MOVIE NEWS – Until now, only Jim Carrey has brought the character of the Riddler to life on screen. Now, with a new Batman film and Paul Dano taking a very different approach to the Riddler, Carrey has expressed his strong concerns.
Carrey told Unilaid that he has serious reservations about the new film. While he played a comedic Riddler in Batman Forever, and it worked in the context of that film, the new The Batman takes a very different approach to the character. From the way he looks to the way he disposes of his victims, the two films are in stark contrast. Paul Dano’s version is dark and real, which Carrey says is a concern because others could copy it in real life.
While Carrey is not suggesting that the new character could give ideas to anyone or those who watch the film could become criminals, he does think that this approach could set a bad example:
“I’ve not seen it. It’s a very dark version. I have mixed emotions about it. To each his own and all that. I love [Paul Dano] as an actor, he’s a tremendous actor. I do worry. There’s a spot of worry in me over gaffer-taping people’s faces and encouraging people to do the same. Some sickos out there that might adopt that method…I do have a conscience about the things I choose…I know there’s a place for it, and I don’t want to criticize it, but it’s not my kind of thing…it’s very well done, those movies are very well done.”
But how family friendly does a Batman movie have to be? The character’s previous portrayal was more of a prankster, now he’s a cold-blooded killer. Some people don’t like it and are worried, others say it’s up to each individual to decide which portrayal they feel is their own.
Perhaps this is also the reason why Carry is considering retirement. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 may be his last role. For his part, he feels that he has achieved and earned more than enough with his career to pursue other creative pursuits, such as painting in his home, at this stage of his life, and this has led him to strongly consider retiring from Hollywood.
For decades, Carrey entertained audiences with his highly memorable roles. His comedies in particular are considered among the best of the genre. The actor, who reprises his role as the villainous Dr. Robotnik in the new Sonic movie, is one of the most recognised and successful Hollywood stars of our time.
Carrey has been less prominent in recent years. His only major role since 2014’s Dumb and Dumber To (a sequel to the popular 90s film Dumb and Dumber) was 2020’s Sonic. In 2016 he appeared in indie films The Bad Batch and Dark Crimes. He appeared in two seasons of Showtime’s Kidding from 2018-20, and in 2020 he played Joe Biden in several episodes of Saturday Night Live. More recently, the actor reprised his role from The Cable Guy in Verizon’s Super Bowl ad and starred in a Bob Saget tribute comedy show that will launch on Netflix in June.
„Well, I’m retiring. Yeah, probably. I’m being fairly serious. It depends. If the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink that says to me that it’s going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road, but I’m taking a break… I really like my quiet life and I really like putting paint on canvas and I really love my spiritual life and I feel like — and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists — I have enough. I’ve done enough. I am enough.”
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