History Trivia / BatmanBegins

*** Creator/HeathLedger had discussions for the role of Bruce Wayne, but turned it down due to his dislike of comic book movies. Ledger would eventually go on to play the [[Comicbook/TheJoker Joker]] in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
*** Creator/AshtonKutcher was also considered for Bruce Wayne and was reportedly some of the studio executives' top contender for the part. However, Nolan was not so enthusiastic about the idea of casting Kutcher, which prompted the studio heads to drop the idea.
*** Creator/JakeGyllenhaal, Creator/DavidBoreanaz, Creator/JoshuaJackson, Creator/EionBailey, Creator/HughDancy, Creator/CillianMurphy and Creator/BillyCrudup screen-tested for the titular role as well before the casting of Bale. Murphy would later go on to portray Jonathan Crane in the film, while Crudup would play Henry Allen in ''{{Film/Justice League|2017}}''.

** Creator/DarrenAronofsky was originally chosen to write and direct the movie before Creator/ChristopherNolan was hired. Aronofsky's version of the film would've been based on ''Comicbook/BatmanYearOne'', and he brought on Creator/FrankMiller to co-write it with him. Aronofsky was also interested in casting Creator/JoaquinPhoenix as Bruce Wayne, while the higher-ups preferred Creator/FreddiePrinzeJr However, the studio was unhappy with the script due to the differences from the source material and did not greenlight the film. Phoenix would go on to play the titular character in ''Film/{{Joker|2019}}''.
*** Creator/MNightShyamalan, Creator/DavidFincher and Creator/TheWachowskis were also approached to direct the film before Nolan was hired. The Wachowskis turned down the offer in order to helm ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' and ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'' instead.

* WordOfGod: Going by WordOfGod, comics canon, and the novelization, the Nolanverse Bruce Wayne was born on February 19, 1977 (1980 in the novelization); his parents were killed on June 26, 1986, at 10:47 PM; their killer is killed and Bruce himself begins his seven-year odyssey on February 20, 2000; Henri Ducard discovered Bruce in early 2006; his training with the League of Shadows went on for about a year, culminating in the final test on January 17, 2007; Bruce boards a plane back to Gotham on January 21, 2007, arriving the next day; the film's story picks up on February 1, 2007, as Crane recommends that Victor Zsasz be moved to Arkham; the Batman makes his first appearance and serves up Carmine Falcone on Valentine's Day, with the case against Falcone going forward the next day; Falcone is driven insane on the 17th, and the Batman is poisoned by Crane that night; the climax takes place on February 19, 2007; Lucius Fox becomes the CEO of Wayne Enterprises the next day... [[ContinuitySnarl and the final scene takes place on December 1, 2007]].
** This would also place the events of ''The Dark Knight'' in early 2008, as it takes place a year after ''Begins'', and ''Rises'', since that's set eight years after ''TDK'', would be taking place in [[NextSundayAD 2016.]]

** Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/ChristopherEccleston, Creator/JeremyDavies and Music/MarilynManson were considered for the part of [[Comicbook/TheScarecrow Jonathan Crane]] before the casting of Creator/CillianMurphy. [=McGregor=] would eventually go on to play Black Mask in ''Film/{{Birds of Prey|2020}}.''

* DawsonCasting: Curiously zigzagged. Played straight in the case of Creator/ChristianBale for college-aged Bruce, and ([[IncrediblyLamePun ironically]]) inverted in the case of Creator/KatieHolmes as present-time Rachel (the character is supposed to be around 30, but Holmes was still in her early 20's in 2005).

* RoleReprise: Aside from Creator/GaryOldman, the whole cast returned to voice in the video game.

** Creator/DarrenAronofsky was originally chosen to write and direct the movie before Creator/ChristopherNolan was hired. Aronofsky's version of the film would've been based on ''Comicbook/BatmanYearOne'', and he brought on Creator/FrankMiller to co-write it with him. Aronofsky was also interested in casting Creator/JoaquinPhoenix as Bruce Wayne, while the higher-ups preferred Creator/FreddiePrinzeJr However, the studio was unhappy with the script due to the differences from the source material and did not greenlight the film. Phoenix would go on to play the titular character in ''{{Film/Joker|2019}}''.

** The video game was going to have a UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable port, but wasn't completed.

** Part of Creator/ChristianBale's motivation for taking on the role was the fact that the salary was enough for him to pay off his house.
** Creator/GaryOldman, along with ''Franchise/HarryPotter'', accepted the role because he wasn't getting much work due to turning down roles that would require him to be away from his children, whom he recently won custody of.

* MoneyDearBoy: Part of Creator/ChristianBale's motivation for taking on the role was the fact that the salary was enough for him to pay off his house.

* FakeAmerican: Other than Creator/KatieHolmes and Creator/MorganFreeman the majority of the cast is not American. We have the English Creator/ChristianBale as Bruce Wayne, Irish Creator/CillianMurphy as Dr. Crane, and English actors Creator/GaryOldman Creator/TomWilkinson, Creator/LinusRoache and Creator/SaraStewart as Commissioner Gordon, Falcone, and Thomas and Martha Wayne, respectively.

* FakeAmerican: Other than Creator/KatieHolmes and Creator/MorganFreeman the majority of the supporting cast are not American. We have the English Creator/ChristianBale as Bruce Wayne, Irish Creator/CillianMurphy as Dr. Crane and English actors Gary Oldman, (Gordon), Creator/TomWilkinson (Falcone), Linus Roache and Sara Stewart (Thomas and Martha Wayne.)

*** Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/ChristopherEccleston, Creator/JeremyDavies and Music/MarilynManson were considered for the part of [[Comicbook/TheScarecrow Jonathan Crane]] before the casting of Creator/CillianMurphy. [=McGregor=] would eventually go on to play Black Mask in ''Film/{{Birds of Prey|2020}}.''

*** Creator/DanielDayLewis, Creator/ViggoMortensen and Creator/GuyPearce were approached for [[ComicBook/RasAlGhul Henri Ducard]] before the casting of Creator/LiamNeeson. Pearce turned down the offer due to the fact that he considered himself "too young" for the part at the age of thirty-seven.

* TheOtherDarrin: For the video game, Creator/GaryOldman was replaced by Gavin Hammon.

* ApprovalOfGod: Creator/TimBurton mentioned that he saw a tape of the film and called it "very touching and “very good". Creator/MichaelKeaton also approved.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/TheDarkKnightTrilogy Enough for its own page]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Creator/JoshHartnett was approached for the part of [[Comicbook/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne]] before Creator/ChristianBale was cast. However, Hartnett turned down the offer due to a lack of interest in portraying a comic book character at the time.
*** Creator/HeathLedger had discussions for the role of Bruce Wayne, but turned it down due to his dislike of comic book movies. Ledger would eventually go on to play the [[Comicbook/TheJoker Joker]] in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
*** Creator/AshtonKutcher was also considered for Bruce Wayne and was reportedly some of the studio executives' top contender for the part. However, Nolan was not so enthusiastic about the idea of casting Kutcher, which prompted the studio heads to drop the idea.
*** Creator/JakeGyllenhaal, Creator/DavidBoreanaz, Creator/JoshuaJackson, Creator/EionBailey, Creator/HughDancy, Creator/CillianMurphy and Creator/BillyCrudup screen-tested for the titular role as well before the casting of Bale. Murphy would later go on to portray Jonathan Crane in the film, while Crudup would play Henry Allen in ''{{Film/Justice League|2017}}''.
*** Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/ChristopherEccleston, Creator/JeremyDavies and Music/MarilynManson were considered for the part of [[Comicbook/TheScarecrow Jonathan Crane]] before the casting of Creator/CillianMurphy. [=McGregor=] would eventually go on to play Black Mask in ''Film/{{Birds of Prey|2020}}.''
** Creator/ChrisCooper, Creator/DennisQuaid and Creator/KurtRussell were considered for the role of James Gordon before Creator/GaryOldman was cast.
*** Creator/DanielDayLewis, Creator/ViggoMortensen and Creator/GuyPearce were approached for [[ComicBook/RasAlGhul Henri Ducard]] before the casting of Creator/LiamNeeson. Pearce turned down the offer due to the fact that he considered himself "too young" for the part at the age of thirty-seven.
** Creator/AnthonyHopkins was offered the role of Alfred Pennyworth before Creator/MichaelCaine was cast.
** Creator/LaurenceFishburne was considered for Lucius Fox before the casting of Creator/MorganFreeman. Fishburne would go on to portray Perry White in the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse.
** Creator/DarrenAronofsky was originally chosen to write and direct the movie before Creator/ChristopherNolan was hired. Aronofsky's version of the film would've been based on ''Comicbook/BatmanYearOne'', and he brought on Creator/FrankMiller to co-write it with him. Aronofsky was also interested in casting Creator/JoaquinPhoenix as Bruce Wayne, while the higher-ups preferred Creator/FreddiePrinzeJr However, the studio was unhappy with the script due to the differences from the source material and did not greenlight the film. Phoenix would go on to play the titular character in ''{{Film/Joker|2019}}''.
*** Creator/MNightShyamalan, Creator/DavidFincher and Creator/TheWachowskis were also approached to direct the film before Nolan was hired. The Wachowskis turned down the offer in order to helm ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' and ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'' instead.
** The writers considered having [[Comicbook/TwoFace Harvey Dent]] in the film, but inserting him would have been too unwieldy. Dent would later appear in [[Film/TheDarkKnight the sequel]] portrayed by Creator/AaronEckhart.
** Nolan originally didn't want to give Scarecrow a mask, but David S. Goyer was able to convince him into it.
** According to an interview with production designer, the waterfall guarding the entrance to the Batcave was originally meant to cover a solid rock wall, which Batman's enemies would slam into when attempting the jump in. The rock wall would have been opened with a button inside the Batmobile, but the sequence was cut before filming began.
** The video game was going to have a UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable port, but wasn't completed.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/TheDarkKnightTrilogy Enough for its own page]]