Hey Now!
Happy 4th of July everyone (only in the U.S., I suppose) and welcome to the Independence Day 2019 edition of the Batman On Film Mailbag!
Thanks for all the questions on such short notice. I do a mailbag on the 4th (and just about every other U.S. holiday) every year and request questions before 7/4/2019.
This year, I asked for questions on the day of. So yeah, I dropped the ball. BUT…
You BOF’ers came through with some really good questions and I hope I responded with some really good answers.
Keep those cards and letters coming to the home office and let’s get to yall’s questions! Oh yeah…
Let everyone know what YOU are cooking today for your 4th extravaganza (inspired by the last question in this mailbag) in the comments section below! – Bill “Jett” Ramey
Is Ana de Armas still in the run for Catwoman? I think she will be perfect for the role #BatmanOnFilmMailBag
— Darian Castro (@dariancanavarro) July 4, 2019
JETT SAYS: Yo no hablo español.
JETT SAYS: Too soon? No — it’s been 5 years since BEWARE THE BATMAN came and went (way too early and it aired at the wrong time…don’t get me started!), so I don’t think time is the issue here. What I think the deal is when it comes to Batman in animation is that WB is focused on animated films nowadays. They put out 3 or 4 a year and usually half of them are Batman movies (if not more).
There will be another animated Batman TV series at some point, I just don’t think it’s a priority for WB right now.
Hypothetically, if a GOTHAM CITY SIRENS movie is indeed moving forward, what do you think is the most likely scenario when it comes to Catwoman’s involvement: Use the same actress as [Matt] Reeves, have another actress play a different version [of the character], or replace her with another character to avoid confusion?
JETT SAYS: Great question!
62First of all, I personally don’t think a GCS movie is going to come to fruition (I’ll get back to this shortly). But as you said, if it were hypothetically moving forward, I think you replace Catwoman with another female DC character like Black Canary.
Back to the GCS movie, keep in mind that this film was conceived under the old regime at Warner Bros. when they were still planning a shared DC on film universe. However, that is no longer the case and all those WB folks involved with DC on film behind the camera back then are gone. Plus, it appears that BIRDS OF PREY replaced it.
With Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN moving forward and coming out in 2021, I don’t believe any characters that will be in his Bat-films will appear in other DC movies — and vice-versa.
But yeah, if a GCS movie was to happen, I’d simply take Catwoman out and replace her with another character; one that Reeves never plans on using…like Batgirl.
Have you heard any possible names for other characters yet, such as Alfred or Gordon?
JETT SAYS: For those 2 characters, I have not.
Let’s say you’re in charge of putting out a live-action BATMAN BEYOND? Do you go with trying to make a movie franchise out of it or a (5, give or take, seasons) series for the DC Universe app (or whatever else is available at that time/Netflix/HBO, etc.)?
JETT SAYS: Longtime BOF’ers will know that I’m a fan of BATMAN BEYOND and would love to see a live-action film adaptation. So with that, I sorta gave you my answer — I’d go with a film series over TV.
After Reeves’ Batman on film run is over in a decade or so, I think that may be the way to go with the Batman film franchise…something different.
Heya Jett! Hope you’re well. Not so much Batman-related, but what do you think is going to happen with Superman? Henry Cavill?
JETT SAYS: One day, there will be another Superman film and it’ll be a reboot just like Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN starring Robert Pattinson. As a result, just like Ben Affleck’s Batman, Henry Cavill’s run as Superman ended with JUSTICE LEAGUE.
Does Batman wear steel toe boots?
JETT SAYS: Absolutely.
With a younger Batman this time around, I feel his father figures/collaborators are going to need to set a certain tone. Should Jim Gordon be a detective or the commissioner of police in THE BATMAN?
JETT SAYS: Man, this is a tough one. My first thought is that he should be a GCPD detective and end up commissioner over the course of Reeves’ Bat-films. However, we saw that in the Nolan films already. Maybe it’s best that he’s already commissioner but newly appointed to the job.
Should there be a love interest in the new films like Vicki Vale or Julie Madison? Andrea Beaumont would also be cool.
JETT SAYS: I know that there’s a “female lead” in THE BATMAN, but I do not know which character in the film that description refers to. We know that Catwoman is very likely in it, so maybe that’s the female lead character in the film. Of course, we saw the Bruce Wayne/Selina Kyle dynamic in the last solo Batman film — THE DARK KNIGHT RISES — so maybe you don’t rehash that relationship in THE BATMAN.
Here’s a thought: Perhaps there’s not a typical “love interest” for Batman in this movie? It’s allegedly very different sort of “Batman Movie” from what we have seen before, so maybe Reeves will jettison (pun intended) the love interest thing this time around.
Hi Jett, I have a different question today. Which films did you watch on Blu-ray recently?
JETT SAYS: Let’s see…
THE FINEST HOUR (awesome), GLASS (disappointed terribly with it — it sucked), and, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (loved it).
I’ve rewatched BATMAN ’89, the entire DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY, THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, and SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE here recently.
What kind of fighting style would you like this version of Bats to have [in THE BATMAN]?
JETT SAYS: Honestly, I don’t really care. As long as it comes off good on the big screen, I’m good.
What kind of budget do you think Matt Reeves’ Batman film will have and how much spectacle should we expect from it? WB has been getting more for their money lately with AQUAMAN at $160 million and SHAZAM! at $90 million, so how will The Batman compare on that aspect?
JETT SAYS: I don’t think it’s going to be a greenscreen/CGI-heavy movie, so that should cut down on costs I suspect. Maybe $150 million? But to be honest, budgets and all that stuff isn’t
As far as spectacle, it’s a detective story first and foremost, but I know that part of the rewrites/script polish was to punch up the action a bit. I’m thinking THE BATMAN is going to be more substance than spectacle.
I know you hate the idea of this Bill, but do you think that DC is building towards two separate universes that one day might merge?
JETT SAYS: Hey Chris! Thanks for the question, sir.
I do not. As Warner Bros. has said several times, they are now less-focused (i.e. not at all focused) on a shared DC on film universe and are concentrating on solo movies that are there own creative endeavors. They meant it when they said it and weren’t bullshitting.
What I say to fans when that ask me questions like this about continuity and shared universes, I tell them that they’ll enjoy the upcoming DC movies more if they put BATMAN v SUPERMAN/JUSTICE LEAGUE (MAN OF STEEL too I guess) out of mind (as if neither happened) and do not concern themselves how it all “connects” — because it doesn’t.
The bottom line is they kept what worked — Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Margo Robbie’s Harley Quinn, and (by pure luck because the original film wouldn’t have been made if it hadn’t started filming before JL was released) Jason Momoa’s Aquaman — have shitcanned what didn’t (basically, all the rest), and are moving forward.
Hey Bill! What are you cooking for the 4th? Gumbo? (via email)
JETT SAYS: Love this question.
No gumbo for the 4th sir — it’s too damn hot for that in June in Texas. I probably won’t make a gumbo until late September or October.
Today, I’m going to smoke some chicken breasts that I have been marinading is a secret BBQ marinade of my own concoction for the last 2 days. I also made some onion/bourbon BBQ beans, Cajun potato salad, roasted corn on the cob, and I’ve got some feta cheese & spinach chicken sausage links I’m going to grill.
Oh yeah, Announcer Rachel made an awesome Italian pasta salad. Even though she’s from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, she did not make a hot dish for the 4th (all my Minnesota BOF’ers will get the hot dish reference!) nor will Lutefisk be on the menu.
Don’t forget, tell us what you cooked up in the comments below, and post a pic on Twitter via @BATMANONFILM! – Jett
 and welcome to the Independence Day 2019 edition of the Batman On Film Mailbag!){kind=link}