MovieChat Forums > Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) Discussion > Coincidence about Norton, Keaton & Stone...

Coincidence about Norton, Keaton & Stone?

posted 8 years ago by Sandy0095
1 reply | jump to latest

The three leads were in previous, somewhat unsuccessful superhero franchises... was that part of the plan?

Edward Norton played Bruce Banner and was replaced Mark Ruffalo. Michael Keaton played Bruce Wayne and was replaced by Val Kilmer... and many others. Emma played Gwen Stacey and was replaced by Zendaya.

-Who is it?
-It's Grandpa. And it sounds like he's gotten into the horseradish again.

[–] antetches18 8 years ago

I wouldn't say Keaton's Batman was unsuccessful. Batman and Batman Returns made a lot of money, and he declined to return to Batman Forever, which is why Kilmer was hired. He wasn't rejected.

Stone and Norton you could argue were less successful, although Emma Stone was one of the best things about The Amazing Spider-Man.

It does seem strange how all these actors are in this film and how it makes a statement on these big budget films.