Nicolas Cage’s Missed Batman Villain Role Could’ve Been The Perfect Way To End The Original Batman Movie Series

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Batman & Robin director Joel Schumacher"s conception of the fourth entry in the Batman franchise looked very different, and it would have reshaped the DC Universe. Instead of Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, the filmmaker sought Nicolas Cage to play Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow. The sequel would have been called Batman Unchained, and its script was penned by Mark Protosevich, who wrote I Am Legend and Thor. In addition to Scarecrow, Batman Unchained would have adapted Harley Quinn for the big screen, this time reimagined as the Joker"s daughter who wanted revenge for his death.
Previous antagonists Joker, Catwoman, the Riddler, Two-Face, and the Penguin were going to appear in an effort to tie the Tim Burton and Schumacher films together more cohesively. Unfortunately, Schumacher and Protosevich"s original vision wouldn"t see the light of day. The director hoped to take the franchise in a more serious direction and delve into the psychology behind its characters, but Warner Brothers" push for family-friendly movies led him to make Batman & Robin instead. This decision ultimately ended the franchise due to the film"s poor reception. Though Batman Unchained wasn"t made, the potential of Cage as Scarecrow is undeniable.
Nicolas Cage Was Almost Scarecrow In The Unmade Batman Unchained Close Nicolas Cage fills a unique niche in Hollywood. The actor often plays eccentric, over-the-top characters, which has made him a fan favorite among some viewers. It makes total sense that Cage would eventually be approached to join a superhero project. Over the years, he"s been attached to a few different roles. Interestingly, Schumacher courting Cage to play a villain is a rarity, as he"s been cast as Superman, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man Noir. However, Scarecrow makes sense for Cage to play because of his unique acting style and the campy nature of the 1990s Batman films.
Of casting Cage, Schumacher revealed that the goal was to make Batman Unchained a heavier experience than Batman Forever. The director explained: “It was going to be very dark; I remember going to the set of Face/Off and asking Nic Cage to play the Scarecrow.” After shelving his original concept, he intended to revive Protosevich"s script for the sequel to Batman & Robin, and Courtney Love was reportedly considered to play Harley. As mentioned before, the latter film was very poorly received, which was the nail in the series" coffin.

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