What Tim Burton’s Batman Forever Would Have Looked Like

1. Why It Died

As you will already be able to recite: Batman Returns was simply too dark. But what did that actually mean to Warner Bros and Tim Burton?

As that film's screenwriter recalled for the 2005 documentary Shadow of the Bat – Part 4: Dark Side of the Knight, the early signs were obvious:

“It’s great. The lights are coming up after Batman Returns, and it’s like kids crying, people acting like they’ve been punched in the stomach, and like they’ve been mugged. Part of me relished that reaction, and part of me to this day is like, ‘Oops.’”

Batman Returns still made a hell of a lot of money, which is why Warner Bros were so keen on the IDEA of a sequel at least. But the reaction from toy companies, critics and McDonalds, of all people, made it impossible for Burton's vision to continue and Warner Bros to make as much money as they wanted to.

When Returns was released in summer 1992, The LATimes offered a picture of public reaction to the film, publishing angry letters over the content of the film and its connection to McDonald’s. As one letter said: “Violence-loving adults may enjoy this film. But why on Earth is McDonald’s pushing this exploitative movie through the sales of its so-called ‘Happy Meals?’ Has McDonald’s no conscience?”

It was a PR nightmare and in conjunction with toy companies struggling to sell toys to kids of mutant killer penguin men and sadomasochistic cat ladies, it was the end of the line for Burton. Money, unfortunately, talked too loudly.

Would you have watched this version of Batman Forever? Share your reactions below in the comments thread.