Chase Meridian
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with List of Batman supporting characters#Love interests and Talk:Chase Meridian#Merge. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2009. |
| Chase Meridian | |
|---|---|
| File:Batmanforever03.jpg Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Batman Forever |
| Created by | Lee Batchler Janet Scott-Batchler Akiva Goldsman[1] |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Dr. Chase Meridian |
| Place of origin | Gotham City |
| Team affiliations | Gotham City Police Department |
| Partnerships | Commissioner James Gordon Batman Robin Alfred Pennyworth |
| Supporting character of | Batman |
Dr. Chase Meridian is a fictional character in the 1995 film Batman Forever, the female lead. She was portrayed by Nicole Kidman.[2] The character of Chase Meridian was the only one of Batman's love interests in the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher series that was not in the comics originally.
Fictional character biography
Dr. Chase Meridian, a psychiatrist working with the Gotham City police, falls in love with both Batman and his alter ego, billionaire Bruce Wayne.[3] While with Bruce Wayne, she is the perfect professional. While with Batman, on the other hand, she lets her guard down and expresses her attraction to him. She summons Batman with the Bat-Signal, and when Batman arrives, she tells him that she sees him as the kind of man that she wants. She runs her fingers through his suit's chest, and he tries to leave because he fears he'll become attracted to her, but she stops him and removes her coat to reveal black lingerie. He cannot resist her, and she is about to kiss him, only to be interrupted by Commissioner Gordon. Batman, however, is annoyed that the Bat-Signal was used as a mere "beeper". Chase also assists Bruce in analyzing a series of befuddling threats disguised as riddles sent to him by the Riddler. Bruce then convinces Chase to accompany him to a circus show. There they both witness the murder of three of the four Flying Graysons when Two-Face shoots the ropes holding them in the air as they attempt to remove a bomb from the building.
At the ritz Gotham party, Chase becomes a target for one of Two-Face's thugs. Batman saves her, and she kisses him passionately in front of a crowd of onlookers. When Chase, wrapped only in a silken white sheet, is confronted by the Dark Knight on her balcony, she finally chooses Bruce over Batman. Chase is later kidnapped by The Riddler and Two-Face when they attack Wayne Manor after having discovered Bruce's alter ego.
Within the villains' lair, both Chase and Robin are held hostage and used to force Batman to choose which life he will save. Batman outsmarts the Riddler, but the Riddler still sends Chase and Robin plummeting into a pit of water and jagged rocks. Batman leaps after them, and is able to pull them both up onto beams.
Chase later visits the Riddler at Arkham Asylum, where the Riddler is claiming that he knows Batman's true identity. When she asks him, the Riddler, driven insane by his defeat, claims that he is Batman. She then leaves and reports to Bruce that his secret is safe.
Casting
Rene Russo was originally cast to play Dr. Chase Meridian when Michael Keaton was still attached to the project as Batman. However, when Keaton dropped out of the project and was replaced by Val Kilmer, Russo was deemed too old to play his love interest and was replaced by Kidman. Robin Wright turned down the role while Jeanne Tripplehorn and Linda Hamilton were both considered.[4] Schumacher then felt her[who?] to be perfect for the role of Dr. Chase Meridian, though Warner Bros. was cautious, calling her "not sexy enough."[5]
References
- ^ Batman Forever: Written by Akiva Goldsman - Production draft
- ^ Nicole Kidman on 'Dr. Chase Meridian'
- ^ Bruce and Chase
- ^ Brennan, Judy (1994-06-03). "Batman Battles New Bat Villains". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Batman Forever Commentary by Director Joel Schumacher. Warner Brothers. 2005.
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