Its an exciting time for movie-goers, even more so when we learn that one of our favorite franchises is being adapted into either a film or a TV show. If you would have told a ten year old version of myself that one day they would make a live-action version of Transformers, Spider-Man, or X-Men, Id call you a lying sack of something. Yet, here we are, friends, in a time when everything, it seems, gets some sort of adaptation. Ask any fanboy or fangirl, weve all got a list of things were just dying to see get a live-action treatment. But, for every one of those projects we ask for, there are plenty being greenlit that we dont really look forward to, but that well probably still watch, if only for the sake of watching. Here are five...
5. The Batman Reinvention
Why We Didnt Ask For It I call it a reinvention rather than a reboot because a reboot is what happens when a franchise needs a fresh start. The Dark Knight Trilogy really doesnt. Batman Begins was awesome. The Dark Knight was unquestionably one of the greatest superhero movies ever. The Dark Knight Rises was, for all its flaws, a great film as well. With Christopher Nolan and crew we got both the Batman we deserved, and the one we needed. When we say we want to see more Batman on the big screen, what most of us mean is that we want more Christian Bale/Batman. Not just anyone in a cape and cowl will do. Just ask George Clooney. Thereve been, oh, about a hundred different versions of Batman on film. How many more times can we be introduced to the same character before we dont care to meet them anymore? With the next Batman, theyll no doubt try to do something different with the caped crusader. But wheres there left to go? Bats is a dark, gritty character. Nolans film pretty much nailed that. And villains? Sure Batmans got an insane (literally) rogues gallery, so thered be no shortage of villains to choose from. But unless we want another Mr. Freeze, most of his more outlandish foes are off limits from any onscreen adaptation that aims to ground itself in realism.
Why Well See It Anyways Batman has gotten successively better with each passing film (barring, of course, Batman & Robin, which was so bad that the star of the movie has
apologized for it). So when the next one comes out, well see it in the hopes that perhaps it will be another take on the Dark Knight that we can really get behind, one that will once again redefine what we come to expect from our superhero movies, and maybe, just maybe, make us forget what came before.