It seems increasingly clear that Batman and his villains will make standalone franchises outside the larger DCU. This gives fans and filmmakers alike the opportunity to conjure up some of their most-wanted movies and make them canon. A great example of this is the astoundingly great Joker — a movie that proved, once and for all, that you could make an excellent Batman film without the Caped Crusader. Batman’s Rogues Gallery is a collection of fascinating characters, and pretty much all of them deserve a standalone film. But as awesome as a Condiment King movie starring Nicolas Cage would be, we believe that the best bet for the DCU moving forward would be to redeem the figure of the tragic King of Cold. And who better to play Mr Freeze than Mads Mikkelsen in The Batman 2 or even a solo live-action movie?
Mads Mikkelsen & Mr Freeze
Imagine, for a moment, that your only exposure to Batman and his villains comes from the movies — what would your idea of Mr. Freeze be? The only time the character has appeared in a live-action Batman flick was in the terrible Batman & Robin, played (miscast, more likely) by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
As we all know, Batman & Robin was too cheesy for its own good, and a movie like that simply couldn’t capture Dr. Victor Fries’s moral dilemma like the comics can. Such a complex character deserves to be played by an actor who understands its troubled nature, and who better to do so than Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen?
Mikkelsen is best remembered for his outstanding performance as Hannibal Lecter in the brilliantly gory show Hannibal. Of course, the actor has also had his time in the MCU, appearing as one of the villains in Doctor Strange. However, it must be said that as nuanced as his character was in that film, the movie never takes its time trying to properly explain his motivations and humanise him — which is a flaw that wouldn’t happen in the upcoming The Batman sequel.
Mr Freeze In The Batman 2
One issue that has permeated some of the more recent Batman solo films — particularly the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight Trilogy — is that the Gotham City they portray looks and feels no different from present-day New York. In Nolan’s movies, seeing a giant, talking alligator or a monster made of clay would be preposterous, not to mention a blue guy wielding a freezing gun.
That’s an issue that’s been somewhat resolved with The Batman. Sure, the setting is still realistic — or at least more “realistic” than what Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher envisioned — but there’s a certain air of comic book mystique that permeates this version of Gotham. Seeing Mr. Freeze in The Batman 2 wouldn’t be too far-fetched — in fact, it would make perfect sense, especially considering how The Penguin seems to be still on his way to becoming the kingpin we all know from the comics.
There’s a certain something about Mikkelsen’s acting that is just mesmerising to see. You never really know if he’s one of the good guys or not or even what he might be plotting. Mads Mikkelsen is definitely the right guy to capture Mr. Freeze’s complicated moral dilemma and his frail relationship with Batman. Seeing what The Batman did for The Riddler, I’d say it’s time that Mr. Freeze gets the Matt Reeves treatment and that Mads Mikkelsen would absolutely kill the role if given the chance.
During a recent interview with Collider, Reeves explained how he was always drawn towards a more “grounded” interpretation of the Dark Knight but is also interested in exploring the fantastical villains like Mr Freeze in a potential sequel:
“In my view, I just feel drawn to finding the grounded version of everything. So to me, it would be a challenge in an interesting way to try and figure out how that could happen, even the idea of something like Mr. Freeze, that such a great story, right? I think there’s actually a grounded version of that story, which could be really powerful and could be really great.”
It seems like Mr. Freeze is definitely being considered for Batman 2. Let’s hope they consider Mads for the part.
Why DC Should Cast Mads Mikkelsen In A Mr Freeze Solo Live-Action Movie Instead
Here are four reasons that Danish Actor Mads Mikkelsen should be cast in the role and why he would crush it in a solo Mr Freeze movie like Joker.
1. He Can Carry A Movie on His Own
The massive success of Joker (2019) and Suicide Squad (2016) has already proven that certain Batman villains can carry a movie without any help from Gotham’s most famous crime fighter. That’s why, if Mads Mikkelsen were to be cast as Mr Freeze, he’d likely be able to perform the role best in a solo film first. Freeze’s origin – a desperate scientist who exposes his body to sub-zero temperatures in order to save his dying wife – is the perfect setup for a prequel movie like Joker. Mikkelsen would carry the film himself. No other A-list celebrities needed.
2. Mr Freeze Deserves a Second Chance at Live-Action
While the character of Dr Victor Fries has appeared or been mentioned several times in television series like Gotham or The Flash, the character has only had one live-action film appearance — in 1997’s Batman and Robin. And, while that movie may have its fair share of defenders and fans today, Batman and Robin is largely regarded as one of the worst Batman movies ever made.
The movie features campy and cliche moments throughout, and one need only look at the casting of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr Freeze to see this in full force. Schwarzenegger spends more time making bad jokes than he does being an interesting or engaging villain, and it’s high time that a more prestigious actor like Mikkelsen brought a more nuanced approach to the role.
3. He Can Play The Villain
Mads Mikkelsen has played enough antagonists in his career to prove that he’s an expert at playing villains and anti-heroes on-screen. From Hannibal to Casino Royale, Mikkelsen always brings with him a degree of tension and uneasiness to every villain that he plays. He’s the perfect choice for Mr Freeze because, like so many of the villains Mads Mikkelsen has played in his career up to this point, Dr Victor Fries has a high level of intellect and a certain level of gentlemanly charm.
Just beneath the surface, though, is a rage always about to burst, and Mikkelsen has proven time and time again that he can perform this hidden sort of anger really well. Given enough time to explore the role in a solo movie, Mikkelsen would almost certainly make Mr Freeze one of his best villains yet.
4. Mikkelsen Didn’t Have a Great Opportunity in the MCU
Although Mikkelsen’s performance in Doctor Strange was powerful and mind-bending, there weren’t many opportunities for the talented actor to really show his dramatic chops. Like so many villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kaecilius, the sorcerer that Mikkelsen plays in the film, is rather one-dimensional.
It would be so fun and fascinating to see how Mads Mikkelsen would play a comic book villain if he had more to work with and more room to breathe — and a Mr Freeze solo movie or being cast as the main villain in The Batman 2 would be the perfect opportunity to do so.
Is Mads Mikkelsen perfect for a live-action Mr. Freeze solo movie, or would you prefer to see him in Batman 2? Also, read our articles on Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker fighting Batman in Joker 3 and why Sabrina Carpenter might be the perfect choice for Harley Quinn in The Batman Part 2.
