Batman celebrated 80th birthday this year. Who will be the next actor to ride the Batmobile?
18. 10. 2019
Imagine Mr. Incredible wearing bat wings. That´s the way the most popular superhero from DC Comics looked in 1939 when Bob Kane first drew it. Since then, Batman has undergone several changes (not just outfits) and has deprived Gotham City of many dangerous criminals. And he’s definitely not going to retire!
BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN
Although the relationship between Batman and Superman is so complicated that it in the end results in fatal harm, the truth is that Batman would probably not exist without Superman. It was thanks to the great success of the superhero from the planet Krypton that National Comics Publications (today’s DC) demanded the creation of another character in their Detective Comics. Eighty years have passed since then. Today, despite his advanced age, Batman is still one of the most popular superheroes in the comic world, and will soon starr in another film. How will it turn out?
BATMAN VS. BATMAN
Like in the comic book version, Batman has alternated several forms. The very first film in which he appeared was made by director Leslie. H. Martinson already in 1966 and for the first time in the role of Bruce Wayne starred Adam West. Of course, he is not alone – Alfred and the faithful assistant Robin with whom he fights against Joker, Penguin, Catwoman and The Riddler are always there to help. Sounds like a nice drama, doesn’t it? But the tone of the film is rather comedic. Like the comic books.
Batman’s next film came in 1989 when Tim Burton sat on the director’s chair. He made two films starring Michael Keaton. In the movie simply called “Batman,” the nemesis of Batman is Joker (Jack Nicholson) . In the second installment, Bruce Wayne resists the seduction of Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and defeats Danny De Vito, aka Mr. Penguin. After Burton came Joel Schumacher, who made Batman Forever, starring Val Kilmer and Batman and Robin, where George Clooney took the lead role. This film, where the role of criminals introduced Arnold Schwarzenneger and Uma Thurman, ended the Batman saga for some time. Meanwhile, several animated versions have been made, but yet another, and probably the best cinematic version so far, was not received until 2005, when director Christopher Nolan came on the scene.
While in previous releases the audience laughed, Batman with Christian Bale‘s face is pretty dark. The light superhero criminal has become a thriller that has captivated also non-comic fans. It was enough to add a little psychology, blood and less funny costumes! And write a good script, of course. Thanks to Nolan, the Dark Knight seemed to have risen. But then came the movie Batman vs. Superman, which has spoiled this hero’s reputation. In short, Ben Affleck wasn’t the best choice, yet as Batman he appeared in another DC film, this time in the Justice League. What is going to happen next?
VAMPIRE OR BAT?
Perhaps thanks to the eighty-year anniversary, DC decided that Batman deserves a new version. After the fiasco with Ben Affleck, they began to look for someone to return Batman to the big-screen movie again. We already know that Matt Reeves will be directing. We still don´t know what the new Batman will be about, but it is known who will dress in the bat mask this time. And it will be the vampire Edward of the Twilight saga – Robert Pattinson! As the news spread, many Batman fans began to complain. To help Robert, however, rushed Christian Bale himself, who guaranteed the fans that the young British actor certainly can handle this role. It has been more than 10 years since the Twilight saga, and Pattinson has grown up not only physically but also in his acting career. He doesn’t have the best films yet (Except for his role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter), but that is about to change. At the moment, you can enjoy his acting performance in the horror drama The Lighthouse, in which this young actor first tried method acting. This method was made famous by Heath Ledger, who took acting so deadly seriously that, unfortunately, his role of Joker became fatal. Similarly, Christian Bale and currently Joaquin Phoenix, the latest Joker, have been suffering a bit for their roles. But hopefully, they will never go as far as Ledger did for their roles.
IS DC BACK ON THE TOP?
After some not very successful films (Batman vs. Superman, Justice League, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, Shazam…) DC took the film fans out of breath. Two weeks after the premiere, the new Joker is still filling movie theaters, leaving people all excited about it. Although he is a character from a comic book, it is a truly successful drama thriller that leaves you thinking even a few days after watching the film. The Joker is a fascinating criminal who you cannot look at with the same eyes after Joaquin Phoenix’s performance. Will he appear again in the new Batman movie? Batman’s nemesis has several faces, names and stories. He is even a woman in one comic book edition. (And not any – it’s Mrs. Wayne!) Whether the new Batman will follow Nolan Triology or Phillips’ Joker so far we can only guess, but one thing is certain – Robert Pattinson can’t be worse Batman than Ben Affleck 😊
Katka
Social Media and Email Specialist, known as a big fan of superhero movies, especially Avengers, Deadpool and Batman.
