Did You Know This Filmmaker Influenced Marvel and DC’s Universes?
By Movieguide® Contributor
BATMAN (1989) actor Michael Keaton believes moviemaker Tim Burton heavily influenced the worlds of Marvel and DC.
He hints that “Burton’s work on BATMAN…paved the way for the modern Marvel and DC cinematic universes that we know today,” Comic Book said.
“Tim deserves enormous credit. He changed everything,” Keaton said of the director’s decision to cast him as Batman in the 1989 movie. “I can’t necessarily say this, but there’s a strong possibility there is no Marvel Universe, there is no DC Universe, without Tim Burton. He was doubted and questioned.”
The movie ended up a success, but Keaton believes the credit is all due to Burton.
“He hasn’t gotten himself enough credit for going, ‘Yeah, that guy,'” the actor continued. “And everybody went, ‘Wait, Michael? You worked with him on BEETLEJUICE, right?’ But I think what happened was Tim saw CLEAN AND SOBER [Keaton’s first non-comedic role].”
Many Batman fans did not like Keaton for the BATMAN role, and 50,000 even protested for another actor to replace him.
“I get the credit. I don’t know that he got enough credit for making that move. That was a bold move,” he said.
Burton told GQ why he likes to cast Keaton: “You just look in his eyes, and he seems intelligent, scary, crazy, everything all at once…He has a certain energy,” which is why he “wanted him to be in BATMAN.”
Burton recently cast him again in BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE, which comes out Sept. 6. Burton also recasted Winona Ryder.
When Keaton looks back on his heroic Batman role he says, “[I’m] proud of it actually because I like to prove everybody wrong. It’s fun for me.”
Keaton recently reprised his role as Batman in BATGIRL. However, the movie didn’t make it to screens because only a small audience would be interested in its content. Movieguide® reported:
Not only did BATGIRL conclude filming, but it also boasted several respected Hollywood talents like Leslie Grace as the titular character, Micheal Keaton reprising his role as Batman, with additional roles played by J.K. Simmons and Brendan Fraser.
“They think an unspeakable Batgirl is going to be irredeemable,” one source said, according to PinkNews…
Perhaps, the decision comes from Warner Bros.’s understanding that ‘wokeness’ does not sell, at least among the largest audiences.
