Josh Hartnett as Batman? Christopher Nolan Says ‘Initial’ Talks Were Had, but the Actor Was ‘More Interested’ in ‘The Prestige’ Anyway
variety.comZack Sharf Digital News Director Josh Hartnett revealed to Playboy magazine in 2015 that he talked with Christopher Nolan about taking on the role of the Caped Crusader in the director’s “Batman Begins,” which launched Warner Bros.’ billion-dollar grossing “Dark Knight” trilogy.
How far did those talks go before Nolan settled on Christian Bale instead? In a new interview on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Nolan confirmed talks with Hartnett took place, but his casting never got too serious. “No, it never got that far,” Nolan said when asked if he screen-tested Hartnett for the role of Batman. “I met with Josh and if I recall, he was a young actor whose work I was very interested in,” Nolan added. “I had an initial conversation with him but he had read my brother’s script for ‘The Prestige’ at the time and was more interested in getting involved with that.
So it never went further than that.” Hartnett was not cast in “Batman Begins,” nor was he cast in “The Prestige.” Both films starred Bale.
Hartnett would have to wait over a decade to get his chance to work with Nolan, which he did in the upcoming “Oppenheimer.” Hartnett plays Ernest Lawrence, a nuclear physicist and the inventor of the cyclotron who becomes J.
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