Monday 18 February 2013

How I'd Do It: the Batman Film Reboot

With the Justice League film not uncertain, what with Warner Bros throwing out the most recent script in addition to the previously mentioned thing of how they won't approve it if Man of Steel doesn't do well, it now seems that the post-Nolan Batman reboot might be off the table for the time being. As in they might not make it until 2019 kind of off the table.

The question then rises as to how a post-Nolan Batman film would be made? Would it try to recapture the style of the billion dollar grossing Dark Knight Trilogy, or will it attempt something a bit more "toyetic" like the change in style from the Tim Burton Batman films to the Joel Schumacher ones?

Personally? If I was to reboot the Batman franchise I'd avoid going full comicbook like the Burton and Schumacher runs as well as not going full "realistic" like the Nolan ones. Try to strike a balance like the Brubaker and Rucka Batman runs, ground it to a degree in reality but not so much that you go out of your way to ignore the more fantastical parts of the character. Like Clayface, Mr Freeze etc.

This isn't so say that they should go full out wack, comicbook mode, but diversifying between the villains and not just having them be gimmicky terrorists and gangsters would be interesting to see.

For example, if they wanted they could attempt one where the Riddler is the bad guy for once, playing to the riddles, heists and deathtraps version of the character as opposed to the... kind of stupid interpretation used in Batman Forever.

Have a criminal who is really smart, actually giving the chance to showcase Batman's abilities as a detective, as well as tagging on a Zodiac-ish vibe from his taunting riddles to the police and press. Heck, they could even tie it into "contemporary" fields by Batman commenting on online communities being established to try and decode the Riddler's patterns of behaviour.

Since they seem to be attempting to start a shared-universe deal in the JLA movie, referencing other parts of the DCU would be fun, though there should be an explanation as to why Superman or whoever doesn't just show up to solve the problem. Like maybe the more alien-tech and mad science aspects of supercrime in Metropolis (as well as natural disasters) keep Superman from just flying in to stop every time the Joker goes on a rampage.

Also, Harley Quinn could work in a movie (a version of classic Harley, not "clowncar vagina" reboot Harley), which with the addition of Maggie Sawyer, Renee Montoya etc. would make the Batman films more gender balanced than the previous run. Seriously, outside of Ramirez, Rachel, Selina, Not!Holly and Talia, were there ANY substantial female roles in the Nolan trilogy? Hell, Bruce's mother didn't even have any LINES!

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