Hello Geeks! This is your friendly neighborhood blogger, Michael Cash, back with you again. If you’re reading this, I assume that you either love Batman or have at least heard of him. He’s been around since 1939 and appeared in more than 80 films and countless television shows. He is best known for his role as the Dark Knight (aka The Batman).
If you want to be the new Batman, all you need is an actor that can embody the characters essence. Entertainment Weekly reports that the next Batman may be none other than the “Twilight” actor, Robert Pattinson. The publication reports that Warner Bros. is making an “I Love Lucy”-inspired movie about a married couple during the Prohibition era. It is said that Pattinson has expressed interest in playing the part.
While it might not be easy to convince Pattinson to don the cowl forever, there are a few steps you can take to try. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Step One: Decide Whether To Use Fake News Or Real News
For the most part, movies based on comics are usually a lot campier than the source material. However, that doesn’t mean they have to be. If you want to make a good movie, you can take inspiration from real events and people. For example, “Vibes” is loosely based on the 1970s punk rock scene in Los Angeles and is a very entertaining movie. There wasn’t really a punk rock scene in the ‘70s. It was all made up. Vibes is also the name of a successful band that was started by Chunk, one of the characters in the film. If you want, you can even base the characters on real people. For example, Harley Quinn (voiced by Kate Kane) is loosely based on the career of “H.Q.”, a serial killer who targeted women. She wears a brightly colored dress, is manicured and manicured, and has a penchant for Harley Quinn-themed items. All of these character details and more are entirely accurate to the source material, yet they make for an entertaining story about a crazy cat lady who is also a killer.
As stated above, it’s very common for movies based on comics to be a bit campy. This is mostly due to the fact that actors don’t usually get as excited about playing characters they’ve played before. For this reason, you should go the extra mile to ensure that you find an actor who hasn’t played the part before. This will add a layer of authenticity that cannot be achieved otherwise. There are a few exceptions to this rule (e.g., Heath Ledger), but they are extremely rare. You’re better off saving that exception for a movie that isn’t based on a comic book.
Step Two: Find A Partner
It can be difficult to get someone to commit to playing the part of a superhero for the length of a feature film. After all, they’ll be spending a lot of time in front of a camera. This is where partners come in handy. It would be great if you could get Robert Pattinson to commit to playing the role of Batman for the next movie. However, that may not be the best idea. What you need is someone who can play a crucial role in helping Batman get to where he needs to go. For example, in the comics, Barbara Gordon (played by Anne Hathaway in the movie “The Dark Knight Rises”) was the original Batgirl. She became the chief financial officer of Wayne Enterprises after her father, Alfred, retired. Her role in the company mostly consisted of handling their money and investments. If you want, you can use this character as a stepping stone to get Pattinson involved in future Batman movies. What’s important is that you find someone who is smart, independent, and can hold their own against some of Batman’s foes. These characters generally have a lot of dialogue, which can be difficult to shoot without the help of a script doctor. That’s why it’s important to find someone who is experienced in the field.
Step Three: Hire Top Shelf
The best part of “Vibes” was seeing the various top shelf items that Lucy and Vibes stole from offices, boutiques, and stores. It was like a visual pun of the time period as well as references to famous movie lines and pop culture. This is something that would be very difficult to achieve in a movie that isn’t based on comics. To put it simply, the better the items on top of the shelf, the better the movie. This is because these items represent the status, class, and sophistication of the time period. If you want to find out more, here is a brilliant infographic that breaks down movie merchandising trends from the ‘70s to present day.
Step Four: Keep On Top Of Trends
Comics movies are notorious for being ahead of their time. This is mostly because the source material is generally published years before the movie’s release. For example, “Batman Returns” was released in 1992, yet it was inspired by the ‘80s television show, “Batman: The Late Night Special”. “Returns” was also the first major movie to feature a female Robin. The point is that the source material is generally so ahead of its time that it’s difficult for the movie to keep up with contemporary trends and fads. As a result, the characters generally act in a way that is incomprehensible to anyone outside of the decade they were made for. If you want, you can make a checklist of the items that need to be in place for a comics-based movie to feel fresh and exciting.
Step Five: Don’t Forget The Small Screen
“Small-screen” superheroes were all the rage in the ‘70s and ‘80s. These were the shows that inspired “Batman: The Animated Series”, which in turn inspired the Dark Knight. While some of these shows were brilliant (e.g., Spiderman), others were more problematic (e.g., The X-Men). What is important is that these shows created a mood and an atmosphere that are impossible to capture on film. If you want to give it a shot, you can create a mood board of famous quotes, images, songs, or videos that have the desired effect. This will help you figure out the best way to represent this ideal ‘70s or ‘80s atmosphere in your screenplay.
If you want to be the next Batman, you have some serious competition. The odds are against you, but with hard work and ingenuity, anything is possible. Good luck out there.