User:Wildroot/Batman: Year One (canceled film)

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Batman: Year One is a canceled film based on the graphic novel of the same name by Frank Miller. It was to be directed by Darren Aronofsky and written by both Aronofsky and Miller. The project never received the greenlight by Warner Brothers due to the fact that they found it to be too violent. Ultimately the project resulted into Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. The first draft of the script has been leaked online, though only written by Miller.[1]

The film was one of many projects developed at the studio over the years on trying to get a fifth Batman installment. Others listed included Batman Triumphant, Batman: DarKnight, Boaz Yakin's Batman Beyond, and Wolfgang Peterson's Batman vs Superman.[1]

Contents

[edit] Development

After the critical and financial failure of Batman & Robin, director Joel Schumacher felt he owed "the hardcore Batman fans the Batman movie they would love me to give them." It was in the summer of 1998, whereas Schumacher claimed he had pitched to Warner Brothers a film adaptation of Frank Miller's acclaimed graphic novel Batman: Year One. Despite his interest, the studio decided to go to renowned independent filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, after they were impressed with his work on π. When asked how he might approach the Batman film series Aronofsky originally wanted to do an adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, another one of Miller's acclaimed works. He expressed interest in casting Clint Eastwood as the aging Batman and filming it in Tokyo, doubling for Gotham City. The studio was interested in the idea, though Aronofsky later changed his mind for an adaptation of Year One.[1]

Aronofsky would later go to work on Requiem for a Dream, while Warner Brothers was still hesitant for a film adaptation of Year One. This included the Batman Beyond and Batman: DarKnight projects that eventually fell apart. After completing Requiem for a Dream, came back to the studio for the adaptation, and officially signing on in September 2000. He brought Frank Miller with him to write the script, whom the two previously collaborated on for an adaptation of Ronin.[1] Year One was to be inspired by 1970s crime dramas such as Taxi Driver, The French Connection, Serpico, and Death Wish.[1] Aronofsky also wanted to bring "an independent guerrilla flavor [to it]."[2]

Over the course on the project, Aronofsky claims that the film wasn't greenlighted due to the fact that Warner Brothers found it to be too violent, citing that an R-rated Batman film wouldn't appeal to children. As such the director came up with an idea that they could make two separate films. One was to be Aronofsky/Miller's Year One that wouldn't require a massive budget, and the second to be one that could garner to a family friendly audience. The studio ultimately turned down the concept.[1]

Warner Brothers then enlisted the aid of the Wachowski brothers[1], who went as far as writing a brief proposal.[3] They couldn't work any longer due to their commitment on The Matrix sequels and Warner Brothers asked Aronofsky if he would be willing to write/direct the film based on their proposal. He turned down the offer and the studio then enlisted more pitches.[1]

In December 2002, Joss Whedon pitched an origin story that he liked very much, but claims that Warner Brothers execs were "starring at him as if he were in a fishbowl."[4] Ultimately in January 2003, Christopher Nolan was hired to take over[5] and the result was Batman Begins.

[edit] Plot

Frank Miller wrote a draft, which is to this day, the only one leaked online. The story went as:

After the death of his parents young Bruce Wayne remains lost on the street and is eventually taken in by Big Al, owner of an auto repair shop with his son Little Al. Driven by a desire for vengeance towards a manifest destiny of which his is only dimly aware, young Bruce toils day and night in the shop, watching the comings and goings of hookers, pimps, and corrupt police officers across the street to a cat house. We are then introduced to detective James Gordon as he struggles with the corruption he finds endemic among Gotham City police officers of all ranks.[6]

Bruce's first act as a vigilante is to confront a dirty cop named Campbell as he accosts "mistress Selina" in the cathouse, but Campbell ends up dead and Bruce narrowly escapes being blamed. Realizing that he needs to operate with more methodology, he initially dons a cape and hockey mask. Hoever, Bruce soon evolves a more stylized "costume" with both form and function, acquires a variety of makeshift gadgets and weapons, and re-configures a black Lincoln Continental into a makeshift "bat-mobile." In his new gues as "The Bat-Man," Bruce Wayne wages war on criminals from street level to the highest echelons, working his way up to Police Commissioner Loeb and Mayor Noone, even as the executors of the Wayne estate search for their missing heir. In the end, Bruce accepts his dual destiny as heir to the Wayne fortune and the city's savior, and Gordon comes to accept that, while he may not agree with "the Bat-Man"'s methods, he can't argue with the results.[6]

[edit] Characters and casting

NOTE: The following information is according to Frank Miller's script.

  • Bruce Wayne / Batman: The main protagonist of the story.
  • Detective James Gordon: The only good cop in the Gotham City Police Department; has suicidal thoughts.
  • Little Al: The son of Big Al; Bruce's friend and mentor. Later becomes his butler at the end of the script.
  • Selina Kyle: A prostitute whom Bruce frequently knows. She finds out his secret identity and deems the title as Catwoman in the end of the script. Written very close to her counterpart in the graphic novel.
  • Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb: The police commissioner of Gotham City. Written very close to his counterpart in the graphic novel.
  • Detective Arnold Flass: A corrupt detective at the GCPD. Written very close to his counterpart in the graphic novel.
  • Big Al: An enormous African-American man who takes and raises Bruce from the streets. Father of Little Al.
  • Holly Robinson: A simple teenager who often accompanies Selina.
  • Detective Campbell: An overweight corrupt police detective who is eventually killed by Bruce on accident.
  • Mayor Noone: The corrupt Mayor of Gotham.
  • Chi-Chi: Selina and Holly's pimp.
  • Ann Gordon: The wife of James Gordon.
  • Harvey Dent: The District Attorney of Gotham, and one of the few uncorrupted officials.

It should be noted that the Joker has a cameo.

No casting ever took place, though Val Kilmer,[7] Ben Affleck,[8], Keanu Reeves,[1] and Christian Bale[9] all expressed interest for the role of Batman. Kilmer would only do it "if it were to be more humorous,"[7] while Bale cited the role as "a dream come true." His agent then told MovieHole.net that Bale had been approached for a number of Batman projects, including Year One. He stated that Bale preferred the Year One version due to the fact that the script was more "unique."[9] Bale would of course end up being cast for the lead role in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i David Hughes (2003). Tales From Development Hell. Titan Books. ISBN 1-84023-691-4. 
  2. ^ Rebecca Ascher-Walsh. "Super Hunk", Entertainment Weekly, 2000-08-31. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  3. ^ The Wachowski Brothers. "Batman: Year One Proposal", Leon Scripts. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  4. ^ "Joss Whedon Pitched a Batman Film", SuperHeroHype.com, 2003-12-02. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  5. ^ Fleming, Michael. "'Batman' captures director Nolan", Variety, 2003-01-27. Retrieved on 2006-11-02. 
  6. ^ a b Frank Miller. "Batman: Year One Screenplay", Leon Scripts. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  7. ^ a b Brian Linder. "Rumblings From Gotham", IGN, 2000-07-27. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  8. ^ "Movie Preview: The Sum of All Fears", Entertainment Weekly, 2002-04-18. Retrieved on 2007-10-22. 
  9. ^ a b Michael Mason. "Bale On Batman...vs. Superman, Year One", Comics2Film, 2002-08-16. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.