WITH PICTURES
If that is the case, I have put together a cast and plot that is a more direct homage to TDKReturns. The follow-up Batman flicks will then play as prequels to this, the finale. I am not a fan of TDKR; I am however, a fan of what it has done for the Batman character. I am also annoyed by the art. Lastly, I feel that Miller is a bit misogynistic and, for that reason, I have changed bits of the story. I also felt that, as a movie, it would be very cluttered and thus, I cut out several sub plots. The basics: The Dark Knight Returns 1989 At night, Alfred wakes to a restless Bruce Wayne, driven by insomnia. Alfred to Wayne "Sir, I do believe you sleep less now then when you trolled the nights as..." Wayne "Don't say his name, Alfred, I retired that persona a long time ago" "Sir, that was no persona, that was you. I can't say whether you did the right thing or not by hanging up the mask, but your actions for the 5 years prior to your retirement were dangerous to you and everyone around you." "I was no more dangerous in those 5 years than I was the night I let that sociopath get away with... I swore an oath to my parents that I would never kill, but that night I was no better than him. It doesn't matter who killed who that night, Alfred, by not controlling the situation, I may as well have been the one killing. I lost control that night and I can admit, now, I've never gained it back." "Sir, I will not let you speak like that again. It's been too long and I thought we healed those old wounds. What he did, no one could've stopped him. Why, all of a sudden, does it haunt you again? It's been 15 years." "The crime rate is rising, like it used to be. It's got me thinking..." Gotham City is overrun with crime and terrorized by a gang known as the Mutants. The 55-year-old Wayne maintains a friendship with 72-year-old retiring Gordon, while the Joker sits in silence in Arkham Asylum, staring at the wall since Batman's retirement. Another Arkham inmate, Harvey Dent, undergoes plastic surgery to repair his disfigured face. Although he is declared sane, he quickly goes into hiding following his release. Dent's disappearance, news stories of the crime epidemic throughout the city and the memory of his parents' deaths drive Wayne to again become Batman. In an early combat, he finds himself rescuing a 13-year-old Carrie Kelley. Public reaction to his return is divided; Arkham psychologist, Bartholomew Wolper, blames Batman for creating his own villains. Dent resurfaces, commandeering Vickie Vale's talk show and proclaiming himself the mastermind behind the gang of 'mutants.' The irony is that he feels he belongs with mutants. Dent reveals that, although his face was repaired, he will always be Two-Face. Kelley dresses as Robin and looks for Batman, who attacks a gathering of the Mutants with a tank-like Batmobile (incapacitating most of them). The largest mutant challenges Batman to a duel; he accepts, to prove to himself that he can win. The Mutant nearly kills Batman, but Kelley distracts him long enough for Batman to subdue him. Two-face and many gang members are arrested. Injured, Batman returns to the Batcave with Kelley; he allows her to become his protégée (despite protest from his Alfred). Seeing their leader's defeat, the Mutants divide into smaller gangs; one becomes the "Sons of Batman", a violent vigilante group. Batman's victory becomes public and the city's inhabitants are inspired to stand up against crime. Batman, Kelley and Gordon rally the Sons of Batman and the citizens of Gotham to maintain order. Gotham becomes the safest place on Earth; if only through extreme violence in the name of justice. Gordon retires after meeting his anti-Batman successor, Ellen Yindel. In Arkham, televised reports about Batman bring a devilish smile to the Joker's face. END The Dark Knights Returns 2 1990 Feigning regret for his past, Joker convinces Wolper to take him on Vickie Vale's talk show to tell his story. Meanwhile, Superman, who works as a government operative in exchange for being allowed to covertly help people (the only sanctioned super hero), is asked by the President to end Batman's vigilante activities. Framing these events is a growing hostility between the USA and the Soviet Union over possession of the island of Corto Maltese. As Batman's continued presence humiliates the national authorities, Yindel becomes commissioner and orders Batman's arrest, and Superman warns Batman that the government will not tolerate him much longer. Joker makes his talk show appearance as Batman fights with the GCPD on the studio roof; while they fight, Joker kills Wolper, gasses everyone in the studio to death and escapes. He finds Selina Kyle and beats her for info on political figures that discretely use her services and, in return, keep her escapades under the radar. He uses his lobotomizing gases to take control of a congressman, who calls for a nuclear strike on the Soviets before falling to his death. Batman's investigation leads him to Kyle, whom he finds bound and dead. Batman notices cotton candy remnants on the floor, and deduces that Joker is at the fairgrounds. There, Kelley plays cat and mouse with Joker's henchmen while Batman pursues the Joker, who joyfully guns down dozens of people. As Batman corners Joker, he admits to feeling responsible for every murder Joker has committed and intends to stop him permanently. In the ensuing fight, Batman, to old to control his resistance, breaks Joker's neck in front of witnesses.
Content that he made Batman lose control and that he will be branded a murderer, the Joker finishes twisting his neck, killing himself. The GCPD arrive and corner Batman. Superman deflects a Soviet nuclear missile and, using his super hearing to listen in on Batman and co, immediately flies to Gotham to confront Batman. Yindel, accepting that Batman has become too powerful to take down, embraces the President's administration and surrenders to Superman, prompting him to stop Batman. Kelley tosses a Kryptonite fogger in the area and she and Batman escape. When next the World's finest meet, Batman is well equipped. Wearing a powerful exoframe and supported by Kelley and former Green Arrow, Oliver Queen, Batman fights Superman, using various tactics to make the fight even. When Superman gains the advantage, Queen hits him with an arrow made with synthetic Kryptonite, severely weakening him. Batman defeats Superman, and claims that he intentionally made the Kryptonite weak, to defeat Superman without killing him. Batman then apparently dies from fatal wounds while a fallen Man of Steel watches.
Kelley is seen over heavy sorrowful music telling Alfred, who passes from a heart attack after giving Kelley a letter. Over music, she reads the letter and, in a nod to the campy 60's series, lifts the head of the statue and goes underground while Wayne Manor self-destructs. In the aftermath, the world learns that Wayne was Batman; all of his secrets are destroyed with the manor and his finances disappear. As Superman leaves the double funeral of Alfred and Bruce, he gives Kelley a knowing wink after hearing a faint heartbeat coming from Wayne's coffin. In underground caves, Wayne is revealed to have faked his death and makes preparations to continue his mission more discreetly, allied with Kelley, Queen, Gordon and his followers. Cast: Donald Sutherland as Batman Among the many actors that ran through my head to play the grizzled, run-down and retired Batman, Clint Eastwood was the best match and the most obvious. I don't know for a fact, but it's a reasonable assumption that the Miller-Batman was based on Eastwood. I don't think reintroducing the world to (a reinvented) Batman, played by my favorite (one-note) cowboy/tough man, is smart as people would see JUST Clint and laugh at the sad attempt to make cool the once campy owner of shark repellent. That is what brought me to the edgy Donald Sutherland. The 55-year-old, iconic actor may not be as 'boxy' looking as the Miller-drawn version of our hero, but the slim, devil-eyed Sutherland exemplifies the burnt out vigilante better than any other at the time. (If this movie happened in 2014, Viggo Mortensen, at 55, would be ideal. Clancy Brown would've been perfect had his voice not been so connected to Lex Luthor. I also considered the oft-used Sean Bean)
Drew Barrymore as Robin At 14, Barrymore dominated the 80's and would be absolutely perfect in this role. Both Carrie Kelley and Barrymore are as strong as they are cute and as dark as they are delicate. (If this movie happened in 2014, Aryana Engineer [Resident Evil], at 13, would be ideal)
Robert Mitchum as Gordon So check this out, as iconic as Sutherland is, Mitchum is something more than that. Mitchum is legendary. The 72-year-old is popular for his anti-hero roles, noir-inspired films and Cape Fear. Casting the legend as Gordon not only adds so much weight to the role, it commands the attention of those who would otherwise overlook Gordon's role in the Batman mythos. Remember, this is world where the majority knows Gordon from TV only. (If this movie happened in 2014, Harrison Ford, at 72, would be ideal)
Vincent Price as Alfred Price, 78, although not British, is so right for this role it's ridiculous. Because he is not British I searched high, low,left and right and found no other actor that was old enough and still had a pulse. I really, really liked Price but I wasn't going to stop trying to find his British twin; until I stopped trying. Price is regal and proper enough that he just works. (If this movie happened in 2014, Ian McNeto would be ideal but, Hopkins doesn't look the part and Connery is too obvious, looking elsewhere, I am lead to the very accomplished, 84-year-old Christopher Plummer)
Oliver Reed as Green Arrow Man, have I mentioned how Miller annoys me. He does things, all things for shock and awe and nothing more. I mean, how many guest stars did this story really need? How many did the dreaded sequel need? Why would he draw one of the most dashing, swashbuckling heroes (yes, i'm talking about Batman-lite aka Green-Bat aka Robin Hood aka this guy) as a balding, swollen-nosed drunkard? Either way, Reed, a real tough SOB, is the live action version of the Miller-Arrow. (If this movie happened in 2014, James Cosmo [Game of Thrones], would be ideal)
Ali MacGraw as Catwoman MacGraw, again, helps to redefine Miller's view of the Dark Knight's return to vigilantism. For whatever reason, Miller, I feel, has some deep mommy issues and the evidence lay in every female character in this twisted future, most of all, the wretched Ms Kyle. With MacGraw as the ex-thief, Selina Kyle is pleasantly portrayed as she should be; a beauty, aging appropriately. (If this movie happened in 2014, Annabella Sciorra [Jungle Fever, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle], is the ONLY choice befitting the role)
Diane Ladd as Vickie Vale The 54-year-old makes for a good Vale. Notice that I added Vale into the story, as she is an important part of the mythos. I replaced Lana Lang as I thought it made more sense, however, like the way Miller draws all DKR women, I went with a thicker actress. Although I have (re)emphasized my displeasure with his interpretations, I do believe in the reality that not all characters stay beautiful. With no reason, such as being a cat burglar, Vale is prone to a slight gain in weight. (If this movie happened in 2014, Carrie Fisher, at age 58, would be ideal)
Glenn Close as Ellen Yindel At 42, Close has that strong demeanor that makes her perfect for the TDKR Commissioner. There were others but she had all of the qualifications, making her my clear favorite. Clair Danes was my top pick among many, actually. I'd say, without counting, this generation had nearly twice as many women that fit this role as did my ('89 version) actual fancast. Kate Hudson, once I realized it, was a better choice for her as I'm more familiar with her and, after seeing The Skeleton Key, she proved she's as tough as they come.
Anthony Perkins as Joker Again, he may not be the thicker, Twinkie-eating Joker of TDKR but Perkins personifies the twisted psyche better than most. At 57, it actually makes him the same age (or so) as Batman and, the fact that he is thin, makes, aesthetically speaking, things look better. (If this movie happened in 2014, Michael Wincott [Crow], at age 56, would be ideal)
Jack Lemmon as Two-face At 64, Lemmon has a demeanor, a smile, a presence, that is hard not to like. He is an exemption ally talented actor who will go down in my book as one of the best actors to have ever lived. That is why I have made him the evil, devious, 2-faced Two-Face. (If this movie happened in 2014, Ray Liotta, at age 59, would be ideal)
Christopher Lloyd as Dr Wolper The most insignificant of the cast needed to be played by a man that can truly play any role. He had to be well known but not an actor that was probe to typecasting; a chameleon that can do subtle as well as eccentric. Enter Lloyd. (If this movie happened in 2014, Tom Hanks would be ideal)
Liam Neeson as Superman If casting Sutherland wasn't jarring enough for you, I've pushed the envelope even further with this casting decision. I have nothing to say but the obvious here. He's tall, strong, tough and the only down-side to see him playing an aged Superman is that his beak is a little unconventional. Neeson, in 1989 is 37 years old. Perfect for the slowly aging government pawn. ***remember, he is not meant to be the iconic, American symbol we want our Superman to be. He is meant to tarnish the memory of Christopher Reeve. This Superman, brought to you by the haterade drinking creator of TDKR, is a shell of what he should be. Miller is so typically against 'THE MAN' that he does crazy things like flipping an iconic hero on its head. Ideally, Major Force, the evil Captain Atom, basically would be the direction to go if not to actually use Captain Atom himself. He's the perfect good guy turned government stooge and a sympathetic character who is blinded into becoming a stooge. The only fear is that haters wouldn't be happy unless it was 'EVIL Superman'. Oh well (If this movie happened in 2014, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, at 43, would be ideal as the aged Superman but, again, I'd prefer Captain Atom)