New Batman movie all but confirmed (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Kleist]

OnStar's new Batman related commercial offers a part in the next movie. I'd say that means it's coming

 

[TerryRL]

Summer 2003 is possible, but don't be too shocked if it doesn't hit theaters until 2004.

 

[Tom-G]

With the box office sucess of X-Men, there has been a surge in the production of superhero movies. Spider-Man is almost a sure-thing as you can get in terms of box office, so I would not be the least bit surprised to see another Batman movie in the next year or two. Darren Aronofsky is set to direct and can delve into dark characters, so he has shown that he is the right person to direct.

I want to see another Batman movie, but only if Joel Schumacher and Akiva Goldsman - the two who teamed up to destroy the franchise with Batman & Robin - are kept far away from the production. I don't even want to see Schumacher as an executive producer.

I just hope that Warner ditches George Clooney as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film should star an unknown or little-known actor.

 

[TerryRL]

The next "Batman" film will be based on the hugely popular graphic novel "Batman: Year One", so expect a young (unknown) actor to be signed for the role. B&R effectively killed the franchise so WB decided to start from scratch.

 

[Phil Florian]

What happened to the Aronofsky definitely doing Year One? Also, I had read that that blonde indie regular was going to do the Bruce...er..Aaron Eckhardt? He would be cool, too. He doesn't need to be a "young" Batman, just new. He is just coming back from travelling the world for years to learn his craft, after all.

What happend to the live action Batman Beyond movie I had heard about?

Phil

 

[TerryRL]

Aronofsky is still going to direct 'Year One'. He's also co-writing the script with 'Year One' and "The Dark Knight Returns" writer Frank Miller.

Eckhardt is up for a role in 'Year One', but not as Bruce Wayne/Batman. He's up for the role of the younger Commissioner Gordon, who is a newly transferred police detective from Chicago when the film opens.

 

[Patrick Sun]

As long as they don't cast Freddie Prinze, Jr. in the lead role, I will be moderately happy.

 

[TerryRL]

WB is probably going to go with an unknown for the role of the young Bruce Wayne/Batman. They've had so much success with the kid they cast in "Smallville" that they may go in the same route and hire an young "up and comer" to take the role.

Besides, they can cast "stars" in the roles of the villians, which is probably what they'll do.

 

[Michael Allred]

WB will *never* cast an unknown to play Batman, mark my words.
I still say Kurt Russell should plays Bats, forget having to 'start all over', that's nonsense. You can go from scratch in that the 4 previous films "never happened" but go all the way to the beginning? Ugh.
and don't get me started on the teenified Superman for "Smallville". Would Supes ever have had that bad of a haircut?

 

[Chad Ferguson]

I think the main issue is the film should get an R rating. Which means it's very dark and violent, just like Batman really is.

 

[Steve Enemark]

As much as I would like it, I personally doubt the "Year One" movie will ever come together, at least not in a form that resembles the comic books. Maybe they'll get unknowns to play Batman and Lt. Gordon, but concept art for the "Batmobile" has already been leaked, and discussions have taken place about who should play the Joker. If you've read the comics, you'd know how absurd those two items are.

As written, the story has no flashy, costumed villains (just corrupt cops and public officials, and gangsters), Batman doesn't drive a silly car, and the Joker does not make an appearance. Batman has to rely on his own brains and skills, no Bat-planes, no computerized Bat-boomerangs, no Bat-nipples. No WB producer will go along with that.

 

[TerryRL]

Apparently, the script is called 'Year One', but the plot actually uses 'Year One' and parts of the storyline of "The Killing Joke" (i.e. how the Joker was "created"). WB wants the movie to be good, but they also want it to "sell toys".
Out of the 4 "Batman" movies, "Batman Forever" was the one that moved the most merchandise, and WB has been trying to recreate that ever since. Which is probably why B&R was nothing more than a 2-hour toy commercial.
In the end, I'm just hoping that "Batman: Year One" is a good movie. I'm not expecting something like the first "Superman" movie, just something that is good and respects the origins of the character.
I wasn't that big a fan of the Tim Burton "Batman" movies, and I hated Joel Schumacher's "vision". I'm hoping that Aronofsky captures the essence of what The Bat is all about, AND is able to make a really good movie.

 

[Jo_C]

Uh, for the record, there have been five "Batman" movies, not four. "Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm" is part of the series as it is part of the Tim Burton aura (even though it is itself a spinoff of the television animated series). Of course, you cannot count the 1966 version with Adam West as it is of a different aura (in this case, Fox' 1965-66 TV series). The first Burton "Batman" movie is officially a remake of the 1966 film.

 

[Patrick Sun]

The story of Batman Year One is just as much Bruce Wayne's story as it is James Gordon's story. I don't think the movie going public is going to buy that story (because no one really cares about James Gordon in light of Batman/Bruce Wayne).

 

[Jim DiJoseph]

Good point, Patrick. I also question how the viewing public will accept the true history of the Joker. All things being equal, this new endeavor will have to completely ignore the existence of Burton's original film (thank God). Those of us who are fans of the comics know well that the Joker didn't even exist to kill Bruce Wayne's parents. It was:

Joe Chill - a simple thug.

Anyway, I am hopeful that Frank Miller will do justice to the character of Batman, but I agree that this project has many obstacles to overcome.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

Jim,
Don't forget that in the comic books before Miller's rendition thatJoe Chill was the hired gunman for Lew Moxon, a gangster who wanted revenge on Thomas Wayne for distrupting hjs criminal plans.

Now I'd love to see that in a movie though I certainly doubt it will ever happen!

 

[Jim DiJoseph]

Larry, agreed!

The more I think about it, the less I think the public will be as interested as we are...

I'm afraid Year One may become a pale shadow of the comic we know by the time WB is through...

You know, I could live with the plot changes if they want to spruce things up (to a certain extent) if they could just get the character right. Batman as the Dark Knight, the World's Greatest Detective, and a prime candidate for Arkham himself. We'll see...

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The first Burton "Batman" movie is officially a remake of the 1966 film.

Can someone please explain this comment? Burton's first "Batman" film had nothing in common with the 1966 film, except the title character was Batman aka Bruce Wayne.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

I'm afraid Year One may become a pale shadow of the comic we know by the time WB is through...

You may be right, though if memory serves Frank Miller is writing the script. So maybe he's doing just enough to please WB but still staying true to the spirit, if not the letter, of his original story. Maybe the Joker will just be a hired gunsel working for the main bad guys who ultimately becomes Batman's deadliest enemy. Something like that could work.

 

[Chad Ferguson]

I think it's just a matter of how much power Warner gives D.A. and crew. D.A. has stated he would make the film with the same budget as Pi if he could. I remember there was two Batman films in development Hell but this one will be made, as for the other one, I do not know.