If Keaton never made it in 1989......

[The Empire Ape]

Baldwin would have been, IMO, an even better choice for Batman '89. Keaton was good, but dang was he too short for the role! Burton did a pretty good job of hiding it, but in certain scenes poor Mike looks like a kid in the outfit! Especially after viewing The Shadow, I was convinced Alec was the better choice. Too bad he's too old to ever don the cowl!

C'mon! Keaton is not intimidating but he is not small. His height and built is average and he does not look like a kid.

 

[The Empire Ape]

Gibson, no contest.

Aside from Keaton, I think he's the only actor of the time that could believeably portray the obsession and the sadness the way that Keaton did. I don't think that Gibson gets enough recognition for his performance in the first Lethal Weapon. It was really, really powerful stuff.

But... but... he is even smaller than Keaton!

 

[elgaz]

C'mon! Keaton is not intimidating but he is not small. His height and built is average and he does not look like a kid.

He's not small compared to the average man but I see the point being made above - Batman is typically written as being 6"2...... Keaton is 5"9, 5"10 at most so he's small for the role. It's not hugely important as camera and lighting techniques can be deceptive when showing someone's height, nonetheless I wouldn't have classed him as intimidating.

Gaz

 

[Catman]

I think a young Timothy Dalton would've made an interesting Batman

What do you mean by young? During the 1970s? But, anyway, his second Bond movie, License to Kill, was released the same year as Batman.

 

[Thespiralgoeson]

What do you mean by young? During the 1970s? But, anyway, his second Bond movie, License to Kill, was released the same year as Batman.

I know it was released the same year as Batman. In fact, probably the single biggest reason that License to Kill underperformed at the box office was that it was competing with Batman, one the most hyped up movies of all time. But by "young," I really meant "younger" as in yeah, probably 1970's or so, he would've made an amazing Batman. But if the same movie with a different actor would have to be released the same year, than yeah, I still think Timothy Dalton circa 1989 (Dalton was 43 at the time, to Keaton's 38) would've made a more than serviceable Dark Knight ,moreso that Mel Gibson anyway, probably on the same level as Baldwin.

 

[Two-Face]

This is my choice:

 

[Mr. Socko]

Baldwin would have been, IMO, an even better choice for Batman '89. Keaton was good, but dang was he too short for the role! Burton did a pretty good job of hiding it, but in certain scenes poor Mike looks like a kid in the outfit! Especially after viewing The Shadow, I was convinced Alec was the better choice. Too bad he's too old to ever don the cowl!

This is how I feel about Ford. I think he could have done an even better job than Keaton in '89.

 

[EagleVision]

But for the sake of arguement Burton went with Depp. Maybe instead of CryBaby being a breakout role. Batman could have been and his relationship with Burton could have been even stronger.

When Keaton was chosen, people skoffed...when Ledger was cast, people skoffed, who knows, they would have skoffed at Depp too.

that is what is so fun with this thread. It opens up a ton of possiblities and opens a chance to go back into the past to see who would have worked in 1989. I love it.

Cool, I appreciate it

 

[EagleVision]

This is my choice:

Quaid for Bats, hmmmm........yeah when Batman Begins was first coming out, I really wanted him for Gordon....but I'm glad Oldman was cast- because he is perfect, right down to the height and looks.

 

[EagleVision]

Gibson, no contest.

Aside from Keaton, I think he's the only actor of the time that could believeably portray the obsession and the sadness the way that Keaton did. I don't think that Gibson gets enough recognition for his performance in the first Lethal Weapon. It was really, really powerful stuff.

Gibson, eh? If I remember right, he was rumored and a strong contender for Bats when Batman Forever was starting to cast. Back then I sort of liked the idea myself.

 

[Dr. Fate]

I have a hard time imaging Harrison Ford as Batman or any other character from the Batman universe.

Dennis Quaid as Bats... dunno, but I could have seen him as Harvey Dent. Quaid's shark grin makes him look almost Joker-ish at times.

Timothy Dalton might have made an interesting Batman, and had superior physicality on his side (6'2", built pretty solid, dark hair, more of a matinee idol type face).

Just for the sake of introducing a new name/face/contender, I'm going to throw in Michael Pare, a decent actor who never hit it big, primarily remembered for cult films such as "Streets of Fire" and "Eddie & The Cruisers".

http://michaelpare.narod.ru/pare1/Michael_Pare_710.jpg

http://michaelpare.narod.ru/pare1/Michael_Pare_719.jpg

http://michaelpare.narod.ru/into/Michael_Pare_14.jpg

EDIT: Image links are posted since the pictures themselves wouldn't come up but instead did the red X thing (I hate that)

 

[El Payaso]

Michael Paré was Tony Villicana in The Greatest American Hero .

 

[Catman]

Gibson, eh? If I remember right, he was rumored and a strong contender for Bats when Batman Forever was starting to cast. Back then I sort of liked the idea myself.

He did Braveheart instead. Smart man.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

But... but... he is even smaller than Keaton!

That's a common misconception, Mel Gibson is not a short man. He's 5'10''.

Maybe standing next to 6'3'' Danny Glover makes you look small.

 

[Dr. Fate]

Michael Paré was Tony Villicana in The Greatest American Hero .

Never saw The Greatest American Hero.

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

Hmm back in the late 80's I don't know of many possible leads except for the ones mentioned here like Baldwin, Gibson and Dalton to play Batman.

In the comics both Bruce Wayne and Superman were almost drawn as look-a-likes that I always had this strange idea about having Supes himself Christopher Reeve play Batman, it sure would've revitalized his career.

 

[Dr. Fate]

Hmm back in the late 80's I don't know of many possible leads except for the ones mentioned here like Baldwin, Gibson and Dalton to play Batman.

In the comics both Bruce Wayne and Superman were almost drawn as look-a-likes that I always had this strange idea about having Supes himself Christopher Reeve play Batman, it sure would've revitalized his career.

Christopher Reeve as Batman... fascinating idea. But would Reeve have done it? Would fans and general audiences have accepted the former Superman as Batman? Perhaps more importantly, could WB have convinced Tim Burton to hire a tall, square jawed man to play a tall, square jawed character? I can imagine what that would have been like on set...

TIM BURTON: "Christopher, I need you to slouch, you're too tall."
CHRIS REEVE: "Batman's a tall character, Tim."
TIM: "Yes, but you're failing to understand that a tall man doesn't need theatricality to frighten his enemies. You see, this why I didn't want to cast you, you're too tall and imposing and you don't understand psychology at all."
CHRIS: "And I thought Richard Lester and the Salkinds were a pain in the [BLEEP]."

 

[Doctor Baywatch]

 

[EagleVision]

Christopher Reeve as Batman... fascinating idea. But would Reeve have done it? Would fans and general audiences have accepted the former Superman as Batman? Perhaps more importantly, could WB have convinced Tim Burton to hire a tall, square jawed man to play a tall, square jawed character? I can imagine what that would have been like on set...

TIM BURTON: "Christopher, I need you to slouch, you're too tall."
CHRIS REEVE: "Batman's a tall character, Tim."
TIM: "Yes, but you're failing to understand that a tall man doesn't need theatricality to frighten his enemies. You see, this why I didn't want to cast you, you're too tall and imposing and you don't understand psychology at all."
CHRIS: "And I thought Richard Lester and the Salkinds were a pain in the [BLEEP]."

Ha! Nice!

 

[EagleVision]

Shoot, how could I forget Hasselhoff w/ Pam Anderson as Catwoman

 

[Dr. Fate]

Ha! Nice!

Thanks.

Then there's the question - how about Val Kilmer in 1989's Batman?

 

[DocLathropBrown]

Christopher Reeve as Batman... fascinating idea. But would Reeve have done it? Would fans and general audiences have accepted the former Superman as Batman? Perhaps more importantly, could WB have convinced Tim Burton to hire a tall, square jawed man to play a tall, square jawed character? I can imagine what that would have been like on set...

TIM BURTON: "Christopher, I need you to slouch, you're too tall."
CHRIS REEVE: "Batman's a tall character, Tim."
TIM: "Yes, but you're failing to understand that a tall man doesn't need theatricality to frighten his enemies. You see, this why I didn't want to cast you, you're too tall and imposing and you don't understand psychology at all."
CHRIS: "And I thought Richard Lester and the Salkinds were a pain in the [BLEEP]."

Ha!

 

[dr.strange]

baldwin could still be an older batman ala miller's batman ...with the mutant leader and the female robin.

 

[Doctor Baywatch]

Shoot, how could I forget Hasselhoff w/ Pam Anderson as Catwoman

Yes, he is tall and teh badass:

Best Batman ever!

 

[El Payaso]

Christopher Reeve as Batman... fascinating idea. But would Reeve have done it? Would fans and general audiences have accepted the former Superman as Batman? Perhaps more importantly, could WB have convinced Tim Burton to hire a tall, square jawed man to play a tall, square jawed character? I can imagine what that would have been like on set...

TIM BURTON: "Christopher, I need you to slouch, you're too tall."
CHRIS REEVE: "Batman's a tall character, Tim."
TIM: "Yes, but you're failing to understand that a tall man doesn't need theatricality to frighten his enemies. You see, this why I didn't want to cast you, you're too tall and imposing and you don't understand psychology at all."
CHRIS: "And I thought Richard Lester and the Salkinds were a pain in the [BLEEP]."

TIM: For that logics they needed a man who could fly for Superman, and you can't.
REEVE: But on the screen I fly.
TIM: Well, on the screen Batman works and still you can tell it's a creature of the night compared to Bruce Wayne. We can't trust on a pair of glasses being disguise enough right?
REEVE: *cries a little* I wanted to play Batman!
TIM: "And I thought Jon Peters and Peter Guber were a pain in the [BLEEP]."