Jamie Campbell Bower, most recently known for his antagonistic role in Stranger Things Season 4, tips his hat into the world of Gotham City by expressing his desire to play Batman villain Scarecrow. Those caught up on Stranger Things and familiar with the Batman rogue's gallery may be excited by his choice.
Playing Vecna in Stranger Things is not the first time Campbell Bower has played creepy characters, revealing a type of role that the actor is drawn to. The next big gig for Bower could be a Batman villain, at least if he has anything to say about it, and his excellent Stranger Things performance will surely assist other roles of that nature.
During an interview with Geek House Show at Comfest 2023, Bower was first asked if there was any inspiration taken from the Dr. Manhattan transformation scene in Zack Snyder's Watchmen for Vecna's transformation scene in Stranger Things, which the actor was unsure of, but did state that he was inspired by '80s horror. The interview then brought up James Gunn's DCU slate, and Bower was asked what character he would play in the DCU if asked. Bower says that there “has been a lot of chat about Scarecrow recently,” and he would “like to do that” and “it would be fun,” further expressing that “something weird and spooky like that would be great.”
After all, Bower says he relates to Vecna from Stranger Things, revealing his ability to pull something relatable out of any performance, making it that much more captivating for audiences. The video ends with the interviewer looking at the camera stating, “James Gunn if you’re seeing this," as Bower throws up the peace sign. The “chat” Bower refers to regarding the Scarecrow character is presumably about the upcoming Batman Brave and the Bold, which will star a new Batman, Damian Wayne, and the bat family. However, it could also be about The Batman Part 2, with production starting in November and casting news coming soon.
At 34 years old, Bower is the right age for either adaptation of Jonathan Crane, as there’s no denying he has the charisma and acting ability to pull off Scarecrow and offer a radically different interpretation compared to Cillian Murphy's performance in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. Hopefully, the creatives behind the next Batman film with Scarecrow use the horror genre to their advantage in ways that grip audiences from a psychological standpoint, and possibly some inspiration was taken from the illusion sequence in Spider-Man: Far From Home in how it depicts the nightmares that plague Scarecrow's victims.
Stranger Things seasons 1-4 are now available on Netflix.
Source: Geek House Show