Hot Toys DX09 - BATMAN - Batman (Michael Keaton) - Specs & Pics

[TheMayor]

After Batman Forever Schumacher expressed interest in making a Batman Year One film I believe.

Actually he said that AFTER BB and TDK were a success...hes just trying to climb on the bandwagon. That man should never EVER be allowed any where near a comic book movie ever again!

 

[DiFabio]

He said that in the commentary for the special edition DVD, years after both movies came out and then again after The Dark Knight was released. It's easy as hell to say you really wanted to make something serious after Batman fans worldwide have said that they dislike and even hate your movies and prefer the serious ones instead.

Actually he said that AFTER BB and TDK were a success...hes just trying to climb on the bandwagon. That man should never EVER be allowed any where near a comic book movie ever again!

There were actually several interviews I remember from Starlog and other movie magazine from the late 90s where he stated as much. It was back when the project was nothing more than "Batman 5" (looking back at those, it's always cool to see those original projects like "Batman 5" or "Terminator 3" or "Indiana Jones 4" in their development infancy).

First it started out as Batman Triumphant before Batman and Robin bombed or something. Schumacher and WB were going to go with Scarecrow. Once B&R failed, he expressed interest in making a "darker" origin movie. WB of course dropped him (and rightfully so) and from there it went to either a Year One type film, a Batman Beyond film or Batman and Superman.

They ended up going with with Aronofsky's Year One treatment, but that too went into development hell and what we got was Nolan and Goyer's Batman Begins.

I don't think Schumacher was lying about wanting to do a different take. I think as soon as Batman and Robin failed critically and financially that everyone wanted to take it back to the beginning. Nobody was going to continue that light, corny/campy stuff again. He was the first to ever suggest using Scarecrow so I'm sure the studio atleast agreed with that idea and made it a mandate for the character to be "in the next one". Now, I think him saying that Miller and Year One being his "favorites" was a bit of a stretch, but I do think that he had plans to make a darker Batman film that would focus on the origins. Batman Forever's original script and it's cut/edited material is sort of proof of this.

 

[S. Griffin]

So in the '90s after Batman and Robin essentially alienated fans and was a critical flop, he said he wanted to make Batman 5 serious, and in the 2000's he said he loved Burton's and Nolan's movies and he wanted to make a serious movie instead of B&R all along. One of those statements might not be lying, but it all sounds like horse____ to me.
This is a little abstract, but imagine him being dragged away from a director's chair with the bat symbol on it, kicking and screaming, "LET ME DO ONE MORE! I'LL MAKE IT SERIOUS THIS TIME! I PROMISE TO MAKE IT SERIOUS! ONE MORE! PLEEEEEEEEEEASE!!!!"

 

[DiFabio]

The overhead lighting casting the shadow over Batman's unseen eyes just looks so damn cool. I've done this on mine several times as well.

It's just like out of the film. Good stuff.

I tried getting a little mag light to shine in on just the eyes in the dark like how he looks in the Batcave ("not a normal world"/"he's psychotic") but can't quite get it.

 

[jye4ever]

I also tried the light into the eyes, no good.


Either it lights up the entire head or it's not bright enough.

 

[TheMayor]

There were actually several interviews I remember from Starlog and other movie magazine from the late 90s where he stated as much. It was back when the project was nothing more than "Batman 5" (looking back at those, it's always cool to see those original projects like "Batman 5" or "Terminator 3" or "Indiana Jones 4" in their development infancy).

First it started out as Batman Triumphant before Batman and Robin bombed or something. Schumacher and WB were going to go with Scarecrow. Once B&R failed, he expressed interest in making a "darker" origin movie. WB of course dropped him (and rightfully so) and from there it went to either a Year One type film, a Batman Beyond film or Batman and Superman.

They ended up going with with Aronofsky's Year One treatment, but that too went into development hell and what we got was Nolan and Goyer's Batman Begins.

I don't think Schumacher was lying about wanting to do a different take. I think as soon as Batman and Robin failed critically and financially that everyone wanted to take it back to the beginning. Nobody was going to continue that light, corny/campy stuff again. He was the first to ever suggest using Scarecrow so I'm sure the studio atleast agreed with that idea and made it a mandate for the character to be "in the next one". Now, I think him saying that Miller and Year One being his "favorites" was a bit of a stretch, but I do think that he had plans to make a darker Batman film that would focus on the origins. Batman Forever's original script and it's cut/edited material is sort of proof of this.

Hmmm I dont remember hearing that at all. I do know that Triumphant was scripted while BandR was being shot, but after the box office failure of BandR the studio decided not to go with another kid friendly movie. Sure the movie was going to feature Scarecrow, but it would have been Schumachers Scarecrow...thank God we never got that! And as soon as TDK was a super success, Schumacher came out and said "Hey thats what I wanted to do"...sure Joel, sure...

 

[Echo 7]

So anyone know when this baby is being release nationally for good ?

 

[banthafett]

Schumacher could make BB and TDK with his eyes closed , but way to wimpy to make anything like the Burton films.

 

[TheMayor]

So anyone know when this baby is being release nationally for good ?

isnt it already released, but its limited...

 

[DiFabio]

So in the 90's after Batman and Robin essentially alienated fans and was a critical flop, he said he wanted to make Batman 5 serious, and in the 2000's he said he loved Burton's and Nolan's movies and he wanted to make a serious movie instead of B&R all along. One of those statements might not be lying, but it all sounds like horse____ to me.
This is a little abstract, but imagine him being dragged away from a director's chair with the bat symbol on it, kicking and screaming, "LET ME DO ONE MORE! I'LL MAKE IT SERIOUS THIS TIME! I PROMISE TO MAKE IT SERIOUS! ONE MORE! PLEEEEEEEEEEASE!!!!"

I can buy his claims wanting to go back and make a better Batman film. Other than Batman and Robin, his filmography isn't necessarily horrible. He's got quite a few "dark" and un-B&R like films in there.

I'm not defending the guy because hell, he was the director making the choices, but I don't think it's all his fault and I don't think the whole thing is that big of a deal. I don't think he's lying. Most of the stuff he stated like the darker tones, Scarecrow and the year one theme was brought to the table way before 2003 or whenever Nolan came on board anyway.

This whole Batman film franchise has been an evolutionary thing. In the 80s it was in development hell until the late 80s when Burton, Furst and Co. came in. When '89 became a huge success and a phenomenon, then the franchise began and naturally they were going to make a sequel. Then Returns comes out, it's darker and while it's a success, it offends people. WB sees this, drops Burton (which was sort of unnecessary, Returns made back all of it's budget and then some) and want to take Batman in a whole new direction. They wanted family friendly and something more marketable, and that's what they got.

Then you get to Schumacher. They lighten up, take out anything "dark" by cutting it out of Batman Forever. Forever becomes a success so they push the camp and corniness even further and you get Batman and Robin, pretty much the exact opposite of what came before it. It fails big time so even if Schumacher wanted a second chance, he wasn't going to get one.

Now since lightening it up and make it goofy didn't seem to work and resulted in failure, we now have what we're seeing today with the current films with a formula that's working.

Sure the movie was going to feature Scarecrow, but it would have been Schumachers Scarecrow...thank God we never got that! And as soon as TDK was a super success, Schumacher came out and said "Hey thats what I wanted to do"...sure Joel, sure...

But he stated it before Batman Begins as well? Like I said, this was the late 90s where he stated this, well before TDK was even in existence. Schumacher mentions it in interviews and commentaries as well for the DVD anthology boxed set in 2005. A set with interviews that took place before Batman Begins was even considered a success.

- Batman and Robin comes out

- It's a complete POS

- Batman Triumphant (Scarecrow villain) was planned and is put on hold then scrapped due to B&Rs poor performance

- Thought process is to make a darker Batman film, opposite of Batman and Robin by WB

- Schumacher wants to make a Batman Year One film, a second chance so to speak. WB drops him.

- Batman 5 is put on a hiatus (potentially Batman Year One and/or Batman Beyond and/or Batman/Superman)

- Script Treatments

- Darren Aronofsky Batman Year One in development/green lit

- Cancelled

- New 2003 Batman project with David Goyer and Christopher Nolan at the helm

- Batman 5/Batman: Intimidation Game/ Batman Begins

 

[S. Griffin]

I can buy his claims wanting to go back and make a better Batman film. Other than Batman and Robin, his filmography isn't necessarily horrible. He's got quite a few "dark" and un-B&R like films in there.

I'm not defending the guy because hell, he was the director making the choices, but I don't think it's all his fault and I don't think the whole thing is that big of a deal. I don't think he's lying. Most of the stuff he stated like the darker tones, Scarecrow and the year one theme was brought to the table way before 2003 or whenever Nolan came on board anyway.

This whole Batman film franchise has been an evolutionary thing. In the 80s it was in development hell until the late 80s when Burton, Furst and Co. came in. When '89 became a huge success and a phenomenon, then the franchise began and naturally they were going to make a sequel. Then Returns comes out, it's darker and while it's a success, it offends people. WB sees this, drops Burton (which was sort of unnecessary, Returns made back all of it's budget and then some) and want to take Batman in a whole new direction. They wanted family friendly and something more marketable, and that's what they got.

Then you get to Schumacher. They lighten up, take out anything "dark" by cutting it out of Batman Forever. Forever becomes a success so they push the camp and corniness even further and you get Batman and Robin, pretty much the exact opposite of what came before it. It fails big time so even if Schumacher wanted a second chance, he wasn't going to get one.

Now since lightening it up and make it goofy didn't seem to work and resulted in failure, we now have what we're seeing today with the current films with a formula that's working.

You're sort of missing my point and making it at the same time. Hindsight is 20/20. Of course he said he wanted to make a better and serious Batman film...because he made a mediocre Batman film and followed it up with a laughably terrible one, received by critics and fans with vitriol and apparently a few death threats. Also your pointing out that he said he wanted to make a darker Batman movie after Batman and Robin doesn't mean that later saying that he really wanted to make a serious movie instead of Batman and Robin, and then saying that again after The Dark Knight came out isn't a huge crock of ____.

 

[TheMayor]

You're sort of missing my point and making it at the same time. Hindsight is 20/20. Of course he said he wanted to make a better and serious Batman film...because he made a mediocre Batman film and followed it up with a laughably terrible one, received by critics and fans with vitriol and apparently a few death threats. Also your pointing out that he said he wanted to make a darker Batman movie after Batman and Robin doesn't mean that later saying that he really wanted to make a serious movie instead of Batman and Robin, and then saying that again after The Dark Knight came out isn't a huge crock of ____.

I agree. I don't think that, even in the Bizarro world, there is or was the chance of Schumacher turning Triumphant into a serious dark film. It just sounds like hes trying to ride on the praise of TDK.

And just for clarification I do blame him for the terribly awful films, both of them. He could have made a good Batman film, while being for the family as well. Now Batman should generally be a dark film, but just because its for the family and less dark does not mean it has to be zany and have bad acting and a ____ty story...

 

[S. Griffin]

Well he did that, but since he also made pretty much the same comments prior to either Nolan film being released, he's pretty much just saying he wanted to make a better movie all along because fans and critics hated it and that reaction prompted the studio to shelf his next Batman movie. Hollywood is full of phonies, and who among them wouldn't say that kind of thing who isn't George Lucas?

 

[DiFabio]

Of course he said he wanted to make a better and serious Batman film...because he made a mediocre Batman film and followed it up with a laughably terrible one, received by critics and fans with vitriol and apparently a few death threats. Also your pointing out that he said he wanted to make a darker Batman movie after Batman and Robin doesn't mean that later saying that he really wanted to make a serious movie instead of Batman and Robin, and then saying that again after The Dark Knight came out isn't a huge crock of ____.

Well maybe he's full of it, but we don't know that. We'll just have to take his word for it or don't. Maybe he genuinely wanted to make a better Batman film for fans? Maybe he was just saying it because he ____ed up? Who knows? Who cares? I'm not about to analyze some director whom I don't particularly care for.

The Mayor is suggesting that he only stated that he wanted to do a darker Batman film, along the lines of Year One because of Batman Begins and I was simply pointing out that that's not true. He stated things before Begins' conception.

What Schumacher did, or didn't do really never offended me. He made a crappy film (while I don't love Batman Forever, I don't hate or despise it), he defiantly defended it, sure but then eventually took the blame and apologized. What more do people want from him and what more should we analyze? He messed up, the writer messed up and most importantly, Warner Bros. messed up. It's an old discussion, almost as old as the "which is better, Burton Batman films or Nolan Batman films". At the end of the day, to get to Batman '89, you needed to have years of struggle to get it on film. To get to Batman Returns, you needed a ground breaking success. Batman Forever came to be because of conservative folks who were offended by Returns' darkness. Batman and Robin happened because the makers got too zealous with Forever. Finally, to get to Batman Begins, Batman and Robin had to fail. It took 7 years for it to happen, but now, in 2012, does it really matter? No.

There are 6 Batman films, soon to be 7. Some are great, some are not. There's something for everyone. That's all.

 

[TheFiend]

That's why I bought a second cape. All that crimping will lead to breaking.

My cape is beat up already

Yeah, I have at least one break in the wire already.

All this talk about the cape has me a bit worried. I have a love/hate thing for wired capes anyhow. Is it really that much a pain in the arse to futz it to a proper position.

Yep. That's the nature of a thin wire. Now that I have a second one coming I don't worry about over-futzing it anymore.

Plus I have that mod in mind for the first cape...

How much did you pay for an extra cape if you dont mind me asking just in case I feel the need to nab one. What mod do you have in mind for the first one?

I figured. In most cases like this one the person has never read a Batman comic, which is ironic considering that's were ALL interprations of the character are pulled from. Oh well, he can hate. We will love them both.

 

[stoods77]

Schumacher should have been dropped after Batman Forever, that was sh|t too! I think Robin Williams would make a good Riddler, Jim Carrey just sux.

Also it's a damn shame Heath Ledger died, a joker cameo in TDKR would have been awesome.

 

[Scareb]

The moment they added sound effects from a Looney Toons cartoon for someone getting tripped, I completely lost interest. The rest is just the nail in the coffin.

 

[Jay1138]

The moment they added sound effects from a Looney Toons cartoon for someone getting tripped, I completely lost interest. The rest is just the nail in the coffin.

The light-up machine guns for Two-Face's goons was a red flag.

 

[jye4ever]

All this talk about the cape has me a bit worried. I have a love/hate thing for wired capes anyhow. Is it really that much a pain in the arse to futz it to a proper position.

Don't stress, my cape still works great but the look is not as smooth as it was when out of the box.

There are a few spots where the wire has stressed though.

Find the pose you want once and leave it alone, I kept changing the poses over and over and over hence why it's in this condition.

But look at my last photo, it still looks good and presentable.

You won't need a 2nd cape if you don't change the poses too much.

 

[TheFiend]

Don't stress, my cape still works great but the look is not as smooth as it was when out of the box.

There are a few spots where the wire has stressed though.

Find the pose you want once and leave it alone, I kept changing the poses over and over and over hence why it's in this condition.

But look at my last photo, it still looks good and presentable.

You won't need a 2nd cape if you don't change the poses too much.

This very well may be what I do too though I've waited like all you guys for a company to do a definitive figure of 89 forever and now that it's here I'm damn excited. Not to mention theres all kinds of great poses to be made.