What makes Batman so film friendly?

[Catman]

In 19 years we've gotten 6 Batman movies. Or 7 if you count the theatrical release of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

Yet...

We've gotten 5 Superman movies (and a spin-off) in 28 years. 3 Spider-Man movies in 5 years. 3 X-Men movies (and a spin-off; another in the works) in 9 years. While other superheroes have either just gotten 1 or were lucky enough to get a sequel.

So...why? My theory is that Batman is not a superhero. He's just a guy in a costume. So...production-wise it's no different than any other action movie.

Then again...why as Punisher struggled so much?

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Batman can swing from a stupid(Adam West/George Clooney) interpretation to a serious(Keaton/Bale) style film.

All the other superheroes are suck in this rigid interpretation for most fans that doesn't allow them much room to maneuver.

 

[Catman]

Don't be hatin' on Adam West.

 

[TheComicbookKid]

I'm not. Batman and Robin could have been a great homage to West's Batman. But it most certainly wasn't.

I'm just saying that Batman's been interpreted many ways. Hulk tried and failed. Superman tried and failed.

 

[HR-PUFF&STUFF]

its the car the cave and the gadgets. he is like james bond in a mask and cape.

 

[Catman]

its the car the cave and the gadgets. he is like james bond in a mask and cape.

Well...yea...but Batman movies are probably cheaper to make. Batman has Gotham City and that's pretty much it. James Bond movies are shot all over the world. That must cost a lot.

 

[Spider-Fan]

The answer is simple, Batman is as popular as Superman (and might the most popular one right now...either him or Spider-Man), but he is also easier to make. Superman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, etc all require lots of $$$ and challenge special effects experts. Batman is a guy with a costume, gadgets, and is more realistic. Plus, he has one of (if not the) best selection of villains to choose from as far as comics go.

 

[Dr. Fate]

its the car the cave and the gadgets. he is like james bond in a mask and cape.

Oh yes, he's very toyetic.

 

[Catman]

he has one of (if not the) best selection of villains to choose from as far as comics go.

That helps, but I'm not sure if that's why has more movies. I guess the best IS that he's simpler and cheaper to make.

 

[HR-PUFF&STUFF]

Well...yea...but Batman movies are probably cheaper to make. Batman has Gotham City and that's pretty much it. James Bond movies are shot all over the world. That must cost a lot.

the location has nothing to do with the popularity of batman. yes we know its gotham but bond like batman can be filled anywhere and made to look like some other place. hell batman may even cost more because they have to make something new that we have never seen from scratch, where as bond only has to make it "look" like its some other place.

but i doubt it has anything to do with the cost of production.

 

[Jochimus]

Batman's more "film-friendly" for a number of reasons, and the biggest three I can think of are as follows:
* He's essentially a big nine-year-old who copes with monumental tragedy by running around in his playsuit with all his toys strapped to his belt and riding around in the coolest set of Power Wheels you've ever seen. The character's appeal to kids is undisputable, regardless of how grim or how silly you choose to portray him, and IMO that's a very big part of why he's such a cash cow for WB.
* He has the best Rogues Gallery of all time, because they tap into aspects of society and play to both our fear and our empathy: on one hand, we're in a world where people of all ages are actually afraid of clowns and the top of this entourage is a really nasty guy who looks like A CLOWN; on the other hand, you also have a poor guy who can only exist in subzero temps and who turned to crime to save his dying wife, whom he had to have frozen.
* He's probably the most recognizable of comic-book heroes who can be made accessible, because he has no powers and the event in his life that caused him to go down this road could be something you'd see on the evening news. Very few people in this world are going to find out they are the sole survivor of an alien world, they're not gonna gain the ability to crawl up walls, and any guy who goes after the mob that killed his family is a dead man without the body armor and high-tech to back him up.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Hes more relatable, realistic, and grounded. To tell the truth I hate this aspect of the new series because it omits many good fantasy/scifi based rogues from ever appearing the way I wish they would appear but my friends who are far from comic fans, average movie goers and are as stoked for Dark Knight as any Hypester they're favorite part of it all is Batman being the most probable. The regular man doing extraordinary things through ordinary means (more or less).

 

[Gilpesh]

Well... you can crank out Batman stories easily. He's just a guy in a costume fighting other guys who wear different costumes. That's the simplest way to look at it.

Unlike Superman for instance, who you can't really do without a big sfx budget and it is near impossible to come up with a great story (and villains) where at one point you thing Superman can lose... without a big island of kryptonite and Kumar.

 

[The Major]

Edit

 

[The Major]

In 19 years we've gotten 6 Batman movies. Or 7 if you count the theatrical release of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

Yet...

We've gotten 5 Superman movies (and a spin-off) in 28 years. 3 Spider-Man movies in 5 years. 3 X-Men movies (and a spin-off; another in the works) in 9 years. While other superheroes have either just gotten 1 or were lucky enough to get a sequel.

So...why? My theory is that Batman is not a superhero. He's just a guy in a costume. So...production-wise it's no different than any other action movie.

Batman's a tragic man who wears a great costume and has a great rogues gallery.

More importantly WB has faith in the character. He's been in the public consciousness for generations in many mainstream mediums repeatedly so people know more about his mythos since they have the material to get to when they need it. It isn't all in the comics like most super-heroes.

It's the same with Superman.

I'd say the fact most super-hero adaptions aren't very good for sequels, too. This is what seperates Batman and Superman from the rest. Even Hollywood stars and WB executives respect these franchises as they've been bought up with them along with prior successes in tv shows, cartoons and movies.

Give these oppotunities to other super-hero franchises who have similar potential and they'd be in the same position.

Then again...why as Punisher struggled so much?

Not as much exposure, not as interesting in personality or visually, poor rogues gallery (he keeps killing them, too) and he can't be marketed to kids since his concept relies in him being a killer. Ironically Batman started out the same way only he evolved into a family friendly franchise Punisher didn't.

 

[The Major]

Well... you can crank out Batman stories easily.

He's not the only super-hero who has lots of potential with stories.

Batman's just one of the most famous.

He's just a guy in a costume fighting other guys who wear different costumes. That's the simplest way to look at it.

No it doesn't.

You just described every comic book super-hero ever.

Unlike Superman for instance, who you can't really do without a big sfx budget and it is near impossible to come up with a great story (and villains) where at one point you thing Superman can lose... without a big island of kryptonite and Kumar.

He's difficult to write but not impossible. Watch Superman:TAS, they get it.

Aside from Donner the WB has barely touched the Superman's potential in film.

 

[Gilpesh]

Um... he doesn't have powers and most of his villains don't?

That really separates him from a bunch of those super-heroes.

 

[cerealkiller182]

No it doesn't.

You just described every comic book super-hero ever

I believe hes referring tothe fact that Batman is just a guy in a suit who fights. No super strength or speed or fire blasts. Just a guy who fights for the most part. Which means no money for SFX (hypothetically)

which is true.

 

[HR-PUFF&STUFF]

two words and i am surprised that no one has said them yet- prep time.

 

[Gilpesh]

I believe hes referring tothe fact that Batman is just a guy in a suit who fights. No super strength or speed or fire blasts. Just a guy who fights for the most part. Which means no money for SFX (hypothetically)

which is true.

Bingo. I wouldn't thing I would have to get that deep into as to avoid confusion. Plus somebody somewhere also said that the thing about Batman is... anyone could become him... granted, as long as they're rich.

 

[The Major]

I believe hes referring tothe fact that Batman is just a guy in a suit who fights.

Okay.

No super strength or speed or fire blasts.

He doesn't fire energy blasts but he does have incredible speed and strength which are beyond what normal people can accomplish. Even the movies support this.

Batman is not your average realistic martial artist in the comics or cartoons (Batman:TAS, JLU).

Just a guy who fights for the most part. Which means no money for SFX (hypothetically)

which is true.

Agreed.

 

[Jake Cassidy]

because Batman is AWESOME!! That's all that really needs to be said. t:

 

[Catman]

two words and i am surprised that no one has said them yet- prep time.

lol.

 

[cerealkiller182]

He doesn't fire energy blasts but he does have incredible speed and strength which are beyond what normal people can accomplish. Even the movies support this.

Batman is not your average realistic martial artist in the comics or cartoons (Batman:TAS, JLU).

Im not going to argue whats possible and impossible or what Batmans true abilities are even though at the end of the day he has zero superhuman abilities, just overly honed normal human abilities, you are splitting hairs. The fact is the SFX for a Batman movie CAN POSSIBLY be substantially lower than Fantastic Four or Superman or The Matrix or Lord of the Rings or anymore of the average summer blockbuster scifi/fantasy styled movies.

 

[Sawyer]

its the car the cave and the gadgets. he is like james bond in a mask and cape.

Keaton/Bale films - Connery/Craig films
Kilmer film - Moore films
Clooney film - Dalton/Brosnan films