DC ELSEWORLDS: Reimagining Keaton Sequels & DC Films that Never Were

[Frodo]

TEEN TITANS (1986)
Director : John Hughes

Robin/ Dick Grayson : Ralph Macchio

Cyborg : Forest Whittaker

Starfire : Lisa Benoit

Beast Boy : Curtis Armstrong

Raven : Winona Ryder

Red Arrow/ Roy Harper : Emilo Estevez

Kid Flash / Wally West : Anthony Michael Hall

Wonder Girl/ Donna Troy : Phobe Cates

Slade Wilson : Patrick Bergin

Ras Al Ghul : F Murray Abraham

Talia Head : Kelly Labrock

 

[Airwings]

Ralph Macchio as Robin is something that.... can't really be described. On one side it's the worst casting, on the other side it's the best casting.

 

[Frodo]

Ralph Macchio as Robin is something that.... can't really be described. On one side it's the worst casting, on the other side it's the best casting.

In a sense, he's an outside the box casting for Robin.

On the other hand though, he did actually look like a 15 to 17 old around that time, he could do action, and he was a charming young actor. I could see Hughes casting someone like him as a Robin as opposed to a handsome jock type like actor.

He sorta fit the Hughes/ 80s teen film archetype of an unlikely, outcast, person on the outside who turns out to special and more than they appear.

I imagine his version of Dick Grayson's Robin being more of a fusion between Dick and Jason. He's have Jason's streetwise sense and wise a** personality ,with Dick's sense of humor and grounded approach.

The casting I was more iffy on was Talia.

 

[Frodo]

GOTHAM: TALES OF HORROR :AN ANTHOLOGY FILM (1986)
Producer : John Carpenter
Rated R

FEAR
Director : Wes Craven

ScarecCrow/ Professor Johnathan Crane : Anthony Perkins

Barbara Gordon : Kerri Green

James Gordon : Tom Skerritt

Crane's Father in flashback: Robert Englund

Professor Jevis Tetch : René Auberjonois

Head of the Psychology Department at Gotham State University : Paul Gleason

MAN BAT
Director : David Cronenberg

Man Bat /Kirk Langstrom :William Atherton

Francine Langstrom : Jaime Lee Curtis

Dr. March : David Warner


PRETTY POISON
Director : George A Romero

Poison Ivy / Pamela Isley : Rebecca De Mornay

Jason Woodrue : Christopher Lloyd

The Protagonist character investigating and obsessed with Ivy : Michael Douglas

Sarah Essen : Ellen Barkin

WHAT A DUMMY
Director : John Carpenter

The Ventriloquist/ Scarface : John Lithgow

Harvey Bullock : Bob Hoskins

Boss Maroni : Danny Ailello

Carmine Falcone : Dennis Farina

Dr . Hugo Strange : Donald Pleasence

Black Mask : Brad Doriff

 

[Frodo]

HEART OF ICE (2009)
Director : Guillermo del Toro Gómez
Script : Paul Dini, Guillermo del Toro Gómez

Mr. Freeze / Dr . Victor Fries : Michael Fassbender

Dr. Nora Fries : Julie Deply

Ferris Doyle : Bruce Greenwood

Victor and Nora's Mentor : Geoffrey Rush

Reporter Summer Gleason : Rachel McAdams

Nora's Doctor : Kenneth Branagh

Victor and Nora's Friend : Naveen Andrews

Lucius Fox : Iris Elba

Dr. Leslie Thompkins : Helen Mirren

 

[Airwings]

In a sense, he's an outside the box casting for Robin

Exactly. And in another sense, it's type casting

On the other hand though, he did actually look like a 15 to 17 old around that time, he could do action, and he was a charming young actor. I could see Hughes casting someone like him as a Robin as opposed to a handsome jock type like actor.

He sorta fit the Hughes/ 80s teen film archetype of an unlikely, outcast, person on the outside who turns out to special and more than they appear.

Agree with you on the first and the second too.

But I didn't think like you when I casted Leone's Batman.
Macchio seemed wrong for that kind of project. Didn't matter that the actor is part Italian.

To broaden the topic, Macchio could have stayed in the spotlight if he had a better agent vs was a better actor.
Coppola should have used him for more films than just Outsiders.
Then Macchio could have had a run with Scorsese and others.
He could have been half as big as Tom Cruise by now

 

[Airwings]

GOTHAM: TALES OF HORROR :AN ANTHOLOGY FILM (1986)

Producer : John Carpenter
Rated R

FEAR
Director : Wes Craven

ScarecCrow/ Professor Johnathan Crane : Anthony Perkins

Barbara Gordon : Kerri Green

James Gordon : Tom Skerritt

Crane's Father in flashback: Robert Englund

Professor Jevis Tetch : René Auberjonois

Head of the Psychology Department at Gotham State University : Paul Gleason

MAN BAT
Director : David Cronenberg

Man Bat /Kirk Langstrom :William Atherton

Francine Langstrom : Jaime Lee Curtis

Dr. March : David Warner


PRETTY POISON
Director : George A Romero

Poison Ivy / Pamela Isley : Rebecca De Mornay

Jason Woodrue : Christopher Lloyd

The Protagonist character investigating and obsessed with Ivy : Michael Douglas

Sarah Essen : Ellen Barkin

WHAT A DUMMY
Director : John Carpenter

The Ventriloquist/ Scarface : John Lithgow

Harvey Bullock : Bob Hoskins

Boss Maroni : Danny Ailello

Carmine Falcone : Dennis Farina

Dr . Hugo Strange : Donald Pleasence

Black Mask : Brad Doriff

Very interesting!!
A collection of short films made by different horror directors. You forgot John Landis, but he's more seen as a comedy guy anyway.

I wonder if we would get a glimpse of Batman in each of the films?

 

[Frodo]

Very interesting!!
A collection of short films made by different horror directors. You forgot John Landis, but he's more seen as a comedy guy anyway.

I wonder if we would get a glimpse of Batman in each of the films?

Our minds are on the same wave length. Lol.

I was actually thinking of Landis, and American Werewolf in London is one of my favorite films, but I also felt he was more of a comedy guy .

And I could totally see Batman appearing in some of the segments. Since Batman plays on superstition and fear anyway, it would make sense for him to appear in the scary story settings .

I got the idea for the short segments from 80s films like Creepshow, Cat's Eye, and tv shows like Tales From The Darkside.

Plus several of the Batman villains lend themselves to horror and can be put in that context.

 

[Frodo]

Exactly. And in another sense, it's type casting


Agree with you on the first and the second too.

But I didn't think like you when I casted Leone's Batman.
Macchio seemed wrong for that kind of project. Didn't matter that the actor is part Italian.

To broaden the topic, Macchio could have stayed in the spotlight if he had a better agent vs was a better actor.
Coppola should have used him for more films than just Outsiders.
Then Macchio could have had a run with Scorsese and others.
He could have been half as big as Tom Cruise by now

It's interesting that Macchio didn't become more than basically Daniel in the Karate Kid films. I agree with you, had Coppola used him more, he could have become a bigger star.

Alot of the cast of The Outsiders went on the huge success and pop culture status. He became an 80s pop culture figure as well , but in terms of longevity and fame, yeah, he pretty much faded in the 90s, while the likes of Cruise , Swayze, Estavez, and Dillion, kept making hit films.

Macchio and C. Thomas Howell both sort of had the same career trajectory in that sense .

 

[Airwings]

Despite Batman & Robin putting the superhero genre in the grave, there were quite soon after talks about doing more Batman.
Already in 1998, no less than three projects were mentioned:

Batman: Triumphant was one (and it's mentioned here)

Then the second, I think it was Batman: Intimidation Game

The third, I'm sure it was Batman Beyond

In one of them (don't remember which), Scarecrow was going to be the villain. Jeff Goldblum was tied to the role.

I wanted to add something more to this.
There were a few actors rumoured to play Batman. Probably for the first two films among the three.
I remember who.

Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell.
Can you believe it??!!!!

This was 1998-99 after all. These stars were about to become too old for the role, but could have done it if the film came out before 2002 or something.

 

[Frodo]

I wanted to add something more to this.
There were a few actors rumoured to play Batman. Probably for the first two films among the three.
I remember who.

Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell.
Can you believe it??!!!!

This was 1998-99 after all. These stars were about to become too old for the role, but could have done it if the film came out before 2002 or something.

Yeah, I had read that somewhere, and Russell's names came up again after Keaton left in 1994 I think.

I think they all could have done a great job in 1989, though each would have been a different type of Batman portrayal I think.

Costner can do dark ,even though he's not really known for it.

Russell can certainly play a cool bada** in roles.

Gibson I think could have been great as an intense , dark, and intimidating Batman, while at the same time pulling off the playboy aspect with charm.

 

[Frodo]

WALT DISNEY'S SHAZAM! (1958)
Director: Charles Barton

Billy Batson : Jerry Mathers

CAPTAIN MARVEL/ SHAZAM : STEEVE REEVES

BLACK ADAM : RICHARDO MONTABLAN

Doctor Sivana : Joseph Wiseman

Billy's Foster Father : Fred Macmurray

Love interest of Billy's Foster Father : Cloris Leachman

Billy's crush : Annette Funicello

Freedie Freeman : Paul Peterson

Wizard Shazam : Boris Karloff

Special Guest Star Superman : George Reeves

 

[Airwings]

Yeah, I had read that somewhere, and Russell's names came up again after Keaton left in 1994 I think.

I think they all could have done a great job in 1989, though each would have been a different type of Batman portrayal I think.

Costner can do dark ,even though he's not really known for it.

Russell can certainly play a cool bada** in roles.

Gibson I think could have been great as an intense , dark, and intimidating Batman, while at the same time pulling off the playboy aspect with charm.

I agree with you that these actors would have nailed the role in their own different ways.

But, I want to point out that the rumours I mention were for a Batman film AFTER the Clooney disaster

 

[Airwings]

I've already suggested a Batman film from Sergio Leone.
I wonder what kind of music Morricone would have composed for the film. How would the hero's main theme be?
We can never find out, especially now after he left us.

I will try to come up with another Batman production. It won't be easy, and I can't possible match Frodo. He's the king of great hypothetical superhero films here.

I think it would be campy, but not silly campy like a parody. The chosen director is known for horror, and therefor I think it would turn out "dark campy". Because he's a b-movie director, the camp would be unintended.
None of the actors would play it for laughs, even though it could be suspected from some of them. Don't forget what I just said!

Who's the director guy I'm talking about?
The answer is TOBE HOOPER.

Now to the film

The Boy Wonder (1987)

Why this?
I think it could be interesting with a Robin centric story. It uses a typical alias from the Batman world (just like The Dark Knight and The Caped Crusader are)

Wanna know my lead actor?

Dick Grayson/Robin: Wil Wheaton

Now the rest of the cast!

Bruce Wayne/Batman: Christopher Lambert
Alfred: Barry Nelson (the TV James Bond, who also was in Kubrick's Shining)

Gordon: George Lazenby
Dent: Dan Aykroyd or Chevy Chase (both can actually play a straight man with ease)

Ra's Al Ghul: Frank Langella

Penguin: Dudley Moore
Riddler: Eric Idle

I've also got another film, made in another universe. It shares some similarities, but it's also different

 

[Airwings]

I've already suggested a Batman film from Sergio Leone.
I wonder what kind of music Morricone would have composed for the film. How would the hero's main theme be?
We can never find out, especially now after he left us.

I will try to come up with another Batman production. It won't be easy, and I can't possible match Frodo. He's the king of great hypothetical superhero films here.

I think it would be campy, but not silly campy like a parody. The chosen director is known for horror, and therefor I think it would turn out "dark campy". Because he's a bi-movie director, the camp would be unintended.
None of the actors would play it for laughs, even though it could be suspected from some of them. Don't forget what I just said!

Whos the director guy I'm talking about?
The answer is TOBE HOOPER.

Now to the film

The Boy Wonder (1987)

Why this?
I think it could be interesting with a Robin centric story. It uses a typical alias from the Batman world (just like The Dark Knight and The Caped Crusader are)

Wanna know my lead actor?

Dick Grayson/Robin: Wil Wheaton

Now the rest of the cast!

Bruce Wayne/Batman: Christopher Lambert
Alfred: Barry Nelson (the TV James Bond, who also was in Kubrick's Shining)/George Lazenby

Gordon: George Lazenby
Dent: Dan Aykroyd or Chevy Chase (both can actually play a straight man with ease)

Ra's Al Ghul: Frank Langella

Penguin: Dudley Moore
Riddler: Eric Idle

I've also got another film, made in another universe. It shares some similarities, but it's also different

The film from elsewhere in the multiverse, comes here.
Prety much the same story, with minor changes

The Dynamic Duo (1987)

Director: Joe Dante

Bruce Wayne/Batman: Don Johnson
Dick Grayson/Robin: Barret Oliver
Alfred: George Lazenby

Gordon: Terence Hill
Bullock: John Candy
Dent: Treat Williams

Ra's Al Ghul: Sean Connery

Joker: Michael York
Egghead: Telly Savalas

 

[Eddie Dean]

Christopher Lambert as Batman

"I'hm Bhatman ahehehehe"

 

[Airwings]

To beat Frodo, I post TWO more Batmans

Batman Chronicles (1993)
A loose sequel to Hobe Hooper's The Boy Wonder

Director: Brian De Palma
Composer: James Newton Howard

Batman/Bruce Wayne: Timothy Dalton/Gary Cole (BOTH might suit the role, the latter even surprise us)
Nightwing/Dick Grayson: Wil Wheaton
Robin/Jason Todd: Edward Furlong

Alfred: Dean Jones (from Herbie the love bug)

Gordon: Charles Grodin
Bullock: Nick Nolte

Harvey Dent could be either Cary Elwes or Matthew Modine

Sal Maroni: Burt Reynolds

Deathstroke: Marc Singer

Catwoman: Geena Davis
Penguin: Robert de Niro

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So the next film. It has not much to do with the other Bat films

A Batman (1997)

Director: David Lynch
Composer: Jerry Goldsmith

For Batman/Bruce Wayne, I have two choices. You can pick the one you like best: Kyle Maclachlan or Treat Williams

The rest is as follows

Robin/Tim Drake: Kevin Zegers
Alfred could be Dudley Moore, or even better Harry Dean Stanton

Gordon: Robert Redford

Sal Maroni: Al Pacino

Deadshot: Michael Biehn
Two-face/Dent: Peter Weller or Ted Danson

Joker: Steve Martin
Mad Hatter: John Hurt

 

[Frodo]

I like your castings for the Batman films Airwings !

They have alot of actors I that wouldn't have come to mind, but really fit the role(s), especially around the timeframes you've given.

 

[Airwings]

I like your castings for the Batman films Airwings !

They have alot of actors I that wouldn't have come to mind, but really fit the role(s), especially around the timeframes you've given.

Thanks.

It's also those people behind the screen, making some really great films

I hoped you should comment on each of them, hehehe

 

[Frodo]

JUSTICE LEAGUE AND THE INVASION FROM MARS (1964)
Director : Terrance Young
Script : Rod Serling

Superman / Clark Kent : John Gavin

Batman / Bruce Wayne : Clint Eastwood

Wonder Woman/ Diana Prince : Paula Prentiss

Green Lantern / Hal Jordan : Robert Conrad

The Flash / Barry Allen : Michael Landon

Alfred Pennyworth : David Niven

Lois Lane : Mary Tyler Moore

Lex Luthor : Yul Brynner

Sinestro : Vincent Price

Brainiac : Peter Cushing

Solomon Grundy : Richard Kiel

 

[Frodo]

SHADOW OF THE BATMAN (1960)
Director : Alfred Hitchcock

Plot : The Emergence of the Murderous Red Hood , forces the Batman to discover the true identity of the mysterious Red Hood, and what connection if any ,The Hood, Racketeer Lew Moxon , The Wealthy Elliot family , and an aging thug named Joe Chill , may have, to the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne nearly 20 years earlier.

All the while , Batman's alter ego, Millionaire Bruce Wayne, discovers that socialite Julie Madison may be the key to uncovering how this list of suspects may be connected to the unsolved crime. But can The Batman get to her and get the answers he wants before she ends up another victim of the Red Hood?

Alfred Hitchcock directs an all star cast in Clint Eastwood's debut as the DC Comics hero Batman , in what would be the first of many of Eastwood's appearances as the Dark Knight over the next two decades! It also features two future stars in their own right, Warren Beatty as Tommy Elliot, and Robert Redford as Harvey Dent.

Batman / Bruce Wayne : Clint Eastwood

Julie Madison : Grace Kelly

Lew Moxon : James Mason

Alfred Pennyworth : David Niven

James Gordon : William Holden

Thomas Wayne : Gregory Peck

Martha Wayne : Lauren Bacall

Joe Chill : James Cagney

Tommy Elliot : Warren Beatty

Harvey Dent : Robert Redford

The Red Hood : Jack Palance

 

[Airwings]

SHADOW OF THE BATMAN (1960)

Director : Alfred Hitchcock

Plot : The Emergence of the Murderous Red Hood , forces the Batman to discover the true identity of the mysterious Red Hood, and what connection if any ,The Hood, Racketeer Lew Moxon , The Wealthy Elliot family , and an aging thug named Joe Chill , may have, to the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne nearly 20 years earlier.

All the while , Batman's alter ego, Millionaire Bruce Wayne, discovers that socialite Julie Madison may be the key to uncovering how this list of suspects may be connected to the unsolved crime. But can The Batman get to her and get the answers he wants before she ends up another victim of the Red Hood?

Alfred Hitchcock directs an all star cast in Clint Eastwood's debut as the DC Comics hero Batman , in what would be the first of many of Eastwood's appearances as the Dark Knight over the next two decades! It also features two future stars in their own right, Warren Beatty as Tommy Elliot, and Robert Redford as Harvey Dent.

Batman / Bruce Wayne : Clint Eastwood

Julie Madison : Grace Kelly

Lew Moxon : James Mason

Alfred Pennyworth : David Niven

James Gordon : William Holden

Thomas Wayne : Gregory Peck

Martha Wayne : Lauren Bacall

Joe Chill : James Cagney

Tommy Elliot : Warren Beatty

Harvey Dent : Robert Redford

The Red Hood : Jack Palance

Oh, now you have a Hitchcock Batman.
And you have started to include the plot as well.

You've won, Frodo. I'm defeated

 

[Frodo]

Oh, now you have a Hitchcock Batman.
And you have started to include the plot as well.

You've won, Frodo. I'm defeated

Thanks for the praise Airwings! And don't feel defeated. You're castings ,and my castings are keeping the thread going.

The plot actually is alot of what Matt Reeves is going to do anyway, so it's not exactly original.

Hitchcock doing a Batman film would have been awesome since he could do the mystery and suspense elements combined with the psychological aspects of the myths.

Luckily, Eastwood has been acting since the 1950s, so he could have played Batman well into the 1980s

Batman and Superman are the DC characters I know the best, hence why I keep doing a ton of Batman castings. .

The Flash, Shazam, Titans, and WW only know from their tv shows and films, so my knowledge doesn't go as deep in terms of the supporting characters and storylines from the comics.

I'm gonna try to branch out and do some more non- Batman film castings.

.

 

[Airwings]

Hitchcock doing a Batman film would have been awesome since he could do the mystery and suspense elements combined with the psychological aspects of the myths.

Hitchcock & Batman would be truly a match.
As you say, he would bring several things to the table.

Coppola, as you also used earlier, could be focusing on other aspects.

And my Leone as well.

Batman and Superman are the DC characters I know the best, hence why I keep doing a ton of Batman castings. .

 

[Breogan]

"DC films that never were":

I remember a small article in a magazine, back in 1993. It told a "rumour" that Reeve was to play Superman again.
And some other unnamed superhero was to save Supes' live in the final scenes.

This made me excited as the 15 year old I was. I had fond childhood memories of the actor's earlier films in the series.
Who that other hero was? I just knew it was going to be Batman.

I was surprised to see how close Keaton, Christopher Reeve, and Lynda Carter (even though her show was a decade earlier) were all in age:

Christopher Reeve (born Sep 25, 1952
Lynda Jean Cordova Carter (born July 24, 1951
Michael Keaton (born Sep 5, 1951

All just one year between them, and (Keaton film era) between 89-93 all still looked great for their age and respective parts.

Imagine if someone at WB could have had the foresight or vision, with the already established characters, they could have right there launched a DC shared U (obviously with some costume updates), starring their most recognized Trinity.