21 Batman Movies That Almost Happened
2. Joss Whedon's Year One
Briefly following the end of the Aronofsky project after storyboarding in 2003, Warner Bros. again entertained another proposal for a new version of Year One, this time from Joss Whedon, who would later go on to become so important in comic book movies. Little is actually known of the project, but Whedon admitted in 2008 that it had been under consideration.
With Nolan's films out, Whedon said his Year One was similar in tone to the British director's offering, but that his was a bit less epic and more in Gotham City," suggesting he wouldn't have focused so much on Bruce's travelling period that played such a key part of Nolan's picture. Whedon also wanted to bring in a new villain - like Adam West had - similar in characterisation to Hannibal Lector, who would have been tied to Wayne's training. Whedon's version would have had Wayne visiting the villain in Arkham to learn about criminals from this new figure:
I get very emotional about it, I still love the story. Maybe Ill get to do it as a comic one day.
Ultimately it didn't come off and Warner Bros. hired Nolan for Batman Begins in 2003.