Batman: Arkham Shadow Recasts Scarecrow With A Huge Lord Of The Rings Star

It's been a long time since we've gotten our hands on a new "Arkham" game, but "Batman: Arkham Shadow" is finally here. In case you need another reason to get excited about the new VR game, a behind-the-scenes clip is going around that offers a great taste of one of its stars in action.

Elijah Wood as The Scarecrow for the 'BATMAN: ARKHAM' VR game. pic.twitter.com/1rpYcoaKgN

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 20, 2024

The entire "Batman: Arkham" timeline has gotten a bit convoluted, but "Arkham Shadow" is set after the events of 2013 prequel "Arkham Origins" and before the events of the original game. Along with Roger Craig Smith reprising his role as the "Origins" Batman, a new actor is playing one of the series' most iconic bad guys. Camouflaj Studios has cast "Lord of the Rings" star Elijah Wood as a younger version of Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow. Wood's approach to the character is definitely different from what longtime fans of the series will be used to from previous games (going for more of a eerily soft-spoken approach), but a new behind-the-scenes featurette is already proving is that he's perfect for the role. Wood appears to have effortlessly slipped into the shoes of one of Batman's most terrifying villains, and the internet can't get enough of it. 

Meta Quest 3 owners out there are just starting to dig into "Arkham Shadow," but even the gamers who can't currently play the game firsthand are looking forward to seeing more of Wood as Scarecrow. People have already started fan-casting him as a live-action version of the villain, and his performance just might turn out to be one of the game's biggest selling points.

Elijah Wood's appearance in "Batman: Arkham Shadow" came as a surprise to even the most diehard "Batman: Arkham" fans. As soon as they heard the news, though, they were thrilled.

Oh my gosh yasssss! @elijahwood if there was ever two things that ever needed to collide, it's you in Gotham. 😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰🥰 pic.twitter.com/2Budbs3hhd

— Kayla (@Roxburyfunny1) October 21, 2024

People have already begun pushing for Wood to reprise the role in a live-action movie.

I hope Elijah Wood will be a part of the DCU as the live action Scarecrow.

— Brandon12121997 (@BrandonLeeDbson) October 20, 2024

That said, fans seem to be at odds over whether they want to see Wood in James Gunn's new DCU or in Matt Reeves' "The Batman" universe.

Matt Reeves better be calling this man

— Bionicspine (@spineismetal) October 21, 2024

A number of commenters have said that Wood's casting has gotten them interested in the game. Unfortunately, for every one of those comments, there's another where someone points out the big problem with "Arkham Shadow." It isn't just a VR game; it's also a Meta Quest 3/3S exclusive. Judging by the reactions Wood is getting for his work in the game, "Arkham Shadow" just might help sell some more Meta Quest 3S bundles, but there's no denying that most people don't have the system right now, which means that the game's launch sales might turn out to be less than ideal.

He sounds great makes me believe him to be a young scarecrow...I just wish it wasn't for a vr game😭

— Mad man in a hat (@MadHatterAsylum) October 20, 2024

"Batman: Arkham Shadow" has some big shoes to fill. It's the first "Arkham" game we've gotten in nearly a decade, and it's bringing the series to an entirely new platform. There were a handful of must-play games on the Quest 2, and "Arkham Shadow" is looking to fill that role for the new console.

In 2016, PlayStation 4 got an "Arkham" VR game that was met with mixed reviews, so the new VR gameplay mechanics arguably aren't even the biggest changes that "Arkham Shadow" is bringing to the table. Since Kevin Conroy passed away in 2022, the game will be missing Batman's most recognizable voice actor. On a related note, the game will also be missing Mark Hamill's Joker, as the actor largely retired from the character after Conroy's death. Because of that, it actually makes sense that Camouflaj would bring in a talented and well-recognized actor like Elijah Wood. The story of "Arkham Shadow" is a prequel to most of the other "Arkham" titles, but the game also has the unenviable task of ushering the franchise into a new era.

Thankfully, early reviews of "Arkham Shadow" are looking really good. UploadVR called the game "a brilliant return for the Dark Knight," saying, "it expertly adapts the series for VR on Quest 3 and Quest 3S." Meanwhile, Metro's review called it "certainly one of the best VR games ever made." Now we just need to see if there are enough Quest 3 players to support the game. Depending on how "Arkham Shadow" sells, this could turn out to only be the first time Wood gets to play Scarecrow.