WithThe Batmancasting news bringing usColin Farrellas the Penguin andAndy Serkisas Alfred Pennyworth on Tuesday, it has come time for directorMatt Reevesto turn his attention to the filling the role of Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, who first appeared in “Detective Comics” #66 back in 1942.
Created byBob KaneandBill Finger, Dent is a member of Batman’s rogues gallery of villains, though he has been a conflicted foe at times. It remains to be seen which direction Reeves is taking the character – will he be a young ADA close in age to starRobert Pattinson, or will he be older, a laJeffrey Wright’s Commissioner Gordon? And will he even be a “he” in this movie? I don’t recall anyone suggesting Farrell as the Penguin, so perhaps Reeves will surprise us all with some gender-flipped casting? I was hoping that’s what he would do with the role of Alfred, but alas…
There are no shortage of great actors out there, performers who would make a meal out of the character of Harvey Dent, though it remains unclear whether Dent will ultimately become Two-Face inThe Batman, or whether Reeves will force us to wait until the sequel for that ghastly transformation.
In the end, we put our heads together to come up with a list of 15 actors who we think could play Gotham’s coin-flipping District Attorney.
For more onThe Batman, be sure to check out these recent write-ups:
Adam Driver
I don’t know ifAdam Driverwould want to play a villain again so soon afterStar Wars, but it’s worth remembering that Warner Bros. wanted him to play Lex Luthor inBatman v Superman, and he went withStar Warsinstead. Of course, Harvey Dent is a very different character than Kylo Ren, so if Driver did want to do a comic book movie,The Batmanmay present a great opportunity.
Rebecca Ferguson
Rebecca Fergusonis the best part of WB’s ownDoctor Sleep. She’s mesmerizing as Rose the Hat, and its her villainous turn in thatStephen Kingadaptation that could convince the studio to gender-flip the character of Dent and cast a second female villain alongsideZoe Kravitz’s Catwoman.
Sterling K. Brown
I nearly putCourtney B. Vanceon this list because he played ADA Carver inLaw & Order, so Harvey Dent wouldn’t be too much of a stretch… but Two-Face would. I just can’t see that. However, there’s another actor whose middle initial I know who Icouldsee wearing a horrific grin on his face, and that would beSterling K. Brown, Sure, he played a small part inBlack Panther, but he hasn’t really played amajorcomic book character yet, so Reeves & Co. should snap him up while they still can. He already crusaded for justice once before onAmerican Crime Story.
Daniel Kaluuya
Daniel Kaluuyawas absolutely terrifying inWidows, and the power of that performance resided within his eyes – same asGet Out, really. That’s a helpful talent to rely on when the rest of your face has melted off. Kaluuya is already an Oscar-nominated actor at age 30, and like Brown, he played a relatively small role inBlack Panther, which shouldn’t disqualify him from a major role in a DC movie. You wouldn’t want to lose him to Marvel, would you?
Jennifer Lopez
I know, I know, but hear me out! Not only doesJennifer Lopezproject the strength of a District Attorney, but Harvey Dent is a character who loses half his face. Can you imagine a beauty like J-Lo looking in the mirror after that and how that might affect her? How it might push her off the edge and pervert her sense of justice? Plus, WB chases heat, and besides maybeAdam Driver, there’s no one hotter on this list than J-Lo, who could snag an Oscar nom forHustlers.
Shia LaBeouf
Don’t call it a comeback!Shia LaBeoufhas always been a great actor, and this year he proved it to the doubters with his back-to-back turns inHoney BoyandThe Peanut Butter Falcon. As we all know, Shia has a dark side, and ifMatt Reevescan harness that intensity, he could be perfect as Dent.
Melissa McCarthy
Melissa McCarthyproved to everyone with her Oscar nomination forCan You Ever Forgive Me?that she is more than a comedy superstar, she’s a damn good actress in the right role. I can see her taking a tough stance on crime in Gotham, only to pay a vicious price that turns her to the dark side. Plus, she’s a box office star, and it never hurts to cast one of those in your movie – something Reeves has resisted thus far.
Lucas Hedges
I nearly putAnsel Elgorton this list, butThe Goldfinchdidn’t win him any fans at Warner Bros. andLucas Hedgesis the better actor right now. Yes, he’s young, but perhaps Dent could be an ADA inThe Batman, rather than the full-fledged District Attorney of Gotham. The idea of seeing him go toe-to-toe withRobert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader sounds like a blast to me.
Lakeith Stanfield
Lakeith Stanfieldwould’ve made a great Joker in another life, but I’m not sure I see it happening in this one. That’s why he should tackle a different Batman villain, one that gives him a few different notes to play, since he’s an actor who can be hard to pin down.
Dominic West
Dominic Westwould very much be in theAaron Eckhartmold, and ifColin Farrellplays the Penguin then there may be enough shaky accents for one movie, but he’s a hell of an actor who can play both sides of the coin, so to speak. West has an element of danger that would serve him well as Dent.
