Batman in film
, a superhero created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger for comic books published by DC Comics, has appeared in nearly every form of media, including film since the 1940s. Columbia Pictures supervised the first film adaptations with Batman and Batman and Robin, deviating significantly from the source material. 20th Century Fox then released a theatrical spinoff of the American Broadcasting Company's live-action television series about the character in the 1960s, starring Adam West. After several years in limbo, Warner Bros. Pictures purchased the copyrights and developed a succession of Batman films in the late twentieth century, two directed by Tim Burton and another pair by Joel Schumacher. Michael Keaton portrays Batman in the Burton films, while Val Kilmer and George Clooney feature as the titular hero in the Schumacher films.
Warner Bros. spent the turn of the millennium in another protracted development period, leading to the production of a reboot trilogy featuring Christian Bale as Batman: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. The creation of the DC Extended Universe, a media franchise bound by a shared universe, spawned additional works. Ben Affleck plays the character in the DCEU films, beginning with the Zack Snyder-directed entry Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Affleck, Keaton, and Clooney's Batmen have also appeared in crossover films within the DCEU. The Batman and The Brave and the Bold will revamp the established continuity of the live-action films with new incarnations of Batman portrayed by Robert Pattinson and another actor. Joker features a depiction of the character as a civilian, predating his transformation into a vigilante. Numerous actors voice Batman in animated film.
The Batman films are generally successful and comprise one of the highest-grossing franchises and film series|highest-grossing franchises] of all time, grossing over $6.8 billion globally. Critical opinion of films vary substantially. For example, The Dark Knight trilogy was critically acclaimed, whereas other films, such as Batman & Robin and those of the DCEU, were not well reviewed in the media. Occasionally, Batman films attract Academy Award recognition for acting and technical achievement.
Initial adaptations
Early films
Following the success of comic books featuring Batman in the early 1940s, three major Hollywood studios approached DC Comics to purchase the film rights. Columbia Pictures bought the rights shortly afterward, and, in 1943, released a fifteen-chapter serial film directed by Lambert Hillyer and starring Lewis Wilson as Batman. The story follows Batman and Robin's attempts to sabotage a Japanese spy's plot to aid Axis conquest of the United States by producing a super weapon. Elements of Batman deviate from the source material in significant respects, most notably the addition of a Japanese villain, underscoring the film's propaganda function. Conceived eighteen months after the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Batman reflected a wider cultural shift to arouse mass support for US intervention in World War II. Nevertheless, the serial introduced the Batcave and the Wayne Manor's secret grandfather clock entrance in Batman mythology. It was re-released in theaters in 1965 under the title An Evening with Batman and Robin.In 1949, Columbia developed another fifteen-part serial, Batman and Robin, as the sequel to Batman, compelled by the success of Superman the previous year. Robert Lowery was Wilson's replacement as Batman, leading a new ensemble of actors opposite Johnny Duncan as Robin. Batman and Robin details the duo's retrieval of a stolen remote control machine from criminal mastermind Wizard, whose schemes threaten to disrupt Gotham City's transportation networks. Producer Sam Katzman sought to keep the cost of filming low, and the diminished budget led to further changes to the onscreen world. As a consequence, Batman and Robin fared poorly in reviews from the press.
The American Broadcasting Company's creation of a live-action TV adaptation of Batman in the mid-1960s resurrected the character's popularity. 20th Century Fox released a theatrical film intended to be a precursor to the show in 1966. Featuring Adam West as the superhero, author Matthew J. Smith viewed the projects as campy, yet more faithful interpretations of the comics than the serials. West stated he was hesitant to consider the part because he feared being typecast, but was convinced by his agent. In the film, Batman and Robin confront the main antagonists of the series: the Joker, Penguin, the Riddler, and Catwoman.
Limbo
The cancellation of Batman decreased Hollywood interest in further film adaptations. A concerted effort to produce another film did not begin until a year after the release of Superman. Producers Michael Uslan and Benjamin Melniker purchased the rights with the aim of conceiving a more faithful adaptation of the comics. Superman was another catalyst for Uslan and Melniker's vision of a Batman film. Uslan pitched to multiple studios unsuccessfully, including Columbia and United Artists, prompting him to devise an outline, Return of the Batman, to better articulate his idea.By November 1979, Uslan and Melniker obtained funding through a joint venture with Peter Guber, chairman of the film division of Casablanca Records. Under the arrangement, the producers were entitled to 40 percent of profits yielded by Casablanca. They commissioned a Batman film with a $15 million budget in 1981, but a series of corporate acquisitions prolonged negotiations over the film's distribution, stalling development. Casablanca's preexisting distribution agreement with Universal Pictures dissolved after the company was acquired by PolyGram Pictures. By this point, PolyGram faced bankruptcy after investing $80 million to increase their rate of output, and Guber brokered an agreement to transfer ownership of the Batman film rights to him and associate Jon Peters. Another associate pitched the project to Warner Bros. Pictures executive Frank Wells, and afterwards Peters signed a deal with studio president Terry Semel which overlapped with the Casablanca contract. However, because Uslan and Melniker were unaware of the dealings, they challenged Warner Bros. over the claim that it had breached the Casablanca agreement.
Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz completed the project's first draft in June 1983, titled The Batman. The draft focused on an origin story chronicling Bruce Wayne's transformation into Batman. Moreover, Mankiewicz developed the story to indicate a sequel following Batman and Dick Grayson as a crimefighting duo. Mankiewicz took inspiration from Batman: Strange Apparitions, a multi-issue limited series by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. Though The Batman was announced with a mid-1985 release date, revisions to the script impeded progress on the film. In total, the script underwent nine rewrites from nine separate screenwriters.
Original film series
''Batman'' (1989)
Warner Bros. appointed Tim Burton as Batman director in 1988. The studio approached Burton as early as 1985, but had no formalized deal until a week after Beetlejuice opened in theaters. Burton discarded Mankiewicz's screenplay as he found the tone too similar to Superman. Englehart and Julie Hickson prepared film treatments which Sam Hamm reworked into the script. Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns guided Hamm's script, reflecting a darker approach than previous interpretations to that point. When the 1988 [Writers Guild of America strike] forced Hamm to resign, Warner Bros. engaged Warren Skaaren, Charles McKeown and Jonathan Gems for additional rewrites to lighten the tone. Burton chose Michael Keaton among a number of leading men as Batman / Bruce Wayne, despite resistance from studio executives. Keaton was a controversial casting choice; he had been mainly known as a comedic actor and was not perceived to fit the Batman archetype. Jack Nicholson stars opposite Keaten as the Joker, earning as much as $50–$90 million for his work. Principal photography occurred from October 1988 to January 1989 on constructed sets at the backlot of Pinewood Studios in London. After its June 1989 release, Batman received mostly positive reviews and finished the theatrical run as the year's second highest-grossing film, with a box office take of $400 million. At the 62nd Academy Awards, the film won Best Art Direction.''Batman Returns'' (1992)
Studio executives prioritized a sequel to Batman beginning in late-1989. Warner Bros. secured Burton's commitment as director for Batman Returns in 1991. Burton was reluctant to return for another film because he was cynical about sequels. He had also been frustrated with the authority Guber and Peters exerted over the original film, agreeing to Batman Returns only on the condition of greater independence. Daniel Waters replaced Hamm as screenwriter based on Burton's preference for a writer that had no involvement with Batman. Waters developed the script with greater emphasis on the villains—including Catwoman and the Penguin. Burton brought on Wesley Strick for an uncredited rewrite before assigning Waters further script editing duties. Keaton reprised his role for a $10 million salary. Filmmakers shot Batman Returns from September 1991 to February 1992, and the film was released in theaters that June. Batman Returns polarized critics and, to the dismay of Warner Bros., saw diminished returns at the box office.''Batman Forever'' (1995)
To improve their profit-making potential, Warner Bros. developed Batman Forever with a more family-friendly tone. The studio did not want to continue the series with Burton and encouraged the filmmaker to seek other projects, though Burton remained involved as an executive producer. They hired Joel Schumacher as Burton's replacement, believing he could better realize a film conducive to advertising toys. The screenplay was conceived by Lee and Janet Scott-Batchler, a husband-and-wife writing team, and Akiva Goldsman. Keaton at first supported the changes but in time dropped out, objecting to the script. Ethan Hawke, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ralph Fiennes, and Kurt Russell were among those considered to play Batman, which inevitably went to Val Kilmer. Kilmer came to Schumacher's attention for his work in the Western film Tombstone. Shooting took place from September 1994 to March 1995, followed by the theatrical rollout in June 1995. Batman Forever finished the year as the sixth highest-grossing film by amassing $350 million globally, but drew a tepid critical response. Nonetheless, the film received three nominations at the 68th Academy Awards.''Batman & Robin'' (1997)
Schumacher was signed as director of Batman & Robin while Batman Forever ran in theaters. Goldman and Chris O'Donnell returned, the former as the film's sole screenwriter. Kilmer did not reappear, and reports give conflicting accounts about the circumstance of the actor's departure. Schumacher maintained in a 1996 interview that producers "sort of fired" Kilmer because he was volatile on the set of Batman Forever. On the other hand, Kilmer cited scheduling conflicts that arose as a result of prior commitments to Heat and The Saint. In his documentary film Val, the actor clarified further that the experience working in the Batsuit, which he found cumbersome, influenced his decision to leave. Executive Bob Daly mentioned George Clooney in casting discussions, leading to Clooney's hiring based on his performance in From Dusk till Dawn and his likeness to Batman's comic book counterpart. Filming for Batman & Robin began in September 1996 and finished two weeks ahead of schedule in January 1997, and the theatrical release was scheduled in June 1997. Batman & Robin was a critical and commercial failure and is cited as one the worst blockbuster films ever made.Unrealized proposals
Warner Bros. initiated plans to expand the franchise with several films, including a third Schumacher Batman film commissioned as Batman & Robin was in production. The studio announced the project with Mark Protosevich as screenwriter. Schumacher said he planned to revisit a darker storytelling approach, contradicting a Los Angeles Times piece that claimed he would continue the direction of his other Batman films. Protosevich's treatment, a 150-page script named Batman Unchained, revolves around Wayne's efforts to confront figures of his turmoiled past, chiefly the Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and, ultimately, the Joker through a drug-induced hallucination. In the film's final scene, Wayne is besieged by a swarm of bats as a symbol of triumph over his fears. Warner Bros. cast Coolio to play Scarecrow, introducing the character in a cameo in Batman & Robin. Sequel development collapsed after the failure of Batman & Robin.Around the same time, another project titled Batman: DarKnight was approved by Warner Bros., from a script conceived by novice writers Lee Shapiro and Stephen Wise. Shapiro and Wise pitched to the studio on learning that they were contemplating a new direction for Batman. Their story was inspired by The Dark Knight Returns, featuring Wayne, disillusioned by crimefighting, retreating from the public, and encouraging Grayson to pursue college. Grayson has an adversarial relationship with professor Jonathan Crane, civilian persona of Scarecrow, who kidnaps and tortures Grayson in psychological experiments in Arkham Asylum. Man-Bat features in DarKnight as a secondary villain whose crimes are erroneously blamed on Batman, luring Wayne out of hiding. By 2001, Warner Bros. brought on Jeff Robinov to commence plans for a reboot, ending all active development of their original Batman series.
Planned relaunch
At the turn of the millennium, Warner Bros. entered a protracted development period over a Batman film. Three reboot proposals emerged during this time, the earliest being an adaptation of Miller's comic book story arc Batman: Year One. Schumacher made the suggestion to Warner Bros. in 1998, and within a year, the studio solicited the then-relatively unknown filmmaker Darren Aronofsky for ideas to approach a remake. According to Aronofsky, the studio was receptive after he quipped, "I'd cast Clint Eastwood as the Dark Knight, and shoot it in Tokyo, doubling for Gotham City." He joined as director in 2000. Aronofsky worked with Miller to write the Batman: Year One script in their second collaboration; their first work together was an undeveloped screenplay of Miller's multi-issue series Ronin. Their script re-conceptualized Batman with working class origins and placed greater emphasis on the character's psychological profile. Christian Bale and Freddie Prinze, Jr. were discussed to star, and Aronofsky campaigned to hire Joaquin Phoenix against studio intent, but Batman: Year One never went into production. Owing to creative disagreements with Aronofsky and Miller, Warner Bros. abandoned efforts on the project.Alan Horn succeeded Terry Semel and Bob Daly as COO and president of Warner Bros. in 1999. There he implemented plans to relaunch the Batman and Superman franchises as part of a broader measure to increase the studio's output of blockbuster films. The efforts may have been shaped in part by a corporate merger between parent company Time Warner and AOL in 2001. Although the idea of a crossover film portraying Batman and Superman as foes long circulated in the press, it was screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker who first brought forward the concept in earnest in August 2001. Warner Bros. engaged Wolfgang Petersen to direct Batman Vs. Superman, who then secured Walker's services to prepare a draft. Goldman was brought on for a rewrite when the studio rejected Walker's draft, but the successive script drew mixed reactions. Thereafter Petersen left to make another Warner project, the historical drama Troy, and Horn clashed with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura because they had competing visions for the franchises. Ultimately, the studio proceeded with plans for solo films and development of Batman Vs. Superman unraveled.
In 2000, Warner Bros. oversaw a live-action adaptation of their animated TV program Batman Beyond. They commissioned Boaz Yakin and Batman Beyond creators Paul Dini and Alan Burnett to write a draft, but found the direction unsatisfactory and severed further commitment. Little else is known about the project and filmmakers involved seldom discuss information in interviews with the media.
A younger Wayne played by Armie Hammer was a subject of a Justice League film known as Justice League: Mortal, which was meant to launch a franchise independent of the mainline Batman films in the late 2000s. Several problems beset the production. Warner Bros. suspended filming in the wake of an industrywide labor strike by the Writers Guild of America and again over disputes concerning the studio's request for tax subsidies from the government of Australia, which was denied by the Australian Film Commission. In turn, Warner Bros. relocated the film's administrative operations to Canada, before cancelling production to mandate solo films of the DC characters, enacted after the release of The Dark Knight.