Joss Whedon Batman Film Pitch

I found this article at that link for the Avengers concept art. Man, I wasn't aware of this! But it also gives you some insight into what makes up 'the brothers Warner' I do believe!

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=56128

Joss Whedon's BATMAN Movie Pitch To Warner Bros. Was Like "Talking To A Wall"

Reminiscing about pitching what would've been his Batman Begins, prior to the Christopher Nolan-directed reboot, check out what The Avengers director Joss Whedon had to say!

DCMarvelFreshman - 3/10/2012

Excerpted from his lengthy panel at the SXSW annual film and music festival in Austin, Texas, via Leaky News, Marvel's The Avengers writer-director Joss Whedon recalled pitching his "Batman" movie to Warner Bros. Evidently prior to Christopher Nolan's critically acclaimed Batman Begins, read what Whedon says below!

When they were going to redo Batman, before Batman begins, [and he started thinking about it]:
“And so I went in to pitch a Batman movie, and my heart was on the table. I was so into it. And I could tell the executive I was talking to was just completely thinking about their schedule and their window and it was like I was talking to a wall. It was a different language. AndI drove away from the meeting and I actually said to myself like, how much more indication do I need that the machine doesn’t care? AndI got back to work and they cancelled ‘Firefly.’ And I was like ‘IT WAS RHETORICAL! I wasn’t asking for more!’ That was a bad day for me. Their structure cannot be built on passion. I believe in some ways they should be, more, but right now they’re not and I cannot fault them for that.”

Judging from how successful Warner Bros.' Caped Crusader flicks have been with Christopher Nolan at their helm, surely they have no regrets passing on Whedon's pitch. Of course, with The Dark Knight Rises fourthcoming, and concluding the franchise, do you think Whedon should be reconsidered for the rumored reboot? Not likely, with The Avengers a guaranteed franchise, but what do you think?

Back in 2008, Joss Whedon described what his Bat movie would've explored. Read what he said HERE!

And here's the link for that:

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/batman_movies/news/?a=4931

Joss Whedon's Batman Movie Pitch

Every fanboy knows (and worships at the altar of) Joss Whedon. The famed fantasy & scifi Writer/Director is best known for his Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly series. But did you know that he's had a few stabs at comic book movies as well?

ComicBookMovie - 8/11/2008

You've probably heard about the frustrating fiasco that ended with Whedon leaving leadership of the Wonder Woman movie, but before that sad turn of events, Joss pitched a pre-Nolan Batman script and was hopeful to helm the Dark Knight! MTV got him to talk about it...

“Well, I actually did pitch a ‘Batman’ film when [Warner Bros. began developing "Batman Begins"], and it wasn’t what they did but the vibe was very similar,” said Whedon. “Mine was a bit less epic. It was more about the progression of him and it was more in Gotham City. He didn’t go to Tibet and meet cool people, but it was very similar in vibe [to Nolan's "Batman Begins"].”

After a little prodding, Whedon opened up a bit about his “Batman” idea, even going into detail about what villain he planned on using…or not using.

“In my version, there was actually a new [villain], it wasn’t one of the classics — which is probably why they didn’t use it,” he laughed. “It was more of a ‘Hannibal Lector’ type — he was somebody already in Arkham Asylum that Bruce went and sort of studied with. It was a whole thing — I get very emotional about it, I still love the story. Maybe I’ll get to do it as a comic one day [ed. note: HINT HINT, DC Comics... ].”

Despite losing out to Nolan, Whedon has no hard feelings, and gave nothing but praise to the Director Who Can Do No Wrong. “I just love the respect [Nolan has] for the character and the world,” he said. “I thought Christopher Nolan’s done an amazing job of bringing out the comic book, and I see a lot of movies [coughs “HULK”] — sorry, I had a Hulk stuck in my throat — that don’t really have the aesthetic or the pathos or really get why the comic book works.”
Source: MTV

I think I'm glad he ended up with Avengers.

Didn't know he pitched batman. Ww I knew of. But ya shows you how screwed the wb execs are on dc films.

If his approach was going to be similar to Nolan's, I can't see where we've lost much or gained much.

I'm not surprised that Whedon struggled with the pitch though. People have this idea that WB has always always always been behind Batman, they've always believed in the character and the franchise, blah blah blah. It's bullshit revisionist history. There was a time when Batman movies were a joke, both online and to The Powers That Were at WB. The idea of doing more Batman movies and them somehow turning a profit, it was bad comedy.

I'm not hip to Nolan's Batman movies for the most part but one thing I've got to give him credit for is turning Batman into an A-lister at WB and among the moviegoers. I'd argue that the process started under Burton but it got immediately derailed by Schumacher. But for Nolan's timely intervention, I don't love the odds of how badly Batman could've been treated in the 2000's going right on through to today.

I'm not a fan of his Batman stuff but he's made the character respectable. We're about objectivity and intellectual honesty around here so I can say this without undermining my anti-Nolan cred.

My guess is that if Nolan hadn't 'rescued' the franchise it might have sunk to even lower depths if that's possible. ZOWIE! POW! BIFF! probably wouldn't have been far behind & although I say that somewhat in jest, it may have been more accurate than I could even know. So I guess Nolan is like a 'mixed' blessing of sorts. But I have to wonder how the franchise will be looked at after this summer, if you know what I mean?

Batman (George Clooney) to Robin:

"This is why Superman works alone."

non_amos wrote:My guess is that if Nolan hadn't 'rescued' the franchise it might have sunk to even lower depths if that's possible. ZOWIE! POW! BIFF! probably wouldn't have been far behind & although I say that somewhat in jest, it may have been more accurate than I could even know. So I guess Nolan is like a 'mixed' blessing of sorts. But I have to wonder how the franchise will be looked at after this summer, if you know what I mean?

Batman (George Clooney) to Robin:

"This is why Superman works alone."

I fret over that myself. I can't see WB ever wanting a return to the Schumacher period. They know enough to make a dark Batman film.

Movie execs only think in terms of formulas. From a business point of view, it makes sense to continue a Nolan'ish type of vibe for future movies. Something realistic and dark. Problem is that no every single director will feel comfortable in Nolan's shoes, particularly if they don't even have access to his cast. They may want to take their own approach with the material. You can't really push a visionary director around too much. Hacks will do whatever the hell they're told though. I'd rather a visionary come along, try his vision and fail than a hack copy Nolan and succeed. But that's just the snooty comic fan in me talking.

I too would hate to see another director be forced into following nolan take for x more yrs. I rather they let the director do his vision. And do realistic/fantasy mix.