Batman Returns writer on how Batman 89 "sucks"
https://www.darkhorizons.com/waters-batman-sucks-catwoman-details/
Whilst Richard Donner’s “Superman” was arguably the first major superhero film, filmmaker Tim Burton’s “Batman” film in 1989 is what really introduced the world to the concept of the superhero film as a marketing machine.
That’s partly why 1992’s follow-up “Batman Returns”, with its dark and subversive tone drew some divisiveness at the time even as it has critically aged better than its more commercial predecessor.
Daniel Waters, the “Heathers” scribe who wrote the screenplay for “Batman Returns,” recently told Indiewire he’s not a fan of the first Burton “Batman” film, saying that it “sucks”.
In a separate interview with World of Reel, he goes on to explain how it wasn’t just him who had issues with it – even Burton did as well:
“[Tim Burton] was not crazy about Batman. And I wasn’t crazy about it either. It had great production design and all that, but I didn’t like the movie…That scene where Jack [Nicholson’s] going up the stairs to a s— Prince song, spray painting art is the height of anti-entertainment.”
https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/batman-returns-catwoman-spinoff-black-and-white-1234938822/share
Waters said the original draft of the “Batman Returns” screenplay contained multiple digs at the first Burton “Batman” film, a merchandising juggernaut in 1989 and a film Waters thinks “sucks.” “Batman Returns” was originally set to open on the Batman logo, which would pan out to reveal an in-universe merchandise store, with Batman making several references to exploitative merchandising during the film. However, film star Michael Keaton convinced Waters to cut the digs from the movie.
“[Michael] Keaton said, ‘This is very clever. Cut it,'” Waters recalled.