My very first WTF were they thinking.....

I will be from time to time sharing my thoughts on some of the most miscast roles in Hollywood History.  Sometimes you've just got to ask WTF?

Episode 1:  Everyone Chill!

          The Batman films over the years have given us some great actors filling some big comic shoes.  I remember thinking when I first heard of Michael Keaton as the title role in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman I was thinking ..."what?"  I thought, " they are using the actor that played Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice to play one of the most iconic comic hero roles of my childhood.  I was far from convinced that this would work.  Was John Candy going to play the riddler?  I loved Michael Keaton, dont get me wrong, the guy was funny in the 80's.  I just couldn't see the tough dark side that he would have to be.  I was 16 years old when it came out and to be honest, I was completely wrong about Keaton.  He did a pretty good job with the role.  Was it perfect? ..No, but I thought it was going to be far worse.  This may be shocking to hear but I still don't think we have had a great Batman, someone who has completely embodied the character.  Christian Bale probably has come the closest but I still think that perfect guy is out there. 
          The next 23 years or so has given us alot of A-List Hollywood names lending their talents to the Batman universe.  Some of them include(With my opinion on their grade as the role):

Michael Keaton-Batman (B)
Jack Nicholson- The Joker 1989  Batman - (B+)
Michele Pfiefer (sp?)  Catwoman/Batman Returns (A-)
Danny Devito- The Penguin/ Batman Retunns (C- I hate the character too)
Jim Carrey - The Riddler/Batman Forever (C+)
Tommy Lee Jones- Two Face/ Batman Forver (D+)
Val Kilmer- Batman/Batman Forever (B-)
George Clooney- Batman and Robin (C+)
Christian Bale- Batman Begins,Dark Knight, and DKR (B+)
Heath Ledger-The Joker/The Dark Knight (A+)

          There are many more but there was always one that stood out as a complete mistake.  A casting that was sooooo terrible that the movie was ruined from the instant he uttered one word....thats right ladies and gentleman, my first WTF were they thinking actor was none other than the" Muscles from Brussels" Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze.  Joel Shumacher had to be on acid or something when casting this role.  Hmmm Let's see.....I have a role for a big Muscular Brute of a man called Bane and the role of a Scientist/Cryogenist called Mr. Freeze.....Oh hi Arnold.....you be Mr Freeze....Shumacher you putz!  I can't entirely blame Arnold for this debacle....The lines he was given to deliver were just atrocious.  Don't get me wrong, the movie is Hilarious.  THe Batman series had  already waved byebBye to any credibility as soon as Good Ol Joel took over.  But COME ON!  There were plenty of perfect candidates for that role...I personally always liked the often rumored Patrick Stewart as a genius scientist but thats just me.  The movie was a trainwreck!
          I think I heard that Arnold got paid like 25 million for the role...geez...that's like a million per terrible ice pun.  I was thinking about this as I was writing..I think this movie role may have pushed him into that illicit affair with his housekeeper Anthony Munoz or whatever her name was.  I cringed at the scenes where they showed him in his lab pre Freeze and he was pretending to look all intelligent.  The whole time he was thinking about cheating on that Skeletor of a wife....i know harsh..but geez she really looks like skeletor!  Im sure she's a nice lady....
          This role was the beginning of the end for Arnold.  I love Arnold, he is definitely in my Mt. Rushmore of Action stars.  He is dispicable human being but the guy has some of the best one liners in history. Which under man law forgives him for being a terrible, egotistical, over the hill, prick.   Unfortunately though he also has some of the worst one liners thanks to this role.   To be fair though, he wasn't the only horrible casting in that movie.  Uma (Mutant Feet) Thurman playing Poison Ivy was really bad, and lets face it Alicia Silverstone and her puckered up face was pretty unbearable as Batgirl.  Chris O'donnell = Douchy Robin, but to be fair to him...Robin is universally kinda lame.  All in all though Arnold was the cream of the crop when it comes to a WTF moment. I kinda root for Arnold and his "Comeback" but I really think that it's over for him.  Some guys just dont age well.  Sean Connery, now he was a pimp....and probably could have been an excellent Mr. Freeze.  I did hear lately that Arnold was going to reprise his iconic Conan role.  I hope this wont be the Conan I saw in a speedo on the beach about 5 years ago....geez man ...you need to get back on those Sly Stallone Horse Roids.   I will leave you with this......My name is Freeeezee, Leurn it Well...for it is the chilling sound of your dooooom.