Here’s a photo of Jena Malone at last week’s NYC premiere of St. Vincent. She’s sporting red locks, a Valentino dress and Tamara Mellon boots that are a bit matchy matchy. The boots look a little superhero-ish, right? Well, there could be a theme at work. Jenna is rumored to be playing Carrie Kelly/Robin in the new Batman v. Superman movie. More than rumored, actually. Let’s look at the evidence. Jenna recently Instagrammed a photo of her hair, which was newly died a fiery red.
Another clue: Director Zack Snyder previously worked with Jenna in Sucker Punch. Aannd Variety reports that “the character of Robin is now female.” They point towards a local Detroit news station, which has spoken with one of the Batman v. Superman extras. That extra (who may be the dumbest person ever) broke a nondislosure agreement to reveal that Jena is on set and playing Robin. Warner Bros. declined to comment.
This rumor is probably true, which makes Jena Malone the new Robin to Ben Affleck’s Batman. What do you think? I believe this news, but the release of this info is sketchy. The extra risked a $5 million fine for spilling top-secret tidbits to the media. Jena is a master of releasing her own casting rumors to test the public’s interest. She’s really good at doing that. It worked to land the coveted role of Johanna Mason in Catching Fire. Turns out she was damn good in the role, but she played PR games to get there.
Anyway. Jena Malone joins Batfleck, Gal Gadot (as Wonder Woman), Jason Momoa (as Aquaman), and that Jesse Eisenberg guy (as Lex Luthor). Nice work. Jena is a talented actress, and maybe this will keep her from singing racist songs for a couple of years. Thumbs up, Zack Snyder.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
For some reason I really don’t like her as an actress. She disturbs me.
As much as I love all super hero movies this makes me want to see this movie even less ….
Me too! Maybe it was because I was madly in love with Donnie Darko (yeah, the character ) and she got him instead, but I’ve not liked her since. On paper she shouldn’t bother me, she was technically good in Saved! But she just rubs me the wrong way. Don’t like her. And I’m still mad about Donnie…
a perfectly understandable reason 🙂
She’s one of those actors that I have a vague sense of knowing, but who I can’t exactly place.
She was a child actress, so maybe you saw her in something back then. I remember first seeing her in Bastard out of Carolina – she was amazing and heartbreaking.
Me too! I found her perfect for the role of Johanna in Catching Fire though. I don’t like her, but if she delivers good work I’m fine with her.
Strangely, i started having a soft spot for her after seeing her work as Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games franchise. Previously, i was kinda strongly opposed to the casting. Maybe the same thing will happen here?
Is it strange that I think she looks like she’d make a better Harley?
Excellent point.
+1
Thought the same. Snyder ruined sucker punch btw.
+2
Jesse Eisenberg is the actor I most can’t stand, in the world. OMG. Ugly+arrogant = deadly combo. I hate the way he talks. Something about the way he moves just his bottom lip or something… Just so. Extremely arrogant. (And for what reason, I have no idea; nothing great about the guy.) Cannot STAND. Definitely won’t be seeing this movie.
???
I agree with you. I am not sure what it is exactly but I do not like that guy at all.
The way he talks bothers me too. I haven’t seen enough of him to weigh in on the arrogance, but his manner of speaking is very annoying to me.
And can you believe that he’s with Mia Wasikowska? She seems like such a sweet girl.
Oh God, me too. I have an irrational hate-on for that guy. He’s the radical opposite of charismatic, I HATE every character he plays. I don’t think I’ve ever watched more than 6 scenes of The Social Network because of him, and because the whole thing was a yawn that went for 2 hours anyway.
Which is why he’ll make an excellent Lex Luthor.
Well played!
This whole movie is just so unappealing. It’s not the cast so much as the all around vibe of sad Batman and sad Superman. What happened to making a movie fun to watch? Because this sounds like a chore.
Agreed! Why can’t we have both emo superheroes and fun superheroes?
They’re trying wayyy to hard to be not-Marvel.
I think she’s an amazing actress. She would probably get more work if she were a knockout. Don’t get me wrong – she is attractive. Think Glenn Close, Felicity Huffman, Claire Danes and Anna Paquin. All dynamite actresses not necessarily perceived as classic beauties erego talented to compete and secure roles.
I agree. She has average looks, but she’s a good actress. She was great in Stepmom.
This film is trying way too hard. And yeah she would make a better Harley Quinn.
Why don’t they just go ahead and call it The Justice League and get it over with.
Since Thor is now a girl in the comics I guess DC is trying to one up Marvel by making Robin a girl in the movie.
I don’t like robin or Thor being women. But please don’t misunderstand me: I want to see more women in comic book movies. I just want them to be their own characters. Turning an existing male character into a female is cheap in my opinion. It’s a cop out for the studios and the writers; they don’t actually have to write or develop a new or different character while still being able to go ‘hey look we included the girlz!!’. No you really didn’t. It’s so frustrating because there are female comic book chracters that would fit in the story lines but they won’t do because they assume the audience won’t like it. By changing existing characters into women they don’t have to actually work at making a good female character.
InvaderTak
I’m with you. This is a cheap move for publicity at the cost of the comic integrity.
There are alternate versions with characters being combinations of genders and races. There are pre existing female comic characters that are amazing. So why stay in this comic reality, but change such a hardened and beloved character like Robin?
End of the day Snyder can’t be trusted with these storylines. Get ready for a lot more girls in high powered, strong roles be framed on their knees looking upwards to the man standing over them. That’s as much his trademark as it is Bay’s up the nose angle.
@InvaderTak – I’m very much a newbie comic reader but with the Thor example, he’s actually been a woman before (admittedly mostly in non-canon stuff).
http://www.denofgeek.us/books-comics/thor/237360/the-women-who-were-thor
He’s also been Beta Ray Bill (alien space horse monster type creature). And a frog. If a frog can be Thor, a women can. I agree with more women needing to be heroes but, to be honest, I’m ok with stuff like this as a starting point (because, let’s be honest, nothing ever really stays the same for long in comics) because it’s going to get more girls and women reading comics because it’s linked to characters they’re already going to be aware of and once theyre “suckered in” (in a sense), from there they can other discover artists/characters/stories they like. It’s how it worked for me 😉 Plus anything that works as a litmus test to reveal the raging misogynist gross “fans” around (I’m not talking minor complaints here, I’m talking the people who hate women) is fine by me.
Plus the first issue of (female) Thor is surprisingly awesome. Worth checking out.
@FLORC and @InvaderTak
I don’t trust Snyder as a director and storyteller, but I don’t understand what you guys mean about comic integrity?
“There are alternate versions with characters being combinations of genders and races. There are pre existing female comic characters that are amazing. So why stay in this comic reality, but change such a hardened and beloved character like Robin?”
Which “hardened and beloved” character of Robin are you referring to? There are have been multiple Robins in the mainstream DCU comics: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, STEPHANIE Brown, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne. And the character Jena Malone is playing (Carrie Kelley) is an iconic character who was first introduced The Dark Knight Returns — a book that is almost 30 years old.
Robins been a girl before….
Uh, actually, in The Dark Knight written by Frank Miller Robin was a young redheaded girl. They are actually sticking to the story. If you read the books you know this. BTW, this story was written in the 80s.
If Lucy Liu can play Watson and Cate Blanchett Bob Dylan, I’ve no problem with Jena playing Robin.
I wanted so bad Meryl playing Batman. I’m sure she can pull it off.
Any comic book people around? I vaguely remember there being a female Robin in the comics at some point. I could be entirely wrong.
From what I’m reading around the place, this is what Zack Snyder is using as the basis of the storyline so it’s more a female character taking up the mantle.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Returns#Characters
You know that in the comic book the dark knight returns robin was changed to a girl and the dark knight returns is what batman v superman is based on and currently there have been 5 different robins in the batman series in the comic books
@Reece
There have been two prominent female characters playing Robin. Carrie Kelley (the character Malone is set to play), and Stephanie Brown (although Steph is better known to DCU fans for her Batgirl role). Neither character had a very long run as Robin, but both characters pop up every now and then, in various canons.
+1
She’s not my favorite but I think that this bit of casting, if true, is dead on. She has the athleticism and screen presence to nail the Robin character. While I wouldn’t go to a movie with her as the lead, she does well in supporting roles.
BTW, am I the only one that has mistaken her for Kristen Stewart and vice versa in photos from a quick glance? I think it’s the chin.
Evan rachel wood mixed with kristen stewart
Yes! That’s exactly who she looks like! A combo of ERW & KS.
Jena isn’t the first to drop her own casting rumors (hi Zac Efron!) and it worked in her favor so… play on player.
She was AWFUL in The Ruins but I dug her in Catching Fire, which means I’m pretty ambivalent about this news.
From afar I though it was Evan Rachel Wood
Interesting take on a character.
I have zero excitement for this film though, and I think most of it stems from how much I hated Man of Steel. I love Amy Adams, liked Henry, and was excited for it since I loved the older movies as a kid, but it was just really, really terrible.
This movie will be a sh*tshow. I feel for poor Henry Cavill and Amy. More for Henry because I think this will negatively affect his career, Amy is established enough to where she’ll be fine. But still, Batfleck, heroin chic wonder woman, and now this… Definately a movie to skip.
I love this twist! I can absolutely see Jena killing it as Robin. She’s got the physicality, acting chops and the attitude necessary to remake Robin’s character. This is the first bit of news that’s actually excited me about the whole SuperBat movie.
She was AMAZING in the RUINS and Bastard Out of Carolina. She was great in Catching Fire too so I think she will do well as the new Robin because really Robin Has to be the most boring a$$ super-hero sidekick ever so I’m happy to see a new spin on the role.
I liked Jena until I sat next to her in a restaurant a few years ago. I don’t know if she was on drugs or what, but it was like sitting near an overgrown toddler. It was an awful combination of secondhand embarrassment and frustration that she made it difficult for the people around her to enjoy her meal.
For her sake, I kind of hope it was drugs and that she’s since cleaned up. But ever since then, I just can’t watch her in anything (the exception being Pride and Prejudice). All I see is the obnoxious girl in a romper.
I already wasn’t excited about this movie – even though I like a lot of the actors – but this seals it for me. I’m intrigued by a female Robin, but between this and stick-figure Wonder Woman, whoever is casting their female superheroes needs to stop.
Haaa that’s exactly the vibe she gives me! Similar type of obnoxious to Anne Hathaway to me… I really can’t stand either of them.
Agree with everything else you said, tired of unfit/skinny “superheroes”, the lack of reality is exhausting.
I am so confused, she was in that awesome movie with Mandy Moore, “Saved”, right? Love the idea of a female Robin, very cool.
Yeah, Saved was what I last saw her in, and I don’t even recognize the person in these pix!! o_O
It’s weird, because on one hand I’m like “it’s Batman vs. Superman, Josefa, this will be a huge hit, obviously”; but on the other hand… I don’t think I’ve read one positive comment about this film. And it’s not something about my circle, we’re all dying to watch Age of Ultron. It’s not even like FSoG, because I know A LOT of women who’ll go watch it either because they liked the book (eek) or because they want to laugh while gazing at shirtless Jaime Dornan. Like… does anybody really want to watch this?
YES! But if I’m being completely honest, I am only super excited to see it for my girl Wondy.
I’m a bit nervous about her solo film though, because I see the screenplay will be by one of the guys who wrote that horrible Green Lantern movie. Fingers crossed he learned from his mistakes.
I think most people can sense that this probably won’t go very well. We got a taste of their Superman and even if the movie was fun for some people, it’s REALLY not Superman. He looks like him well enough but I was more shocked how often he had to be told by his father to freaking save people than the weird krypton stuff they threw in.
As a DCU fan, I’m not looking forward to this movie at all (save for the possibility of a Wonder Woman and Cyborg movie in the future), but I actually think Jena Malone is perfect for Carrie Kelley. I’m a little upset that, if going with Robin, they picked Carrie, instead of my beloved Stephanie Brown, but it’s the least of my problems with the movie.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with Carrie Kelley (which appears to be a majority of this thread, from the “why are they stunt casting a woman” replies), Carrie was introduced in The Dark Knight Returns, 30 years ago. Here’s a little wiki page for you:
http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Carrie_Kelley
They definitely wouldn’t put steph in this story. Although that will be a good thing because everyone who doesn’t know what they’re going to watch is probably going to expect the DCAU personalities most of us either grew up with or are aware of. That would have been the SENSIBLE thing to do. There’s a reason the Rocksteady games do so well. It’s not just gameplay.
This could very well crash and burn, even with supes and batman as the focus. I suspect the writers and directors aren’t even aware of the corner they’re putting themselves in. This story doesn’t continue. It’s not like it’s going to make sense to have a justice league movie after this. Not unless it’s a different universe. I guess they could change how it ends but it’s going to be sloppy work. It’s just too many moving parts to fashion together a cohesive story.
Oh, I don’t think Steph would fit in TDKR story at all (she’s much too… optimistic), I just love her so much and feel like she’s sidelined by the DC community constantly. My point was less that I wish she was in this movie, and more that A) I prefer her as Robin over Carrie Kelley, and B) I would prefer a movie in which Stephanie could exist (which is to say, not this movie). I apologize for being unclear.
While I’m trying to remain cautiously optimistic about the future movies they’ve announced, I have zero faith in Zack Snyder to pull off this film. What I know of him, his work, and the film’s production seems so different in tone from what the DC fanbase and the general public want. And that’s not getting even getting into any issues with plot/characterization/etc (both on Snyder’s end AND from Frank Miller, an author I have too many issues with to go into here).
No need to say sorry, that’s my bad. I think if the games branched off at all Steph could possibly fit into one of those stories. Though to be honest, as much as I love the games there’s some serious male gaze going on with all the female characters. Is a classic Harley costume so much to ask?
She would have done really well in the dcau if they’d gotten that far. I’d like to see Cass too, but not like this. NEVER like this. I completely agree about Snyder and Miller. I’m not sure how they both keep getting work.
This movie is going to be depressing and out of touch because it’s based on the dark knight returns. That comics was given a lot of credit during it’s time for “darkening” up Batman but it’s a very poor choice of material to use for a movie with these two. It was written by Miller who’s some comic book dude’s wet dream, but honestly he’s not a very good writer. I’d say it was more of a right time sort of thing than actual quality on his part. I’ve read what he puts out and it’s…yeah. Leaving it there. You can find samples online.
As for female Robin this is nothing new. Even prior to Carrie Kelley, who is the female Robin from this story, there were various female robins all through the comics. They never played a huge role and are largely considered not to be canon anymore (like half the freaking universe pre 52) but they’re there. Same with female Thor and a few others.
The problem will be much more to do with characterization than who’s playing robin. Trust me on that. Here’s the blerb (SPOILER WARNING) from wiki since there’s no point it me typing it when someone else already did:
“The Dark Knight Returns is set in a dystopian near-future version of Gotham City. Bruce Wayne is 55 years old and has retired as Batman; and levels of crime are rising. Wayne, finding his retirement difficult, becomes Batman again. He first faces Harvey Dent, who was believed to have been cured, after successful plastic surgery. Dent holds the city for ransom with a bomb. When Batman defeats Dent, he discovers that Dent’s evil “Two-Face” persona has returned.
Batman saves 13-year-old Carrie Kelley from an attack by a gang called the Mutants. Kelley buys herself an imitation Robin costume and searches for Batman, seeking to help him. She finds Batman at the city dump where he fights an army of Mutants. Though Batman defeats the Mutant army with his weaponry, the Mutant leader beats him in combat. Kelley distracts the leader long enough to allow herself and Batman to escape. With the help of retiring Commissioner James Gordon and the new Robin, Batman defeats the Mutant leader on his own terms. The Mutants disband and some rename themselves the Sons of Batman, using excessive violent force with good intentions.
Batman’s return stimulates The Joker to awaken from a catatonic state at Arkham Asylum. With renewed purpose, The Joker manipulates his caretakers to allow him to appear on a television talk show; he murders everyone in the television studio and escapes. Batman and Robin track him to a county fair, where he has already murdered many people. Batman defeats The Joker in a violent confrontation, almost killing him. To incriminate Batman for murder and thus defeat him, The Joker snaps his own neck. After another confrontation with the Gotham police and a citywide manhunt is begun, Batman escapes.
Superman diverts a Russian nuclear warhead which detonates in a desert. The United States is hit by an electromagnetic pulse and descends into chaos during the resulting blackout. In Gotham, Batman realizes what has happened and he and Robin turn the remaining Mutants and the Sons of the Batman into a non-lethal fighting force, leading them against looters and ensuring the flow of essential supplies. In the midst of a nuclear winter, Gotham becomes the safest city in the United States. The U.S. government sees this as an embarrassment and orders Superman to remove Batman. Oliver Queen (the former Green Arrow) predicts to Wayne that the government lackey Superman and the maverick Batman will have a final confrontation. Superman demands to meet Batman. Knowing that Batman may die, Wayne symbolically chooses Crime Alley— where he first became Batman. He relies on Superman’s weakness caused by his near-death in the nuclear blast.
Superman tries to reason with Batman, but Batman uses his technological inventions and mastery of hand-to-hand combat to fight him. During the battle, Superman compromises Batman’s exoframe, but Queen covertly lofts a kryptonite-tipped arrow to weaken Superman enough for Batman to defeat him. Batman suddenly has a heart attack, apparently dying. Alfred Pennyworth destroys the Batcave and Wayne Manor and dies from a stroke, exposing Batman as Bruce Wayne, whose fortune has disappeared. After Wayne’s funeral, it is revealed that his death was staged using chemicals that can suspend his vital life signs. Clark Kent attends the funeral and winks at Robin after hearing Wayne’s heartbeat as he leaves the cemetery. Sometime afterward, Bruce Wayne leads Robin, Queen, and the rest of his followers into the caverns beyond the Batcave and prepares to continue his war on crime. He plans to assemble an army to bring order back to the world.
In the current DC Multiverse, the events of The Dark Knight Returns and its associated titles are designated to occur on Earth-31.”
I remember her from Stepmom and have never liked her in that or anything else since. I know that sounds awful but I find her excruciatingly arrogant to watch. Nothing about her is welcoming or attractive – and yes, I am a total bitch today.
Hate the casting choice. This movie will be a hate watch on Netflix for me.
She’s just awful. She ruined Pride and Prejudice!
I find her pretty unlikeable, which I think made her perfect for her role in pride and prejudice. I think you’re supposed to hate her character for her stupidity and insensitivity.
Jason Momoa as Aquaman. That is the most important thing here. Who cares if they messed up with the casting of some characters. At least they got Aquaman right.
As for Jena, she was so good in Hunger Games so yeah, why not? She looks more Harley Quinn though that Batman’s sidekick.
She’s so weird looking. Speaking about Robin: is it true she dated Robin Wright’s new squeeze Ben Foster back while they were filming The Messenger?