By Sean Favager
Hey puddings welcome, this is the Comic Asylum and I’m your host Sean ‘the big one at the back with the simpleton expression’ Fav.
Hey puddings welcome, this is the Comic Asylum and I’m your host Sean ‘the true leader of men’ Fav. (What? Wait, why can’t I call myself that? No it doesn’t make me sound like an idiot! These people love me you’ll see. It doesn’t sound gay at all…… It’s not gay!) It’s a new day and with it I give you all a new blog. Just before we get into proceedings if you haven’t already yet, go check out Pete’s piece on the Guardians of the Galaxy. It makes for really good reading. I am thinking of putting my name forward to voice Rocket Racoon, I think a scouse racoon with a massive rocket would be entertaining (Pardon the Pun). But back to the matter at hand, with this new day I bring you all ways on what I think Warner Brothers should think about in rebooting there billion dollar crime fighter. I was planning to do this just after viewing the dark knight rises but thought it would be best to hang fire and let the dust clear. I think now with the news of a justice league film in the works it would be the right time to add my opinion on the subject. Like a great man once said….. “And here we go!”
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Hire an actor to play Batman who can actually act.
NO CLOONEY NO!! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM BATMAN YOU GOD DAMN GRINNING HACK!
We all know there is more to Bruce Wayne than just a man dressed as a bat that kicks ass. There are so many layers to this character. Throughout the years the best incarnation of Bruce Wayne/Batman has to be Christian Bale without a shadow of a doubt. This is simply put as bale can actually act and also takes pride in his craft. Instead of going into the films thinking it was an easy way to make a quick buck he took his role extremely serious and that intensity is on full show through out the dark knight trilogy. In my eyes for the reboot they must give the part to a real actor, somebody who is making waves within the industry and can pull off the duel persona. If you read this blog regularly you will know how highly we rate Michael Fassbender and I think this role would be perfect for him. I know he is Magneto in first class but I’m just putting his name out as an example. The new batman doesn’t have to be some pretty boy to boost sales because we all know how much damage a batman film can do at the box office so hopefully WB do not make a silly mistake and rush the cast. Take your time look for fresh faces and stay away from George Clooney hah.
Bring back the Joker.
A rebooted Batman story without the Joker is madness in itself because the Joker is a huge part in the Batman universe.
It was a sad time when Heath Ledger passed just before the Dark Knight hit the big screen but what he left us with will be remembered forever. No matter where you went or who you bumped into everyone was speaking about Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Batman’s ultimate nemesis the Joker. I understand why Nolan choose not to recast the clown prince of crime for Rises, but for the new film “he has to come back, he must!”. A rebooted Batman story without the Joker is madness in itself because the Joker is a huge part in the Batman universe. With Batman you have a man of justice fighting with all these rules then you have the Joker come along. Obsessed if you like by the Batman, and how he can make him crack. Heath’s role will never be forgotten but it’s time for another to apply a Chelsea smile and cackle at death. This also leads to me to saying that there is one character that is yet to be portrayed on the big screen who we all want to see. Yes Joker’s bunny boiler of a stalker, Harley Quinn. Bringing back the Joker opens a whole new world as I will go into with my next point
Loosely adapt Arkham Asylum/City as a plot.
Can’t we just dive head first into a worn down Batman leading the captured Joker to Arkham only for it all to be the Joker’s master plan of taking over everyone’s favourite nut house.
We have seen and read Batman’s origin countless times so do we really need to see it again? Can’t we just dive head first into a worn down Batman leading the captured Joker to Arkham only for it all to be the Joker’s master plan of taking over everyone’s favourite nut house. We only really got glimpses of Arkham in Begins and I for one would revel in a new setting for the Batman to bring justice. You could even have flashbacks of the Joker making this plan whilst he is in Arkham with none other than Dr. Harleen Quinzel. The countless options of villain cameos you could add or maybe tease would be brilliant. Or if Arkham is not for you, adapt Arkham City to a screenplay. Again no origin just Bruce Wayne being thrown into Gotham’s new prison island on orders of Dr. Hugo Strange. You don’t even have to run the Jokers poisoned angle there is so many more possibilities.
Dick Grayson Takes Over The Cowl.
Grayson took the mantle of Batman twice. Grayson was performing his crime fighting duties as Nightwing and had Bruce Wayne/Talia Al Ghul’s son Damien as his sidekick Robin.
We need to remember that Bruce Wayne alone is not Batman. As was mentioned in TDKR, then anyone can be Batman (helps if you’re a billionaire with vengeance on your mind though). So there have been other people who have put on the cowl aside from Mr Wayne. This point is raised, not because we don’t believe Bruce Wayne is a good Batman but maybe it’s time for a different story from the cave, so here is a few people that could potentially don the cowl that I think could sustain a new origin story. Grayson took the mantle of Batman twice. Grayson was performing his crime fighting duties as Nightwing and had Bruce Wayne/Talia Al Ghul’s son Damien as his sidekick Robin. When Batman’s back was broken by Bane, Nightwing took up the cowl despite a pre-recorded message from Wayne, telling him not to do so and to carry on as Nightwing. Grayson realised that Gotham still needed the Bat and continued to have Robin at his side while he did. When Wayne returned to take Batman worldwide, Grayson remained as the Batman of Gotham until the events of the story arc, Flashpoint, when he returned to being Nightwing. This version of Grayson as Batman and a Wayne as Robin is a complete dynamic shift that some people might not get on board with. It would be a wise cracking Batman and a serious ass-kicker Robin. It would take a lot of people that don’t know the back story to ignore their beliefs for this to work but I believe that this is possibly the best version of a Robin that would work on screen.
Terry McGinnis Takes The Franchise In a Fresh New Direction.
The name might be new to many but McGinnis took over the role of Batman in Batman Beyond.
The name might be new to many but McGinnis took over the role of Batman in Batman Beyond. Beyond is a story arc that ran in an animated series from Jan 1999 for 52 episodes spanning 3 seasons before its run ended in Dec 2001 after a direct to video film. Beyond is set in the chronological future of the DC animated universe and focusses on McGinnis being trained in all things Bat by none other than Bruce Wayne himself. McGinnis is a 17 year old high school student and reformed troublemaker. It then becomes a classic tale of McGinnis fends off the ‘Jokerz’ gang, helped by an ailing Bruce Wayne, who has a heart scare mid-fight and is helped by Terry to Wayne Manor. McGinnis then finds the Bat Cave and is told to stay away by a recovered Wayne. Terry then returns home to find his Father murdered (a revenge act by the ‘Jokerz’) and goes back to Wayne for help. Wayne refuses to help the kid, feeling he is too old. Terry then breaks in and ‘borrows’ the bat suit to bring this gang to justice. Bruce demands the return of the suit but once seeing how Terry handles himself, he realises that Gotham needs a Batman once again and offers to train Terry. The interesting thing with this story arc is that the classic Bat-suit is no more; instead it has been replaced by an all in one black suit, no cape and a red bat across the chest. Similar to the Grayson arc above, this would probably only appeal to a few fans initially but the potential could be huge, considering that McGinnis is only 17 years old and Wayne is in his 80’s, the casting of this movie would be the main focus and if it was done right then we could see a massive franchise spin from it, if done wrong then it could kill off the Bat in the movie-verse potentially forever.
Give Superman a brief cameo.
We all know by now that a Justice League movie is all Warner Brothers are thinking about right now. So this bullet point makes so much sense.
We all know by now that a Justice League movie is all Warner Brothers are thinking about right now. So this bullet point makes so much sense. Marvel & Disney have hit it right out the ball park with how they have handled their phase one films leading into the Avengers. You would be hard pressed to find a fault so it doesn’t take a complete idiot to say “If it isn’t broke don’t try and fix it!” I think we all must agree for these great superhero films to be made we all have to stick together. Marvel have placed the blueprint out there for a superhero team up movie and I think DC should follow suit and take the time to introduce their characters before jumping straight into a JLA film. Even the simplest of cameos from Supes in a Bat film hints at the DC Universe. Example; midway through the new Batman film, have Batman flying over Gotham in the bat wing. Suddenly something fly’s over him at speed, Alfred over the radio to Batman “Was that a plane?” the response. “No Alfred that was homework!” Simple it alerts the audience that Superman is in the same universe and also Batman will be using his detective skills to find out just exactly who and what he is.
So as you can see there are some big changes we want to see to a Batman reboot. But what would you want to see for the next go around of the Dark Knight. As of last week we have all new comments boxes below so we would like to hear from you. What did we miss? What did you hate? Or do we actually need another Batman film? Just scribble down some thoughts and lets all have an old fashioned Bat Debate….
You can follow Sean on Twitter at @seanfav1 or catch him on the official Comic Asylum account @Comic_Asylum
Posted on October 4th, 2012
Category: NEWS & VIEWS, THE COMIC ASYLUM
Tags: Batman Begins, Batman Beyond, Comic Asylum, DC Comics, Film review, Heath Ledger, Joker, Sean Favager, Superman, Terry McGinnis, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises