Before Batman Began - 5 Films That Thankfully Never Got Made
January 1st 2009 13:42
GENERAL RAMBLINGS
As the curtain comes down on the Year 2008, it is amazing to think we may not have ever seen its biggest star, The Dark Knight, if a certain tits-pecks-and-bums-centric Batman movie from 1997 attracted a few more bums on seats in the cinema.
Batman and Robin made a touch over $100 million at the US box-office. While it's still a hefty total it wasn't enough to prevent the series (as we knew it) from suffering a timely death.
And it ensured the fifth installment, Batman Triumphant, already in early development, would never get made.
Bill Ramsey, creator of dedicated fansite BatmanOnFilm.com (BOF), has followed the trials and tribulations of 'The Dark Knight' on the big screen closely for more than 10 years.
He writes, "... thanks to Batman and Robin, Triumphant was shelved damn near before the B&R finished its run in theaters".
What started as a gothic-style Caped Crusader with Tim Burton's Batman (1989) ended with Joel Schumacher's embarrasingly cheesy offering that featured almost every character that has ever stepped foot in the Dark Knight's universe.
5. Batman Triumphant (1998)
The few that were left, particularly villains The Scarecrow and Harley Quinn, were set to appear in 1999's Triumphant, with Schumacher back at the helm.
Apparently the plan was to return to the darker tone of the original, as well as using that movie's chief adversary The Joker, aka Jack Napier, as a gas-hallucination, created by the Scarecrow. Harley Quinn, while well-known as The Joker's girlfriend in the comics, would be Napier's daughter in 'Triumphant'.
An entry in the NationMaster on-line encyclopedia has a cancelled Batman Triumphant once again starring George Clooney, as well as Howard Stern as the Scarecrow, Jack Nicholson reprising his role as The Joker and Madonna as Harley Quinn. There were also strong rumours at the time having Jeff Goldblum in line to play the Scarecrow
"As the script treatment was not released, little is known about the film's plot," the entry on NationMaster reads. "However, rumors circulated that Robin is murdered at the beginning of the film and Alicia Silverstone, who played Batgirl in Schumacher's previous film, was reportedly not signed on for the film."
With that, there was a lot to like about the project, though I'm not sure about a Joker hallucination.
It's also interesting to not that Dark Knight, which was the name of the early script, was considered by Warner Brothers as the film's title but was subsequently dumped - along with the entire project.
4. The Dark Night Returns(1999)
The Dark Knight name reared its head again not long after, when it was a case of back to the old drawing board for Warner Bros.
Long before we started seeing the likes of Sin City and 300 making it to the big screen the work of graphic novelist Frank Miller was being talked about as a possible avenue for a cinematic Batman, namely an adaptation of his The Dark Knights Returns.
About an aged Bruce Wayne, Clint Eastwood was rumoured to have been approached to play the millionaire/superhero, while there was also talk Michael Keaton could reprise his role from 1989 Batman.
Ramsey, from BOF, writes, "I am of the opinion that WB considered it, and that’s about as far as it got".
3. Schumacher's Batman: Year One (2000)
You would think Schumacher had had enough of Batman after his dreadful experience with B&R. But, apparently he pitched an idea for a Batman prequel to Warner Bros. in 1998. It would be based on Frank Miller's smash hit graphic novel from a decade earlier, Batman: Year One.
The story centres on a young Bruce Wayne arriving back in Gotham City after spending time travelling the world - living and learning. Not long after his return home, he becomes vigilante 'The Bat Man', and later forges a friendship with 'the last honest cop' Jim Gordon. Sound familiar?
"While Joel Schumacher can be given credit for bringing the prequel/Year One idea to WB, he would not be the one to develop it," Ramsey, of BOF, writes
2. Aronofsky's Batman: Year One (2002)
Instead, the studio turned to Frank Miller himself and a young director who was hot property at the time after his breakthrough hit Requiem For A Dream, Darren Aronofsky.
How far along Miller and Aronofsky got is unknown but the latter was once quoted as describing their Batman offering as having "an urban, guerilla flavor" along the lines of 1970s greats like The French Connection, and not to mention being rated R. And you thought the PG Dark Knight was intense?
The script for the film differs a little from the comic with an orphaned Bruce Wayne, instead of going back to Wayne Manor to be raised by Alfred, wanders the streets and taken in by 'Big Al', owner of an auto mechanic shop across the street from a brothel in a seedy part of Gotham. There he grows up watching the violence that has plagued the city streets, and, becoming angry, swears to do something about it.
Ramsey, of BOF, writes, that while hard-core fans would've loved the idea, "... how in the hell would you be able to market merchandise and toys around such a violent, R-rated film?
"You can bitch and complain about that, but it is the reality of it. Year One just strayed too far from the core Batman mythos and I believe Warner Brothers realized that."
1. Superman vs Batman (2003)
With Warner Bros struggling to get their two prized fighters back in action in standalone pictures, with Superman not seen for 15 years, the company looked at a joint venture.
This project apparently got as far as the casting stage a young Jude Law in role of Clark Kent/Superman and an even younger Colin Farrell as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Could you believe it?
"Director Wolfgang Petersen made all sorts of comments on the project that appeared in newspapers, magazines, and online," Ramsey from BOF writes. "I mean, I really thought that this thing was going to happen – as did a lot of people."
The two superheroes were supposed to go head-to-head in a confrontation, but then realise they are being manipulated by an old foe of one of theirs. They of course then join forces.
Warners Bros. decided though the two should remain separate, at least for the time being.
Batman On Film GO HERE
Ain't It Cool GO HERE
NationalMaster GO HERE
Batman and Robin made a touch over $100 million at the US box-office. While it's still a hefty total it wasn't enough to prevent the series (as we knew it) from suffering a timely death.
And it ensured the fifth installment, Batman Triumphant, already in early development, would never get made.
Bill Ramsey, creator of dedicated fansite BatmanOnFilm.com (BOF), has followed the trials and tribulations of 'The Dark Knight' on the big screen closely for more than 10 years.
He writes, "... thanks to Batman and Robin, Triumphant was shelved damn near before the B&R finished its run in theaters".
What started as a gothic-style Caped Crusader with Tim Burton's Batman (1989) ended with Joel Schumacher's embarrasingly cheesy offering that featured almost every character that has ever stepped foot in the Dark Knight's universe.
5. Batman Triumphant (1998)
The few that were left, particularly villains The Scarecrow and Harley Quinn, were set to appear in 1999's Triumphant, with Schumacher back at the helm.
Apparently the plan was to return to the darker tone of the original, as well as using that movie's chief adversary The Joker, aka Jack Napier, as a gas-hallucination, created by the Scarecrow. Harley Quinn, while well-known as The Joker's girlfriend in the comics, would be Napier's daughter in 'Triumphant'.
An entry in the NationMaster on-line encyclopedia has a cancelled Batman Triumphant once again starring George Clooney, as well as Howard Stern as the Scarecrow, Jack Nicholson reprising his role as The Joker and Madonna as Harley Quinn. There were also strong rumours at the time having Jeff Goldblum in line to play the Scarecrow
"As the script treatment was not released, little is known about the film's plot," the entry on NationMaster reads. "However, rumors circulated that Robin is murdered at the beginning of the film and Alicia Silverstone, who played Batgirl in Schumacher's previous film, was reportedly not signed on for the film."
With that, there was a lot to like about the project, though I'm not sure about a Joker hallucination.
It's also interesting to not that Dark Knight, which was the name of the early script, was considered by Warner Brothers as the film's title but was subsequently dumped - along with the entire project.
4. The Dark Night Returns(1999)
The Dark Knight name reared its head again not long after, when it was a case of back to the old drawing board for Warner Bros.
Long before we started seeing the likes of Sin City and 300 making it to the big screen the work of graphic novelist Frank Miller was being talked about as a possible avenue for a cinematic Batman, namely an adaptation of his The Dark Knights Returns.
About an aged Bruce Wayne, Clint Eastwood was rumoured to have been approached to play the millionaire/superhero, while there was also talk Michael Keaton could reprise his role from 1989 Batman.
Ramsey, from BOF, writes, "I am of the opinion that WB considered it, and that’s about as far as it got".
3. Schumacher's Batman: Year One (2000)
You would think Schumacher had had enough of Batman after his dreadful experience with B&R. But, apparently he pitched an idea for a Batman prequel to Warner Bros. in 1998. It would be based on Frank Miller's smash hit graphic novel from a decade earlier, Batman: Year One.
The story centres on a young Bruce Wayne arriving back in Gotham City after spending time travelling the world - living and learning. Not long after his return home, he becomes vigilante 'The Bat Man', and later forges a friendship with 'the last honest cop' Jim Gordon. Sound familiar?
"While Joel Schumacher can be given credit for bringing the prequel/Year One idea to WB, he would not be the one to develop it," Ramsey, of BOF, writes
2. Aronofsky's Batman: Year One (2002)
Instead, the studio turned to Frank Miller himself and a young director who was hot property at the time after his breakthrough hit Requiem For A Dream, Darren Aronofsky.
How far along Miller and Aronofsky got is unknown but the latter was once quoted as describing their Batman offering as having "an urban, guerilla flavor" along the lines of 1970s greats like The French Connection, and not to mention being rated R. And you thought the PG Dark Knight was intense?
The script for the film differs a little from the comic with an orphaned Bruce Wayne, instead of going back to Wayne Manor to be raised by Alfred, wanders the streets and taken in by 'Big Al', owner of an auto mechanic shop across the street from a brothel in a seedy part of Gotham. There he grows up watching the violence that has plagued the city streets, and, becoming angry, swears to do something about it.
Ramsey, of BOF, writes, that while hard-core fans would've loved the idea, "... how in the hell would you be able to market merchandise and toys around such a violent, R-rated film?
"You can bitch and complain about that, but it is the reality of it. Year One just strayed too far from the core Batman mythos and I believe Warner Brothers realized that."
1. Superman vs Batman (2003)
With Warner Bros struggling to get their two prized fighters back in action in standalone pictures, with Superman not seen for 15 years, the company looked at a joint venture.
This project apparently got as far as the casting stage a young Jude Law in role of Clark Kent/Superman and an even younger Colin Farrell as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Could you believe it?
"Director Wolfgang Petersen made all sorts of comments on the project that appeared in newspapers, magazines, and online," Ramsey from BOF writes. "I mean, I really thought that this thing was going to happen – as did a lot of people."
The two superheroes were supposed to go head-to-head in a confrontation, but then realise they are being manipulated by an old foe of one of theirs. They of course then join forces.
Warners Bros. decided though the two should remain separate, at least for the time being.
Courtesy of www.luisescobarblog.com
Batman On Film GO HERE
Ain't It Cool GO HERE
NationalMaster GO HERE
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