Yes, a “couple” of days late on this month’s BOF Mailbag.
Life gets in the way, you know?
Besides work, I went to see Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT, and it’s…simply brilliant. If you’re an Elvis fan, it’s the best Elvis “Thing” I’ve ever seen (outside of seeing Elvis in person, which I did back in 1974 when I was 8).
And I also took “Announcer Rachel” to see Lady Gaga and her “Mayhem Ball” show in Fort Worth. Look, it’s not really my music overall, but I do like a few of her songs, and she’s talented as hell. I also absolutely love her in A STAR IS BORN. As I said, she’s talented AF. AND…
The Announcer had a great time, so I was happy she was happy.
Anyway, better late than never, so let’s get to those questions. – Bill “Jett” Ramey
What’s your take on Daniel Craig as Christopher Dent stuff?
JETT SAYS: It would be a good get if he accepts. Fantastic actor.
Do you have a problem with Liam Neeson being in THE BATMAN PART II? He’s a great actor, but I’m afraid he’ll take me out of the movie thinking “Ra’s Al Ghul!”
JETT SAYS: I have zero issue with it. He’s a great actor, right? It’s not like he’s really Ra’s Al Ghul, LOL! I don’t think there’s a “rule” that an actor in a Batman film can’t be cast in another Batman movie — especially when it’s 2 decades removed and a totally different continuity.
What’s your gut feeling when it comes to THE BATMAN PART III?
JETT SAYS: It happens, and Matt Reeves gets to finish his Batman story as intended. I’m not worried about that in the least. THE BATMAN PART II will be too big a success, and James Gunn and Warner Bros. want to be in business with Matt Reeves now and in the future. My main concern is James Gunn and DC Studios introducing the DCU Batman before THE BATMAN PART III. I believe that would be an unwise decision, not good for either version of Batman on film.
How many movies will the DCU get to before it folds, and why is it 4?
JETT SAYS: 😂
I think it continues as long as the films perform well. I can’t see any of the DCU movies that are actually coming — SUPERGIRL, CLAYFACE, MAN OF TOMORROW — being huge, billion-dollar-plus hits…but they don’t have to be. We’ll see soon enough with SUPERGIRL coming here in a few months. BUT…
It’ll be interesting to see how this Paramount/Warner Bros. Discover merger will affect everything under the WBD banner — including all that is DC.
If you could go back and read any Batman comic/story again for the first time, which would it be?
JETT SAYS: BATMAN #251/”The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge.” I was 7 going on 8 when it came out and didn’t understand how significant it was. It was the return of The Joker, not only to the pages of a Batman comic book, but also the return of the original dark, scary, and homicidal incarnation of the character.
Do you think there will be another sizeable female role in THE BATMAN PART II outside of Scarlet Johansson?
JETT SAYS: Sizable compared to that of ScarJo’s? No. Important ones? Yeah.
Is it me, or does the DCU under Gunn seem to be showing a strong preference to direct links to comic book story adaptations, loosely or directly, to a greater degree than prior comic book universes?
JETT SAYS: That’s a fair analysis, and on the surface, I’d say yes, that is the case. However, I’d say there’s a lot of comic book influences in Christopher Nolan’s THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY and, so far, from Matt Reeves with THE BATMAN. Of course, one could argue that those Batman projects used more of an “inspired by” approach than a direct adaptation of Batman comic book storylines. So yeah, Robert, I believe you are correct.
Bill, you have been very open about what Batman stories you think are overrated (*cough* HUSH *cough*), but what would your top ten Batman comics be? Can be single issues, story arcs, one-off graphic novels, etc.
JETT SAYS: Off the top of my head and in no particular order…
THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, BATMAN: YEAR ONE, BATMAN #251 (“The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge” whic brought back the original incarnation on The Joker), DETECTIVE COMICS #27 (“The Case of the Chemical Syndicate” — the introduction of Batman), BATMAN #1 (introduced The Joker and Catwoman), BATMAN #47 (“The Origin of Batman”), BATMAN #217 (“One Bullet Too Many”), BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, DETECTIVE COMICS #439 (“Night of the Stalker”), and DETECTIVE COMICS #38 (the debut of Dick Grayson/Robin).
There you go.
What is the coolest part of BATMAN RETURNS?
JETT SAYS: The end credits.
What does your educated speculation tell you about the future of DC ELSEWORLDS banner? The pre-existing projects (THE BATMAN EPIC CRIME SAGA) and the Constantine sequel are the only new projects that have been announced that fall under that label.
JETT SAYS: A V FOR VENDETTA series on HBO was announced late last year, so I assume it would be an ELSEWORLDS project. Other than that and, of course, Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN EPIC CRIME STORY, I’m not sure if there’s anything else. Perhaps that animated DYNAMIC DUO project (which is being produced by Matt Reeves, but it’s not part of the SAGA).
Truth be told, I cynically believed that the ELSEWORLDS banner was just a placeholder for Reeves’ SAGA until it was finished. But maybe not. I truly believe that it’s a way to get high-quality filmmakers to take on a DC project who do not want to work under the confines and restraints of a shared universe.
Has there been anytime in the history of Batman media (between 1989 and now), that a legit live-action Batman TV series was truly in consideration? Not a prequel. A legit live-action Batman series.
JETT SAYS: I’m sure there have been pitches for one over the years, but nothing ever got past that (if there were any). There was a pitch for a series titled BRUCE WAYNE that ultimately morphed into the Superman series SMALLVILLE. Warner Bros. long held the belief that live-action Batman was special and should be reserved for the big screen. I 100% agree with that position and hope it continues. I love stuff like THE PENGUIN, but I’m not interested in a Batman TV series.
And lest we forget, BIRDS OF PREY (the early 2000s TV series, not the film), GOTHAM, BATWOMAN, and TEEN TITANS — all of which were under the “Batman” banner — sucked.
