White eyes for the DCU Batman

[Superman7]

Pretty self explanatory title, the DCU batman should have the white eyes

I understand that in the past it's been hard to make work in live action, but with new technology and CGI, It's confusing to me how we have yet to get a single main live action Batman with the white eyes.

It worked great for wolverine in the newest deadpool, and I think more than any other adapted comic character it just makes sense for Batman. He's supposed to be almost inhuman to the criminals and civilians alike of the DC universe, he's supposed to hide his emotion. I understand that the primary reason it hasn't been done yet other than effect technology is because the eyes hold so much expression for an actor, and covering them could effect the quality of the performance. But as I mentioned above, the new deadpool and wolverine movie struck the balance perfectly. Honestly the say what you will about the deadpool movies, but they've always been adept at adapting the white eyes and still conveying a good range of expression. So moral of the story is that white eyes not only thematically make sense for Batman, but can now more than ever be done in a visually cool and convincing way that in no way detracts from the performance of the actor. Besides, Bruce always does his big emotional scenes out of the cowl

 

[WayneMB]

"it worked great for wolverine" is certainly a take. he looked like a videogame character

 

[donuts]

Yeah, I didn't like the white eyes on Wolverine.

Didn't James Gunn just say he found the white eye debate for Batman to be dumb, by the way?

 

[AndrewGilkison]

I don't get why people hate the idea of Batman having white eyes in live action, but are fine with the outdated panda bear eye makeup they've used since 1989.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I don't get why people hate the idea of Batman having white eyes in live action, but are fine with the outdated panda bear eye makeup they've used since 1989.

Because one lets an actor act with their eyes and was recently done in an exceptionally cool way that heavily drew attention to it to empathize an extremely expressive performers eyes.

I’m not inherently opposed to it. But it’s an automatically worse choice.

 

[Snow Queen]

Nah, looks like ****.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

Funny enough I might prefer it to just be immobile white eyes as opposed to cartoon ones. Then it becomes sort of a Dredd situation which could be a neat acting challenge. Still not ideal.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Because one lets an actor act with their eyes and was recently done in an exceptionally cool way that heavily drew attention to it to empathize an extremely expressive performers eyes.

I’m not inherently opposed to it. But it’s an automatically worse choice.

While I liked that Pattinson's Batman used high tech contact lenses, I cringed when he was using his dirty fingers to dig them out. My thought when I saw that scene was "if he had embedded those lenses into his cowl, he wouldn't have to do that".

To me, the white eyes is just more practical for what Batman does. Keeps his identity hidden (limits the ability for retinal scanners on a security camera to spoil it). He can have tech in the lenses that can help him do his job. It also better creates the image that Batman wants to have, this larger than life creature of the night.

To me, it just makes sense.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

There is also a way to do it that still allows the actors to use their eyes.

 

[Sawyer]

I think the white eyes on Deadpool work because he’s basically a live action cartoon character. They somewhat worked on Wolverine as just a quick nod to his classic look, but I really don’t think you want white eyes for the duration of the film.

Throw the white eyes on Batman for a scene or two, but overall… let the real actor shine through.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I think the white eyes on Deadpool work because he’s basically a live action cartoon character. They somewhat worked on Wolverine as just a quick nod to his classic look, but I really don’t think you want white eyes for the duration of the film.

Throw the white eyes on Batman for a scene or two, but overall… let the real actor shine through.

Feels telling to me that it didn't really work that well for Wolverine compared to Deadpool who is inherently a joke and Spidey who just by default has his face covered and big expressive eyes on that mask.

 

[Sawyer]

Feels telling to me that it didn't really work that well for Wolverine compared to Deadpool who is inherently a joke and Spidey who just by default has his face covered and big expressive eyes on that mask.

Yeah, it definitely seems to be something that benefits from either an air of parody or a lack of any other visible facial features.

I also think it’s funny that people act like the white eyes were a deliberate creative choice, rather than being a matter of necessity based on decades of it being impossible for artists to make visible pupils and irises on THIS not look ridiculous…

 

[DorkyFresh]

I think the white eyes on Deadpool work because he’s basically a live action cartoon character. They somewhat worked on Wolverine as just a quick nod to his classic look, but I really don’t think you want white eyes for the duration of the film.

Throw the white eyes on Batman for a scene or two, but overall… let the real actor shine through.

That's what I was thinking, basically have him use them sparingly or whenever needed. I get both sides because if Batman needs to portray more emotional or intimate moments, the actor benefits a ton if his eyes are showing but my geeky side wants to see it done well in live action.

When SwordOfMorning mentioned Dredd, it made me think about how much more mysterious and obscure he would feel in certain scenes when he's trying to appear more mythical or fighting villains but then he can retract them TDK style if he's speaking to his Batfam or whenever. Especially in a magical/sci fi DCU, they wouldn't even have to explain it. It could just be part of his cowl that he can use on and off.

But I doubt James and Co. will wanna go for that. Doesn't really seem like their style at the moment.

 

[donuts]

It always makes me laugh when people take comic book artwork and cartoonist flourishes way too literally in the translation to live action.

 

[donuts]

P.S.: I've already said it, but can't help myself: white lenses looked idiotic on Wolverine

 

[Boom]

Charlie Cox makes them work well enough in Daredevil, so I think they can be done here.

 

[donuts]

Charlie Cox makes them work well enough in Daredevil, so I think they can be done here.

One reason why I feel that they work is that they're not white. In fact, one user suggested transparent lenses, and I could see that working more than proper white lenses.

 

[WayneMB]

Charlie Cox makes them work well enough in Daredevil, so I think they can be done here.

..... he is blind lol

 

[Boom]

One reason why I feel that they work is that they're not white. In fact, one user suggested transparent lenses, and I could see that working more than proper white lenses.

Yeah. Instead of solid white, I would do a reflective or mirrored silver. Makes the lenses a bit more dynamic.

The solid white lenses in D&W are ass. Definitely do not want that.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Yeah. Instead of solid white, I would do a reflective or mirrored silver. Makes the lenses a bit more dynamic.

The solid white lenses in D&W are ass. Definitely do not want that.

The first draft of Batman 1989 had that in there. But I guess it was too far ahead of what superhero movies could give us, technology wise, in terms of creating costumes.

 

[Chris B]

Outside of situational purposes, I'm inclined to say no. Seeing the actors' eyes has worked with the past Batmen so I don't really see the point of doing the lenses other than for comics accuracy.

 

[Boom]

The first draft of Batman 1989 had that in there. But I guess it was too far ahead of what superhero movies could give us, technology wise, in terms of creating costumes.

View attachment 139269

I never knew that. Very cool.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I never knew that. Very cool.

News to me too. Wild!

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Never want lenses. The eyes are extremely important as emphasized by Battinson. They only exist in comics so folks don't have to draw eyeballs all the time.

 

[donuts]

There is also a way to do it that still allows the actors to use their eyes.

View attachment 138804View attachment 138805

I would welcome this approach