7 Alternate DC Movie Scenes We Almost Got To See

3. Max Schreck Is Penguin's Brother - Batman Returns

Batman Returns Max Penguin
Warner Bros.

Tim Burton's sequel to the seminal Batman 89 caused a storm when it released in 1992, with its dark, grotesque depiction of Penguin representing a major departure for the character and Batman in the public eye, but the film also underwent a number of different iterations before filming.

One initial draft had originally seen Billy Dee Williams' Harvey Dent take on Schreck's position, but production changes saw the creation of Christopher Walken's character.

Then, in one particular draft, it was even revealed that Schreck was Penguin's long lost brother, who'd changed his name in disgust that his parents had abandoned his only sibling.

In the end, it's easy to see why Burton opted not to pursue this angle, as Walken's performance really makes the character a thoroughly unlikeable presence onscreen.

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.