12 Biggest Missed Opportunities In Comic Book Movie History

7. Darren Aronofsky's Batman: Year One

For anyone who has read the script for Darren Aronofsky€™s Batman: Year One this entry may come as somewhat of a surprise. The script deviates from Frank Miller€™s source material (and the Batman mythos in general) in significant ways, namely by stripping Bruce Wayne of his fortune and having him living in a crappy apartment above Al€™s Garage, as well as having the Bat symbolism of his origin tied into the mark left by a ring he wears. The ring has a €œW€ insignia which leaves a kind of bat symbol mark on the recipients of his blows, leading to the media dubbing him €œThe Batman€. It a sounds a bit strange, especially when imagined against the deeply satisfying and reverent origin story we received in the shape of Batman Begins, but for what we missed in off-kilterness you can€™t help but wonder what we may have gained in innovation? Aronofsky€™s Bat was going to be a hard €œR€ rated, noir-inflected version of the character, the first truly adult-oriented cinematic version of the character, which no doubt set off bat-alarms with the lunchbox peddlers at Warner. Also for all the license taken with the origin, the aim of the story was to take this version of Batman to the point of being closer to a version of the character we recognise. By the end of the story Bruce has discovered he is the heir to the Wayne fortune and has become the Bat proper. It may have upset a few purists but Aronofsky€™s Batman: Year One would have been welcome for its bold and fresh approach to the material, and undoubtedly would have been a sight to behold.