The Dark Knight continues to reign supreme as the perfect comic book superhero movie, but it has had some stiff competition over the last few years, notably from Marvel's MCU lineup. What if The Dark Knight were green-lit during the 1980s, however? Would it have held onto the crown in the same way?
1989 saw the release of Tim Burton's Batman, which lit the world on fire and became a smash super-hit. Christopher Nolan's inherently unique take was far more gritty, dark and realistic. If he was behind the cameras in the 1980s, he'd need the right cast to pitch to the audience. Here are some actors who would fall right into their roles without any trouble.
Willem Dafoe (Maroni)
Willem Dafoe can play almost any kind of role, but he's usually at home playing some sort of renegade, tough guy, or unhinged lunatic. He'd have found no trouble tuning his dial to the middle ground in order to play a suave and composed crime boss who plays both sides of the law.
There's a slight sympathy to the character of Maroni, even if he's pretty much beyond redemption. Dafoe could have easily brought that to the forefront and played a character all-too-willing to sit back and watch as events unfolded, while playing the strings.
Keith David (Gambol)
Keith David's instantly recognizable voice is a trademark of his work on HBO's Spawn, Disney's Gargoyles, and the Arbiter in the Halo video game series. He's done just as much work on screen, rubbing shoulders with Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, and Vin Diesel, to name a few.
He's played good and bad guys multiple times, but he'd be a perfect fit for the role of impulsive crime boss Gambol. David has a tendency to project his acting energy outward with great intensity, which is perfect for a criminal with anger management issues.
Timothy Hutton (Mike Engel)
If ever an actor could pull off a TV reporter like Mike Engel, it would be Timothy Hutton. He's not only one of the more mysterious actors in Hollywood, but he's also played many characters who are just slightly off-kilter. This would have been perfect for the role of the host of Gotham Tonight.
Hutton could have also handled the character arc in the final act of the film when Engel is taken hostage by the Joker and set up as a decoy for the SWAT team.
Sidney Poitier (Lucius Fox)
It's hard to imagine anyone but Sidney Poitier taking over the role of Lucius Fox in an 80s version of The Dark Knight. Both he and original actor Morgan Freeman are the quintessential wise father figures with a keen sense of what's going on around them, and they both brought their own intense signature styles to their roles.
Poitier would have been immediately believable as one of Bruce Wayne's most trusted confidants, and his natural authoritative tone and stature would have fit well with the comic book interpretation of the character.
Diane Lane (Rachel Dawes)
1980s Diane Lane had a strikingly similar physicality to actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, and her down-to-earth beauty and approachable face would have made her stand out in a city filled with violent criminals and costumed superheroes. Plus, she had just the right amount of energy to for a bold idealist assistant D.A.
Her mixture of youthful vibrancy and beyond-her-years maturity would have sold her as the perfect fit for Rachel, as evidenced by Lane's successful and celebrated acting career in the years that followed the 1980s.
Harrison Ford (Commissioner Gordon)
Harrison Ford would have been a heavy hitter in an 80s Dark Knight, especially given that he was such a hot leading man thanks to his breakout performances in Star Wars and Indiana Jones. By the mid-80s, Ford was beginning to branch out into different roles, playing a variety of characters far removed from his action movie persona.
He also showed great ability to play an understatedly humble and no-nonsense character, which is exactly the kind of actor needed for the role of Commissioner Gordon. It might have been odd to see Ford with a moustache, but his solid acting skills would have probably sold it, nonetheless.
Terence Stamp (Alfred)
British actor Terence Stamp is best known to Western audiences as the villainous Zod in Superman II, but his career stretches much farther than that. Stamp has a knack for playing very stoic, serious, and experienced characters, which is Alfred to a T.
His take on Alfred would have been much different from Michael Caine's interpretation, though not nearly as charming as Michael Gough's performance in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film. That might have been just what the character needed.
Robert De Niro (Harvey Dent / Two-Face)
1980s Robert De Niro was known for playing loose cannon types at almost every opportunity. If he were cast in an 80s Dark Knight film, it would require him to pull the reins back for the first half and rely more on charm and charisma, with just a hint of instability that leads to foreshadowing.
Once the tragic transformation took place, it would have allowed De Niro to let loose and play the type of character that defined his career for the better half of the 70s and the 1980s. In the end, he'd have probably turned out a better performance than Aaron Eckhart's already excellent one.
John Malkovich (The Joker)
1980s John Malkovich bore a lot of similarities to the late Heath Ledger, both in overall physical appearance and personality. Both took their acting craft immensely seriously, and proved to be chameleons who could slip into any role and make the best out of it.
Malkovich's interpretation of the Joker would have been physically closer to the comic book version, but with the same sense of dread and malevolence. He would not have been able to evidenced by his collaboration with photographer Sandro Miller.
Kurt Russell (Bruce Wayne / Batman)
Kurt Russell's 1980s filmography was loaded with back and forth performances featuring stoic anti-heroes and wisecracking funnymen. The former would have worked to his advantage as Batman, while the latter could have served his Bruce Wayne alter-ego.
It's not hard to imagine Russell in the bat-suit, either. He'd already practiced his rough, gravely voice in the signature John Carpenter classics The Thing and Escape From New York. All that would have been left would be to sign on the dotted line and green-light the picture.
