Glen Powell had a lesser-known role in Christopher Nolan’sDark Knightfranchise, andThe Dark Knight 4could bring him back to theDCfranchise. Rumors have been making the rounds about Glen Powell’s possiblecasting as the DC Universe’s Dark KnightinThe Brave and the Boldand beyond, which, if true, would add significant star power to the rebooted franchise. TheTwistersstar is currently one of the biggest names in Hollywood and would be a substantial investment for James Gunn’s new cinematic universe.
Alternatively, Powell could reappear in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight franchise. With the DCU running parallel to DC Elseworlds movies like Matt Reeves’The Batmantrilogy, a fourth Dark Knight movie is not beyond the realm of possibility, especially considering the dependability of the franchise.The Dark Knightremains one of themost acclaimed superhero movies of all time, while its sequel was the most profitable in the franchise. It was here that Glen Powell made his debut in the genre in a minor yet replicable role.
Glen Powell Embodied The Role Of Trader #1
In the moments before Bane defeatedBatman in a brutal brawlbeneath Wayne Enterprises, Bane sought to bankrupt Bruce Wayne via the stock exchange. This is where Glen Powell appears as a trader with a few lines, first commenting on Bruce Wayne’s effect on the market and then defiantly announcing to Bane that there is no money to steal at a stock exchange before Bane proceeds to effortlessly knock him out.The role was small enough to not warrant a name for his character, instead being listed as “Trader #1” in the credits.
Powell’s comments on Bruce Wayne alluded toThe Dark Knight’s secondary villain when he stated that he “flipped a coin” to decide whether Wayne’s return was good or bad for the stock market.
When commenting on his role in an interview withVanity Fair,Powell emphatically expressed his gratitude, stating how in-demand the role was following the acclaim ofThe Dark Knight. He also expressed his gratitude for working with Christopher Nolan, a universally respected auteur. His full statement is as follows:
“I remember everything. You never forget the feeling. It’s something I carry to every set I walk on now, which is just the reverence for being on a set in general. But I remember on Dark Knight Rises the feeling of being able to walk onto a set and you knew everybody in the world wanted to be on that set, right?
Even though it was a small role, I auditioned several times for it. I was getting to work with the greatest director on the planet, Christopher Nolan . And you’re sitting there and all of a sudden Tom Hardy walks in as Bane. It’s electric. It’s sort of out-of-body. That was one of those movies when nothing was going on in my life. I was just fighting for every inch. And when Christopher Nolan casts you in his movie, it’s a validation that’s hard to explain. And I’ve talked to Chris about this. We’ve run into each other at different things. I saw him during his amazing Oppenheimer run, and he’s very proud that he plucked me early. I’m just very grateful that he took a shot.”
It isn’t as if Powell was a greenhorn at the time, having scored roles in plenty of movies and shows in the preceding years. Still,The Dark Knight Riseswas undeniably the biggest movie in his back catalog, which sufficiently validates his gratitude. Furthermore, it helps to cement the possibility of his return given how much the opportunity meant to him on the first go-around.
A Potential Dark Knight 4 Could Bring Back Glen Powell In The Same Role
Glen Powell Could Reprise His Role As Trader #1 And Be Given A Name
DespiteThe Dark Knight Risesbeing released 12 years ago and two (nearly three) new iterations of Batman gracing the silver screen since,The Dark Knight 4could still be on the cards.The Dark Knight RisesisDC Studios' second-highest-grossing movieof all time globally, whileThe Dark Knightis the fourth. With that in mind, a sequel to this consistently bankable franchise must be an exceptionally tempting prospect for the studio, especially since no otherBatman-led movie has grossedas much since.
Joker, which depicts a heavily altered Batman character in the leading role, also grossed over $1 billion and broke the record for the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time before its title was claimed by the MCU’sDeadpool & Wolverine.
Should DC decide to capitalize on this, then Glen Powell could easily return to the same role. Needless to say, with Glen Powell now being such a prominent figure in Hollywood,it would make sense for his role to be much larger and given a name. His character would no doubt have been affected by his encounter with Bane in some way. While it may be a little on-the-nose, he could even go on to become The Broker, a minor villain whose main rival in DC Comics is Dick Grayson’s Robin.
Glen Powell Could Play Another Character In The Dark Knight 4
Portraying Another Character Might Be A Better Fit For Powell’s Star Power
Alternatively, Glen Powell could embody another role entirely. Given his role was so minor inThe Dark Knight Rises, having him return to another role wouldn’t feel too out of place.It would be fitting for Powell to portray a more prominent DC characternow that his acting career has skyrocketed, and with many DC fans eyeing him for roles in the DCU, there certainly seems to be an appetite for his return to DC movies.
All 34 DC Universe Characters Confirmed In Canon By James Gunn
Since the announcement of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe in January 2023, many characters have been confirmed to join the new franchise.
Actors returning to new roles in the same cinematic franchise is also relatively commonplace at this point. The MCU has seen plenty of actors like Gemma Chan embody two entirely different roles in the same universe. On the other hand,giving Powell’s new character a history as a trader would also make sense, depending on the character he portrays.
It would be interesting to see Powell take on a villainous role inThe Dark Knight 4. Doing so would allow him to flex his acting chops even more as he would be joining the ranks of some of the greatest comic book movie villain actors of all time. Of theBatman villains that would work best inThe Dark Knight 4,Powell would excel as Hush- a casting that would work particularly well as Powell is popularly fan-cast as the DCU’s Batman, while Hush is a dark reflection of Bruce Wayne.
Why Christopher Nolan Hasn’t Made The Dark Knight 4
Christopher Nolan Has Said He Isn’t Interested In Directing A Fourth Movie
Given the immense success ofThe Dark KnightandThe Dark Knight Rises, it’s somewhat puzzling that Christopher Nolan didn’t immediately get to work on another sequel. While there are many reasons for this, the most pertinent of these is thatNolan simply didn’t want to make a sequel. Before the MCU, pushing beyond a trilogy in a superhero franchise was an exceptionally rare occurrence, while the changing leads and tones of the four Batman movies preceding Nolan’s trilogy made them all feel decidedly disparate.
It is also hard to argue thatThe Dark Knight Risesendedin a way that left room for a sequel. With Bruce Wayne having retired the cowl after establishing himself as an inspiring martyr with his faked death, having him return to the mantle would besmirch that legacy. Still, it isn’t as if there’s no demand, andafter 12 years, it could be the case that Bale’s Batman takes on a mentor rolein the background rather than a full return to masked vigilantism.
Christian Bale has also expressed that he would be willing to reprise the role except under one particularly prohibitive condition: that Christopher Nolan directs.
Christian Bale has also expressed that he would be willing to reprise the role except under one particularly prohibitive condition: that Christopher Nolan directs. Unfortunately, with Nolan rebuking the idea on multiple occasions, this doesn’t seem likely. With that being said,The Dark Knight 4could still happenwith his brother, Jonathan Nolan, in the director’s chair after he already expressed his enthusiasm to step in. Though it isn’t Christopher, this could be enough to persuade Christian Bale to return - especially as Jonathan Nolan co-wroteThe Dark KnightandThe Dark Knight Rises.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knightfranchise, also known asThe Dark Knight Trilogy, is a critically acclaimed and commercially successful film series directed by Christopher Nolan. It is a darker and more realistic take on the Batman character, exploring themes of justice, chaos, and redemption. The trilogy revitalized the Batman film series and is often credited with raising the bar for superhero films, particularly through its exploration of complex moral dilemmas and the iconic portrayal of villains like the Joker.
