The January 2021 BOF Mailbag

By
Bill "Jett" Ramey
-
3602

You have been lobbying for Warner Bros. to allow directors to make the movies they really want to make for many years now. But let’s take a look back at history. Tim Burton was allowed to make the movie he wanted in BATMAN RETURNS, and we got what we got. Snyder had creative control in BATMAN v SUPERMAN, and the DCEU still has not yet recovered. Patty Jenkins dropped the ball with WONDER WOMAN 1984. Even Nolan eventually closed THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY on a lower note. Maybe it is time to give some credit to WB and admit that some studio interference is actually beneficial to the final product?

JETT SAYS: I don’t have to lobby Warner Bros. as they already are a legendary director’s studio.  ANYWAY…

I get your examples, but I’m not buying ’em.  To say that TDKTrilogy “closed on a lower note” is laughable quite frankly.  THE DARK KNIGHT RISES made over a billion dollars at the box office and got very good reviews overall.

In terms of BATMAN RETURNS, I may not like it, but it was reviewed well and was a box office success.  I wasn’t a huge fan of WONDER WOMAN 1984, but it received more positive reviews than poor ones and we simply can’t judge how it would’ve performed at the box office due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  And sure, BATMAN v SUPERMAN — which I basically despise — was a downright disaster.  But I still champion Tim Burton, Patty Jenkins, and Zack Snyder to be able to make those films exactly as they wanted.

I’m sure in some cases, studio feedback can be and is beneficial to a film.  Regardless, I still prefer the director-driven approach to filmmaking as opposed to studio/producer-driven.  More times than not, a film is better off when the filmmaker makes the movie he intended to make, period.  For every BATMAN v SUPERMAN, there are 2 or 3 films like James Wan’s director-driven AQUAMAN.

JETT SAYS: Someday, I’m sure it’ll happen.  With that said, I don’t think it’s on the near horizon for DC on film.  I certainly do not believe Robert Pattinson’s version of Batman will show up in a film with Superman.  It’s probably going to be a while.

Do we expect the Tommy Elliott/Bruce Wayne actor to MAYBE be BruceBatman in later seasons of BATWOMAN?

JETT SAYS: Honestly, I have no idea.  I don’t watch BATWOMAN and don’t plan to start.  All I can say is that they are pretty damn protective of Batman and how the character is used in live-action — especially now with THE BATMAN coming.

JETT SAYS: I’m not sure how they’re going to handle the backstory of Keaton’s Batman from the events of BATMAN RETURNS to his much older version of Bruce Wayne in THE FLASH.  I’m not sure whether or not the Keaton Batman ever had a “Batman Family.”  What I’ve heard is that they were going to do a riff off of BATMAN BEYOND/THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS where he mentors a successor.  Could be a female or a male.  We’ll see.

Jett, would you like to see The Scarecrow in one of the sequels to THE BATMAN?

JETT SAYS: Sure…as long as it’s a different take on the character than we saw in THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY and he doesn’t look like Ray Bolger in THE WIZARD OF OZ.

JETT SAYS: Great question. Honestly, I haven’t seen any of the TWILIGHT movies.  I had seen GOOD TIME and thought he was fantastic in it.  I wasn’t worried or upset in the least when he was cast as Batman.  In my opinion, him getting the gig is on the same level as Christian Bale’s casting for BATMAN BEGINS.  Great actors both!

JETT SAYS: You make a very good point about The Joker, but I’d still go with Batman.

Do you think we’ll get a glimpse of Adam West, or Christopher Reeve in [THE FLASH] if they do any kind of universes montage scene?

JETT SAYS: It’s certainly possible I suppose.  If they do something like that, they need to be careful that it doesn’t come off as fan-pandering, you know?

JETT SAYS: Since you asked this question in terms of DC Comics, I don’t think they’ll stop publishing Batman comic books.  I do think the way we get comics will change — and is changing as we speak.  I suspect DC Comics will become all-digital at some point soon.

If you meant Warner Bros. and the Batman film franchise, we’re a year away from a new Batman on film series with THE BATMAN and subsequent sequels and spinoffs.  Batman is their #1 I.P., so I don’t see WB shelving Batman anytime soon.

Remember way back when the internet was buzz about who would play Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT and Aussie actor Lachy Hulme was heavily rumored for the role.  Was there any truth to those rumors about him auditioning for it?

JETT SAYS: I do remember that and I have no idea if he actually auditioned for the part (I don’t think he did, personally) or spoke to the director or producers about it (that’s the more likely scenario).  I believe Mr. Hulme once said that him being up for the role of The Joker was something fan-driven.  Maybe his management was just trying to get his name in the mix.

JETT SAYS: Once, yes. I read the script for BATMAN BEGINS when it was leaked online.  While I wish I hadn’t read it, doing so did not take away the joy of seeing it for the first time.  In fact, it’s my favorite Batman movie to date.

JETT SAYS: Since Affleck’s part in THE FLASH is essentially a cameo, I highly doubt it.  He might not even put on the Batsuit in the film and only appear as Bruce Wayne.

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