will we ever see a batman horror film?

[Hypestyle]

... a film with batman with a supernatural plot, a horror-mystery to solve... something like a serial killer, secret cults, etc...

 

[TruerToTheCore]

No. It will always feature the big bang action.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

I'd like to see a movie that presented Batman in a scarier fashion whenever he's around a normal crook. Of course, whenever he encounters Ra's, Joker, Mr. Freeze etc, they're not afraid of him.

 

[Bathead]

Remember the backlash from the soccer moms becassue of the (relatively tame) dark themes of Batman Returns?
That would be nothing compared to what would happen if Batman were to go full-on horror. Never happen.

 

[SmellTheWeird]

Remember the backlash from the soccer moms becassue of the (relatively tame) dark themes of Batman Returns?

Themes in Returns aren't that "dark" ... the visuals were dark, but the film was hardly frightening thematically. The most horrifying "themes" seen in a Batman movie yet were in TDK.

 

[Mandalore464]

There was this fan made silent Batman short that was made that, while definitely not a horror film, featured a couple of witty references to old horror films in terms of mood especially.

It was also a blast, original and clever. Kudos to the director. Those who don't know it should check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_bjAhynSrY

 

[Bathead]

Themes in Returns aren't that "dark" ... the visuals were dark, but the film was hardly frightening thematically. The most horrifying "themes" seen in a Batman movie yet were in TDK.

Oh, I agree, and that was kinda my point, even tho it wasn't all that dark really, there was still an uproar (an undeserved one, IMO). And yes, the themes in TDK were indeed darker, but nowhere near as dark as in your average horror movie. That is why I doubt the studios will take the chance, especially since horror is not a common theme at all in Batman stories.

 

[SmellTheWeird]

And yes, the themes in TDK were indeed darker, but nowhere near as dark as in your average horror movie.

I actually disagree. Horror movies are usually frightening on the surface. Horror movies are usually about the one virtuous person in the lot of teens, or people being stalked and hunted coming out on top. They are actually a story of survival. One of the most frightening movies I have ever seen have NOTHING to do with horror. Usually Kubrick films ... he gave insight into ACTUAL horror. Society horrors on massive scales, that can't be so easily defeated. Eyes Wide Shut, Full Metal Jacket, and Clockwork Orange is one of the most frightening films given it's themes. TDK incorporates similar approach. But yes, on the surface horror movies are usually excessively violent in a gruesome way. But to me ideas are always more frightening than any image.

 

[ALP]

The Spanish fan-made Arkham Asylum trailer makes me wet my pants every time I see itt:

 

[raybia]

... a film with batman with a supernatural plot, a horror-mystery to solve... something like a serial killer, secret cults, etc...

No but that would be so cool. No reason why WB couldn't do a HBO series based on this idea or even a miniseries. Look what AMC is doing with The Walking Dead. It could work.

 

[ALP]

Why on earth would WB waste a multi-billion dollar property by placing it on HBO, a channel that averages no more than 2-5 million viewers per tv show?

The Dark Knight on it's opening day made more than The Walking Dead makes all season.

I guess it would be a good way to alieniate about 50 million movie-goers and their kids for whom they'll splash out billions on the merchandise

 

[raybia]

Why on earth would WB waste a multi-billion dollar property by placing it on HBO, a channel that averages no more than 2-5 million viewers per tv show?

The Dark Knight on it's opening day made more than The Walking Dead makes all season.

I guess it would be a good way to alieniate about 50 million movie-goers and their kids for whom they'll splash out billions on the merchandise

Because I was thinking a rated R show.

 

[Rocketman]

An R-rated, hardcore, Se7en / Silence of the Lambs movie made by David Fincher. That's what I want.

Watchmen was rated R.
Punisher was rated R.
Punisher: War Zone was R.
Sin City was R.
V for Vendetta was R.

It's not impossible.

And as far "alienating the audience" goes: SO WHAT. It's not like it would be the LAST Batman movie ever made. These movies will come out every few years until (and after) we're all dead.

Batman - 1989
Batman Returns - 1992 - 3 years later
Batman Forever - 1995 - 3 years later
Batman & Robin - 1997 - 2 years later
Batman Begins - 2005 - 8 years later
The Dark Knight - 2008 - 3 years later
The Dark Knight Rises - 2012 - 4 years later

On average, a new Batman movie is released in theaters every 3 years.

 

[ALP]

If you want an R-rated Batman that is perfectly fine. It's fun to speculate about how it could be done. But trying to rationalize why it should happen is ludicrous on every possible level.

Fact of the matter is, Batman is a multi-billion dollar property. You never purposefully alienate the audience when there is billions of dollars to be made. Naming off a list of films that the average movie goer is not familiar with and could barely scrape its budget back is about as unconvincing as it gets.

 

[Mister Meddle]

I'd like to see something a bit scarier with darker visuals but nothing beyond that or anything that's too extreme.

 

[ThDWgeek]

I'd like to see it done, maybe with an adaptation of A Serious House on A Serious Earth, or at least inspired by it, but I doubt it'd happen. WB Executives might see it as too much of a risk, and they might fear the inevitable backlash of the parents who think Batman is only for kids. So while it'd be a cool idea, I doubt it'd happen.

 

[Lord]

A horror story? Maybe a more psychological thriller can be done, now, the Dark athmosphere and dark story was already done very well in Batman Returns

 

[uniqueweasel]

I think the only problem with doing a film in that vein, it opens up the idea of "milking" the franchise, then you start getting the horrible verus movies come out!