MovieChat Forums > The Batman (2022) Discussion > Why not follow the James Bond template?

Why not follow the James Bond template?

posted 4 years ago by TreeShaman (806)
27 replies | jump to latest

This series gets completely rebooted every decade for no reason. Why do we need a new origin story with Bruce Wayne's parents dying and everything else that happens only once every time the series is rebooted? It would make more sense to just create standalone films where Batman fights a particular villain, and the actors/actresses can be replaced without any issue. Standalone films also don't need to follow the continuity of other 'timelines' or reboots that have happened in the past.

[–] DeadMac1 (169) 2 years ago

I agree with you. This movie should have stayed away from Bruce's childhood & Thomas Wayne's story.

We all know some petty criminal killed Bruce's parents. Finished.

Getting back to his parent's story on emotional/psychological angle is just not necessary, rather cliche-ridden bad modern-day writing. Exploring what kind of person Thomas Wayne was is just not necessary, it's just boring. Focus on Plot and Plot only.

[–] mitzibishi (1645) 2 years ago

We see the pearls drop to the floor every few years

[–] mikeflatley (757) 2 years ago

Won't work wid Lego Batman bec he wud look same in every moovie

[–] hurricane (1944) 2 years ago

Probably so they can completely start from scratch, rather than having to worry about the continuity of previous films. If every Batman film followed the Michael Keaton films, for example, they'd have killed The Joker in the first movie. You'd either have to not use The Joker any more, or more likely, come up with some convoluted way of bringing him back from the dead.

Also, each series of Batman films, the writers and directors would get to impose their own style. The thing with the Kilmer and Clooney Batman movies, was that they were supposed to be a continuation of the Keaton movies, but were very different in tone to the first two. It felt weird. Imagine Heath Ledger just doing a Jack Nicholson impression. Better to go in the direction that you want with the movie.

I do agree that we don't need to see Batman's origin every movie, we all know that. But in this movie, and in the Ben Affleck Batman movies, that wasn't shown anyway.

[–] Ratman (127) 2 years ago

Of course now we have the problem where they feel the need to always include Joker in a new universe, rather than just focusing more on the other many villains Batman has.

[–] hurricane (1944) 2 years ago

He's just iconic, I guess.

I agree that it would be good to focus on other villains though.

[–] Ratman (127) 2 years ago

Perhaps, but sometimes shows lack of risk. Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger are a hard act to follow so perhaps it is time other villains have a chance to be in the spotlight. Hoping Reeves can do this with his sequels.

[–] DoctorThirteen (11615) 2 years ago

Probably so they can completely start from scratch, rather than having to worry about the continuity of previous films. If every Batman film followed the Michael Keaton films, for example, they'd have killed The Joker in the first movie. You'd either have to not use The Joker any more, or more likely, come up with some convoluted way of bringing him back from the dead.

Also, each series of Batman films, the writers and directors would get to impose their own style. The thing with the Kilmer and Clooney Batman movies, was that they were supposed to be a continuation of the Keaton movies, but were very different in tone to the first two. It felt weird. Imagine Heath Ledger just doing a Jack Nicholson impression. Better to go in the direction that you want with the movie.

Perfect answer, right there.

I do agree that we don't need to see Batman's origin every movie, we all know that. But in this movie, and in the Ben Affleck Batman movies, that wasn't shown anyway.

As I recall they showed as much of his origin in BvS as Burton did in Batman '89.

[–] Ace_Spade (9458) 2 years ago

They did that with the Burton-Schumacher films.

I do agree with you where they could access some amazing stories if they assumed that we knew the layout.

I think the reason they don't, though, is just because every filmmaker has their own "take" on Bats, so they reboot it to line things up with their continuity. They want to deal with certain story elements concerning the character, and those are a lot of the same beats.

For my money, I think they might want to consider a live-action Batman series. None of this dancing around, either. No "Batman Minus Batman" shows like Gotham. Just do Bats on TV.