Robin actor from Batman 89

[Paul (ral)]

The boy who nearly played Robin in Batman 89:
Ricky Addison Reed


From my very own Northern Ireland. He was also in Return to Salem's Lot.

[The Joker]

As much as I enjoyed the deleted Robin Story boarded sequence on the Batman 1989 SE, I have to admit that I am glad it was decided the scene was not needed. Did not know of who they were actually considering for Dick Grayson back for Batman 1989 so that's cool.

[PJ]

As I understand it, not considering, but cast. It's kind of brushed under the carpet now, but Robin was to be part of the movie up until the last moment. I have detailed storyboards in my possession which show Dick Grayson's inclusion in the Bell-tower finale. Can't remember if they are dated, I'll check and report back.

[The Dark Knight]

^ So glad that didn?t come to pass. Call it hindsight, but I cannot see how such a sequence could fit into B89?s tone. We have a broody, gothic loner the whole film, and then all of a sudden we?ve got Dick on the scene. Batman should face that bell tower, and the man responsible for his parent?s death, alone. And for a youngish take on Batman, it?s too early for Robin. So that?s three things going against it. Tone, narrative structure and overall timeline.

[Kamdan]

It would have been nice to have seen the rest of Robin's storyboarded scenes on the DVD/Blu-ray, even if they weren?t animated. I believe all of Hamm's drafts that included Robin had no mentioning of The Joker being the killer of the Waynes. That revision didn?t come into play until Skaaren was brought on.

[The Joker]

According to the SE interviews, Hamm was definately still with production around the time it was decided the Joker was going to be the killer of the Waynes. As Hamm himself states that he had 'a bunch of arguments over it' with Burton, but once production moved to Pinewood Studios, along with the writers strike coming into effect, he was no longer available to implement the various script re-writes, or just the sheer improvisation that occured during actual filming.

[Kamdan]

Well, according to the Comics Scene interview with Warren Skaaren, it is stated that he was responsible for the final rewrite of the film that got rid of Robin, included The Joker being the murderer, followed by Vicki being let into the Batcave (although, my final draft of the script states that the scene was to take place in Bruce?s study) and the final cathedral confrontation with Vicki in tow. Hamm stated in the interview that he would ?talk Tim out of it? when it came to The Joker being the murderer, because it deviated from the comics. Hamm?s drafts had the Wayne?s death scene as a dream sequence for Bruce, but due to the strike, he wasn?t in England to voice his concerns, so Skaaren went along with the idea, because it suited what Burton and the producers wanted, scans the comics' accuracy.

[Paul (ral)]

Hamm?s drafts had the Wayne?s death scene as a dream sequence for Bruce, but due to the strike, he wasn?t in England to voice his concerns,

Interestingly I am reading an interview with Hamm from Feb 1989. In it he makes no mention of the strike.

The question put to him was "You've been taken off the Batman script re-writes. Do you want to explain how that happened?"

Sam replies "Actually i don't. That's an area I would rather not make specific at this time. It was not because they didn't like my work however. They were always very happy with it."

Very strange.

[Kamdan]

It was due to the strike. He didn't want to talk about it at that time.

[PJ]

^ So glad that didn?t come to pass. Call it hindsight, but I cannot see how such a sequence could fit into B89?s tone. We have a broody, gothic loner the whole film, and then all of a sudden we?ve got Dick on the scene. Batman should face that bell tower, and the man responsible for his parent?s death, alone. And for a youngish take on Batman, it?s too early for Robin. So that?s three things going against it. Tone, narrative structure and overall timeline.

Actually Batman does still face the Joker alone as he tranqs Dick on the cathedral steps in order to stop him killing the Joker. From what I understand he was never Robin in the movie either. He's seen in costume (his circus duds) when his parents are killed, but when he save Batman from the Joker, he's plain old Dick Grayson.