Stephen Amell, who is already part of DC’s shared TV universe as the lead in Arrow, also wants to participate in the DC Comics films—and, presumably, all the lavish vacations a nine-picture deal would buy. While doing press for the recently released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows, in which he plays sidekick Casey Jones, Amell fielded a question from CinePOP about which other costume he’d like to squeeze his rippling triceps into:
I think all the superheroes are taken now. I’ll play The Riddler, okay? It’s a villain, but I like The Riddler.
Short of Amell going on a diet similar to Christian Bale’s before The Machinist, it’s safe to say he’s not exactly what fans picture when they think of the Riddler, a traditionally unimposing physical presence who uses his wits to battle Batman instead of physical strength (The Riddler was a bit boxier in Batman: The Animated Series, but so was everyone). Still, Jim Carrey was the ideal body type to play the Riddler, and look how that turned out. Who are we to say what the Riddler should look like? As long as Amell can rock a bowler hat and recite cheesy clues about which bank he’ll rob next, he should have as good a chance as any actor to play the iconic villain.
But Warner Bros. should totally get Marilyn Manson for the role. (Sorry, Stephen.)