James Gunn's Superman has hit theaters, and already the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. However, now that he's brought DC's golden boy back to the big screen, it won't be long before we see a new take on the Caped Crusader.
While Matt Reeves' Batman is still his own thing, Gunn's upcoming Batman: The Brave and the Bold will supposedly take a similar approach to his Man of Steel. However, if he is indeed taking a more classic and comic-book-fan-friendly approach, he needs to learn from the master of Batman flicks, Tim Burton.
Although Nolan's Dark Knight series revitalized the cinematic Batman mythos, Tim Burton's 1989 superhero classic set the bar. Burton's brilliant gothic influence helped shape the modern bat we know today. However, the main reason his vision of the character has stood the test of time is that he recognized that Batman was a comic book first and a movie second.
The string of pearls falling to the ground in crime alley, Joker's Smilex chemicals, and the signature full-body Batman turn were all elements of the Batman legacy made famous in Burton's adaptation. Even the celebrated Batman: The Animated Series took more than a few cues and a Danny Elfman score from Burton's vision. So, what does James Gunn need to learn from all of this?
Although rumors have circulated about Gunn returning Batman to his blue and grey era, the director has not confirmed this (yet). That said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to pull directly from the source material just as Burton had done years ago. However, it might also be beneficial to take from the hauntingly dark version of Gotham.
With Burton already working on a new project (most likely with Warner Bros.), it wouldn't be out of the question to get his input on a new Batman, especially if Gunn takes a similar, nostalgic fanboy approach. In this writer's opinion, the best way to get the perfect Batman on screen again would be to bring Burton back. Modern superhero movies have become far too gritty and realistic (looking at you, Matt Reeves), and it feels like something has been missing for a long while.
If Gunn is going to give us his own take on the Caped Crusader, he needs some of that pure classic comic vibe Burton knew how to wield so well. Hopefully, Superman will have a perfect dark-cloaked counterpart in the near future.
Superman is in theaters now.
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