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No i'm not really going to go into casting of batman and matters as such. Thats debated in another thread. just a simple, quick fire bullet-pointed list of various issues- was just interested to see where people stand on them.

NAME OF 1ST FILM: i'd be happy with 'THE BATMAN'. it's pretty simple and to the point. we can worry about more inventive names as the series goes on. I definitely want the word 'batman' in the title.

SERIES DURATION: i'd personally like to see atleast 5 films in this series preferably all with the same actor playing batman.

BAT-SUIT: i prefer the all-black rubber/kevlar look of the movies. but i've been doing alot of reaing on blogs/forums and there seems to be alot of people that want a return to the dark cape/cowl mixed with grey body look. i personally think this would look stupid on the big screen. what is your opinion?

ROBIN PARTICIPATION: I personally think on the big screen batman works best alone. but i wouldn't say no to robin but i wud keep batman alone at least for 2 films. i wouldn't have a 3rd partner (batgirl) in under any circumstances. a dynamic duo is more than enough IMO. where do u stand? would u have robin in straight away? would u have batgirl in? would u avoid both & go straight to nightwing? would u keep partners out altogether from the series?

JOKER PARTCIPATION: i agree that we need some distance from the whole ledger tragedy but u simply cannot keep Batmans main arch-villan out of the entire series. I say bring him in maybe by film 4 which will be in the mid 2020s most likely. i would also say don't kill him off- try and keep him in at least 2 of the reboot films.

GOTHAM CITY: what was your favourite gotham? Burtons Gothic city? Schumachers neon Gotham or Nolans modern skyscraper-like Gotham.
Personally i'd like to see a city which is 80% burtons gotham & 20% Nolans gotham.

ORIGIN STORY: i think most agree it shouldn't be an origin story but when do u suggest the start date? i personally would still like it to be early on in his career. i'd probably start it about 5/6 months in to his batman career?

BATMOBILE: The tumbler was good but personally i'd go back to a more fancy, sleeker design.

1st MOVIE VILLAINS: who would your crooks be in the first film. I'd have 3 to start the series off with a bang. Hugo Strange, Killer Croc & i'd bring back the riddler. and they'd be the obvious mafia hanging round in the background aswell

DIRECTOR: who would you like to direct the movie? IMO i'd go with any anyone who will still make the film dark, series and gothic. Just anything that isn't like the laughable Batman & Robin (the one bad film in the series IMO). I'd like a mix of the Burton films + the Nolan films- with a few new, fresh ideas here and there from the new director.


* one last thing. one MUST for this series is denzel washington- possibly lucius fox or even more controversially as commissioner gordon (as one blogger i read suggested). The warner bros studios should try and start tapping him up now. also michael madsen, ray liotta, joaquin phoneix & john travolta r some high-profile targets i'd like to see in this series.

Agree with most of your personal opinions. It seems there is a growing desire to see the return of a type of Tim Burton style of Batman movie. I think this is key as now people seem to think you can't make any kind of superhero movie in a fantasically visual style. It all has to be realistic and functional. I think Batman should prove on the big screen what he's done numerous times in the comics throughout his history, no one style should be constant and unchanged in telling new adventures with him.

I very much want them to try out new villains. Anne Hathaway was a disappointment for me and now sadly taints Michelle Pfeiffer's popularity in the same way people moan about the brilliant "comic book come to life" Jack Nicholson now they have Heath Ledger to consider. Can't we have some new challenges with new people to define their take on those characters for the very first time? Nolan did this brilliantly in Begins but then dumped this idea in his later sequels (except of course for Talia al' Ghul).

I'm all for the return of Robin but I'm not keen on calling the new movie "The Batman". It's bad enough these days trying to tell people the difference between Adam West's simply titled Batman movie and the first Keaton film. In fact I hate how they now call the first movie Batman 89 these days. Too much confusion especially when you toss another simple "Batman" title into the mix. But yeah return Batman's name to the title. I always thought the Dark Knight titles were a tad too clever and snobbery for their own good.

My main issue however is with this whole "functionality" bit. It totally ruins the fun stuff of Batman for me. I look at that crap flying vehicle The Bat, then at my wonderfully designed 1989 Batwing model and weep. Seriously. I cannot believe there are some fans who think the Keaton Batwing is a crap design. I want the Batsuit back to looking cool and less like a "ski suit" (my best description, sorry). I'm not saying junk realism. I just think there is always a way of meshing the two together and getting the best of both world's. A minor costume request, return the yellow chest oval. Yes I know it destroys Batman's stealth but there something about that graphic that makes him stand out better. I absolutely hate Nathan Crowley's Gotham City which is basically Chicago.

I can't imagine who would direct but can't we have someone with long lasting movie experience and many years behind them? Why must we go to Zack Snyder types??? (Who I'm extremely nervous about handling Superman). As for Batman casting I'm completely stumped. I can't imagine who can take over from Bale. It's like trying to replace Keaton all over again. Just get someone who's a great actor and not just a big bulky guy with a square jaw. It would interesting to see if they would be brave enough to try the Keaton casting route again and get somebody against type as Batman.

well as long as it has batman somewhere in the title i'm happy. i'm happy with 'the batman'- they'll be enough sequels down the line for them to use their imagination with titles. maybe 'the batman' can act like a template for latter movies.

THE BATMAN
THE BATMAN AVENGES
THE BATMAN STRIKES BACK
THE BATMAN RISES
THE BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL

just as some hypothetical examples.

That could work though I'm not sure about THE BATMAN STRIKES BACK. I think certain "lightsaber" wielding lawyers would see a juicy lawsuit somewhere in that strikingly familar sounding title  ;D

I think it's time somebody used THE INTIMIDATION GAME as a Batman movie subtitle. Nothing wrong with them borrowing a few comic names if they wish for a loose adaptation. How about THE LONG HALLOWEEN? That's asking for a movie title card.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind at all if the reboot takes 2, 3 or 4 plus years to get off the ground. I'm a fan but TDKR really left a sour taste in my mouth. I want another movie but when I'm hungry for it. I don't have a large need at this stage, with the 60s show, Burtonverse, BTAS or Arkham games sating my fix whenever it arises.

I can't say enough how much I love Batman Begins and what Nolan did to take the joke that was B&R and put Batman back on top. However, I have kids and would love to see a live action movie that is PG-13.  I'd like to see him wear the Blue and Grey suit by day and Batman 89/Forever suit by night. I want lots of humor, not over the top B&R, but bring back the fun to it. Bring back the hot love interest (Kidman/Basinger/Phiepher), bring back the awesome, sleak, batmobile with lots of cool gadgets from 66/89/Forever. Bring back the gold logo on the chest. This is a movie we don't need to care if in reality it would give him away at night. Bring back the memorable theme song. The DK trilogy music is great but I can't even hum it.  Recycle the 89 theme if you want to. Just make it big, loud, fun, mildly scary sometimes, and cool. Avoid some of the pitfalls from Forever/B&R of making it over the top, but not as Dark as Batman Returns or Nolanverse.  I want the cave, the mansion, the batmobile, the batwing, to be characters in and of themselves again.  Just my two cents.  A nice happy medium between dark and scary and fun and happy.

Quote from: illgetdrivethrough on Sat, 10 Nov  2012, 17:13
I'd like to see him wear the Blue and Grey suit by day and Batman 89/Forever suit by night.

Excuse me, have you ever seen a film Batman with a blue/grey costume in the daylight? Even the Schumacher films never got THAT silly. (The 60s show doesn't count, it represents what we don't want to see in a live action movie).

Quote from: illgetdrivethrough on Sat, 10 Nov  2012, 17:13
Big, loud, fun, mildly scary sometimes [...] A nice happy medium between dark and scary and fun and happy

I think what you describe is something with the tone and style of B'89. Darkly fun. Flamboyant production design, but still somehow rooted in a kind of reality (not too "Gothic" like Bo Welch's, or too big, ridiculous and over the top like Barbara Ling's).

Well. There's what I would enjoy watching and then there's what we're likely to get.

But if we go only by the former, I'd like to watch something fun. B89, Forever and B&R may have their problems but one thing you have to admit is that there is a serious fun appeal about them. I mean, yeah, there's an inherent tragedy underlying Batman. But at the same time, he's BATMAN! He's a billionaire, he's got tons of cool toys and all that. In sucking every single last bit of fun out of the thing, Nolan pretty much hit all the darkness I'd want from a Batman movie for a long while. I wouldn't mind going back to something that has broader all-ages appeal than the Nolan movies do.

I'd love to see a black and grey outfit. In fact, I wouldn't even mind seeing tights. That's not really been done in live action. I've had my fill of plastic and various alloys. There's enough of that to last a lifetime. The next movie should strive for a different look for the character.

Supervillains would be nice too. Batman has a criminally underused rogue's gallery lately. Bring on Man-Bat, Clayface, Solomon Grundy, Hugo Strange and the monster men, Maxie Zeus, Deadshot, the Mad Hatter and all the rest. Nolan gave us a realistic version of Batman so this next thing should go the other direction and do more of a science-fantasy. Villains play a major role in that. Use 'em!

Quote from: SilentEnigma on Sat, 10 Nov  2012, 20:00

Quote from: illgetdrivethrough on Sat, 10 Nov  2012, 17:13
I'd like to see him wear the Blue and Grey suit by day and Batman 89/Forever suit by night.

Excuse me, have you ever seen a film Batman with a blue/grey costume in the daylight? Even the Schumacher films never got THAT silly. (The 60s show doesn't count, it represents what we don't want to see in a live action movie).

Quote from: illgetdrivethrough on Sat, 10 Nov  2012, 17:13
Big, loud, fun, mildly scary sometimes [...] A nice happy medium between dark and scary and fun and happy

I think what you describe is something with the tone and style of B'89. Darkly fun. Flamboyant production design, but still somehow rooted in a kind of reality (not too "Gothic" like Bo Welch's, or too big, ridiculous and over the top like Barbara Ling's).

I agree I want it to be dark but still fun like 89.

I think the grey and blue suit would be a cool dress uniform when he is making an appearance. I think it has grown on me because all of the Batman merch you see has that suit. By no means do I want the Adam Wed short ears.

This is awesome;
http://designrfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/New_Batman_color_by_JPR04.jpg




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote from: thecolorsblend on Sat, 10 Nov  2012, 20:11
Supervillains would be nice too. Batman has a criminally underused rogue's gallery lately. Bring on Man-Bat, Clayface, Solomon Grundy, Hugo Strange and the monster men, Maxie Zeus, Deadshot, the Mad Hatter and all the rest. Nolan gave us a realistic version of Batman so this next thing should go the other direction and do more of a science-fantasy. Villains play a major role in that. Use 'em!

Definitely. For example, I've liked how the Spider-Man franchise has used new villains every film so far. It shows the series has depth. People always want to see their favourites again, but Batman has that villain depth too. Bring them on.

Quote from: The Dark Knight on Sat, 10 Nov  2012, 13:08
Honestly, I wouldn't mind at all if the reboot takes 2, 3 or 4 plus years to get off the ground. I'm a fan but TDKR really left a sour taste in my mouth. I want another movie but when I'm hungry for it. I don't have a large need at this stage, with the 60s show, Burtonverse, BTAS or Arkham games sating my fix whenever it arises.

Really? That's interesting. I had a slightly different reaction. I liked the new movie but I very much want the upcoming new movies to come no later than about 3-4 years. I love going to see new Batman films. However I want the next iteration to come because I am getting tired of all this Nolan raving and I want somebody to come along and prove that Batman movies will still be great long after Nolan. A lot of sci-fi magazine publications are convinced that we've reached the pinnacle of what a Batman movie is and therefore why bother making any more? In fact why bother even watching earlier Batman movies anymore? It's frustrating and silly to read and is actually even making me dislike Nolan's work when I previously loved it. I think it's dangerous for the character simply latching onto a certain style like the Dark Knight trilogy and not wanting a change. I want more movies and more so I want them to be different. I don't want a new director coming along and doing the same thing and have realistic military vehicles as Batman's arsenal anymore.

Quote from: Bobthegoon89 on Sun, 11 Nov  2012, 15:42
Really? That's interesting. I had a slightly different reaction. I liked the new movie but I very much want the upcoming new movies to come no later than about 3-4 years. I love going to see new Batman films. However I want the next iteration to come because I am getting tired of all this Nolan raving and I want somebody to come along and prove that Batman movies will still be great long after Nolan. A lot of sci-fi magazine publications are convinced that we've reached the pinnacle of what a Batman movie is and therefore why bother making any more? In fact why bother even watching earlier Batman movies anymore? It's frustrating and silly to read and is actually even making me dislike Nolan's work when I previously loved it.

I totally agree and share this sentiment. I love Nolan's films too,  but it's always grating when their praise comes at the expense of Burton's, or followed by statements that Batman films can't get better.

----

As for the topic, my only real "want" would be to keep it dark. Take the "dark" out of Batman, and he's a silly, silly character. Tragedy was what created him and fear is supposed to be his primary weapon. Comic book "dark" doesn't contradict "fun" (all Batman films are lots of fun, or am I missing something?) Catering to children would be a mistake too, this is recipe for disaster, I think Burton's and Nolan's films were kid-friendly enough, without being made specifically for children.

i couldnt agree more with the last 2 statements. i love the nolan films (i'm english btw) but the snobbery around them is annoying. i mean seriously are you telling me they won't make any more great batman films in the future. let's flash back to the 60s. can u imagine if after 5 or 6 James Bond films someone wud have said "right that's it- its reached it's pinnacle so lets not do anymore".

absolute nonsense it really is. batman existed long before nolan and it will exist long after him aswell. lot's more batman please!!


i don;t really get the 'kids-orientated thingy'. i watched batman 89 when i was like 5 years old and i absolutely loved it. still love it to this day. i'm in my late 20s now.

I think there's room for everything. Batman is a dynamic character. He can survive it. Why not do a fun Batman movie? The Nolan movies pretty much covered the darkness. Why not change it up and give audiences something new?

On a related note, I sent a Nolanite into a meltdown a few days ago. Basically I challenged the premise of Bane wanting to destroy Gotham City. "They passed the Dent Act and they cleaned up the city. Sure, there was still street crime but the mob had finally been put down". His answer was that all of that was predicated on a lie... to which I responded that Bane didn't know that until after he'd already come to Gotham. Apparently that was too much. The guy seemed to short circuit. It was as if finding out someone out there doesn't worship at the Nolan altar was like being confronted with the Liar's Paradox. Poor, sad, deluded bastard...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlMegqgGORY

Id like to see all the best comics used in this new reboot , eg. start it with him just maybe 6 months in as batman and do a mix of the early stories then use the likes of the long halloween , dark knight returns , death in the family , under the red hood and knightfall  now that would be a compelling sequince of stories for the films if they could work then to link up ......id like to see burton back directing  and keaton do the role for returns ...... id like them to keep it all traditional with none of the futuristic changes etc.......

Quote from: thecolorsblend on Sun,  9 Dec  2012, 00:48
I think there's room for everything. Batman is a dynamic character. He can survive it. Why not do a fun Batman movie? The Nolan movies pretty much covered the darkness. Why not change it up and give audiences something new?

The Nolan movies were lots of fun, and as for their darkness.. well, it wasn't the "Gargoyle" kind of darkness some of us are so very fond of. Not to mention, it's exactly that kind of darkness that results in more fun movies (see: Burton's Bat). I think Batman's dark and angsty side is an essential element of the character and it does not contradict "fun" because it's still a guy in a weird suit with cool gadgets in a stylized city. I have some nostalgic love for Batman Forever, but the key word is nostalgic, wouldn't want to see something with its tone today.

The ludicrous thing for me regarding "Nolanites" (a word slightly more annoying than the dreaded "reboot" one) is how they and even some critics for that matter, can call The Dark Knight Rises a "classic" and a "masterpiece".

If this film is both of those then so is Howard the Duck's movie adaptation.

Let's be realistic there are merely 2 classic Batman films I think that also deserve the "masterpiece" term. I think The Dark Knight is truly a masterpiece and on it's way to certainly being a modern classic. It's follow up while entertaining is certainly not. Much as I love Batman Returns it can never be constituted professionally a "classic" due to it's infamous divided reaction. For some it didn't live up to expectations and even for comic creators violated the Batman character.

The true classic is Tim Burton's 1989 original. Sure it's script is not groundbreaking but it's visual style was. It had a massive impact on people's imagination and ticket sales and became the template for all to follow. You can't ignore success and inspiration of that magnitude. That is more valuable to me than a recent Bale sequel that did split opinion.

Quote from: Bobthegoon89 on Sun,  9 Dec  2012, 23:14
The ludicrous thing for me regarding "Nolanites" (a word slightly more annoying than the dreaded "reboot" one) is how they and even some critics for that matter, can call The Dark Knight Rises a "classic" and a "masterpiece".

People can say that if they want, but TDKR is in no way shape of form either of those labels. TDKR probably annoys me more than any other Batman product. It could have been good, but the execution and direction taken was lacking. After all the hype, TDKR did not blow people away as expected. Most people I have liaised with were underwhelmed. Nolan was not a faultless messiah by any stretch. Though in all honesty, TDKR makes me reflect more kindly upon BB and TDK, which are leagues better in comparison. Granted, this series was never my cup of tea, but it was a downbeat way it to end.

The golden age was truly B89/BR and BTAS, which was directly influenced by the movies. Batman was great well before Nolan.

Quote from: The Dark Knight on Mon, 10 Dec  2012, 13:04

Quote from: Bobthegoon89 on Sun,  9 Dec  2012, 23:14
The ludicrous thing for me regarding "Nolanites" (a word slightly more annoying than the dreaded "reboot" one) is how they and even some critics for that matter, can call The Dark Knight Rises a "classic" and a "masterpiece".

The golden age was truly B89/BR and BTAS, which was directly influenced by the movies. Batman was great well before Nolan.

Preach it, brother !

 let the debate continue..............

Quote from: The Dark Knight on Mon, 10 Dec  2012, 13:04
The golden age was truly B89/BR and BTAS, which was directly influenced by the movies. Batman was great well before Nolan.

My thoughts too.

Nolan was a good director for Batman for these times just as Burton was for his. Both Batman and The Dark Knight are excellent stand alone films. But Batman (1989) has influenced my world in so many ways it would be impossible for me to try to map it all out. I can still remember being a young kid, reinacting the batwing seige on the parade in my hallway which I had converted into a street. My hallway walls were covered in posterboard that I'd painted buildings onto and my handheld camera followed my toy batwing as it dove down through the street with Danny Elfman's classic blasting in the background. That's the power of that movie. Keaton is still the best Batman, by far. It's just a shame he didn't have fight sequences to show him as an all around bad ass.

As for the next installment, my thoughts:

Title: The Caped Crusader or Knightfall

Plots: For TCC, I would prefer to see a story along the lines of A Death in the Family. Have the film start off with Batman and Robin fighting crime and have the plot twist involving Robin's origin, revealing he isn't the first Robin. After Jason Todd is murdered, Bruce Wayne decides he can't be Batman anymore. Only when the Joker surfaces and Bruce figures out he was responsible for the murder does he return as Batman. You could even have Superman make a cameo of some kind. This way you give credit to the original DITF storyline and you finally unite the two on screen for the potential for a spinoff (if you choose to go there).
  For Knightfall, you could continue the storyline from Nolan's TDKR. Instead of Azrael, make the new Batman Robin Blake and have his thirst for vengeance become a detractor to what Bruce Wayne's legacy was. When Bruce comes out of exile and confronts Blake, he discovers the new Batman extremely powerful and thirsty for power. A showdown would happen and Bruce would win, becoming Batman once again. You could even throw Bane in the mix, saying he wasn't killed by the batpod blast. (His chest armor)

*Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns should be made at some point but only if producers wish to tell the end of Bruce Wayne's story. This couldn't happen now for obvious reasons. You would have to reboot the franchise and have several new stories before having another coda involving that idea.

Duration: I'd like to see 3-5 made but not within the next 5-10 years. 2020 sounds good to me.

Robin: I would keep his participation to a minimum. I agree the character is a distraction on screen. Even if you feature him in a movie as already being established, you don't need to have him with Batman on every roof top or in the middle of every battle. Make the character more like Nightwing off the bat. You could even have Dick Grayson already starting to distance himself from Batman while he's still Robin, leading to the character transformation into Nightwing.

Joker: I wouldn't bring him into the full mix until you give the audience a nice taste first. Nolan did a good job with that at the end of BB because by then, everyone's expectations for the film had been met. Hinting at the Joker as Batman's next case was just about the juciest hook he could have thrown at the audience. I would keep him minimal for the first few films until it's the right moment and have him strike. The key for me with the character has to be the exploration into how his obsession with Batman means he can never actually kill Batman because it would destroy his only grip of any meaning to his own existence. That's the Joker story EVERYONE wants to be told.

Gotham City: Dark, gloomy. Crimson sun. Thunder and lightning with rain. Light snow with angelic cathedrals. Essentially, the very best of Burton with a touch of Blade Runner.

Batmobile: Keaton batmobile. Bring it back in a cheeky way that bridges the sappy with the savvy.

1st Villians: I'd go with the Riddler. He needs a good, solid story. I actually like Jim Carrey's performance but it doesn't do anything for the character in the long run.

Director: Someone who is hungry and has a good sense of the content. A flare for art direction and good dialogue is a must.


*Michael Madsen would make a great Detective Bullock. I would bring back Gary Oldman as Gordon, a role he was surprisingly born to play. And plus, he will age with the character so it works. And I could...could see Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker. Ledger proved anythings possible.

*shouldn't this be moved to the Batman 2016 reboot forum now?????

I was thinking something like this. next reboot = 5 movies. have to get a someone around the age of 30 for this reason. the first 2 are generic titles. from here on in i'd say the 3rd one can be like an arkham city style film. the whole film is basically a hold-up at arkham- so we have bruce waynes cameos in the form of flashbacks i guess??
film 4 can be 'No mans land' or something along those lines. by film 5 gotham has been re-annexed to the United States once again. the last one can be something like THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS where a 50 year old batman comes out of retirement for one last fling. lets have some new villians in it- definitely hugo strange, killer croc, black mask, the black glove etc. the joker can come in in film 3 but don't kill him off- in film 4 he can have a hannibal lecter type role in arkham where batman interrogates him for advice. then he comes back in film 5 and obviously now can be killed off.
good idea?

1) THE BATMAN
2) RETURN OF THE BATMAN
3) THE BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY
4) THE BATMAN: NO MANS LAND
5) REVENGE OF THE BATMAN??? (i dunno- just thought it was a cool sounding title)

Quote from: Batman999 on Sat, 23 Mar  2013, 08:08
film 4 can be 'No mans land' or something along those lines. by film 5 gotham has been re-annexed to the United States once again. the last one can be something like THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS where a 50 year old batman comes out of retirement for one last fling.

After TDKR I'm not really chomping at the bit to see these plotlines retreated, differences and better executions aside.

true but there was sooo much more they didn't cover. it briefly touched on it but there was alot more they cud have done.

- gotham being officially segregated from the U.S
- the pertual gang warfare
- the different parts of gotham being divided by different villans and the polices war to win them back.

seriously theres soo much they cud tap into it wud be awesome. cud make a real epic film out of it IMO

Gotta come down with TDK on this one. I'd rather see other stories be adapted than retreading old ones. Bruce Wayne Murderer/Fugitive, War Games/Crimes, Contagion/Legacy, Mad Monk, Hugo Strange/Monster Men (or Prey/Terror, even), on and on and on, these could all be candidates for movie stories.

TDKR only skimmed the surface of no-mans land.

theres like 90% of ideas/elements in it which r untouched.