Starting out as a kid’s cartoon show and eventually getting canceled, the Batman Beyond comic book has become one of the biggest and least expected hits at DC in a long time.

Taking place 40-50 years in the future, Batman Beyond is about a young man named Terry McGinnis who, after his father is murdered, stumbles upon the Batcave after helping the now elderly, and retired, Bruce Wayne.  After McGinnis steals a high tech bat-suit to avenge his father’s death, Wayne takes him under his wing and trains Terry to be the Batman of the future.

The original cartoon, created by the always amazing WB Animation, ran three season until it’s ultimate cancellation.  It was followed by a direct to DVD movie, Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker, but otherwise was completely inactive until being brought back to life in a DC Comics mini-series by friend of the site Adam Beechin and Ryan Benjamin.  Now, DC has permanently brought Batman Beyond back as an ongoing series that looks to be fantastic.

As a special treat this week we have the writer DC’s ongoing Batman Beyond series, Adam Beechen here to give his casting ideas as well!  Enjoy!

Terry McGinnis/Batman:

Terry McGinnis is a rebellious, hot tempered kid even after Bruce Wayne takes him in and trains him to be Batman.  He’s very passionate and intense when he needs to be, but is far more at peace than Bruce Wayne.

Adam's pick: Andrew Garfield - Ian's pick: Milo Ventimiglia

Bruce Wayne: Clint Eastwood
Okay, first thing’s first.  There’s no way in a million years that Clint Eastwood would ever, EVER do a superhero movie.  But, here at Comic Impact, we dare to dream.  This is a serious no-brainer casting.  So much so, that Adam and Ian agreed whole-heartedly.  In his younger days, Eastwood would have made an amazing Bruce Wayne/Batman.  There’s no description needed; he’s one of the most talented actors of his generation and he brings his everything to each role he portrays, from Gran Torino to Any Which Way But Loose.  His brooding intensity and crotchety old guy nature would make the perfect, badass, old Bruce Wayne.

Commissioner Barbara Gordon:
Following in the footsteps of her father, Barbara Gordon eventually becomes the commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department.  In the future, Barbara is a tough, no-nonsense woman who carries on the legacy of Commissioner Jim Gordon very well.  Originally in the series, she  butts heads with Terry and Bruce, not approving of Bruce taking another child under his wing.  Eventually, Barbara comes to accept Terry as the new Batman.

Adam's pick: Laura Linney - Ian's pick: Glenn Close

Derek Powers/Blight: Jason Issacs
At some point in the future, Bruce Wayne is forced to merge Wayne Enterprises with a competing company, led by Derek Powers.  Powers is a ruthless, sleazy businessman who will do anything in the name of business.  He is responsible for the murder of Terry’s father and while Terry is attempting to bring Powers to justice, he is exposed to a lethal gas.  The only way for Powers to save himself was to be bathed in radiation.  The mixture caused his body to emit radiation at all times that glowed green through his skin.  He can also fires scorching blasts of radiation from his body.  Again, Adam and Ian agree, Jason Issacs has played a number of ruthless yet charismatic villains and would be perfect as Derek Powers.

Inque:
One of the first supervillains that Terry ever faced as Batman, Inque is a woman who can turn her body into a black, tarry liquid, similar to the Venom symbiote from Spider-Man.  She’s proven to be one of his most challenging adversaries.

Adam's pick: Jordana Brewster - Ian's pick: Carrie Anne Moss

Mr. Freeze: Mark Strong
One of the only villains from Bruce’s days as Batman to make their way to the future was Mr. Freeze.  The accident that made Dr. Victor Fries incapable of handling any kind of warmth, having to rely on a suit that kept his body at constantly freezing temperatures, also deteriorated his body but kept his head and mind alive for decades.  In the future, Derek Powers (attempting to find a cure for his Blight condition) uses Fries as a guinea pig in an experiment, clones Fries’ body and transfers his mind into the new body.  The experiment works at first, giving Fries a new, healthy body and a new lease on life.  Unfortunately, the new body eventually reverts to its previous state, unable to handle heat. After Powers tries to terminate the experiment (translation: kill Fries), Fries seeks revenge in a new, more powerful cold suit.  Terry then has to go up against this new, vengeful Mr. Freeze.  Mark Strong would make a fantastic Mr. Freeze in either Batman Beyond or the normal, present day Batman as he showed by playing the cold, emotionless Lord Blackwood in 2009’s Sherlock Holmes.  Plus, look at that freakin’ cue ball head of his!  Again, Adam and Ian are completely simpatico on this one.

The next two (technically three) characters were created by Adam for his Batman Beyond mini-series, so we gave him free reign to decide exactly who should play them.  Here’s what he thought!  Spoiler warning!

Hush/Dick Grayson:  Christian Bale

Hush/Dick Grayson clone

In the recent Batman Beyond comic book mini-series, Adam finally introduced Dick Grayson into the Batman Beyond world.  In the comic, a mysterious man with a bandaged face, who comes to be called Hush after one of Bruce’s old enemies, escapes from Cadmus Labs and starts killing Bruce’s old villains as well as Terry’s new ones.  He eventually turns out to be a clone of Dick Grayson that Cadmus’ CEO Amanda Waller created years before in an attempt to create a new Batman should the original ever be killed.  When the clone escaped, his mind was undeveloped and broken, giving him a warped view of reality and justice, but with all of the original Dick Grayson’s memories.  The clone becomes a serious challenge for Terry, Bruce and the original Dick Grayson.  Adam’s choice for both the clone and older Dick Grayson is Christian Bale.  Bale is a very intense, versatile actor who could be made older with makeup for the scenes as older Grayson, and he plays a fantastic crazy person as he showed in American Psycho.

Old Dick Grayson

Catwoman Beyond: Kelly Hu
Wearing a high tech suit, much like Terry’s Bat-suit, Catwoman of the future is revealed to be the daughter of the supervillain Multiplex.  Catwoman is able to generate duplicates of herself, like her father, but is limited to nine at a time.  Taking the “nine lives” shtick and running with it, she becomes the new Catwoman.  She’s irreverent, sarcastic and a total badass on her own.  Adam chose Kelly Hu to play Catwoman.  She’s a beautiful actress who has experience with physical, action roles, like X-Men 2.

Our final two characters were from the original cartoon, but since Ian couldn’t make a decision, Adam swooped in and saved the day for us!  Check out his picks!

Dana Tan: Brenda Song
Dana Tan is Terry McGinnis’ high school girlfriend.  She’s aware of Terry’s “after school job” with Bruce Wayne, but she doesn’t know that he’s secretly Batman.  As far as she knows, Terry’s just Mr. Wayne’s assistant.  Dana is an independent young woman who shows throughout the original cartoon that she’s tough enough to take care of herself, even though Batman does have to save her from time to time.  Adam picked Brenda Song, who recently appeared in The Social Network and is a fantastic physical match for the character.

Max Gibson: Keke Palmer
Playing sidekick duties in Batman Beyond is Max Gibson.  Max is a computer expert and friend/classmate of Terry’s.  She stumbles upon his secret life as Batman and helps him from behind the scenes.  She’s a tough, smart girl who handles her business while helping out Terry many times over in Batman Beyond.  Adam’s choice for Max is Keke Palmer who played the lead in Akeelah and The Bee as well as a number of other TV and film projects.

So, there you have it everyone!  We’d like to give a special thanks to Adam Beechen for his help in this week’s Casting Couch!  What a swell fella’!  Be sure to pick up Batman Beyond #2, which will be on the stands tomorrow (2/2/2011).

Ian Candish
Ian@ComicImpact.com