DC ELSEWORLDS: Reimagining Keaton Sequels & DC Films that Never Were

[BobJM]

The story for a planned sequel had Brianiac killing Jason. So there was a way to continue having him as half-kryptonian

I think killing him off would have been a bad idea too

 

[Eddie Dean]

In another world...

Batman (1989)
Directed by Joe Dante

Dennis Quaid - Batman / Bruce Wayne*

*Alec Baldwin was originally cast, had to drop out after he threatened to throw John Lithgow out a window if he stole the movie from him

John Lithgow - The Joker

Meg Ryan - Vicky Vale

Robert Picardo - Alexander Knox

Bruce Dern - Commissioner Gordon

Robert Townsend - Harvey Dent

Roddy McDowall - Alfred Pennyworth

Dick Miller - Bob the Goon

Kevin McCarthy - Carl Grissom

 

[Frodo]

The Dark Knight Hunted, aka an alternate Chris Nolan Batman 3 (2011)

Batman/ Bruce Wayne: Christian Bale
Hush/ Tommy Elliot : Brad Pitt
Black Mask : Sam Rockwell
Penguin: Ray Winstone
Riddler : Michael Kelly
Tony Zucco : Joseph Gordon Levitt
Sarah Essen : Toni Collette
James Gordon: Gary Oldman
Alfred Pennyworth: Michael Caine
Lucius Fox : Morgan Freeman
Leslie Thompkins: Helen Mirren

A year after the events of The Dark Knight, Gotham has sunk even deeper into despair in the aftermath of the Joker's reign of Terror. With Batman still wanted by police ,and the Gordon under an Internal affairs investigation by the dogged Sarah Essen, the two allies feel cornered and find it increasingly difficult to coordinate.

At the same time, a mob war has irrupted into the streets of Gotham ,between the fading Falcone crime family , now led by hot headed young capo Tony Zucco, and the "new breed of criminal" that Joker alluded to, which includes the likes of characters like The Riddler, Penguin, and the equally unstable Black Mask.

All the while, The Dark Knight faces a mysterious foe named Hush, who seems to know his every move, in and out of costume, and seems to target all those he cares about including, Alfred , James Gordon, Lucius Fox, and Leslie Thompkins, while at the same time ,threatens to reveal Batman and Gordon's secret alliance and their pact to protect Harvey Dent.

With the recent death of Tommy Elliot, a childhood friend of both Rachel and Bruce, and feeling cornered on all sides Bruce Wayne is in a fight for his life on all fronts in a battle which threatens to undo not only Batman and Bruce Wayne, but Gotham all together.

The Dark Knight Hunted brings together an all star cast in the third chapter in the ongoing Chris Nolan Dark Knight series of films.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

In another world...

Batman (1989)
Directed by Joe Dante

Dennis Quaid - Batman / Bruce Wayne*

*Alec Baldwin was originally cast, had to drop out after he threatened to throw John Lithgow out a window if he stole the movie from him

John Lithgow - The Joker

Meg Ryan - Vicky Vale

Robert Picardo - Alexander Knox

Bruce Dern - Commissioner Gordon

Robert Townsend - Harvey Dent

Roddy McDowall - Alfred Pennyworth

Dick Miller - Bob the Goon

Kevin McCarthy - Carl Grissom

Nicholson's real good in '89 but I would drop him like a hot potato for Lithgow.

 

[Airwings]

I think killing him off would have been a bad idea too

Me too. It would have been too harsh for the genre. Killing a kid is dark stuff. Not even Nolan went there, but it was close with Two-Face

 

[Frodo]

SUPERMAN THE NEW MOVIE (1990)
Director: Richard Donner
Producer: Jon Peters

Superman/Clark Kent: Christopher Reeve
Brainiac : Julian Glover
Metallo /John Corbin :Lance Henriksen
Lois Lane : Margo Kidder
Lex Luthor: Gene Hackman
Perry White: Jackie Cooper
Jimmy Olsen: Marc McClure
Cat Grant : Catherine O'Hara
Jor El: Marlon Brando

 

[Eddie Dean]

After the response to Batman and Robin, Warner Bros is looking for a way to rejuvenate the franchise. Shockingly, the very man who killed the franchise, Joel Schumacher convinces Warner Bros to give him one last chance. He's finally able to adapt Frank Miller's Year One arc after years of pitching it to the studio. He casts an unknown Irish actor to fill the role of the Caped Crusader in his early days and populates the rest of the cast with well known character actors. Low budget and gritty, it's a shockingly faithful adaptation of Miller's groundbreaking comic.

Batman: Year One (2000)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
Written by Andrew Kevin Walker

Colin Farrell - Bruce Wayne

Kiefer Sutherland - Lt. James Gordon

Halle Berry - Selina Kyle

John Spencer - Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb

Robert Forster - Carmine Falcone

Ciarán Hinds - Alfred Pennyworth

Virginia Madsen - Detective Sarah Essen

Catherine Keenar - Barbara Kean Gordon

Will Patton - Detective Flass

Gabriel Macht - Harvey Dent

 

[Airwings]

This Peters guy didn't understand the character.
I remember how his plans caused an uproar online. It was good that we didn't get this film.

BUT, as it is now, maybe some of his ideas can be used for a new Superman film.
To explore the hero in a new way. To tell a different story. Both the character and the audience need to be challanged.
During the film, the suit could disappear.
For a part of the film, Supes can also have lost his flight power after being exposed to a new kind of kryptonite. At the end, he gets it back of course.

What do you guys think about Jon Peters and his ideas back in the day?

 

[BobJM]

After the response to Batman and Robin, Warner Bros is looking for a way to rejuvenate the franchise. Shockingly, the very man who killed the franchise, convinces Warner Bros for one last chance. Joel Schumacher finally is able to adapt Frank Miller's Year One arc after years of pitching it to the studio. He cast an unknown Irish actor to fill the role of the Caped Crusader in his early days and populates the rest of the cast with well known character actors. Low budget and gritty, it's a shockingly faithful adaptation of Miller's groundbreaking comic.

Batman: Year One (2000)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
Written by Andrew Kevin Walker

Colin Farrell - Bruce Wayne

Kiefer Sutherland - Lt. James Gordon

Halle Berry - Selina Kyle

John Spencer - Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb

Robert Forster - Carmine Falcone

Ciarán Hinds - Alfred Pennyworth

Virginia Madsen - Detective Sarah Essen

Catherine Keenar - Barbara Kean Gordon

Will Patton - Detective Flass

Gabriel Macht - Harvey Dent

I’d die. This is your best yet.

 

[Airwings]

Ouh, such strong colors!

 

[Frodo]

BATMAN (1974)

Director : Francis Ford Coppola
Script : Mario Puzo , Francis Ford Coppola
Music : Nino Rota

Batman/Bruce Wayne : Clint Eastwood
Harvey Dent : Robert Redford
Vicki Vale : Diane Keaton
Alfred Pennyworth : David Niven
James Gordon : William Holden
Joker : Jack Palance
Penguin : Rod Steiger
The Riddler : Robert Duvall
Catwoman/ Selina Kyle : Faye Dunaway
Hugo Strange Donald Pleasence

 

[Airwings]

BATMAN (1974)

Director : Francis Ford Coppola
Script : Mario Puzo , Francis Ford Coppola
Music : Nino Rota

Batman/Bruce Wayne : Clint Eastwood
Harvey Dent : Robert Redford
Vicki Vale : Diane Keaton
Alfred Pennyworth : David Niven
James Gordon : William Holden
Joker : Jack Palance
Penguin : Rod Steiger
The Riddler : Robert Duvall
Catwoman/ Selina Kyle : Faye Dunaway
Hugo Strange Donald Pleasence

INCREDIBLE! I'm speechless!
How could you come up with such perfectness?
Palance is a nod to the 89 film
Niven would be a class act, and the character could have some background in espionage (Bond-esque)

I would only like to change one thing and have Pleasence as Penguin.

Well, there are also the likes of Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Terry Savalas, Christopher Lee and Sean Connery but we can't give roles to everybody

With all four arc villains present, there's a tie to the 1966 film.
Just curious, who would be your Robin?

 

[Frodo]

INCREDIBLE! I'm speechless!
How could you come up with such perfectness?
Palance is a nod to the 89 film
Niven would be a class act, and the character could have some background in espionage (Bond-esque)

I would only like to change one thing and have Pleasence as Penguin.

Well, there are also the likes of Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Terry Savalas, Christopher Lee and Sean Connery but we can't give roles to everybody

With all four arc villains present, there's a tie to the 1966 film.
Just curious, who would be your Robin?

Thanks!

Eastwood seemed like a natural for Batman around that time period , even though he was in his 40s as opposed to being a 20 something in the 70s.

Faye Dunaway also seemed like a natural fit for a sly, seductive, yet potentially untrustworthy Catwoman.

At the same time, Diane Keaton was very much the opposite of Dunaway with a , laid back, warm, quirky, and smart quality, I could see as a contrast from a brooding, edgy, Eastwood Wayne.

Redford to me seemed like the perfect charming , idealistic, and charismatic actor, to take on Harvey Dent.

I got Niven and Holden because those two were considered for Alfred and Gordon when WB began developing Batman scripts in the early 80s.

I was actually thinking of Christopher Lee as Ra's Al Ghul , but the film was already getting crowded, so , I figure he could be in a sequel.

I could see Pleasance as Penguin as well, but I went with Stieger for a more " Mob Boss" like iteration.

I went with Pleasance as Strange because I was thinking of a combination of his Blofeld in YOLT and Dr Loomis in Halloween.

Still though, Pleasance would be awesome as Penguin as well. He was such a talent as an actor.

As far as casting Robin/ Dick Grayson goes, I was having a tough time given that I don't really know that many younger male actors from that period.

The only actors who came to my mind were David Cassidy from The Partridge Family and Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch. Lol.

Other than those two, I really don't know much about the younger male actors of the 1970s, unfortunately.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Jackie Earle Haley as Robin!

 

[Frodo]

BATMAN 2 (1976)

Director : Francis Ford Coppola
Script : Mario Puzo , Francis Ford Coppola
Music : Nino Rota

Batman/Bruce Wayne : Clint Eastwood
Robin/ Dick Grayson : John Travolta
Two Face/ Harvey Dent : Robert Redford
Poison Ivy : Tina Louise
Mr Freeze : Peter O'Toole
Clayface : Richard Burton
The Mad Hatter : Gene Wilder
Boss Maroni : Richard S. Castellano
Tony Zucco: James Caan
Joe Chill (Flashback) : John Cazale
Thomas Wayne ( Flashback) : Gregory Peck
Martha Wayne(Flashback) : Lauren Bacall
Alfred Pennyworth : David Niven
James Gordon : William Holden
Professor Johnathan Crane : Peter Cushing

 

[Airwings]

Thanks!

Eastwood seemed like a natural for Batman around that time period , even though he was in his 40s as opposed to being a 20 something in the 70s.

Faye Dunaway also seemed like a natural fit for a sly, seductive, yet potentially untrustworthy Catwoman.

At the same time, Diane Keaton was very much the opposite of Dunaway with a , laid back, warm, quirky, and smart quality, I could see as a contrast from a brooding, edgy, Eastwood Wayne.

Redford to me seemed like the perfect charming , idealistic, and charismatic actor, to take on Harvey Dent.

I got Niven and Holden because those two were considered for Alfred and Gordon when WB began developing Batman scripts in the early 80s.

I was actually thinking of Christopher Lee as Ra's Al Ghul , but the film was already getting crowded, so , I figure he could be in a sequel.

I could see Pleasance as Penguin as well, but I went with Stieger for a more " Mob Boss" like iteration.

I went with Pleasance as Strange because I was thinking of a combination of his Blofeld in YOLT and Dr Loomis in Halloween.

Still though, Pleasance would be awesome as Penguin as well. He was such a talent as an actor.

As far as casting Robin/ Dick Grayson goes, I was having a tough time given that I don't really know that many younger male actors from that period.

The only actors who came to my mind were David Cassidy from The Partridge Family and Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch. Lol.

Other than those two, I really don't know much about the younger male actors of the 1970s, unfortunately.

I agree with you. You picked the right guys.
Redford would really suit Dent.
Eastwood as a grittier Bats, amazing.
And so on.

I looked through a couple of younger names from that time and found Jack Wild. He might be the best candidate around back then

 

[Airwings]

Jackie Earle Haley as Robin!

Very untraditional Robin there

 

[Eddie Dean]

JEH was a teen heartthrob after Bad News Bears, he just didn’t grow into that role

 

[Airwings]

JEH was a teen heartthrob after Bad News Bears, he just didn’t grow into that role

This imagined Batman project is from 1974. I want to point out that BNB didn't come out until two years later. So he can't ride off that success

 

[Eddie Dean]

But he was acting in movies and tv since 72

From the Planet of the Apes tv show in 1974

 

[Frodo]

I could also see JEH as a young version of Clint Eastwood's Wayne in a Flashback.

He has that kinda intensity in his eyes, and he kinda resembles Eastwood to me at least in the posted pic from the POTA tv series.

 

[Frodo]

BATMAN 3 (1978)

Director : Francis Ford Coppola
Script : Mario Puzo , Francis Ford Coppola
Music : Nino Rota

Batman/Bruce Wayne : Clint Eastwood
Robin/ Dick Grayson : John Travolta
Ras Al Ghul : Christopher Lee
Talia Head : Barbara Bach
Scarecrow : Peter Cushing
Silver St Cloud : Cybill Shepherd
Rupert Thorne : Telly Savalas
Leslie Thompkins : Jessica Tandy
Alfred Pennyworth : David Niven
James Gordon : William Holden

 

[Frodo]

Green Arrow and Green Lantern ( 1972)

Director : George Roy Hill
Script : William Goldman.

Green Arrow/ Oliver Queen : Steve McQueen
Green Lantern/ Hal Jordon : Paul Newman
Black Canary/ Laurel Lance : Honor Blackman
Sinestro : Yul Brynner
Speedy/ Roy Harper : Jeff Bridges
Carol Ferris : Ali Macgraw

 

[Airwings]

But he was acting in movies and tv since 72

From the Planet of the Apes tv show in 1974

Believe it or not, I actually remember him here.
Many years ago, I was kinda obsessed with the old POTA films and tried to see as many as possible.
He was a different kind of kid with his strange charisma.
He would bring a special energy to Dick Grayson. So yeah, an untraditional actor for the role.

I could also see JEH as a young version of Clint Eastwood's Wayne in a Flashback.

He has that kinda intensity in his eyes, and he kinda resembles Eastwood to me at least in the posted pic from the POTA tv series.

Now that you mention it, doing Coppla's Batman as an origin story, starting with the parents getting killed and JEH plays young Bruce. THAT would be someting memorable!!!

I also would like to add that when JEH was unmasked in Watchmen, especially during the dimly lit jail scene, he had a huge Eastwood vibe to him. One could almost be convinced it was a younger version of the actor

 

[Frodo]

Now that you mention it, doing Coppla's Batman as a origin story, starting with the parents getting killed and JEH plays young Bruce. THAT would be someting memorable!!!

I also would like to add that when JEH was unmasked in Watchmen, especially during the dimly lit jail scene, he had a huge Eastwood vibe to him. One could almost be convinced it was a younger version of the actor

Totally. The young JEH does resemble Eastwood and has that kind of intensity to him.

JEH could also work as an edgy, streetwise, Jason Todd- like, Robin , but I could also see a mid 1970s JEH working as a young Eastwood Wayne.