Jonathan Nolan Advocated for Riddler as Villain in 'The Dark Knight Rises'

Jonathan Nolan initially pushed for the Riddler instead of Bane as the main antagonist in 'The Dark Knight Rises,' citing a need for a genre shift after 'The Dark Knight.'

Jonathan Nolan revealed on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast that he initially wanted the Riddler as the main villain in 'The Dark Knight Rises,' but ultimately agreed on Bane.
Christopher Nolan and co-writer David S. Goyer preferred Bane to differentiate from the Joker's role in the previous film.
Warner Bros. executives had suggested Leonardo DiCaprio for the Riddler, which was rejected by the team.
The decision to choose Bane was part of a broader strategy to shift the film's genre from urban crime to a post-apocalyptic scenario.
Jonathan Nolan's push for a different villain was influenced by the iconic performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker.