Poll: The Next Batman Movie

[Thunderous Cacophony]

So as you may know, there is already another Batman movie in the works. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877830/] Some people might think it's a travesty to do something so soon after Nolan's pants-tightenly awesome trilogy, but Warner Bros. would have to be stupid to not try and capitalize on the brand recognition that has been built.

However, as far as I can tell, there is no information about what it is going to be, who's going to star or direct it, or any of that good stuff. which means it's time for the Internet's favourite game: RAMPANT SPECULATION! I want to know what kind of movie you want to see made, and what is most likely to happen. I've got two ideas so far:

1) Batman Beyond: I loved the show when it aired, and as far as I can tell, so did a lot of other people who are now in the prime theater-going age bracket. It also continues the dark & gritty feel of Nolan's Batman, which makes it an easier sell to movie executives ("It's as dark as Nolan, but we can hire some kid instead of Christian Bale, saving a boatload of money!" I'm thinking Clint Eastwood as the aging Bruce Wayne, because that would be just awesome. The problem is, the futuristic setting and the (mostly) new rogue's gallery might be too big a departure for Warner Bros.

2) Campy Batman : The Avengers showed that audiences are willing to watch a serious but lighthearted comic-book movie; I'm thinking the same thing with Batman, kitting him out with Robin and full *BAM**POW**BIFF* sound effects. There is a lot of love for the old Adam West show, and this way Warner Bros. could make a Batman movie without having to worry about comparisons to Nolan's movie undermining them. Of course, they may decide that dark & gritty Batman is the only way forward, and that such a retooling of the franchise wouldn't be in their best interest.

So those are my ideas. What do you think, Escapists? What is your ideal next Batman movie?

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

OK, so apparently I haven't been keeping up to date in my reading, and Moviebob wrote an article yesterday about this: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/moviebob/9815-Re-Bat
However, he didn't really address either of my two possibilities, so onward and upwards!

 

[CODE-D]

I think it should be a general batman like that of arkham asylum and arkham city.

 

[Rawne1980]

Adam West style.

Batman needs more "Boff", "Sock" and "Pow".

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Adam West style.

Batman needs more "Boff", "Sock" and "Pow".

Sadly, that's not the 'cool' Batman anymore. Kids these days, wanting violence and growly voices instead of amazing deductive skills and a trusty partner.

 

[Esotera]

They should go down the Bourne Trilogy route, and say there was never only one Batman. Then make them all fight each other and see who wins.

I'm not really sure, I get the feeling Batman could use a break for a couple of years, as everything seems to have been building up to a gigantic finale. There isn't any obvious direction I see they can take it.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

Sadly Adam West Batman isn't going to work in this day and age..

After Christopher Nolan's take, it would be nice to go back to more comic-y maybe, a more Arkham Asylum/City route.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Just get to the Justice League already. Use Batman and Superman as the anchors to introduce the other members, or have a dedicated less realistic and gritty Batman movie that reboots him to be suitable to fight alongside Martians and Amazons (and Aquaman!)

Or they could do an Alfred the Butler origin story. Him in the Army burning forests down to catch terrorists, it would be like Rambo except with a British upper class gentleman.

 

[pilouuuu]

Now, let's leave the gritty behind and make something very campy, but good. No Batman & Robin, but something like The Brave and the Bold instead. It would be funny.

 

[FalloutJack]

Easy. We do a movie about Terry McGinnis.

 

[gideonkain]

Maybe instead of going into the 3rd generation of rebooting our modern mythology we could make up new things?

 

[Marter]

Let's let Adam West don the mask and cape again.

What? Nobody has suggested that yet. Sure, they said "let's do the same thing Adam West's series/movie had," but they didn't say that it should star West. I think it should. Let's have a really old Batman, still going out there and giving it his all.

Ooh! A retirement series Batman. Like, everyone is 70+. Jack Nicholson can be The Joker again, you can make James Garner The Riddler, and so on. I guess Robin can be, like, only 50+, but that's it.

...
...
...
You want this, don't you?

 

[Vault101]

Sadly, that's not the 'cool' Batman anymore. Kids these days, wanting violence and growly voices instead of amazing deductive skills and a trusty partner.

I dont like campy

can;t take it seriously..and it certainly wouldnt fit the tone they would likley go with in the avengers

I hope they don't try and caputre anything from the nolans films though

 

[Diddy_Mao]

I honestly think their best bet is going to be to hold off on remaking Batman. Keep public interest high with the DCAU but no new movies for a while.

Instead just drop him into the other Justice League intro films.

Introduce a subplot where Lex Luthor is in a corporate war with Wayne Industries.

Have Clark Kent interview Bruce Wayne, have Bruce Wayne BUY the Daily Planet (I think this is canon in the comics is it not?)

Maybe rewrite Steve Trevor as a WayneTech test pilot working on a thinly veiled Batwing prototype instead of an Airforce pilot.

Or hell...take that same concept and replace Steve Trevor with Hal Jordan.


The point is that if they're going to build up to a Justice League movie that means introducing Batman in a way that he doesn't appear out of place in a world of magic, aliens and super powers. To me the best way to do that is to gradually introduce the character to these concepts over time through the other characters and their plots.

That way it doesn't seem quite as goofy when you have Batman fighting with Apokalypse, Doomsday, The Centre or...whatever villain they decide to bring the League together for.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

Let's let Adam West don the mask and cape again.

What? Nobody has suggested that yet. Sure, they said "let's do the same thing Adam West's series/movie had," but they didn't say that it should star West. I think it should. Let's have a really old Batman, still going out there and giving it his all.

Ooh! A retirement series Batman. Like, everyone is 70+. Jack Nicholson can be The Joker again, you can make James Garner The Riddler, and so on. I guess Robin can be, like, only 50+, but that's it.

...
...
...
You want this, don't you?

Spoiler: Why does this sound familiar...

*snip*

That would be fantastic, and they probably are going to weave Batman/Superman into the rest of the Justice League movies, but they won't give the guy a break from his own movies. They've made too much money to leave him alone and hope that the animated stuff (which is still viewed as shows for kids) keeps interest high.

 

[malestrithe]

I want the see the Camp Crusader come back for the next 3 Batman series. I do not mean him pulling out the Bat Shark repellent, but that style of heroics. I mean not the broody loner, but the happy go lucky team player that every modern fan want to white wash from existence. Sorry, but I don't care about original intent of the character. The fact of the matter is Batman had a happy period from the late 40s to the early 80s that I would love to see come back in some limited fashion. It could be one of the 52 universes or a digital only thing for all I care.

That is one of the rumors surrounding the next Batman Arkham game, setting the thing in a more 1950s inspired universe. Although I would love to see it, that is a mistake for that series. Sorry, Rocksteady but if you set the game in the 1950s, all you are doing is side stepping the hole you dug yourselves. Now you can include the Joker with having to deal with his death.

Sorry, but you killed the Joker, now write a story without him. It can be done. and has been done before.

 

[Talvrae]

I think they should do something similar to the Arkham games... like others had already said

 

[WaywardHaymaker]

I would absolutely love a Batman Beyond style movie, but I think we all know that this Batman is being done with the sole intention of being a part of the Justice League movie.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

My idea would be similar to what DC Comics are doing: Multiple Batman-themed films.

Batman Beyond is what I picked in the poll because I thought it was an awesome show and could translate well onto the big screen. It may be too dark for the 3D/Imax crowd but it could be huge and really good.

Silver (or Bronze) Age Batman would be another good pair of ideas. If Rocksteady really is working on a silver-age Batman game it could very well give a dramatic boost to consumer interest and open to door to all sorts of silly, fun, plot-lines and, villain possibilities (like Bob mentioned in his article). Silver Age would be a great way to introduce someone silly like Mad Hatter (again; like Bob said) and Bronze Age would be a great way to introduce someone like Scarface (I believe 1988 was still the Bronze age...Dark ages didn't start until 92, didn't it?)

A Huntress, Teen Titans or, Nightwing movie would be another interesting path to go since it would introduce characters related to The Batman and could introduce him and introduce the possibility of a team-up. Maybe not so much a Teen Titans movie but a Nightwing Movie could lead into a Batman and Robin 'prequel' movie, as could a Huntress movie if they use the origin of her being the daughter of Selina Kyle and, Bruce Wayne.

Or they could copy/splice Amazing Spider-Man and Batman Begins by having another Batman Origin movie featuring Man-Bat. It could be made into something hilariously bad if it used Frank Miller's God-Damn Batman.

Just little ideas I've had brewing.