Created in 1939, Batman isn’t the first superhero or even necessarily the best. But the various methods of adapting it to the screen aroused excessive passion among fans, including unexpected reactions almost hysterical. This included the howl that greeted Michael Keaton in the ’80s (admittedly an unconventional choice) and perhaps most notably Ben Affleck in 2013.
at
December interview With Howard Stern, Affleck admitted to feeling “hurt” through an online petition circulated against him starring in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” For his part, Stern noted that Batman fans have a track record of complaining “no matter who gets the role.”
Over the years, fans seeking devotion to the comics have had cause for concern and skepticism from Hollywood.
Came the main window into Batman comics in the ’70s, which was a diversion from the frivolity and campiness that characterized the ’60s Batman TV show — with the show’s “Wap! Bam! Boo!” Graphics – to a darker view of the head guard.
“Batman” Starring Robert Pattinson, he is the latest screen incarnation, and in many ways he feels designed to tap into the desires of an ardent fan base. The gritty, gritty film serves up the needs of the weaned on Batman as a creature of the night, an image honed by comic book artists Marshall Rogers and Neal Adams in the 1970s, and Frank Miller in the popular graphic novel “The Dark Knight Returns.”
Director/co-writer Matt Reeves cited another Miller comic, “Batman: Year One,” which depicts an early stage in his crime-fighting career,
Among his inspirations.
Those comics developed Batman’s profile towards a more ambiguous tone
Film directed by Tim Burton in 1989. However, even with its success, the sequel directed by the late
Joel Schumacher Starring Val Kilmer, then George Clooney, it revived the broader camp genre that many comic book fans took to as the bad old days.
Christopher Nolan corrected this with his “Batman Begins”, “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” trilogy, which featured Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning take on the Joker – the kind of stature that would normally elude superheroes.
But revamping has always been a part of Batman’s screen incarnations. Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Group. Picture Group (as CNN, part of WarnerMedia), recently
He told the New York Times, That Reeves’ challenge was to “create a compelling, dynamic, and exciting Batman, yet unlike anything we’ve seen before.”
While the movie makes sure that there is a file
grand opening weekend, How successful it will be will not only be determined by how committed fans will respond, but whether people with less investment will join them in their march back to theaters.
When Affleck was selected, CNN’s Jake Tapper gave a segment on the frenetic response as “the debate tearing this country apart: Batfleck.” Next year, Affleck
Assigned to Entertainment Weekly that Warner Bros. warned. Of the potential for negative backlash, Studio Nahas was quoted as saying, “Are you sure you want to get into this? This is an integral part of these films now. There are a lot of active fans who have a lot of opinions.”
Social media has fueled that dynamic, creating echo chambers where those with “a lot of opinions” can sympathize with like-minded spirits, or conversely argue with opponents.
Loud voices, of course, aren’t always the most representative, especially with something like Batman. But they do reflect why the Pat reference holds such a special place in pop culture: Because so many people think they know what’s right for a character, believing that—no matter who’s wearing the outfit—it belongs to them.
“Lifelong beer expert. General travel enthusiast. Social media buff. Zombie maven. Communicator.”
