Urban Legend: Was Harvey Dent originally going to be Max Shreck?

[johnnygobbs]

There is plenty of speculation across the net that Max Shreck was originally written to be Harvey Dent.  The following article assesses the evidence:

http://legendsrevealed.com/entertainment/2015/09/25/was-the-villain-max-schreck-in-batman-returns-originally-going-to-be-harvey-dent/

I completely support this article's conclusion.

[Seantastic]

I dont know if I ever believed this tbh, I mean it makes sense but I think Max is just too good of a character to have not been used!
Now, having Dent show up at the end and flip a coin, now that would have been INSANE!  Seriously, imagine it, I dont know where it could fit in, maybe have the limo drive by and stop at the Arctic Zoo, but maybe its too similar to the ending we got which IMO is perfect for Keaton's send-off, hell it chokes me up when I see it sometimes...its perfect.

[johnnygobbs]

Apart from there being zero evidence for the theory that Max was originally Harvey (i.e. no screenplays featuring Harvey Dent, and the film's writer stating that he only intended for Dent to flip a coin), Max and Harvey are practically polar opposites.  One is the ultimate cold-blooded cynic, the other is a hot-tempered idealist.  The only thing they have in common is that they are powerful, establishment men who become Batman antagonists.

[Edd Grayson]

Apart from there being zero evidence for the theory that Max was originally Harvey (i.e. no screenplays featuring Harvey Dent, and the film's writer stating that he only intended for Dent to flip a coin), Max and Harvey are practically polar opposites.  One is the ultimate cold-blooded cynic, the other is a hot-tempered idealist.  The only thing they have in common is that they are powerful, establishment men who become Batman antagonists.

I agree. I think that settles this urban legend. I would have liked Dent to make a cameo in the film but not replace Shreck.

[Slash Man]

Burton was all over the place with how he wanted to make his sequels. He wanted to disregard the previous movie and make a new interpretation, but stayed with the same cast and threw in some references to prior events. With the movie now focusing on two major villains and one antiheroine in addition to Batman, I guess it just got too crowded for Harvey.

Knowing what the series turned into, I do wish we had scene of Harvey Dent flipping a coin, if only to A) establish Two-Face at least somewhat before he was thrust into the next movie, and B) better ensure that Billy Dee Williams became Two-Face.

[The Laughing Fish]

Knowing what the series turned into, I do wish we had scene of Harvey Dent flipping a coin, if only to A) establish Two-Face at least somewhat before he was thrust into the next movie, and B) better ensure that Billy Dee Williams became Two-Face.

But do you think Billy Dee Williams would've wanted to play Two-Face in the same style as Tommy Lee Jones did in the third film?

I'm rather satisfied with the way Batman Forever showed us Dent's backstory. It gave us enough what we needed to know how he became Two-Face, and showed us Batman's failure to save him.

[riddler]

The script would need major rewriting to shoehorn Dent into Shrecks role as Shreck is a general bad guy while the whole point of Dent is a good guy turning bad. People will say a D.A. with Mayoral aspirations fits better but there's certainly plenty of corrupt businessmen who get behind political candidates as a means to front their capitalist greed.


There wouldn't have been much room for a Shreck cameo since the mayors office and GCPD weren't used as they were in the first. The only logical spot would be having him oppose the Penguins mayoral bid.

[johnnygobbs]

The script would need major rewriting to shoehorn Dent into Shrecks role as Shreck is a general bad guy while the whole point of Dent is a good guy turning bad. People will say a D.A. with Mayoral aspirations fits better but there's certainly plenty of corrupt businessmen who get behind political candidates as a means to front their capitalist greed.


There wouldn't have been much room for a Shreck cameo since the mayors office and GCPD weren't used as they were in the first. The only logical spot would be having him oppose the Penguins mayoral bid.

I agree.  But don't you mean a 'Dent cameo'?

If the film had been set over a longer period that a few days running up to Christmas, I think Dent could have appeared as an ally of Batman trying to convince a sceptical public, mayor and establishment that Batman did not in fact push the Ice Princess to her death or choose to go on a dangerous joyride through Gotham's streets.

[Edd Grayson]

 The idea for a cameo of Dent flipping his coin at the end, to be concluded in the third film, I think could've been awesome. I would've liked for him to presented as an ally of Batman too before his scarring, because he was never a bad guy from the start and the question of whether he could be redeemed or not is very important about his character IMO.

[riddler]

My apologies JG I meant Dent cameo.

Notice that no characters from the first film make cameos in the 2nd. The only characters which appear in both are essential to the mythology; Gordon, Alfred, and Batman. The only other character from the first film even referenced is Vale.

It's been stated many times Burton did not want to make a sequel and wanted to make a different film. The fact that Dent isn't an essential character is likely why he doesn't return.  Also even before all the protest and interference, I can't believe Burton would have set up for the third film. I actually wonder aloud if Burton knew who Harvey Dent and two face were when he made the first film; he acknowledged he never read comics and that his source material was the Adam West show (in which two face never appears). Perhaps the character got hidden in with Burton not knowing what becomes?