It’s been a while since superhero movies passed the billion-dollar mark at the box office, but DC has the perfectBatmanstory that could change that. Batman stands out as one of the most popular superheroes ever created, along with characters like Spider-Man, Superman, and Hulk.
However, while superhero movies have been able to deliver more than a dozen billion-dollar box office hits in the last 15 years,Spider-Man and Batman remain the only heroes of those iconic four to have multiple billion-dollar solo adventuresunder their belts. However, all four have the potential to cross the threshold in the right circumstances.
But before we get a billion-dollar Superman or Hulk movie, there is a perfect Batman story that has yet to be adapted for the big screen that couldadd another billion-dollar hit to Batman’s impressive catalogof films.
Batman Beyond Broke The Mold For The Dark Knight & DC In The Perfect Way
In 1999,Batman Beyonddebuted on TV, bringing with it a new Batman, and abrand-new look at a futuristic Gotham. This original series served as a sequel toBatman: The Animated Series, with Kevin Conroy returning to voice Bruce Wayne, while a new younger hero donned the Batsuit for the series, Terry McGinnis.
And while most animated comic book shows were busy trying to adapt storylines from the comics,Batman Beyondmoved in an entirely new direction. McGinnis was a fresh take on the iconic hero, and the futuristic Gotham was full of villains who resembled those inBatman’s Rogues Gallery, but they were distinctly new.
Andthanks to the show’s bringing back Bruce Wayne, this time as a mentor to a new hero, it retained an important connection that made it feel more authentic and relevant for fans of the original hero and new audiences alike. And with a 100% score onRotten Tomatoes, it certainly had that effect on the majority of audiences.
All of this combines to make this an excellent candidate for a future live-action DC movie, and one that may be arelatively safe bet to earn big at the box office. After all, nostalgia has proven to be a hefty influence for audiences and one that has successfully earned big with movies in the superhero genre.
A Batman Beyond Elseworld Movie Could Be Exactly What The DCU Needs
With the rise of the DCU, there are plans to bring many central characters into the franchise as part ofJames Gunn’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. However, theDCU also has a built-in explanation for stories that are sort of adjacent, while still remaining separate from the DCU proper, which could be perfect for aBatman Beyondmovie.
Now,Batman is already set to have a fairly central role in the DCU, with the character due to appear alongside Damian Wayne inThe Brave and the Bold, and several Gothamite characters popping up in other areas of the DCU. In addition, there is already a DCU Elseworlds Batman project with Matt Reeves’The Batman.
However,Batman Beyondhas a different enough story that it could appear on the big screen, and avoid any serious confusion for the audience between multiple Batmen existing all at the same time. From his tech, to his team, and even the city where he fights,Batman Beyondis incredibly unique.
So, while Gunn struggles to find a script he thinks is a good fit forThe Brave and the Bold,it may be worth exploring a very different version of Batmanin the DCU, and finally bringing this iconic character from the cartoon into live-action on the big screen. It opens new doors to explore stories in Gotham and beyond.
Why A Live-Action Batman Beyond Movie Would Be Totally Different To Everything That Came Before
Batman has been adapted many times into live-action. In the 1960s, Adam West was cast to play a version of the hero that felt like he was lifted straight from the pages of the comics. Somber, a skilled detective, and just ever so slightly goofy. Then, whenTim Burton took a stab at the character, they underwent an intense transformation.
With Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and George Clooney’s takes on the character all appearing to be generally similar, it’s hard to distinguish what made their characters special, since Gotham and the villains really ended up becoming the central figures in the movies. And whileChristopher Nolan’s adaptations shone a light on Gotham, the focus swiftly returned to Batman.
WithChristian Bale taking over the role, there was a greater focus on the broody detective with a secret double life as a playboy philanthropist. Then,Ben Affleck’s take was mainly a large brawlerwho was profoundly wounded by the loss of his sidekick, Robin. And Robert Pattinson’s take is more of a nascent detective in a Batsuit.
Adapting a story about Terry McGinnis, a juvenile criminal with no trace of wealth and fortune, who stumbles into a relationship with Bruce Wayne after the assassination of his father, could be the perfect way to break up the monotony of repetitive Batman stories and do something different.
Terry’s story is starkly different to Bruce’s, and the exploration of this in live-action would make for a fascinating film. And it could even tie into the character of Booster Gold, a Gothamite who travels back in time to assert himself as a hero in contemporary times.Batman Beyondwould make for an awesome DCU Elseworlds feature film.
