When viewers think of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, characters like Batman, Bane, Joker, Two-Face, and more are remembered. Fans also remember the plot intricacies and character arcs. However, not every character in the films has stayed in popular memory, and one of them is Katie Holmes’ Rachel Dawes in Batman Begins (2005).
The character was Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne’s childhood best friend and later love interest. She was torn between him and Harvey Dent. When the Joker killed Dawes, it had a huge effect on both men. However, Holmes didn’t return for the sequel, The Dark Knight (2008). But she doesn’t have any regrets about it.
Katie Holmes Doesn’t Regret Turning Down Christopher Nolan And Christian Bale
Batman Begins was the start of a trilogy that would cement itself as one of the best franchises in the history of comic book films. Now, Katie Holmes’ Rachel Dawes played a small but impactful supporting role in Batman Begins. She was slated to return in The Dark Knight as well, but instead, the role went to Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Turns out, she refused to come back to star in another film. Thankfully, it wasn’t due to any drama. Holmes had nothing poor to say about the role or working with Christopher Nolan and his team. She said that she simply wanted to explore other roles at the time. So, Maggie Gyllenhaal was brought in as her replacement, and she did a great job too.
Both actresses ensured that Rachel Dawes remained a memorable character, and they also praised each other publicly. Gyllenhaal even sought out Holmes’ blessings before portraying the role and received it. So what role did Holmes choose instead of returning for The Dark Knight? It was Mad Money.
There’s speculation that her role in Mad Money didn’t pay as well as Batman Begins did, where she apparently took home $1 million. However, her fans think that the trade-off was justified because she wanted to explore other roles. In the end, there wasn’t any bad blood between the Dark Knight team and the Coda actress, and she even wished The Dark Knight team well.
Katie Holmes Wished The Dark Knight Best Of Luck After Departing From The Film
In an MTV interview in 2008, Katie Holmes talked about being excited to see The Dark Knight. She said:
“I wish them all the best for this summer. I’m excited to see [‘The Dark Knight’].”
Read More: Despite Being Batman, Christopher Nolan Had Bizarrely Strict Rule for Christian Bale in $373M Movie
But does she regret turning down a Christopher Nolan film? After all, many actors would give their arms and legs to be able to get a role in his movies. Not really. The actress said:
“Not at all. I had a great experience working with Chris Nolan [and] I’m sure it’s going to be a great movie. [But] I chose to do this movie [‘Mad Money’], and I’m really proud of it.”
More than a decade since The Dark Knight was released, it can be said with certainty that she didn’t necessarily make the wrong decision. Also, even if she did, it was at least one she wanted to take.
The Dark Knight trilogy is available on HBO Max.
Source: MTV
