In the last couple days, it’s become clear that contrary to rumors, Jonah Hill would not be joining The Batman as either the Penguin or the Riddler. According to The Hollywood Reporter, though, Dano is ready to join the film and play the man known as Edward Nigma, who hounds the Dark Knight with his criminally annoying riddles.

The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, is very quickly shaping up to have one of the best casts of any Batman movie in history:

Robert Pattinson is starring in The Batman, with Zoe Kravitz to play Catwoman and Jeffrey Wright on board as Batman ally Commissioner Gordon. Jonah Hill was at one point eyeing a role in the film as either Riddler or The Penguin, but the deal did not come to fruition.

The Riddler was previously played by Jim Carrey in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. Even if they were the same age, Carrey and Paul Dano would rarely be considered for the same roles; it’s hard to imagine Dano in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, for example. Still, in some of his movies — There Will Be Blood chief among them — Dano has shown an intensity that would work well for a Batman villain. (And actually, Jim Carrey in There Will Be Blood sounds kind of good, too.)

The Batman opens in theaters on June 25, 2021.

Gallery — Actors Who’ve Appeared in Marvel and DC Movies:

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