Schumacher and Batman 5

[shadowbat69]

We've all heard the rumors of it going to be darker and feature Scarecrow and fear flashbacks bringing back Joker.

If the fifth Batman film was greenlit, would you have given Schumacher another chance? What would you have liked to seen in it?


Personally, I would have loved to have seen his version of Scarecrow. I think it would have been alot more interesting than the extremely watered down, lame "Scarecrow" Nolan gave us. I also think Joel could have given us some intense fear scenes. Look at Lost Boys. He has the ability to do it. I would have liked a darker story, briniging Batman back to the more "gothic" style Burton had created.

[Paul (ral)]

It could have gone darker as a reaction to Batman & Robin.   

Speaking of fear - my greatest fear is that it could have been even more campy. Besides where else do you go after Batgirl was introduced and Bane had been wasted.  i think it was best that schumacher had nothing more to do with the series.

[BladeAndBatman FanChuck]

I would have watched the movie, BUT I would have REFUSED to pay for it.  I am dead serious.  I would have either snuck into the theatre or I would have waited until it came out on DVD to rent it. 

He ruined RUINED so much of the Batman canon, and he nearly sank the series.

Thank GOD for Christopher Nolan!  LOL

[shadowbat69]

See, my thing is this, and Ive said this on many message boards, I dont hate the Schumacher films. They are not my favorite of the film series by no means, they are ranked 4th and 5th. Its just not my personal image of Batman. Batman Forever was a huge summer blockbuster, Ive called it the first summer action popcorn movie of the franchise. It brought back a rejuvination to the series. At the time the movie goer was looking for this type of film, which is why it was such a hit. It fed off the great success of the animated shows and the ongoing toy lines. Problem was, WB gave in too much to that philosophy when it came to doing B&R. They didnt realy get into touch with what the fanbase really wanted from the Batman franchise, they didnt want to continue down the light hearted path. Forever was accepted because it did bring back the series full force. But rather than to keep the overall dark feel that the Batman films should have, they thought it would be more marketable to go the opposite route. Fearing the "been there, done that" backlash. They just happened to be wrong. Problem was, they took it in such a dramatic change of dirextion, it was just too much for the core fanbase and moviegoer to really give it another chance.

I do have a fear that they would have tried to over compensate and go too dark and broody. However, I would have given it a chance. Batman is too big to kill. It may be afew years longer than what the fanbase would want to wait for something new, but sometimes that is needed. I dont look at it as Schumacher nearly killed the franchise, I look at it as he did what was needed to be done to get the character back on track.

[Keatonfan#1]

Actually Joel did a great job in Batman Forever

Batman Returns was a screw up a disaster film after Batman Returns came out a lot of people said that the Batman Franchise was dead so I think Tim Burton drove the franchise into the ground with his crap fest Batman Returns. WB wanted a 3rd film but wanted it to be more loyal to Batman and wanted the franchise to get away from that crap that Burton did in Batman Returns. Joel was perfect to get the franchise back on track with his blockerbuster Batman Forever which WB loved Batman fans loved I know some fans didn't but anyone that says Batman Returns is great batman film has no idea what the hell they are talking about. Returns was not a Batman film it was a Burton film with batman characters in it also in returns Batman does not do one thing heroic in forever Batman is very heroic even Bruce Wayne was heroic in forever. Joel's vision was better than Burton's Burton's vision was good in BATMAN 89 but in Returns his vision sucked. Also Batman Forever made a lot more money at the box office than Batman Returns made that just shows you that people liked the 3rd film better than that 1992 crapfest.
U.S. Box Office: Batman Returns - $160,277,476
                         Batman Forever - $182,548,832

[Keatonfan#1]

Joel Scumacher did not sink the Batman franchise Tim Burton sank the franchise Joel saved the franchise with Batman Forever. Joel did screw up with Batman and Robin but he did a fantasic job with Batman Forever. Out of the Burton/Schumacher era Batman Forever was the only one that actually stayed loyal to the comics.

Also in my opinion out of the Burton/Schumacher era Val Kilmer was the best Batman Val was more suited for the role than Keaton.
Bob Kane stated in "Cinescape" magazine that of all the actors who played Batman, he felt that Val Kilmer did it the best.
Kane also stated that "Tim has a great vision. Unfortunately he gets so involved with the characterization of the villains, and the scenic backgrounds, that at times he forgets about the story line."
I totally agree with Bob Kane on that Burton was more involved with the Villians in the 2nd film that he did not really care about the story at all. I am so glad Burton didn't do the 3rd film. Joel was very involved with story, Batman, the story of Robin and also the villians but was not completely involved on the villians like Burton was.
Batman Returns was just so dam weird, stupid, and too dam dark, Returns was just not my cup of tea.

[ScissorPuppy]

Actually Joel did a great job in Batman Forever

Batman Returns was a screw up a disaster film after Batman Returns came out a lot of people said that the Batman Franchise was dead so I think Tim Burton drove the franchise into the ground with his crap fest Batman Returns. WB wanted a 3rd film but wanted it to be more loyal to Batman and wanted the franchise to get away from that crap that Burton did in Batman Returns. Joel was perfect to get the franchise back on track with his blockerbuster Batman Forever which WB loved Batman fans loved I know some fans didn't but anyone that says Batman Returns is great batman film has no idea what the hell they are talking about. Returns was not a Batman film it was a Burton film with batman characters in it also in returns Batman does not do one thing heroic in forever Batman is very heroic even Bruce Wayne was heroic in forever. Joel's vision was better than Burton's Burton's vision was good in BATMAN 89 but in Returns his vision sucked. Also Batman Forever made a lot more money at the box office than Batman Returns made that just shows you that people liked the 3rd film better than that 1992 crapfest.
U.S. Box Office: Batman Returns - $160,277,476
                         Batman Forever - $182,548,832

22 million more in domestic cash is what the difference between crapfest and blockbuster is?
Let's not forget that between the 3 years of 1992 and 1995 ticket prices also rose some. Probably on average 50 cents, So what? Forever techinicaly made 11 million more bucks for the studio?
I doubt the number of actual "tickets" sold wasn't that big of a difference. Plus Batman Returns was the 3rd highest grossing film of 1992. Look, there is no doubt Forever made more money, and was more family friendly, thus selling more toys. But saying that Returns was some HUGE flop is just simply not true.

[ScissorPuppy]

Ok, my bad.

Thanx for letting me know. I just decided to join this, site after all my years at BOF.

[shadowbat69]

Not a problem, he was a troublemaker, no loss.

Anyway, welocme to the cave.

[gotham22]

I would have loved to see this film. From what I have heard it was darker, back to batman's old roots and crossed between Batman89 and Batman Forever.