Batman (1989–1997 film series)
| Batman | |
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| Based on | Batman publications and storylines published by DC Comics |
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| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date | 1989–1997 |
Running time | 499 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $340 million |
| Box office | $1,252,907,544 |
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The Batman films comprise a superhero film series featuring the DC Comics character of the same name, who was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It was produced by Warner Bros. from 1989 to 1997, beginning with the 1989 film Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. Burton and Keaton returned for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, and in 1995, Joel Schumacher directed Batman Forever with Val Kilmer as Batman. Schumacher also directed the 1997 sequel Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney. Batman & Robin was poorly received by both the critics and the fans, leading to the cancellation of the planned sequel Batman Unchained. The series grossed $1.2 billion worldwide.
Films[edit]
Batman (1989)[edit]
Tim Burton directed the first film in 1989. Steve Englehart and Julie Hickson wrote film treatments before Sam Hamm wrote the first screenplay.[1][2] Numerous A-list actors were considered for the role of Batman before Michael Keaton was cast. Keaton was a controversial choice for the role since, by 1988, he had become typecast as a comedic actor and many observers doubted he could portray a serious role.[1] Jack Nicholson accepted the role of the Joker under strict conditions that dictated a high salary, a portion of the box office profits and his shooting schedule. Nicholson's final salary is reported to be as high as $50 million.[3][4][5][6] Principal photography took place at Pinewood Studios from October 1988 to January 1989.[7] The budget escalated from $30 million to $48 million,[3] while the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike forced Hamm to drop out. Rewrites were performed by Warren Skaaren, Charles McKeown[4] and Jonathan Gems.[8] Batman received generally favourable reviews, broke numerous box office records, and won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction. The film grossed over $400 million,[1] and left a legacy over the modern perception of the superhero film genre.[9]
Batman Returns (1992)[edit]
Burton originally did not want to direct a sequel.[10] Daniel Waters delivered a script that satisfied Burton, which convinced him to direct the film. Wesley Strick did an uncredited rewrite, deleting characterizations of Harvey Dent and Robin and rewriting the climax.[11][12] Various A-list actresses lobbied hard for the role of Catwoman before Michelle Pfeiffer was cast, while Danny DeVito signed on to portray the Penguin.[13] Filming started at Warner Bros. in Burbank, California in June 1991. Batman Returns was released with financial success, but Warner Bros. was disappointed with the film's box office run because it earned less than its predecessor.[14] In addition, Batman Returns received a polarized reaction, particularly with a "parental backlash" which criticized the film for containing violence and sexual innuendos that were thought to be unsuitable for children.[14] McDonald's shut down its Happy Meal tie-in for Batman Returns.[15]
Batman Forever (1995)[edit]
Although Batman Returns was a financial success, Warner Bros. felt the film should have made more money. The studio decided to change the direction of the Batman film series to be more mainstream. Joel Schumacher replaced Tim Burton as director, while Burton decided to stay on as producer.[16] However, Michael Keaton did not like the new direction the film series was heading in,[17] and was replaced by Val Kilmer as Batman. Chris O'Donnell was introduced as Robin, Jim Carrey starred as The Riddler, while Tommy Lee Jones starred as Two-Face. Filming started in September 1994,[16] and Schumacher encountered problems communicating with Kilmer and Jones.[18] Batman Forever was released on June 16, 1995 with financial success, earning over $350 million worldwide and three Academy Award nominations, but the film was met with mixed to negative reviews from critics.[19][20]
Batman & Robin (1997)[edit]
After the release of Batman Forever, Warner Bros. started development on Batman & Robin, commissioning it on fast track for an adamant June 1997 release.[21] Val Kilmer did not return, because of scheduling conflicts with The Saint,[22] and was replaced by George Clooney. Arnold Schwarzenegger starred as Mr. Freeze, while Uma Thurman starred as Poison Ivy and Alicia Silverstone starred as Batgirl. Chris O'Donnell reprised his role as Robin. Principal photography began in September 1996[23] and ended in January 1997,[24] two weeks ahead of the shooting schedule.[25] Batman & Robin was released on June 20, 1997, and was panned by critics and audiences.[26] Observers criticized the film for its toyetic and campy approach, and for homosexual innuendos added by Schumacher.[22] Still, the film was a financial success,[27] but remains to be the least commercially successful live-action Batman film ever. Batman & Robin received numerous nominations at the Razzie Awards[28] and is ranked among the worst superhero films ever made.[29][30]
Recurring cast and characters[edit]
| Character | Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batman (1989) | Batman Returns (1992) | Batman Forever (1995) | Batman & Robin (1997) | |
| Bruce Wayne / Batman | Michael Keaton Charles Roskilly |
Michael Keaton | Val Kilmer Ramsey Ellis |
George Clooney Eric Lloyd |
| Alfred Pennyworth | Michael Gough | Michael Gough Jon Simmons | ||
| Commissioner Gordon | Pat Hingle | |||
| Dick Grayson / Robin | Chris O'Donnell | |||
| Jack Napier / The Joker | Jack Nicholson Hugo E. Blick |
David U. Hodges (flashback only; as young Jack Napier) |
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| Harvey Dent / Two-Face | Billy Dee Williams | Tommy Lee Jones | ||
| Patrick Leahy | Himself (cameo) | |||
The Batman OnStar Commercials included Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon, but used a new cast for the brief appearances of other characters.
Crew and other[edit]
| Crew/detail | Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batman (1989) |
Batman Returns (1992) |
Batman Forever (1995) |
Batman & Robin (1997) | |
| Director | Tim Burton | Joel Schumacher | ||
| Producers | Jon Peters, Peter Guber |
Denise Di Novi, Tim Burton |
Tim Burton, Peter MacGregor-Scott |
Peter MacGregor-Scott |
| Writers | Screenplay by: Sam Hamm Warren Skaaren Story by: Sam Hamm |
Screenplay by: Daniel Waters Story by: Daniel Waters Sam Hamm |
Screenplay by: Lee Batchler Janet Scott Batchler Akiva Goldsman Story by: Lee Batchler Janet Scott Batchler |
Screenplay and Story by: Akiva Goldsman |
| Composer | Danny Elfman | Elliot Goldenthal | ||
| Director of photography | Roger Pratt | Stefan Czapsky | Stephen Goldblatt | |
| Production designer | Anton Furst | Bo Welch | Barbara Ling | |
| Editor(s) | Ray Lovejoy | Chris Lebenzon | Dennis Virkler | Dennis Virkler, Mark Stevens |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. | |||
| Running time | 126 mins. | 126 mins. | 122 mins. | 127 mins. |
| MPAA rating | PG-13 | |||
Reception[edit]
Box office performance[edit]
| Film | Release date | Box office revenue | Box office ranking | Budget | Reference | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories |
Worldwide | All time North America |
All time worldwide | ||||
| Batman | June 23, 1989 | $251,188,924 | $160,160,000 | $411,348,924 | #71 #50(A) |
#156 | $35 million | [31] |
| Batman Returns | June 19, 1992 | $162,831,698 | $103,990,656 | $266,822,354 | #206 #167(A) |
#338 | $80 million | [32] |
| Batman Forever | June 16, 1995 | $184,031,112 | $152,498,032 | $336,529,144 | #148 #140(A) |
#231 | $100 million | [19] |
| Batman & Robin | June 20, 1997 | $107,325,195 | $130,881,927 | $238,207,122 | #460 | #394 | $125 million | [33] |
| Total | $705,376,929 | $547,530,615 | $1,252,907,544 | $340 million | ||||
Critical and public response[edit]
| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batman | 72% (68 reviews)[34] | 69 (21 reviews)[35] | A[36] |
| Batman Returns | 80% (71 reviews)[37] | 68 (23 reviews)[38] | B[36] |
| Batman Forever | 40% (58 reviews)[20] | 51 (23 reviews)[39] | A−[36] |
| Batman & Robin | 11% (85 reviews)[26] | 28 (21 reviews)[40] | C+[36] |
Cancelled sequels[edit]
During the filming of Batman & Robin, Warner Bros. was impressed with the dailies, prompting them to immediately hire Joel Schumacher to reprise his directing duties for a third film. Writer Akiva Goldsman, who worked on Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, turned down the chance to write the script.[25] In late 1996, Warner Bros. and Schumacher hired Mark Protosevich to write the script for a fifth Batman film. A projected mid-1999 release date was announced.[41] Titled Batman Unchained but often incorrectly referred to as Batman Triumphant,[42] Protosevich's script had the Scarecrow as the main villain and the Joker would return as a hallucination in Batman's mind caused by the Scarecrow's fear toxin. Harley Quinn would appear as a supporting character, written as the Joker's daughter trying to kill Batman to avenge her father's death. George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone were set to reprise the roles of Batman, Robin, and Batgirl, respectively.[43]
The Unchained script was heavily rewritten by Lee Shapiro and Stephen Wise and made into a project titled Batman: Dark Knight. This script kept the Scarecrow, but replaced Harley Quinn with Man-Bat. Schumacher dropped out of the project, forcing Warner Bros. to find a replacement in Andrew Davis. Plans for a fifth film in the series were officially canceled in late 2000.
During the same time as Batman Unchained, Warner was being approached with a proposal for a live-action Batman Beyond film. The script was written by the show's co-creators, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett; Boaz Yakin was chosen to direct, but insisted on an R-rated movie, which led to the project's cancellation.
Chris O'Donnell revealed in a 2012 interview with Access Hollywood that a Robin spin-off was planned but was scrapped after Batman & Robin.[44]
Warner Bros. abandoned J. J. Abrams' script for Superman: Flyby, which had been greenlighted with McG to direct.[45][46] When McG dropped out in favor of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle,[47] Warner Bros. approached Wolfgang Petersen to direct Superman: Flyby,[48] however, in August 2001,[49] Andrew Kevin Walker pitched Warner Bros. an idea titled Batman vs. Superman, attaching Petersen as director. Superman: Flyby was put on hold,[48] and Akiva Goldsman was hired to rewrite Walker's Batman vs. Superman.[50]
Goldsman's draft, dated June 21, 2002, had Bruce Wayne going through a mental breakdown after his five-year retirement from crime fighting. Dick Grayson, Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner Gordon are all dead, but Bruce finds some solace in his fiancée, Elizabeth Miller. Meanwhile, Clark Kent is struggling because of a recent divorce from Lois Lane. Clark and Bruce are close friends, and Clark is Bruce's best man. After the Joker kills Elizabeth on their honeymoon, Bruce swears revenge, while Clark tries to hold him back. Bruce blames Clark for her death, and the two go against one another. Ultimately, Lex Luthor is revealed to have masterminded the entire plot to get Batman and Superman to destroy each other. The two decide to team up and stop Luthor.[51] Christian Bale, who would play the character in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, was simultaneously approached to portray Batman for Darren Aronofsky's Batman: Year One,[52] while Josh Hartnett was offered the role of Superman.[47]
Filming was to start in early 2003, with plans for a five- to six-month shoot. The release date was set for the summer of 2004.[53] However, Warner Bros. canceled development to focus on individual Superman and Batman projects after Abrams submitted another draft for Superman: Flyby.[54] According to Petersen "[Warner Bros.' chief] Alan Horn was so torn, because it's such a fascinating concept to do a Batman versus Superman film."[55] In the opening scene of I Am Legend, a billboard displays the Superman symbol within the Batman symbol in Times Square. It is meant as an in-joke by the film's writer, Akiva Goldsman, who also wrote the script for Batman vs. Superman.[56]
See also[edit]
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References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mark Salisbury; Tim Burton (2006). "Batman". Burton on Burton. London: Faber and Faber. pp. 70–83. ISBN 0-571-22926-3. Search this book on
- ↑ Englehat, Steve. "Batman". SteveEnglehart.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
So I got to do the second treatment with just the characters that eventually hit the screen: Bruce Wayne, the Batman, Silver St. Cloud, Boss Thorne, and the Joker.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nancy Griffin; Kim Masters (1997). "Hit Men". Hit & Run: How Jon Peters and Peter Guber Took Sony For A Ride In Hollywood. Simon & Schuster. pp. 158–174. ISBN 0-684-80931-1. Search this book on
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Alan Jones (November 1989). "Batman". Cinefantastique. pp. 55–67. Retrieved May 2, 2008.
- ↑ Stephen Rebello (November 1989). "Sam Hamm – Screenwriter". Cinefantastique. pp. 34–41.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ Iain Johnstone (August 1989). "Dark Knight in the City of Dreams". Empire. pp. 46–54. Retrieved May 14, 2008.
- ↑ Joe Morgenstern (April 9, 1989). "Tim Burton, Batman and The Joker", The New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
- ↑ Salisbury, Burton, p.145
- ↑ Geoff Boucher (October 15, 2008). "Tim Burton talks about Johnny Depp, 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Dark Knight'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ↑ Alan Jones (November 1989). "Batman in Production". Batman Online. pp. 75–88. Retrieved May 13, 2008.[dead link]
- ↑ Judy Sloane (August 1995). "Daniel Waters on Writing", Film Review, pp. 67–69. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ↑ David Hughes (2003). "Batman". Comic Book Movies. Virgin Books. pp. 33–46. ISBN 0-7535-0767-6. Search this book on
- ↑ Broeske, Pat H.; Thompson, Anne (August 9, 1991). "Big-Game Hunting". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Salisbury, Burton, p.102-114
- ↑ Olly Richards (September 1992). "Trouble in Gotham", Empire, pp. 21–23. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Batman 3". Entertainment Weekly. October 1, 1993. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2008.
- ↑ Jeff Gordinier (July 15, 1994). "Next at Batman". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2008.
- ↑ Benjamin Svetkey (July 12, 1996). "Holy Happy Set!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2008.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Batman Forever (1995)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Batman Forever". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ↑ Michael Fleming (February 21, 1997). "Helmer's 3rd At Bat". Variety. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Joel Schumacher, Peter MacGregor-Scott, Chris O'Donnell, Val Kilmer, Uma Thurman, John Glover, Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight Part 6-Batman Unbound, 2005, Warner Home Video
- ↑ Degen Pener (September 13, 1996). "Holy Hearsay". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
- ↑ Anita M. Busch (January 10, 1997). "Schumacher on 'Popcorn'". Variety. Retrieved November 11, 2008.[dead link]
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Michael Mallory; Michael Fleming (March 5, 1997). "Holy caped caper, IV". Variety. Retrieved November 11, 2008.[dead link]
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Batman & Robin". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ↑ Dave Karger (July 11, 1997). "Big Chill". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
- ↑ "1998 Razzie Awards". Internet Movie Database. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- ↑ "Comix Worst to Best: Batman & Robin (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- ↑ David Fear. "Men in Tights". MSN Movies. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- ↑ "Batman (1989)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ↑ "Batman Returns (1992)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ↑ "Batman and Robin (1997)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
- ↑ "Batman". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
- ↑ "Batman (1989): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ↑ "Batman Returns". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
- ↑ "Batman Returns". Metacritic. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
- ↑ "Batman Forever (1995): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
- ↑ "Batman & Robin (1997): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
- ↑ Michael Fleming (February 21, 1997). "Helmer's 3rd At Bat". Variety. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2008.
- ↑ Aaron Couch (14 June 2015). "'Batman' Movie Series: List of Unmade Projects - Hollywood Reporter". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ↑ Michael Fleming (November 11, 1997). "Schumacher trims sails". Variety. Archived from the original on February 3, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
- ↑ Eric Anderson (2012-09-13). "Chris O'Donnell On Why His 'Robin' Spin-Off Never Happened & Passing On Men In Black". Access Hollywood. Retrieved 2014-09-08.
- ↑ David Hughes (2003). Comic Book Movies. Virgin Books. pp. 21–2. ISBN 0-7535-0767-6. Search this book on
- ↑ Mike White. "Superman: Grounded". Cashiers du Cinemart. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Daniel Fierman; Nancy Miller; Brian M. Raftery (March 14, 2003). "Stallville?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 Brian M. Raftery; Nancy Miller (July 9, 2002). "Dynamic Duel". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 6, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
- ↑ Brian Linder (August 9, 2001). "More Batman, Superman Insanity at WB". IGN. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
- ↑ David Hughes (March 2004). "The Dark Knight Strikes Out". Tales From Development Hell. London: Titan Books. pp. 192–211. ISBN 1-84023-691-4. Search this book on
- ↑ Akiva Goldsman (June 21, 2002). "Batman vs Superman 2nd Draft" (PDF). Daily Scripts. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- ↑ Smith, Adam (July 2005). "The Original American Psycho". Empire. pp. 74–80, 82, 84, 87.
- ↑ Brian Linder (2002-07-09). "Batman vs. Superman in '04". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
- ↑ David Hughes (2003). Tales From Development. Titan Books. pp. 205–8. ISBN 1-84023-691-4. Search this book on
- ↑ Brian Jacks (2010-03-15). "EXCLUSIVE: Christian Bale Met For Superman Role In Wolfgang Petersen's 'Batman Vs. Superman'". MTV News. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- ↑ Larry Carroll (2007-12-03). "'Batman Vs. Superman' Coming In 2009, But Will We Live To See It?". MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
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