By Scott Huver, Special to Hollywood.com
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Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Batman Begins
One of the Con's most anticipated presentations was also its most maddening, in Warner Bros.' refusal to divulge virtually any pertinent details on the forthcoming reboot of the Dark Knight's film franchise, Batman Begins (due summer 2005).
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David Goyer and Cillian
Murphy field audience questions. |
Although the first, very promising teaser trailer debuted online within a week of the Con, Warner Bros. offered no clips or even a slide presentation for the Bat-fans who eagerly assembled to hear any new nugget of info from the still-in-production film; instead, the crowd received a video greeting from the set of the film by Caped Crusader Christian Bale (looking uncomfortable and unsure of exactly why he was lensing this message) and director Christopher Nolan, which revealed, well, nothing, and nary a retooled Batcave or upgraded Batmobile in sight. Next up was a minimal panel discussion featuring screenwriter David Goyer and actor Cillian Murphy (28 Days), who plays villain The Scarecrow.
Although Goyer, who has also written many comic books for DC Comics (Batman's publisher), offered up only a few bits on info, instead mostly relying on the "trust us" party line. Fortunately for Goyer, given his and Nolan's track records and the stellar group of talent assembled for Batman Begins, the rabid fans were willing to extend that trust without rioting.
According to Goyer, he and Nolan were given unrestricted creative leeway when crafting the story about young Bruce Wayne, who, upon returning to Gotham City after trainig with an Asian ninja leader, finds evildoers are plotting to oust him as the owner of Wayne Industries.
As major comic book fans, they turned to some of their favorite elements of the Batman canon for inspiration, focusing on the hero's reasons for putting on the cape. The film will feature material derived from Batman's 1940 origin story by creator Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, as well as the 1986 update "Batman; Year One" by comics superstar Frank Miller ("Daredevil," "Sin City") and David Mazzuchelli, and elements of the classic Dennis O'Neil-Neal Adams Ra's al Ghul stories of the 1970s.
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We're guessing they
don't have girlfriends,
but we could be wrong. |
What we know so far: Along with Murphy's Scarecrow (in a suit most complimentarily described by Goyer's friend as "f***ed up"), the rogues' gallery will also include the immortal environmental terrorist Ra's al Ghul, played by The Last Samurai's Ken Watanabe, and Henri Ducard, a mercenary, morally ambiguous mentor of the pre-Batman Bruce Wayne played Liam Neeson. Gary Oldman plays disgraced but honest Gotham cop James Gordon; Michael Caine as Wayne's faithful, fatherly valet Alfred Pennyworth; Morgan Freeman as Wayne's corporate right-hand man Lucius Fox, Katie Holmes as Rachel Dodson, a love interest not derived from the comic books; and Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer and Linus Roache in supporting roles.
It wasn't entirely a love-fest for the suspicious fans, who still felt POWED! by the awful last Bat-film Batman and Robin and THWACKED!
most recently by the Catwoman spin-off. Along with making the film that he and Nolan wanted to see themselves that would not betray the comic book fans, Goyer said that the film is definitely being seen as an opportunity to start the franchise anew, and is considered a separate entity from the four earlier films. Thus, he hinted, major Bat-villains like the Joker, Two-Face and Catwoman seen in the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher outings, may be re-imagined for sequels if the film is a hit.
Click here! for more dish from the 2004 San Diego Comic Con--including scoop from Fantastic Four, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and more!