Hot Toys Announce Batman Returns License

[CloudN]

Lmao!

Picked up Batman Returns on bluray steel book this week for $9.99. I have a love/hate relationship with Returns. On the one hand it's very entertaining in its own right - but on the other hand it doesn't even feel like it belongs in the same universe as the first film. Tim when Full Burton on the second film (never go full Burton); it's like he rebooted his own film. The art direction, the music, the scenery, it's like the film takes place in a bizarro alternate reality Gotham from that established in the first film. I'd have preferred a far more dialed-in Burton; it's Batman, not Edward Scissorhands.

Also, the film always loses me when the penguins march into a completely abandoned Gotham square with fireworks strapped to their backs and are supposedly about to kill 100,000 people. Uh-huh.

This is why I loved Tim Burton's Batman films. It's interested how he was able to make 2 different Batman films but still feel they are somewhat connected because of the same cast and the nod to Vicki Vale of the first movie.
Even though Batman Returns felt much more like a Tim Burton movie than a sequel to Batman , I think it's still stayed true to a Batman movie while Christoper Nolan made The Dark Knight a Nolan movie but slowly strips away the Batman elements during the 2nd half of the movie.

 

[Mike86]

Lmao!

Picked up Batman Returns on bluray steel book this week for $9.99. I have a love/hate relationship with Returns. On the one hand it's very entertaining in its own right - but on the other hand it doesn't even feel like it belongs in the same universe as the first film. Tim when Full Burton on the second film (never go full Burton); it's like he rebooted his own film. The art direction, the music, the scenery, it's like the film takes place in a bizarro alternate reality Gotham from that established in the first film. I'd have preferred a far more dialed-in Burton; it's Batman, not Edward Scissorhands.

Also, the film always loses me when the penguins march into a completely abandoned Gotham square with fireworks strapped to their backs and are supposedly about to kill 100,000 people. Uh-huh.

There's a reason why Batman Returns feels different from Batman (1989), in the first film while Burton was the director Warner was overseeing the film a bit more. After the first one was successful they let him have the reigns for the second one. Therein lies the problem with this movie, it's too much of a Tim Burton freakshow movie as I feel he just went overboard with a lot of stuff. The first filmi is way more enjoyable if you ask me.

 

[DiFabio]

Burton even said he had no interest in doing a direct sequel. He didn't even want to come back until Warner Bros. coaxed him in with the idea that it would be his film 100%. He said he felt he had his say on Batman with the first film and was done with it. Then he thought about characters like the Penguin and Catwoman and how compelling and fun they'd be to translate to the screen and that's what brought him back for a "sequel". That's what brought him back.


It was never meant to be "BATMAN II". There was actually a script to that and it picked up right after where the first film left . . . and it was terrible. Robin was in it, Vicki was back, Penguin was completely different and one-dimensional, and Catwoman was disgusting. The plot was about treasure being under Wayne Manor in the Batcave. Like Indiana Jones meets Batman.



Batman Returns was/is a much better story and film. Yeah, it's ****ing weird, but a good kind of weird. It's nothing like the crap Burton churns out now a days. And hey, the world might be different from the first film and bizarre, but atleast Bruce/Batman is pretty much unchanged and the only absolute in that world. He's the same guy we meet in the first film thrust into this crazy, macabre world where Halloween meets Christmas. I love that "WTF did I just see" look he has on his face when he's riding through the sewers and sees one of the Penguin commandos. Keaton's expression as Batman is great and feels genuine, like Batman couldn't even believe what he was seeing.

 

[Darth Zangetsu]

Batman Returns is my favorite Batman film. HT needs to hurry up with these. I need my favorite Keaton Batsuit!

 

[jye4ever]

Burton even said he had no interest in doing a direct sequel. He didn't even want to come back until Warner Bros. coaxed him in with the idea that it would be his film 100%. He said he felt he had his say on Batman with the first film and was done with it. Then he thought about characters like the Penguin and Catwoman and how compelling and fun they'd be to translate to the screen and that's what brought him back for a "sequel". That's what brought him back.


It was never meant to be "BATMAN II". There was actually a script to that and it picked up right after where the first film left . . . and it was terrible. Robin was in it, Vicki was back, Penguin was completely different and one-dimensional, and Catwoman was disgusting. The plot was about treasure being under Wayne Manor in the Batcave. Like Indiana Jones meets Batman.



Batman Returns was/is a much better story and film. Yeah, it's ****ing weird, but a good kind of weird. It's nothing like the crap Burton churns out now a days. And hey, the world might be different from the first film and bizarre, but atleast Bruce/Batman is pretty much unchanged and the only absolute in that world. He's the same guy we meet in the first film thrust into this crazy, macabre world where Halloween meets Christmas. I love that "WTF did I just see" look he has on his face when he's riding through the sewers and sees one of the Penguin commandos. Keaton's expression as Batman is great and feels genuine, like Batman couldn't even believe what he was seeing.

You're good DiFabio.

 

[CloudN]

Burton even said he had no interest in doing a direct sequel. He didn't even want to come back until Warner Bros. coaxed him in with the idea that it would be his film 100%. He said he felt he had his say on Batman with the first film and was done with it. Then he thought about characters like the Penguin and Catwoman and how compelling and fun they'd be to translate to the screen and that's what brought him back for a "sequel". That's what brought him back.


It was never meant to be "BATMAN II". There was actually a script to that and it picked up right after where the first film left . . . and it was terrible. Robin was in it, Vicki was back, Penguin was completely different and one-dimensional, and Catwoman was disgusting. The plot was about treasure being under Wayne Manor in the Batcave. Like Indiana Jones meets Batman.



Batman Returns was/is a much better story and film. Yeah, it's ****ing weird, but a good kind of weird. It's nothing like the crap Burton churns out now a days. And hey, the world might be different from the first film and bizarre, but atleast Bruce/Batman is pretty much unchanged and the only absolute in that world. He's the same guy we meet in the first film thrust into this crazy, macabre world where Halloween meets Christmas. I love that "WTF did I just see" look he has on his face when he's riding through the sewers and sees one of the Penguin commandos. Keaton's expression as Batman is great and feels genuine, like Batman couldn't even believe what he was seeing.

From what I've heard. A lot had to do with Burton has a lot less creative say in Batman than normal. The producers keep on adding scenes that they think would make the movie "cool". Jon Peters was producing Batman and from the way he envisioned Superman, I doubt he would restrain himself from putting out enough inputs on Batman.

So Burton had a hard time making Batman with restricted creativity and also a very harsh shooting schedule. I can imagine why he wanted to move on. It's not the most pleasant experience, compared to how much freedom Chris Nolan had.

 

[kl241]

They let Burton have is way with it and he went overboard. Parents freaked out that it wasn't and kids movie and put pressure on McDonalds because they were marketing the film to kids. McDonalds threatened to end their sponsorship so that's when Warner's brought in Shumacher to make it more "kid-friendly" again.

 

[vito81]

I love both films....love the look of 89 (batman suit, Gotham, Batwing...) but it's too limited by Bat-Joker.

In the other hand, you have Returns, with a lot of excellent performances (penguin, cat, Shreck, Bat...).

I would love to see a Batman III with B.D.Williams and Robin Williams...

 

[sdabbs]

They let Burton have is way with it and he went overboard. Parents freaked out that it wasn't and kids movie and put pressure on McDonalds because they were marketing the film to kids. McDonalds threatened to end their sponsorship so that's when Warner's brought in Shumacher to make it more "kid-friendly" again.

'nipples'

 

[DGTWoodward]

Therein lies the problem...

The stupid assumption that if it's originally from a comic, it must be suitable for children. It has happened many times and those movies have bombed at the box office, most recently with DREDD*. Why must it be suitable for children?

I remember the Dark Horse "Thing From Another World" comics from yesteryear and the covers alone should tell parents that those were not for the younger reader.

As to Batman Returns, this grand 'theatrical panic' syndrome was just ridiculous from the start. Warners cannot (supposedly) have read and approved a script for shooting, released the movie and then panicked when a co-sponsor like Mackie-Ds get all up in a fluster about it...they'd approved the script...so surely someone must have actually read it, even if it was only to estimate a budget? That cake don't slice both ways.

* Slightly OT, but DREDD seems to have done really quite well in the home entertainment market so talks of another movie appearing seem to be happening...tentatively, could all come to nothing. I liked it so

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

As Difabio said - Returns is weird.. but a GOOD kind of weird.

It's a rare Gem in the various incarnations to date. It has artistic flare, it's left of center - yet there's cohesion, & the characters definitely draw you in. While Miss Newmar is THE DC screen goddess, Michelle's Catwoman still reigns supreme.

It might not be for everyone - but I applaud Tim Burton for having the audacity to make it. Studios were slowly letting go of their uptight-ness, but were still weary of going too far. The film was ahead of it's time. Audiences / execs, would still have their collective heads up their aisses for years to come, but Tim knew things could be different - & proved it.

He didn't care - thanks Tim Burton.

 

[Rorywan]

It's still (and always will be) my favourite Batman movie. The third act is very unfocused (I imagine they toned down Penguins scheme/child catcher routine) but the world of Batman Returns is unique, it gels together. Weird, dark and exciting, but so stylised that anything can happen. I love EVERY character in Returns, even bit parters. Every scene is iconic, Catwoman looking through Shrecks window/cat logo? The giant duck blasting through the floor? The party with Bruce/Selina/the mistletoe? I could go on and on. The music is magnificent I even love the Banshee's track Face to Face. Some of the Penguin stuff went too far at the end but then it returned to blistering form with Catwoman and Christopher Walken.
Amazing. And I have grown to love it even more over he years.

 

[ASTRO13ZOMBIE]

It's still (and always will be) my favourite Batman movie. The third act is very unfocused (I imagine they toned down Penguins scheme/child catcher routine) but the world of Batman Returns is unique, it gels together. Weird, dark and exciting, but so stylised that anything can happen. I love EVERY character in Returns, even bit parters. Every scene is iconic, Catwoman looking through Shrecks window/cat logo? The giant duck blasting through the floor? The party with Bruce/Selina/the mistletoe? I could go on and on. The music is magnificent I even love the Banshee's track Face to Face. Some of the Penguin stuff went too far at the end but then it returned to blistering form with Catwoman and Christopher Walken.
Amazing. And I have grown to love it even more over he years.

 

[Khev]

It might not be for everyone - but I applaud Tim Burton for having the audacity to make it

Yes. Absolutely audacity on the part of Burton and WB. And I love it.

 

[jye4ever]

In 92 I hated him for that audacity.

As an adult, I applaud him for it.

 

[Khev]

In 92 I think we all had that sense of "WTF did I just see."

 

[DiFabio]

Yeah, I didn't think too highly of Batman Returns back in the day. I was sort of shocked that this was the follow up to the first film, I was definitely like, "WTF". I do remember Penguin's death really resonating for me for some reason, which is odd considering what a piece of **** he is in the story. There's something very operatic about him coming up out of the pool with that music, like a classic movie monster death scene where you feel sympathy for the creature.

Years later I came back to it and appreciated/enjoyed it a lot more. I don't think I grasped what they were trying to do originally. Now I treat it in high regard. It's no Dark Knight or Batman '89, but it's up there. It has this special, unique quality to it that's hard to describe.




https://gothamalleys.blogspot.com/2010/09/nightmare-that-tastes-like-candy-was.html

The third act is very unfocused (I imagine they toned down Penguins scheme/child catcher routine) but the world of Batman Returns is unique, it gels together.

That's pretty much every comic book, superhero movie ever made.

There are only a handful of films that don't have crazy *** third acts. I think that's the trap most writers fall into, that ***** to the wall third act that smashes towards the finale.

The most recent examples are MoS and Wolverine, just craziness.

 

[vito81]

I'm on the fence with WGP figures.... I can't wait for HT any more...

 

[Double J]

These figs might start to get made. Once the Iron Man movies are done for good.

 

[Batfreak]

Returns is a misunderstood masterpiece of the genre. it exists in its own world and has aged incredibly well because the production design looks nothing like the time it was made, in the 90's. it has a timeless quality about it, it could have been made 60 years ago. if this film were released today, where dark complex superhero movies are all the rage, it would have faired better I think. but back then people expected a movie that was more just a fun, if darker, comic book movie. Returns, despite its outwardly wild and fantastic characters and action scenes/special effects, was a mean spirited, bleak movie about sad, ruined characters and revenge. the humour might have been clever but it was not for kids. the Nolan movies, as much as I despise them, are also not really kid movies if at all, and Returns is the same way. the difference between nolan and burton is that while both are darker, more serious takes, one has no humour and visually drab, while the other has some great dark humour and is visually stunning feast for the eyes.

it is pretty amazing what burton was able to get away with, considering the style of the first movie. both burtons films are heavily stylized and have that gritty/dark vibe, but yet both are completely different from the other. WB probably wanted a film that was serious but still light enough to sell some toys, happy meals, able to have kids watch it with there parents and to be a general summer blockbuster like the first film was. instead they got what is a tortured, bizzare abstract art film that is more of a character piece's rather then focusing on a specific plot. personally I think all these things are improvements over the original because theres more fun things to think about, visual imagery that means something rather then just room for more explosions. I think at the time, people didn't know what to think, because it was so different from the first film. nowsdays, I think opinions have changed and people see the good about it that years ago people didn't quite understand. it did well at the box office but sadly people thought it was too dark and that's where Schumacher came in.