Before Christopher Nolan revived the Batman IP after the failure of Joe Schumacher’s Batman & Robin, which tanked the IP for a while, WB was desperate about bringing the character back to its glory. Following this desperation, there were several ideas, including one involving Clint Eastwood, that were floating around the studio at the time for the revival of Batman on the big screen.
Contrary to the campy and cartoonish vibe of the Schumacher movies, WB was interested in replicating the success of the highly successful Batman Beyond animated series in live-action.
Clint Eastwood was reportedly once considered for the role of Batman
Batman Beyond witnesses a more brooding and grounded theme in a futuristic Gotham, where a retired and old Bruce Wayne takes the character of Terry McGinnis under his wing to revive the mantle. Following the enormous success of the animated series, which was held high among both critics and fans, WB saw the opportunity to use this story to revive the character in live-action. According to one of the creators of the show (Paul Dini), WB approached them with the idea of making a live-action adaptation of Batman Beyond, which reportedly comprised Clint Eastwood.
Although things didn’t work out and eventually the idea got scrapped, following the character of Batman Beyond’s Bruce Wayne, it’s obvious why Eastwood might have been the first choice for the role. Following the legendary actor’s illustrious career, who has played some of the most badass characters in cinema history, it’s reasonable to assume that he would have been perfect for the role. However, bearing in mind how Christian Bale’s movies eventually turned out and changed the whole landscape of the Superhero industry, it seems that everything worked out for the best.
The future of a Batman Beyond adaptation isn’t bright
Although the idea of a Batman Beyond adaptation has been floating for a while, the recent report regarding the project’s future wasn’t appealing. Considering that DC is currently going under restructuring with James Gunn and Safran at the helms, the possibility of a Batman Beyond movie comprising Michael Keaton were reportedly brushed off. Industry insider Jeff Sneider later speculated the possible reasoning behind this decision and stated,
“[Gunn and Safran] came in and said, ‘Absolutely not,’. I’m sure that was part of the condition of even getting Keaton back in the first place… ‘You have to develop a solo movie for me.’ But I’m sure that they were just like, ‘Nope. We’re not messing with Batman. Batman is doing great right now, Matt Reeves’ Batman. This, everything else Batman — or Joker — gone.'”
Also read: Clint Eastwood Refused to Star in Sylvester Stallone’s $789 Million Worth Avengers Like Franchise
Even though it would have been cool to witness Clint Eastwood in the iconic role, things are looking quite great for Batman fans at present. Apart from Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II, which is currently in the works, fans will also get to witness another version of The Dark Knight in the new DCU alongside one of his Robins, Damien Wayne.
Source: The Illumenerdi
