Completely Optimistic Batman Begins Anticipation Thread

Clicking through the photo gallery & seeing various members of the cast (Liam Neeson / Morgan Freeman / Michael Caine / Gary Oldman) made me grin. Also, hearing Christian Bale do the Batman voice.

http://batmanbegins.warnerbros.com/images/07.jpg

I don't know if I'm optimistic. I'm not pessimistic. And if Catwoman tanks completely, I think WB will shelve the movie rather than release it knowing it's bad -- it's already a tainted franchise, and they have actual competition from Marvel now.

But dude, when the Burton Batman came out, I waited in a line filled with Girl Scouts on a field trip from summer camp -- the loudest of whom complained Vicki Vale wasn't in the movie enough, and sat right behind me -- and still wasn't disappointed (except that Vicki Vale sucked). I had bought a copy of the script at a con, back before there was an internet for things like that to be leaked on, and didn't let myself read it until after I saw the movie, so I could compare the two. I wasn't even really a comic book geek -- I just really dug Batman.

And then after the first one, they took their sweet time revelling in the pleasure of pissing all over the franchise. They got some making up to do.

I won't say anything, out of respect for the spirit of the thread.

2) Offer a synopsis of a comic-book related flick (or any action flick) that doesn't stank like late August donkey poo.

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"League of Assassins leader" would sound worse (though he ain't really that either, but I assume he's part Ra's/part Sensei, just because there are so many redundancies when you have a character who has been appearing no less than twice a month for over 60 years)

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no.

It's harder to do that with Batman without jeopardizing the character's integrity, because he just doesn't have that kind of emotional vulnerability, whereas Spidey is almost defined by it.

Not that I'm calling Spidey emo.

Gary Gordon = excellent.

Mxyzptlk, well, I'd like to see him, but they'd probably get Jamie Kennedy to play him or something, and that would suck.

xpost; people identify with Batman in a Bernhard Goetz sort of way, a Death Wish way, only toned down -- he's the guy getting revenge, but without getting out of line.

(Likewise, I think a lot of Unbreakable's inability to really become a smash came down to the fact that Bruce Willis wasn't playing a superhero in the sense those three are superheroes. He was playing a guy with super powers. There's nothing wrong with that, but the powers aren't enough to trip all the resonance triggers successful superhero stories trip. Lifting A Lot Of Heavy Stuff isn't enough of a fantasy to vicariously groove to.)

The whole Ras Al Ghul as Ninja cult leader seems to suggest more Daredevil/Elektra and the Hand than Batman to me, but I like the epic feel suggested by the teaser. And from an interview with goyer I read, theres plenty of Batman in the second hour of his script - hardcore Batman fights ninja stuff...

Batman should be the centerpiece of a Batman movie. Just sayin'.

Exactly what I thought. I just like how artfully ostentatious it looks (rather than the neon cheese of yore).

Matt -- if what you're talking about is akin to the One/Same Monster in the Hellboy movie, then agreed.

But another good in its favor: Brucey opening the closet with the COWL looking back at him and the shadows oboy!

Aside from the whole K8E H01m3s rides the subway business, this movie seems to be ALL ABOUT man-man relationships and Bruce's actual quest, not for justice, but for a father figure.

In the June issue of Premiere magazine there is a very interesting article along with new photos. The article is about Batman Begins being a restart, and has new information from Goyer, Nolan, and Bale. Also, the magazine has some exclusive information about future Bat-Films.

Writer David Goyer talks about possible sequels and says (spoilers ahead) [THAT'S SPOILERS A-COMIN', FOLKS - MOD.], "The next one would have Batman enlisting the aid of Gordon and [Harvey] Dent [aka Two-Face] in bringing down the Joker... but not killing him, which is a mistake they made in the first one." The article then says that "In the third, the Joker would go on trial, scarring Dent in the process."

And "douchebag" is too strong. I'm just not sure I like the idea of him as the official usher of all comics to movies ever.

scroll down and you'll see: Tim Booth .... Victor Zsasz

which is the birth name of Vic Sage, crusading TV journalist who sheds his identity by night to fight crime as the faceless QUESTION!!!

also, there's a "Barbara Gordon" playing a nameless Gotham Cop.

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(yes, such a dude exists)

Victor Zsasz = serial killer

Charles Victor Szasz = Vic Sage

dang.

http://photos.imageevent.com/batmanonfilm/bofimagesbofimages/timbooth1.jpg

i want to believe.

Christopher Nolan is crime thriller director, so he's made THAT kind of Batman movie. There's no reason why someone couldn't make a wonderful Bat-Farce.

Actor Christian Bale showed off his comics prowess at Sci Fi Wire, saying ""I liked the artwork of Alex Ross, but my favorites were the Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale stories. I've read a damn lot of them, all that DC sent me. I don't feel like Batman's ever really been defined in any portrayal, so I felt like this was an opportunity to finally do that, in regards to way that Bob Kane originally intended it when he wrote it in 1939. He intended it as being a dark and terrifying and intimidating character. It's kind of ended up being spoofed more. And then there's great material in the newer graphic novels of Frank Miller and Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. So the source material is right there, and I just don't think it was ever taken advantage of until now. With 'Superman,' you can really look at Christopher Reeve and the way that he played it, and he's become the defining Superman. Whoever's playing him in the next one has got a really tough job to come up against him. I don't feel like that ever happened with 'Batman' before, so I felt like I had an opportunity to expand and bring something new to it."

-- Huk-L (handsomishbo...), June 7th, 2005.

um, http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0790732912.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

PROGNOSIS: NEGATIVE