The enormous success of The Batman has opened up a whole new version of Gotham City to expand upon. With talk of a sequel comes inevitable speculation not only on which villain will face Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader but which actor should play him. While the movie itself focused mainly on Paul Dano’s Riddler, it wasn’t shy about including additional members of Batman’s rogues' gallery, including Catwoman, The Penguin, and even a cut scene with The Joker that set fans abuzz with excitement.
While details on any sequel plans remain tightly under wraps, one name that seems tailor-made for Matt Reeves’ vision is Jonathan Crane, AKA The Scarecrow. He's grounded enough yet sufficiently steeped in The Batman’s brand of darkness to make a ready option. Cillian Murphy made a strong impression as Crane in all three parts of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, which embraced the same kind of realistic setting and no-nonsense plot that made The Batman such a success. Following up that performance would take a first-rate actor. But who specifically? A shortlist of possible options follows, each designed to lend a specific impression of Batman’s most terrifying foe. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Paul Bettany Would Bring an Understated Menace to The Scarecrow
Paul Bettany has become a favorite among comic book fans for his kind, nuanced portrayal of Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That makes it easy to forget how strong a villain he can be, starting with early standouts like Gangster No. 1 and on display as recently as Solo: A Star Wars Story. Bettany is adept at compressing a great deal of emotion into a very soft delivery, ideal not only for conveying The Scarecrow’s menace but also Doctor Crane’s morbid curiosity at his victims’ fear. That could make a good fit for the kind of slow-burn killing scenes Reeves excelled at with The Batman.
Adam Driver Would Make an Intense Jonathan Crane
Adam Driver instantly stepped into the echelons of the supervillain elite as Solo-gone-wrong Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. He was notable for standing out in a franchise packed with memorable villains. Ren was more enfant terrible than autocratic dictator, which translated into sudden, surprising acts of fury. That intensity could easily work with Doctor Crane, which would make Driver's Scarecrow as unpredictable in his own way as The Joker. The actor's dark features and looming height don’t hurt matters either, and his prodigious lightsaber use in the Star Wars movies could easily transfer to a weapon like a scythe or a pitchfork.
Jeff Goldblum Was Considered for The Scarecrow in Another Era
The Scarecrow was supposedly slated to be a villain for the fifth entry in the original Batman franchise, intended to follow 1997’s Batman & Robin. Then that film turned into a critical and box office disaster that halted the franchise and kept Batman off the big screen until the 2005 reboot, Batman Begins. Among the names bandied about at the time for The Scarecrow was Jeff Goldblum, who possessed both the tall frame and potential creepiness required for the part. With the actor slated to return in both Jurassic World Dominion and Thor: Love and Thunder this year, The Batman's sequel could legitimately consider him a contender. As an older, more experienced version of Dr. Crane, he could focus more on the mental challenges he provides Batman, forcing The Dark Knight to deduce not only his identity but how he’s operating.
Nicholas Hoult Could Be Both Brilliant and Unhinged as The Scarecrow
Like most of the names on this list, Nicholas Hoult is no stranger to comic book movies, having enjoyed a successful run as Hank McCoy during the most recent batch of X-Men films. He also has the range to handle much darker figures, notably the memorable Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road. That combination could make magic with a part like The Scarecrow, able to convey Crane’s intellectual acumen before diving into sheer lunacy. To top it all off, he’s six-foot-three, towering over Pattinson and setting an appropriate visual profile for the villain.
Doug Jones Could Hide a Terrifying Mask Beneath a Pleasant Dr. Crane
Doug Jones became a legend playing monsters, and his physical acting abilities make him a natural for conveying the character under an elaborate costume. With Dano’s Riddler buttoned up to within an inch of his life in The Batman, it’s safe to say that any incarnation of The Scarecrow would be similarly covered. Jones knows how to deliver a terrifying figure using no dialogue, as he showed time and again in Guillermo del Toro’s films, among others. But he can also be kind and compassionate, as he often is as Saru in Star Trek: Discovery. That makes him an ideal candidate for Dr. Crane’s dual nature, as well as providing a disguise baffling enough to fool The Dark Knight.