EDITORIAL: What I'm Worried About in the BATMAN Franchise

EDITORIAL: What I'm Worried About in the BATMAN Franchise

Earlier today, Batman-On-Film claimed that a source told them Commissioner Gordon will be in BvS. They also speculated that other Bat-Family characters will have been established in our new DCCU. Here's my very brief thoughts on this guess.

Editorial Opinion
By GliderMan - Jun 03, 2014 02:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Batman

It all started with a quote from Batman-On-Film.

" Since the Batman of BvS is supposed to be a “seasoned, weary, grizzled crime-fighting veteran,” it’s safe to assume that most – if not all – of the Batman Family (and Bat-Villains) already exist in the new DC Cinematic Universe. "

I'm going to quote Lhornbk: "No, no no no no and no. Just no."

No insider knowledge given. No scoop or reliable source. Just an educated guess. An educated guess that I hope is wrong, and I want to share why. I've been meaning to for a while now, and this is an opportune time as any.

If you recall a while back, Kevin Feigie of Marvel Studios fame compared the Iron Man franchise to that of James Bond; that there is always more story to tell, for one, and that Robert Downey Jr. is replaceable. Whether or not this is an accurate comparison is a debate for another time and place. What I'm here to tell you is that Batman is even more like the James Bond property.

There are decades of material to draw from when it comes to telling Batman stories via film--all the way back from the 1930's. However, if our new Batman has people like Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, Batwing, and Oracle already established... well, folks, that takes an enormous amount of story away.

Some people want the new Batman movies to stay away from said side-kicks, but we've had three movies without them--a damn good trilogy. I think it's time for some Robin to come in on the action. However, I want to see their formative years, their origin stories if you will. I think the only side-kick from the list above that should be established is Nightwing. Why? Well, people have been waiting a damn long time to see Nightwing, and he would bring a lot of attention to the film. But when it comes to characters whose stories are as vital as Red Hood or Oracle, they need to be shown in the series. To just skip over "A Death In The Family," "The Killing Joke," and "Under the Hood" stories.. I mean, I want to see those on film, and I think those stories can bring a lot to the series. Not necessarily adaptions, but the "big moments" from those are needed, I think. And to just use them in flashback would be too hard to do; that's too many characters to use the flashback technique for. Nightwing's story could be told interestingly through flashback, and "skipping" over his time as Robin could be justifiable through that; seeing his dynamic I think would make up for that, as well as giving fans what they've been asking for for years.

However, this is just my opinion. If it is what winds up happening, I'm sure I'll still enjoy the movie. This is a quick article, I know, but I just wanted to share my thoughts while I have a little bit of downtime and while they were still fresh on my mind. Let me know what you think!



About The Author:
GliderMan
Member Since 5/29/2013
TRANSFORMERS Star Megan Fox Seemingly Confirms Poison Ivy Interest After Viral Photo Dump
Related:

TRANSFORMERS Star Megan Fox Seemingly Confirms Poison Ivy Interest After Viral Photo Dump

THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS Gets A New Hot Toys Figure Based On Frank Miller's Battle-Damaged Batman
Recommended For You:

THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS Gets A New Hot Toys Figure Based On Frank Miller's Battle-Damaged Batman

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Brainiac13
Brainiac13 - 6/3/2014, 2:49 PM
To just skip over "A Death In The Family," "The Killing Joke," and "Under the Hood" stories.. I mean, I want to see those on film

Maybe we will.....but we don't know what they are doing.
Moohika
Moohika - 6/3/2014, 2:59 PM
I agree, it's time for the bat family to show up. They could at least start with Nightwing and see how that goes.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 6/3/2014, 3:26 PM
I don't think that means we won't see some good character moments like in The Killing Joke.

In-fact I'd love to have Barbara appear in the first Batman movie, as Gordon's daughter who has a keen interest in Batman, perhaps mimicking Batman's actions as a heroine for Gotham, then being shot by Joker in the end. With the sequel having her become Oracle for Batman, even have her be Oracle for future Justice League movies from afar.

Because we already know so much about Bruce/Batman's history, we can have him already established and have appearances from other side characters he encounters in some fantastic arcs. It's great they've gone with an older actor.
MrBlackJack
MrBlackJack - 6/3/2014, 3:30 PM
Let me save you the hassle; don't believe anything Batman on Film says. They are full of shit most of the time, and Jett has been known to pass his speculation on as fact and/or try to mess with us by making up false "rumors" (remember the WW being Kryptonian concondrum?)
Knightrider
Knightrider - 6/3/2014, 4:08 PM
Who said they skipped it. Under the Hood told the story of Robin's death and was set many years after. I am not saying use this story and/or method, but you get the point that they can easily set up a situation where he has to face his greatest failure and revisit the moment.

Just think stories like Under the Hood, and Hush both have him revisiting Robin's death.
Klone
Klone - 6/3/2014, 4:09 PM
@Mantinium

Except Grayson/Robin is an essential part of the Batman mythos and I fail to see what his omission adds to the story. No complex relationship, no moral dilemmas with him and themes, no sense of development from a boy into a man and the idea that he will have to uphold the mantle, etc.
Klone
Klone - 6/3/2014, 4:14 PM
@ComicBook

...What?

Anyways, they don't even need to have Grayson as Robin. If they show him straight up as Nightwing and they use subtly and conversations to convey the complex relationship and past the two share and perhaps pain of Todd's death, etc. that would work equally well. I fail to see what the omission of Grayson, especially if he's straight up Nightwing, adds.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 6/3/2014, 4:15 PM
Just because Nolan's franchise used barely anything of the comic material to even fully constitute it as a CBM, doesn't mean this new one will.

I'm hoping they'll take more elements of the comics, even though he is older we can still have some loose storylines. Also, I'm hoping we'll finally get the detective-Batman.
QuestionDAnswer
QuestionDAnswer - 6/3/2014, 4:16 PM
Top 11 villains I want to see in the next Batman films, in no particular order.

1. Deathstroke
2. Riddler
3. Black Mask
4. Court of Owls
5. Red Hood
6. Scarface
7. Hugo Strange (in a Arkham City film)
8. Clayface
9. Hush
10. Mr. Freeze
11. Calendar Man
Klone
Klone - 6/3/2014, 4:19 PM
Holiday Killer. If they incorporate The Long Halloween with Year One influence whilst crafting something original that would be excellent.
SidDaAstroSloth
SidDaAstroSloth - 6/3/2014, 4:51 PM
Doing the whole Holiday Killer stroy arc would be amazing!

It would show his detective skills as well!


also they should get Casey Affleck to play young Batman in prequels :P
Klone
Klone - 6/3/2014, 4:58 PM
Excellent thing with the Holiday Killer is that the resolution is still somewhat ambiguous or mystery, like we still don't get the full picture and individual interpretations can be drawn up.
yossarian
yossarian - 6/3/2014, 5:02 PM
I don't let any of this shit keep me up at night.
QuestionDAnswer
QuestionDAnswer - 6/3/2014, 5:20 PM
@Klone & @MrSidTheSloth

What do you guys think of calculator? The threat he poses is a technological one. We saw some of Batman’s detective work before(primarily in The Dark Knight) and a perfect villain to test these skills is Calculator. This cyber terrorist can hack almost every known database and for a billionaire who’s got a big secret to hide, Bruce should be wary of this seemingly unthreatening man.

I forgot another villain to add to my list, Deadshot. He complements Batman very well, with his no gun policy.
Wolf38
Wolf38 - 6/3/2014, 5:35 PM
I'm not worried about this. If Batman is older, then other characters have to already exist, generally assuming. Barbara/Batgirl is the only one whose origin I feel compelled to see onscreen, and it could still work.

But more to the point, I'm really hoping that these new films do not spend too much time focusing on Batman. I like the idea of him being at the center of the Justice League, but I'm much, much more interested in seeing the other heroes and their respective villains, at this point. Batman can wait awhile before he needs to get an in-depth re-build of his universe, IMHO.
Klone
Klone - 6/3/2014, 5:41 PM
@Mark

I suppose it depends on the story. Who knows, maybe they can fit him in a situation where he knows something about the main mystery/plot or villain and Batman interrogates him. I don't see him as a central film villain though.
Lhornbk
Lhornbk - 6/3/2014, 5:45 PM
Lol, seeing myself quoted in the aricle just made my whole day.

As for the article itself, I don't ever want to see the entire "bat-family." (That name just seems silly to me, btw.) I would be okay with seeing Grayson become Robin and then Nightwing. I don't want to see The Killing Joke or any other comic directly adapted to a movie. (Among other things, just don't like seeing comics adapted like that. Would rather see original stories.) I would kind of like to see Batgirl, although I'm not sure if general audiences would go for it. If they do have Batgirl, let her just stay Batgirl instead of becoming Oracle. Or, if she is shot, let her eventually rehab and walk again.
DaVinci31
DaVinci31 - 6/3/2014, 5:48 PM
I understand what you mean. Generally speaking it does feel odd (assuming that this is how it will be) that, not only the characters you speak of, but that many of the other DC characters will have already been established, technically long before MOS. Which is something I hope they do not do; it would just be out of sync. It would be difficult to try and believe that there was a Green Lantern somewhere out there that could have aided in the battle against the Kryptonian army, but didn't - which could be said about any of the other soon-to-be Justice League members, as well, but you get my point.



---



On your more specific point though, what we need to understand is that we simply do not know enough. Batman, in this incarnation, could be a "veteran" from which he has been fighting crime in anywhere from 4 to 12 years; we have nothing to do but guess because Snyder and co. have not disclosed the specifics of the character.

(If I had to guess though, I wouldn't bank on him being too old - which is a positive in my book. They kind of proved this by casting Affleck in place of Brolin. Which in return could disprove this rumor (of him being established with his "bat" family), as Batman would have theoretically just began to encounter these other heroes.)

---



One should keep in mind though, that there is also a chance that the rebooted Batman franchise could include these stories (if it turns out that Batman has been fighting crime for 6+years), as prequels per se. Then again, they might not even include these characters (the "bat" family) at all.
Pasto
Pasto - 6/3/2014, 6:44 PM
Lol, DaVinci put and editorial in an editorial comments section.
AontheheadStarontheChest
AontheheadStarontheChest - 6/3/2014, 6:51 PM
@pasto,

Yo dawg we heard you like editorials, so we put an editorial in your editorials' comments so you can read more editorials while you read editorials and editorial comments

kong
kong - 6/3/2014, 7:01 PM
I want to see Nightwing already established, Jason "dead" Barbara as Oracle, and Tim as a kid who isn't yet Robin.
DaVinci31
DaVinci31 - 6/3/2014, 7:33 PM
@Pasto



DaVinci31
DaVinci31 - 6/3/2014, 7:34 PM
@AontheheadStarontheChest

Vortigar
Vortigar - 6/3/2014, 11:41 PM
That's a rather literal take on that quote. Saying that the Bat universe is already fully formed doesn't mean that any historically important story has already been told.

@MarkoftheDemon:
The villain I'd love to see is Clayface. I was rooting for him to show up in the Nolan films but they went with Bane instead. And no, not the massive blob of superpowered goo. Just a really good actor who can assume any face. Would've fit the Nolan verse perfectly.

With Supes in the mix the superpowered blob of goo can be used nowadays. Batman is required to identify him and Supes is required to be able to stop him.
MightyZeus
MightyZeus - 6/4/2014, 1:35 AM
I think it's too early for everyone to know for certain that Batman vs Superman will have many Batman characters established already in the film. I just think we are only going to get a few characters from the Batman mythos eg. Commissioner Gordon ect. but as for the Bat Family i doubt we'll be seeing Robin, Nightwing, Batwoman, Red Hood unless there referenced and saved for the Batman reboot film.

Also on a side note, i'd really love it if the studio didn't waste the opportunity to cast Bryan Cranston as Commissioner Gordon.
DoctorHellstorm
DoctorHellstorm - 6/4/2014, 2:39 PM
Its the editors fault.
OptionFour
OptionFour - 6/4/2014, 5:26 PM
The reason I wouldn't mind them including some of the bat-family of characters as already established heroes is simple.
We are never going to get 'A Death in the Family'. We just aren't. We're not going to get a story just about Oracle, or about the various Robins. It won't happen. How many year has it taken us to get -just- a Superman movie?

Sadly, you can probably either have them already established when things again, or you likely won't get them at all. This is doubly true if the rumour about DC focusing on team-up movies from here on out is true.
DoctorHellstorm
DoctorHellstorm - 6/7/2014, 2:48 PM
its freakin dc, you have to be worried.
View Recorder