought out Nolan personally to pitch himself for the role of Scarecrow, only to be politely turned down in favor of Cillian Murphy. Funnily enough, in 2023, Robert Downey Jr. would go on to antagonize Murphy as U.S. Secretary of Commerce Lewis Strauss in Nolan’s most recent film, Oppenheimer.

Would They Have Worked Out?

Considering Robert Downey Jr. was enthusiastic enough about the role to pitch himself to Nolan on his own volition, and his since demonstrated success in the superhero genre, his Scarecrow would’ve been unlikely to be a disappointment. As good as Cillian Murphy’s conniving Dr. Crane was, he was undoubtedly the least memorable villain of the Nolanverse. Despite Downey’s rather subdued performance as an antagonist under Nolan’s employ in Oppenheimer, he might’ve been able to match or even surpass Cillian as the conniving Scarecrow.

9 Matt Damon As Harvey Dent/Two-Face In The Dark Knight (2008)

Who Was Cast: Aaron Eckhart

Key Background

Rather than unsuccessfully lobbying Nolan for a part that interested him, Matt Damon was instead the one to reject an offer for a role in what is largely considered the greatest superhero movie of all time. When it came to casting The Dark Knight, Nolan was interested in Damon for Two-Face, though he made the fatal error of admitting that the role was a smaller one. Because of the lack of screentime, Damon declined, though he would go on to star in Nolan’s science fiction epic Interstellar in 2014.

Would They Have Worked Out?

Aaron Eckhart offered a tremendous dual performance as both Harvey Dent and Two-Face. At first, he truly embodies the paragon of legal justice Gotham makes him out to be opposite Batman’s dark vigilante before being dragged into psychosis by the joker, being reborn as the vile Two-Face. It’s easy to imagine Matt Damon inhabiting the former role, but it’s hard to say that the Bourne Identity action hero could’ve pulled off Two-Face’s disfigured look, let alone convincingly portrayed Dent’s downward spiral the way Eckhart was able to.

8 Paul Bettany As The Joker In The Dark Knight (2008)

Who Was Cast: Heath Ledger

Key Background

Heath Ledger was always Nolan’s first choice to play his idea for the Clown Prince of Crime, and for good reason. Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance wound up being a chilling and iconic representation that captured everything the villain needed to be — Funny, dangerous, smart, and terrifying all at once. Yet at the time, Ledger wasn’t thought of as a villainous actor, with some fans admonishing Nolan for skipping over backup choices like Paul Bettany, who had auditioned for Batman himself in the first film. Bettany remained on standby for The Joker should Ledger have turned down the offer.

Would They Have Worked Out?

Paul Bettany proved he can hold his own in loud superhero blockbusters thanks to his time as Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bettany certainly has a good look for the Joker, with the wiry frame and wide smile typically associated with the character, and his time as the chalk-white villain Silas in The DaVinci Code would carry over perfectly as fuel for a chilling antagonist. As good as Bettany might have been, it’s impossible to imagine anyone being able to outdo Ledger’s iconic performance.

7 Lady Gaga As Catwoman In The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Who Was Cast: Anne Hathaway

Key Background

Another performer to come to Christopher Nolan with dreams of a role in the Dark Knight trilogy, pop sensation Lady Gaga, of all people, lobbied fairly extensively for a chance to play Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. While Lady Gaga made it to the Catwoman shortlist, she would ultimately be overtaken by Anne Hathaway for the role. Understandably, as Lady Gaga was still relatively untested as an actress at the time, Nolan was likely unwilling to make such a big gamble on the closing film of his Batman trilogy.

Would They Have Worked Out?

Lady Gaga would go on to prove herself as a capable actress in Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born, not to mention her sensual, yet deadly character in American Horror Story that presented an over-the-top femme fatale in the same nieghborhood as Catwoman’s anti-hero proclivities. Considering her achievements since missing out on The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan may have truly lost out on one of the greatest Catwoman performances. The film wouldn’t have missed much from losing Hathaway’s own relatively forgettable take on Seline Kyle.

6 Jake Gyllenhaal As Batman/Bruce Wayne In Batman Begins (2005)

Who Was Cast: Christian Bale

Key Background

As the central character around which the Nolanverse trilogy would revolve, casting Bruce Wayne and Batman was one of the most important decisions Nolan had to make. It’s no wonder that several big names were in the running for the director’s more grounded take on the character, including Jake Gyllenhaal, who was advocated for by Batman Begins screenwriter, David S. Goyer. Ultimately, Gyllenhaal would lose out to Christian Bale, though Goyer has confirmed that he got as far as screen-testing in a Batman suit.

Would They Have Worked Out?

Jake Gyllenhaal proved he could take on a beefier, physical role as a boxer in 2015’s Southpaw. His work as an obsessive nocturnal headline chaser in Nightcrawler also suggests an interesting direction Batman’s personality could go in, doubling down on the neurotic and consuming psychology of Bruce Wayne. However, Christian Bale’s Batman is simply too iconic and influential to disqualify as being worse than Gyllenhaal’s potential, and casting him opposite Ledger’s Joker in the sequel may have presented audiences with too much tonal whiplash after the two shared the screen as lovers in Brokeback Mountain.

5 Adrien Brody As The Joker In The Dark Knight (2008)

Who Was Cast: Heath Ledger

Key Background

Paul Bettany wasn’t the only one to be shortlisted as a possible Joker backup while Nolan waited with bated breath to see if Ledger would answer his call for The Dark Knight. Brody personally admitted to meeting with Nolan to discuss his potential for donning The Joker’s signature makeup. Speaking enthusiastically about the role, Brody admitted he “would’ve loved to have done that“, Heath Ledger once again beating out all other prospective performers in Nolan’s eyes.

Would They Have Worked Out?

Adrien Brody is known for bringing a certain sense of somberness to his roles, a trait that wouldn’t have served The Joker’s comedic stylings very well. That being said, it’s easy to imagine Brody donning a Joker look similar to Joaquin Phoenix in 2019’s Joker, and his role as a gangster in Peaky Blinders could’ve hearkened back to Jack Nicholson’s more mobster version of the character. Still, it’s unlikely that Brody could’ve outdone Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning depiction of the Clown Prince of Crime.

4 Steve Carell As The Joker In The Dark Knight (2008)

Who Was Cast: Heath Ledger

Key Background

After the success of Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan was able to utterly turn the critical perception of superhero movies as being a valid genre in prestige cinema. It’s likely because of this that so many actors approached him for the role of The Joker in The Dark Knight, including Heath Ledger himself, who had previously turned down playing Batman in the first film. Among the hopefuls were comedic actor Steve Carell, publicly vying for the role of Joker.

Would They Have Worked Out?

Steve Carell would’ve certainly had the funny side of The Joker covered, with a litany of classic comedy films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and a lengthy career carrying TV’s The Office already under his belt by 2008. However, it’s unlikely that Carell could’ve pulled off the intimidating aspect of the fearsome Batman villain, having never dipped his toes into a role so objectively evil. There’s no telling how The Dark Knight might’ve turned out should Nolan had actually taken a chance on letting Steve Carell take the reigns as The Joker.

3 Kate Winslet As Miranda Tate/Talia al Ghul In The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Who Was Cast: Marion Cotillard

Key Background

One of the most important characters to be cast in The Dark Knight Rises was Miranda Tate, who is secretly Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter, Talia al Ghul, betraying Bruce Wayne with a dramatic reveal. Kate Winslet was in the running for Tate, alongside other big names like Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, and Eva Green. In the end, Nolan decided to cast frequent collaborator Marion Cotillard instead, fresh off the set of Inception two years earlier, despite the Oscar-winning actress being six months pregnant at the time of filming.

Would They Have Worked Out?

For as many great performances Marion Cotillard has given throughout her career, Talia al Ghul doesn’t rank among them. Despite being so integral to the plot of the film, Cotillard’s Miranda Tate wasn’t an especially memorable villain, being overshadowed by Tom Hardy’s Bane, despite being her lackey. Considering the energy that Winslet has brought to sets like Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Avatar: The Way of Water, it’s possible that she could’ve suited the duplicitous Miranda Tate better, perhaps more comfortable on fantastic sets than Cotillard.

2 Anthony Hopkins As Alfred Pennyworth In Batman Begins (2005)

Who Was Cast: Michael Caine

Key Background

The casting of Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s faithful butler, companion, and mentor, was one of the few instances in the Dark Knight trilogy in which Christopher Nolan didn’t get his first choice. Nolan initially approached Sir Anthony Hopkins for the role of Alfred, who turned it down, prompting the director to turn to longtime colleague, Michael Caine, instead. Caine and Nolan have a long history working together, with the famed director regarding the British actor as something of a good luck charm for success.

Would They Have Worked Out?

It’s very easy to see Sir Anthony Hopkins excelling in the role of Alfred. He played a very similar mentor figure as Thor’s father, Odin, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his natural distinguished English cadence would lend itself perfectly to the steadfast Alfred. However, in 2005, audiences might’ve had a difficult time separating Hopkins from the vile Hannibal Lecter, negatively coloring how his Alfred may have been perceived. Additionally, Michael Caine’s Alfred is perhaps the single most charming element of the Nolanverse Batman movies, and they wouldn’t feel the same without him.

1 Leonardo DiCaprio As John Blake In The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Who Was Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Key Background

A long-time creative partner with Christopher Nolan, it’s shocking that Leonardo DiCaprio never found his way into the director’s Batman trilogy. Despite having just worked together in Inception, Nolan didn’t wind up casting Leonardo DiCaprio as Robin-equivalent John Blake in The Dark Knight Rises. It could be that Nolan was weary of having too many Inception alumni populating the film, and with Marion Cotillard already cast, he opted to go with Joseph Gordon-Levitt to instead play the intrepid young beat cop on the Gotham City police force.

Would They Have Worked Out?

For being the closest thing the Dark Knight trilogy has to a Robin, with the reveal that John Blake’s real first name is the same as The Boy Wonder’s superhero identity, Leonardo DiCaprio in 2012 may have been a hair too old to realistically embody the character’s youthful spirit. Being seven years Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s senior, Leo is undoubtedly a stellar performer, but it may have been a little more awkward to imagine him as Batman’s costumed successor upon stumbling into the Batcave. For what it’s worth, Nolan made the right casting call for John Blake in The Dark Knight Rises.