LATE CITY
EDITION
LATE CITY
EDITION
Volume 15 Friday, April 30, 2004 Page 1 of 2

BATMAN IN ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

With "Batman Begins" which recently began production in Iceland for a summer 2005 release, director Christopher Nolan ("Memento") will create a grittier, camp-free take on the superhero, with characters faithful to the comic books. Find out which roles will go to who.

CHRISTIAN BALE - Batman/Bruce Wayne

WHO? - After witnessing his millionaire parents' brutal murder as a child, Wayne vows revenge on criminals everywhere -- hence the scary outfit.

IN THE MOVIE - Bale plays a younger, less experienced Wayne, who's still learning the Bat-ropes of being a superhero. After years of training, he returns to Gotham City, where we'll see him don his cowl for the first time. Nolan and coscreenwriter David Goyer will likely draw on aspects of "Batman: Year One," a gritty, revamped version of the character's origin.

OUR BAT-WISH - A costume made of any material but rubber -- it's hard to fight crime when you can't turn your head.

MICHAEL CAINE - Alfred Pennyworth

WHO? - Wayne's ever-handy butler, who serves snacks, dusts the Batmobile, and sews up bullet wounds.
IN THE MOVIE - Caine has said the film will emphasize Alfred's paternal role: As in the comic books, the butler was Wayne's guardian after his parents' deaths. The actor plans to base his portrayal on his own, real-life butlers -- who probably don't have to tend to a superhero headquarters in the basement.

OUR BAT-WISH - That Caine will be in "Quiet American" mode, not "Austin Powers" overdrive.

GARY OLDMAN - James Gordon

WHO? - As Gotham's police commissioner, Gordon becomes one of Batman's closest allies; the cop summons Batman by sending the Bat-Signal into the clouds.

IN THE MOVIE - Still new to law enforcement, Gordon is a mere police lieutenant. In "Batman: Year One," he is one of the few honest cops on the force, and initially sees Batman as a dangerous vigilante. He changes his mind after Batman saves the life of his young son.

OUR BAT-WISH - That Oldman will summon some of the macho swagger of the actor who'd been widely rumored for the role: Dennis Quaid.

KEN WATANABE
WHO? - An evil genius who's over 600 years old.

IN THE MOVIE - Ra's Al Ghul is Batman's chief