But here's a kicker for you- if TPTB were to announce tomorrow they were making the Batman Beyond series into a movie, who would you guys want to see as the older BW/BM and who could play Terry?

Well, before they make a Batman Beyond movie, there has to be a The Dark Knight Returns movie. The reason for that is because without The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, you really don't have any of the resurgence in Batman, from the comic books to the initial Tim Keaton movie to the animated series and shorts to the Batman Beyond series to the current Christian Bale movies. Without The Dark Knight Returns, all you have in everyone's mind is that stupid campy 1960's Adam West series that so warped everyone's sense of what The Batman is.

For those unfamiliar with modern Batman mythology, The Dark Knight Returns is not just a sequel to follow to the next Batman movie or anything like that. It is a story that takes place years after The Batman has retired, things truly suck in Gotham, and suddenly you have a much older and much more pissed off Batman back on the scene.

And sometime after The Dark Knight Returns, Bruce must retire again because he is really too old to be The Batman. Years go by. This sets up the basis for the character that eventually ends up playing the semi-bitter and stern Bruce Wayne (with a cane) in Batman Beyond as Terry's mentor. Terry becomes the new Batman in a future world that isn't quite what any of us would recognize right now.

If a Batman Beyond movie were made today? Right now? If Clint Eastwood weren't so skinny, he'd be perfect for it, but he is out. Right now I'm drawing a blank, but I'll come back to it. I have no clue who should play Terry, because he is so young that I probably wouldn't know the actors that well and wouldl probably initially react negatively toward any choice. Basically, you've got a young adult very capable Robin sort of along the lines of Dick Grayson (who grows up and becomes Nightwing but no longer lives in Gotham) only wearing a batsuit that flies, kind of.

What would be more interesting, though, is to think about a Nightwing movie.

Well, before they make a Batman Beyond movie, there has to be a The Dark Knight Returns movie. The reason for that is because without The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, you really don't have any of the resurgence in Batman, from the comic books to the initial Tim Keaton movie to the animated series and shorts to the Batman Beyond series to the current Christian Bale movies. Without The Dark Knight Returns, all you have in everyone's mind is that stupid campy 1960's Adam West series that so warped everyone's sense of what The Batman is.

For those unfamiliar with modern Batman mythology, The Dark Knight Returns is not just a sequel to follow to the next Batman movie or anything like that. It is a story that takes place years after The Batman has retired, things truly suck in Gotham, and suddenly you have a much older and much more pissed off Batman back on the scene.

And sometime after The Dark Knight Returns, Bruce must retire again because he is really too old to be The Batman. Years go by. This sets up the basis for the character that eventually ends up playing the semi-bitter and stern Bruce Wayne (with a cane) in Batman Beyond as Terry's mentor. Terry becomes the new Batman in a future world that isn't quite what any of us would recognize right now.

If a Batman Beyond movie were made today? Right now? If Clint Eastwood weren't so skinny, he'd be perfect for it, but he is out. Right now I'm drawing a blank, but I'll come back to it. I have no clue who should play Terry, because he is so young that I probably wouldn't know the actors that well and wouldl probably initially react negatively toward any choice. Basically, you've got a young adult very capable Robin sort of along the lines of Dick Grayson (who grows up and becomes Nightwing but no longer lives in Gotham) only wearing a batsuit that flies, kind of.

What would be more interesting, though, is to think about a Nightwing movie.

Auskar, you seem to be a Batman scholar. Do you know the DC books well? I'm thinking late '50s-early '60s now.

Auskar, you seem to be a Batman scholar. Do you know the DC books well? I'm thinking late '50s-early '60s now.

I learned how to read by reading DC comic books. I lived in France during the early sixties and comic books were the only entertainment I had in English to entertain me, besides all the normal stuff that kids do. But English-language radio and television weren't really options.

I hope that they take The Joker back to his roots; Gwynplaine from The Man Who Laughs. The smile from ear to ear would be a very gruesome and dark direction to take.

That's how I draw the Joker, and it always provokes a sqeamish response!

she certainly is, but it would be nice to have her there. yes, I did see ROTJ, and that's exactly was I was thinking of when I wrote the post. in the animated Batman Beyond, the entire tone is much darker and sinsiter than the regular stories. I've found myself sitting and watching them with Bri bc they were so well done- like what became of some of these supervillians later in life (Bri always roots for Ace the BatDog), there was the episode about Splicing (remind you of SIMS?), loads of good story material that a lot of folks don't take seriously since its animated.

LOVING Christian Bale as the Dark Knight, he's the only one so far who has truly managed to get the BW persona and the barely leashed violence of the Bat together for the performance. Sorry George, I love ya honey, but Christian has the role wrapped. But here's a kicker for you- if TPTB were to announce tomorrow they were making the Batman Beyond series into a movie, who would you guys want to see as the older BW/BM and who could play Terry?

Older Bruce - Clint Eastwood. There would have been a time he would have been too stereotyped, but I don't think so today.

Terry - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

But even more than this I wish Miller's Dark Knight Returns would be made into a movie.

Well, before they make a Batman Beyond movie, there has to be a The Dark Knight Returns movie. The reason for that is because without The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, you really don't have any of the resurgence in Batman, from the comic books to the initial Tim Keaton movie to the animated series and shorts to the Batman Beyond series to the current Christian Bale movies. Without The Dark Knight Returns, all you have in everyone's mind is that stupid campy 1960's Adam West series that so warped everyone's sense of what The Batman is.

Not sure about this. I think Ten Nights of the Beast also played a role. If memory serves they were around the same time.

But DKR is my favorite comic ever. I was a little disappointed with Dark Knight Strikes Back, but it was still very good.

Not sure about this. I think Ten Nights of the Beast also played a role. If memory serves they were around the same time.

But DKR is my favorite comic ever. I was a little disappointed with Dark Knight Strikes Back, but it was still very good.

I agree about The Dark Knight Strikes Back. I didn't like it much.

The Dark Knight Returns was originally published between February and June 1986. Ten Nights of the Beast was originally published between March and June 1988. A lot of people don't like it because it seemed too rooted in the real world and DC, unlike Marvel, has never been a "real world" place.

I agree about The Dark Knight Strikes Back. I didn't like it much.

I must say, though, that I liked the Thanagarian boy's statement when his parents are killed and I very much liked how Shazam went down. Gave me goose bumps.

The Dark Knight Returns was originally published between February and June 1986. Ten Nights of the Beast was originally published between March and June 1988. A lot of people don't like it because it seemed too rooted in the real world and DC, unlike Marvel, has never been a "real world" place.

Ah, my apologies then. I remember them as about the same time, which they obviously weren't. I'm probably also projecting a little as Ten Knights is what got me started on Batman.

I worked the door at a nightclub in college and I used to draw Batman pics (usually copy something I saw) when it was slow (before 9). I've still got them all. I was first in line to see the movie when it came out.

I've always liked Batman better than any other hero, with The Punisher running a close second. I think its because I've missed the boat on being born on another planet or being a mutant, but any of us, should we devote ourselves to it, can become a Batman.

Well, except for maybe the really rich part.

I don't think that a movie of DKR would be a very good idea.

All of the best parts of DKR come from a) the time it came out and b) the format it came out in.

Besides the fact that all the political stuff would be outdated, the best part of DKR is the way that it's a really good comic book.

How often do you hear a really good song as say, 'Wow, that's an ace song, but I can't wait to see the oil painting of it!'

That's why most movie adaptations of comic books are rubbish. If they change a lot of things to make them work as films, then the fan boys kick off and they aren't successful. If they try to keep the films as faithful as possible (Sin City) then the entire thing is pointlessly redundant.

I think that the influence of DKR has been significant enough that we don't need a filmed version. Was it Auskar that said that without a film of DKR people think of Batman as the Adam WEst version?

I disgree.

I think everyone realises that Batman is supposed to be 'dark', and I don't think that Tim Burton's Batman would have happened without DKR. Joel Schumacher took the Batman franchise in a more Adam West-esque direction and everyone reacted negatively to it.

Batman Begins took Batman back to what most people realised are his 'darker' roots and was much more successful. I think it's safe to say that the general public don't immediately associate Batman with the campy Adam West series.

I only skimmed this topic so forgive me if someone posted this....

***SPOILER ALERT***

Link to pic of Heath Ledger's The Joker