Editor Lee Smith Says Bruce Wayne In 'The Dark Knight Rises' Inspired By Nolan's Aborted Howard Hughes Movie

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by Kevin Jagernauth
December 6, 2012 10:30 AM
6 Comments

With Martin Scorsese tackling the famed billionaire recluse in "The Aviator," and Warren Beatty forever developing his own feature film about the man, perhaps it's no surprise that a filmmaker as distinctive as Christopher Nolan has shelved his plans to make a movie about Howard Hughes. In the works for years, and at one point mooted as a project he would do after "The Dark Knight Rises," it seems he's poured some of the characteristics of Hughes into Bruce Wayne.

Flickering Myth recently chatted with editor Lee Smith who has worked with Nolan since "The Prestige," and shared that indeed there is some DNA between 'Rises' and Nolan's abandoned project. “There are a lot of similarities in that," he said. "He did work on a script at the same time the one with Leonardo [DiCaprio] came out back in the day.” And the lines between the two are pretty easy to draw.

Hughes was an industrialist with his hands in many industries, just like Wayne, and later in his life he became a recluse, reportedly only cutting his nails and hair once a year. And while Wayne never quite tips into the same mania or drug addiction that plagued Hughes, when we meet him in a bathrobe, on crutches and looking disheveled at the beginning of "The Dark Knight Rises," one can't help but think we're getting a glimpse of what Nolan's Hughes might've looked like (Jim Carrey had been lined up for his proposed project).

So what's next for Nolan? Even Smith isn't quite sure, but it seems his collaborator is taking a breather. "When Chris says he is having a break that just means he is formulating something more complicated than we could ever think,” he said. And whatever it turns out to be, we certainly can't wait.

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More: The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan

6 Comments

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AE | December 7, 2012 10:45 AMReply

I've just read the piece talking about the way Batman's character explored sociopathy and now this one saying Batman was somewhat based around Howard Hughes research and it makes me smile, I mean come on are you kidding none of these things were really explored, it was an action blockbuster designed for fun, no more or less. My worry is if we start believing these superficial popcorn films carry weight, it diminishes the art form until it ceases to teach us anything of real value about life. No offence to TDKR but why can't it just be what it is, shallow fun entertainment and stop making out like it's exploring anything other than thrills.
AE | December 8, 2012 6:52 AM

No need to attack, bitchy! It's just my opinion same as everyone else who adds a comment here, and it's not motivated by ego but hope that in the future when film makers want to 'explore' something like sociopathy they aim for Taxi Driver not Batman. Come on, you're telling me you don't see the difference, Batman just isn't that kind of film, it's about action, it's a great fantasy, why is there the need to believe it's anything more.
Alan | December 8, 2012 3:59 AM

You're so misunderstood and so fascinating, AE. It's like no one understands how brilliant you are, and no one gets cinema quite like you. You define art, and it's kinda offensive that others could have an opinion different from yours.
Matchesmalone | December 6, 2012 12:35 PMReply

Yeah I thought this was obvious. When the staff discusses rumors that Wayne has been urinating in jars, has long fingernails etc, I took that as an obvious reference to Hughes.
MJ | December 6, 2012 11:33 AMReply

We needed someone to officially tell us this? It was pretty obvious from watching the movie.
sam | December 6, 2012 7:37 PM

yeah but now The Playlist told us. so... yeah.