Edward Nygma, commonly known as Riddler, is a fictional character who appears in Joel Schumacher's 1995 superhero film Batman Forever. Based upon the DC Comics character and supervillain of the same name, he was played by Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey.

Character arc

In this version, Edward Nygma is an eccentric and amoral inventor who works at Wayne Enterprises' research and development department as employee and is obsessed with Bruce Wayne. Believes that Wayne has a perfect life because of being wealthy and handsome, Nygma imitates Wayne such as looks and wearings, wealth, beautiful companions, company, and even his own signal projecting above Gotham City after discovering that Wayne is Batman, signs indicate that he has a schizophrenic disorder of echopraxia. He also sees his goals as games to win and would not accept any defeat thereby is vain. Nygma invents a device called "the Box" that transmits images directly into the user's mind. He sees it as the next generation of television, but Wayne rejects the idea, as mental manipulation raises concerns over ethics and safety, resulting in Nygma becomes vengeful towards Wayne over the rejection. Nygma ultimately discovers that his device can drain people of their intellect to increase his own intelligence. After killing his supervisor, Fred Stickley (for which Ngyma framed as an apparent suicide), he compulsively starts sending riddles to Wayne. From the riddles, Wayne's love interest Dr. Chase Maridian (whom Nygma later infatuates) correctly diagnosed that Wayne's stalker is dangerously insane, who is obsessive with homicidal tendencies, seeking to best Wayne through challenge before he kills him.

He dons the Riddler identity, allies himself with Two-Face and steals vast amounts of money and jewels to fund his own company, Nygmatech, and mass-produce his invention. The devices transfer the stolen information to a gigantic Mother Box on Claw Island, where it is planted in the Riddler's mind, though the overload of information slowly begins to damage his already unstable mind. In the process, he learns that Wayne is Batman. He and Two-Face raid Wayne Manor, destroy the Batcave, and kidnap Meridian, and his new crimefighting partner Robin. Furthermore, during the invasion of Wayne Manor by Riddler and Two Face, Riddler destroys the Batcomputer, the crime lab, every Batsuit except for a prototype with a new sonar system, and the Batmobile (when Riddler deposited a sack full of explosives in the cockpit), although there is a lower section containing the Batboat and the Batplane that Batman and the new Robin use to confront the villains.

Ultimately however, Riddler shots the Batplane down with a powerful green laser. In the film's climactic scene, Riddler's compulsion to defeat Batman instead of killing him immediately after discovering his identity proves to be his undoing; Batman destroys the Mother Box, causing the information in it to flow unregulated into the Riddler's head, damaging his brain irreparably even after a neurosurgery. The Riddler is locked up in a large padded cell in Arkham Asylum, where the delusional Nygma believes that he himself is Batman as revealed when being visited by Dr. Meridian.

Background

During the early development of the cancelled Catwoman spin-off, Tim Burton expressed his interest in directing the third installment of the Batman film series that began with Batman in 1989.^[1] The Monkees lead drummer Micky Dolenz was attached to star as the Riddler, the film's main antagonist.^[2] Also, Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face was supposed to occur in the film, with Billy Dee Williams reprising his role as Dent from the first film,^[3] after turning down the offer to appear in Batman Returns. Along with these, Michelle Pfeiffer was attached to return as Catwoman,^[4] Marlon Wayans was attached to star as Robin,^[5] and Rene Russo was attached to star as Dr. Chase Meridian.^[6] However, when Warner Bros. observed that the script was just as gloomy as the previous film, they decided to put Joel Schumacher as the director of the third installment, leading to the release of Batman Forever, in which Burton served as producer, without being able to contribute ideas.

Robin Williams was in discussions to be the Riddler at one point but eventually turned down the role, resentful he was used in 1989 as bait for Jack Nicholson to play Joker, and also because of his contractual issues with Jumanji.^[7][8] In a 2003 interview, Schumacher said Michael Jackson lobbied hard for the role, but was turned down before Jim Carrey was cast.^[9] Other actors considered were John Malkovich, Brad Dourif (considered before by Burton to portray Scarecrow), Kelsey Grammer, Matthew Broderick, Phil Hartman, Steve Martin, Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider. Mark Hamill was going to get the role, but had to turn it down due to contract issues.

Will Shortz, crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times, provided the puzzle clues which Riddler leaves for Batman in Batman Forever.^[10] Jim Carrey wears a number of flamboyant green spandex catsuits for his role as The Riddler.^[11] The Puzzler is referenced in when Edward Nygma suggests villainous nicknames for himself, including "the Puzzler", "the Gamester", "Captain Kill" or "the Question Mark Man".

Connection to the comics

Similar with tying Fred Stickly up with green rope in Batman Forever, Edward Nygma in the Riddler’s debut story – ‘The Riddler’ (Detective Comics #140, October 1948), ties up one of his victims using special puzzle rope^[12].

As previously mentioned, Nygma is seen in his apartment considers several different monikers for his costumed identity. Among these are actual pre-existing characters like the Puzzler and the Gamester as well as Captain Kill and Question Mark Man. The Puzzler was adapted for a two-episode story for season 2 of the television series Batman and portrayed by Maurice Evans. The episodes, titled "A Penny for Your Riddles"/"They're Worth a Lot More", had originally been written for the Riddler, portrayed by Frank Gorshin. Since Gorshin was in a contract dispute with the series' producers at the time and no longer wanted to play the Riddler as a result of this, the script was rewritten, the episodes were re-titled "The Puzzles Are Coming"/"The Duo Is Slumming" and the Riddler was changed into the Puzzler.^[13]

Meanwhile, the Gamester was incidentally, an obscure villain featured in a few Earth-S comics. These were Fawcett Comics publications of the 1940s and 1950s that took place on this Earth, with its predominant heroic teams being the Marvel Family, the Crime Crusader Club and the Squadron of Justice, while the main team of supervillains was the Monster Society of Evil.

When the Riddler finally makes his costumed debut in Two-Face's hideout, he is seen wielding his question-mark cane. It is believed that the Riddler as portrayed by John Astin in the 1960s Batman TV series episode ‘Batman’s Anniversary’, was the first time that the Riddler wield the question-mark cane. And similar to Jim Carrey's portrayal in Batman Forever, his comic book counterpart often said "Riddle me this..." before often proposing his latest conundrum towards Batman. Also like his comic book counterpart, Nygma in Batman Forever sends Bruce Wayne a series of riddles pieced together from newspaper clippings.

The head of the Synaptic Kid, a psychic entity who enters Batman's mind to find his true identity, is grossly distended at the end of 'Identity Crisis' (Detective Comics #633, August 1991). This image is similar to what Nygma's head looked like after his brain overloads.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the site's critical consensus reads, "Loud, excessively busy, and often boring, Batman Forever nonetheless has the charisma of Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones to offer mild relief."^[14] Batman Forever received six nominations at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards, four of which were divided between two categories (Carrey and Lee Jones for Best Villain; and Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" and U2's "Hold Me" in Best Song from a Movie). However, it won in just one category—Best Song from a Movie for Seal's "Kiss from a Rose".

Legacy

A song based on the character titled "The Riddler" was performed by rapper Method Man, and was featured on the Batman Forever soundtrack. The Riddler's costume later appears with Two-Face's in the sequel, Batman & Robin, in the background of a scene in Arkham Asylum. The Batman OnStar commercials that aired from 2000 to the beginning of 2002^[15] were based on the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films of the 1980s and 1990s, and used aesthetics, props, and settings from the series. Actor Brian Stepanek played the Riddler in one ad.

The video game adaptation of Batman Forever pays homage to the initial confrontation between Batman and Bane in Batman: Knightfall. During the final boss battle, The Riddler initially appears wearing a hulking suit of armor (based upon the costume worn during the film's climax) which gives his physique a muscular appearance akin to that of Bane's. As such, Riddler will attack the player with an identical back breaker move to the one seen in Knightfall. However, once the player manages to diminish his health bar, The Riddler's true feeble form will appear, allowing the player to eliminate him with ease.

Gotham series regular Cory Michael Smith stated that his take on the Riddler wouldn't be like the version of Jim Carrey in Batman Forever. He claimed, "I want him to be kind of showy. So what we have as the Riddler costume is really classy, and that's kind of what we wanted."^[16]

In Batman #92 by James Tynion IV and Guillem March from 2020, the Riddler^[17] appears on a live broadcast wearing not only a skin tight green jumpsuit decorated with his signature question marks and swinging around his signature gold cane, but also short red hair similar to that of Jim Carrey's in Batman Forever.