How I would like to see TDKR done on film...

[Sawyer]

Now, keep in mind, there are plenty of flaws with this plan (in how the movies before it were written/produced, mainly) but this is just an interesting idea I thought could be fun to see on film...

The Dark Knight Returns starring Michael Keaton!

It would be a semi-sequel to B89-B&R (but with a lot less emphasis on B&R, trust me).

Now, I know there would inconsistencies (Joker dying in B89, Commissioner Gordon being barely more than background character, Selina Kyle being a ****e in her old age), but I think it could be a very interesting way to do TDKR as a movie. I know that Zack Snyder is interested in directing it, and even got Frank Millers approval, and I think he would be perfect for the job.

 

[[A]]

Keaton would probably do it.

 

[dude stannis]

Ignore Schumacer's films altogether and get Billy Dee Williams for Harvey Dent. I'm sure there could be a convincing way to bring Joker back. Retcon the height he fell from and make it so he fell a great distance and was left in a coma?

 

[[A]]

..the Joker wakes up and sees his smiling toy* next to him..









*whatever it's called

 

[BlueLightning]

Mmm how about a TDKR film with no ties whatsoever with any previous Bat Flick? That would make the movie work better.

 

[CFE]

Have a completely detached "TDKR" ... or see Keaton in the suit one more glorious time.

I'll go with the latter. It wouldn't matter anyway, so why not? If Warners threw fanboys THAT big of a bone and brought back Keaton and Nicholson for "TDKR", I'd DIE from the sheer brute force of awesomeness.

 

[Changeling]

Same. That would be insaneeely awesome. But if not...
Mickey Rourke as Batman
Clint Eastwood as Gordon
David Bowie as Joker
Vin Diesel as Mutant Leader

 

[[A]]

^ ahhh you ruined everything with Vin Diesel

 

[Rasputin911]

Same. That would be insaneeely awesome. But if not...
Mickey Rourke as Batman
Clint Eastwood as Gordon
David Bowie as Joker
Vin Diesel as Mutant Leader

PERFECT!!!!

Gordon is like a dirty harry/gran torino figure in TDKR. (so's Batman, for that matter, but Eastwood would be way too old to play the caped crusader)

 

[CFE]

I've posted up my potential cast for "The Dark Knight Returns" all over the place, but I'll post it here once more:

Batman/Bruce Wayne - TOM SELLECK

Carrie Kelly/Robin - ELLEN PAGE

Commissioner James Gordon - SAM ELLIOTT

Alfred Pennyworth - MICHAEL GOUGH

The Joker - DAVID BOWIE

Clark Kent/Superman - PATRICK WARBURTON

Harvey Dent/Two-Face - KEVIN SPACEY

 

[CFE]

Oliver Queen/Green Arrow - SEAN CONNERY

Commissioner Ellen Yindel - ANNIE LENNOX

Selina Kyle - GINA GERSHON

Dr. Herbert Willing - DANNY DEVITO

Dr. Bartholomew Wolper - DAVID THEWLIS

Lola Chong - MING NA

Lana Lang - KATHY BATES

 

[CFE]

The Mutant Leader - DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON

Bruno - CHYNA DOLL

David Endochrine - DAVID LETTERMAN

President Ronald Reagan - JAMES BROLIN

 

[ross2287]

Have a completely detached "TDKR" ... or see Keaton in the suit one more glorious time.

I'll go with the latter. It wouldn't matter anyway, so why not? If Warners threw fanboys THAT big of a bone and brought back Keaton and Nicholson for "TDKR", I'd DIE from the sheer brute force of awesomeness.

QFT!!!

I really do love this girl.

 

[batpawn]

The Joker - DAVID BOWIE

GOOD GOD! what an incredible choice. seriously, I never thought about that... but... it is perfect! really. You could have roseanne barr portraying batman, and i wouldn't care as longs as bowie plays the joker!

but i'm not so happy with ellen page as carrie. i really like ellen, and i wouldn't be mad if she portrays carrie, but i always thought that this would work (for my taste) better:

Jordan Hinson - Carrie Kelly

 

[Doctor Jones]

No, Ellen Page would be great as Carrie. She would actually bring something extra to the role.

But Michael Keaton NEEDS to do this. YOu can't have Jack, he's too old now. But i just want to see Keaton in that suit again. Can you just imagine him as a broken older man and then going back to put on the suit?

 

[Rasputin911]

No, Ellen Page would be great as Carrie. She would actually bring something extra to the role.

But Michael Keaton NEEDS to do this. YOu can't have Jack, he's too old now. But i just want to see Keaton in that suit again. Can you just imagine him as a broken older man and then going back to put on the suit?

but their are much better actors, and ones more suitable as an old Bruce Wayne. Keaton just doesen't seem to fit.

Mickey Rourke and Bruce Willis come to mind for me

 

[Doctor Jones]

but their are much better actors, and ones more suitable as an old Bruce Wayne. Keaton just doesen't seem to fit.

Mickey Rourke and Bruce Willis come to mind for me

Na, Keaton needs a comeback.

Keaton suits him if you're thinking about characterization. Him putting on that suit again will get that REAL effect as he did when he put it on for the first time in the comics, maybe even better. Him worn out and everything, will draw from real life experience all of that could show through performance. Rourke just seems to be like this becuase of the Wrestler, he made his comeback in that film, Willis can make it look so damn easy. Keaton you'll strive for, you'll root for him more, just to see him in that suit again will give him new life. Just like Bruce described in the GN. He could hate it or like it, it just fits that even more well.

 

[Daredevil_2003]

Have a completely detached "TDKR" ... or see Keaton in the suit one more glorious time.

How about a completely detached TDKR with Keaton in the suit one more glorious time? Gives you Keaton without having to cripple the story of the old franchise or, God forbid, heavily alter TDKR to fit that epic fail of a franchise.

I don't really want TDKR as a film, anyway. To really do it justice you'd have to treat it like Watchmen and set it in the 80's and keep the original context of it. Sure, a movie that just had the general concept and some of the major plot-points would be ok. But without the subtext and commentary the book loses most of it's luster for me. It's more about the latter than the former. YOu take those away and it's a fairly average Batman story, and not even the best Batman in the future what if tale.

I guess my point is, TDKR is more of a classic because of the extremely gritty and dark direction it sent the character in, and the fact that it was just covered in the slime that was the 1980's. The first is pointless, now, as the films are already that dark, and the second is the only reason the story really holds up now, because of it's subtle and not so subtle commentary on the times it was written in.

Could it be made into a good film? Hell yes. A better question would be, should it be made into a film? Given the fact that Batman is not a one off creation of Frank Miller, like Watchmen is of Alan Moore, I don't think it's a good idea to do such a lone, period piece kind of approach to Batman in cinema.

The Dark Knight Returns is one of the best comics ever written, but I think it should stay in the comics or, at the most, get the R-rated DTV animated feature treatment.

 

[percoset]

but their are much better actors, and ones more suitable as an old Bruce Wayne. Keaton just doesen't seem to fit.

Mickey Rourke and Bruce Willis come to mind for me

No Keaton, and definite no to Rourke and Willis.

Hugh Laurie.

 

[ross2287]

Hugh Laurie...as Bruce/Batman?

 

[Spidey 2007]

God thatd be amazing, to see Keaton back in a Batman film, Hell thats my number one wish.

Doesnt matter if people are hysterically confused... lol just do it!

 

[percoset]

Hugh Laurie...as Bruce/Batman?

Absolutely.

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

DKR with Keaton is my dream movie. Getting the gang back together for one final movie, Burton, Nicholson, Pfeiffer, Gough, etc. I'm still hoping for that one to happen...

 

[ross2287]

Don't know about that percoset...I'm gonna have to try and wrap my mind around that one.

Has Keaton ever been asked by an interviewer if he'd be interested in doing another Batfilm?