You’ve all seen those set pics from Russell Brand’s Arthur remake, right? And you’ve likely seen the pics with the Batmobile in it? Wanna know where and how the Caped Crusader car fits into the movie?
Well, remember at the start of the original film where – to the sounds of Christopher Cross – Arthur, then played by Dudley Moore, is driving around drunk in the limo? Same deal here : The movie starts with Brand’s Arthur driving around drunk… behind the wheel of the batmobile. Police cruisers chase the Batmobile through New York – he hits the bronze bull statue in the rear (two big bronze balls hit the bonnet and roll away), he smashes into the Federal Reserve Building, and makes a nuisance of himself down Wall Street – until they surround him, blazing him in white light. One of the older cops flashes his light into the Batmobile window. In there, he sees Batman – well rather, Russell Brand’s Arthur in a rented Batman costume. The ‘Drunk Knight’ (as he is called) is ordered out of the car, to which he replies “This one has no doors, so I’d have to squeeze out the back arsehole”. The cops get a good laugh out of Arthur when he steps out of the car because his utility belt features a red stapler, a flask, firework and shot glasses. The cops then realize there’s a second person in the Batmobile : Bitterman (a homeless guy hired by Arthur to be his driver) dressed in a second-hand Robin costume that’s way too small for him! Oh, and the Batmobile? The bronze bull statue ends up falling on it and crushing it. I think this is going to be a corker of an opening sequence!
(Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for appearances by the Delorean from Back to the Future and K.I.T.T from Knight Rider!)