There have been many great depictions of Batman’s closest ally, Jim Gordon. Still, one could easily argue that Gary Oldman's portrayal in Christopher Nolan's acclaimed The Dark Knight trilogy is the definitive cinematic take on Commissioner Gordon. Nolan's trilogy breathed new life into the then-dormant Batman franchise, offering a more thorough exploration of well-known characters like Gordon than previous projects. Surprisingly, the Oppenheimer director initially didn't envision The Darkest Hour actor as the straight-laced cop we eventually saw on screen. Instead, the director initially considered him for the role of The Scarecrow. Honestly, I think the Harry Potter alum would have crushed it in the part.
In a recent Happy, Sad, Confused interview, Gary Oldman disclosed that he was considered for an iconic Caped Crusader villain before landing the role of Gordon. Contrary to the rumor linking him to Ra's al Ghul, a character portrayed by Liam Neeson (open about his dislike for the genre) in Batman Begins, the Dracula veteran clarified that he believes he was initially approached for the role of Scarecrow. Eventually, the part was impeccably executed by Cillian Murphy, a longtime collaborator with Nolan. The actor responded to the question of whether he was offered Ra's al Ghul, saying:
