After what seems like years of waiting, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is almost upon us. It will turn 2012’s Man of Steel into a shared universe. Not only will it introduce Batman to the cineverse, but also Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and Flash. Not to mention, villains Lex Luthor and Doomsday. Of course, the rest of the villains will arrive later 2016 in Suicide Squad.
What does Ben Affleck’s future look like in this DC Extended Universe, or DCEU? If Will Smith has his way, we might see a “Good, Bad, and the Ugly” showdown between Deadshot, Bats, and Jared Leto’s Joker. Batman v Superman seemingly grabs elements from “The Death of Superman” and “Dark Knight Returns.” If Warner Brothers is using this chance to bring the classic stories to life, I have a few in mind.
7. Under the Red Hood
Robin’s costume, with Joker’s writing all over it, left us wondering what happened to ol’ “Bird Boy” in this cineverse. The popular guess is the events of “Death in the Family.” If so, Batfleck’s solo movie would surely be “Under the Hood.”
Joker mercilessly beat Jason Todd to death with a crowbar, murdering the second Robin. Ra’s Al Ghul brought Jason back to life with his Lazarus Pitt. Now, he’s masquerading as his killer’s original identity. Batman visits Joker at Arkham Asylum to see if he’s associated with this new Red Hood. Animated feature, Batman: Under the Red Hood, put the two comic arcs together. Joker was voiced by John DiMaggio, Bender from Futurama. “When I wore that number, it was classy — more flashy maitre d‘ than motorcycle fetish.”
The original Red Hood was knocked in a vat of acid by Batman. His face scarred into the Joker we know and love today. Tim Burton’sBatman, Jack Nicholson played a guy named Jack Napier. He filled in for Red Hood, as Michael Keaton’s Bats knocked him into that acid.
There was that silly rumor Jared Leto’s Joker was, in fact, Jason Todd. As silly as it seemed, the theory wasn’t too far left field. It would remove Red Hood from the DCEU; but would still employ Jason taking the identity of his killer. But clamor for a Red Hood movie shows it wouldn’t be right taking the appealed character out of the equation.
6. Riddle of the Minotaur
Neal Patrick Harris expressed his interest in playing the Riddler, following Jim Carrey, and Corey Michael Smith. Rumors for The Dark Knight Rises pointed at Leonardo DiCaprio for Edward Nygma. But I’d go for Jim Parsons.
In the episode, “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?” from Batman: The Animated Series, Edward Nygma created the computer game, Riddle of the Minotaur. Nygma is then fired from the company he created. Soon, he trapped Batman and Robin in a life-sized version of the game. The game was a maze filled with his famous riddles. Robin, the gamer, had an edge, though.
Neal Adams consolidated Dick Grayson and Deadman’s origins, both circus performers. Deadman in flashbacks could be a great tie-in to that Justice League Dark movie Guillermo Del Toro penned.
Oracle could give them insight from the Batcave. Speculations for Jenna Malone in Batman v Superman, are either Carrie Kelly (the Robin of “Dark Knight Returns”), or Barbara Gordon. But Batgirl or Oracle? In “Killing Joke,” which we’ll see in animated form soon, Joker paralyzed Barbara. No longer able to help on the streets, wheelchair-bound Oracle now fights behind the scenes.
5. Year One
Fellow SG writer, Mark Salcido, pitched an alternate idea for Gotham:
“What they should’ve done is have a season to give the audience to know the Wayne’s. Have us care about them. Back story of why pa and ma Wayne meant so much to little Bruce. Then season final you smoke them. Then the audience feels the hurt that Bruce does.”
The usual Batman origin story shows Joe Chill shooting Thomas and Martha Wayne. Not much time is spent on them. However, in “Flashpoint Paradox,” Flash prevents his mother’s murder, creating an alternate timeline where Thomas becomes Batman. Why did Joe Chill shoot them? Was it just that he wanted Martha’s pearls? Or was this a plot from someone in the Gotham underworld, perhaps Carmine Falcone?
“Year One,” by Frank Miller, was also James Gordon’s first year. Harvey Bullock, Donal Logue on Gotham, shows Gordon Crime Alley. But instead of Gordon, why not showcase some of the other fine officers of the GCPD? Renee Montoya, the second Question, also on Gotham,was an original character to Batman: The Animated Series– much like Harley Quinn.
“Season two finale Bruce bounces. Then he comes back, maybe season 4 or 5. And he’s changed. He’s been gone for 10 years, training. Then we see him slowly morph into dark knight,” said Salcido.
In Batman Begins, Bruce travels around the world, eventually meeting Ra’s Al Ghul and the League of Shadows. Instead, travel to Tibet, and train with Master Wong Fei, alongside Bronze Tiger.
To do a Year One, Bruce Wayne would have to be younger. Affleck could sit in the shadows, spinning his tale. But he could also play his younger self throughout the movie via the magic of CGI and makeup. A CGI’d Jeremy Irons could flashback Alfred to his MI-6 days.
4. Flashpoint
Sequel to the Thomas Wayne story in Year One, Jeffrey Dean Morgan could reprise his role from Batman v Superman. Thomas Wayne became Batman in New Earth, the parallel dimension created by The Flash.
On The Flash, Barry traveled back to the time the Reverse Flash killed his mother. He let Reverse Flash kill her anyway, preserving the life he was already living. But in the comics, he actually stopped the villain, creating an alternate timeline. Barry never received powers. Wonder Woman and Aquaman lead their nations against each other in war. Bruce Wayne died, instead of his parents. Thomas avenged his son’s death, and became a red and black Dark Knight. And Martha was driven mad, and became Thomas’s Joker.
3. Batman Beyond
The show-runners of the animated series took Bats into the future. Elderly, far older than in “Dark Knight Returns,” Bruce sought a successor to the cowl.
Terry McGinnis’s father worked for Wayne Industries; now lead by Derek Powers, who became the supervillain, Blight. Inque could serve as Terry’s Joe Chill. Terry would use his detective skills to figure out that Powers created Inque to kill Warren McGinnis.
In “Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker,” Mark Hamill did what the subtitle implies. In flashbacks, Joker and Harley Quinn kidnap Tim Drake and place a computer chip in his head. Long dead, the chip resurrected Joker by taking over the former Robin’s body. And on Justice League Unlimited, Terry learned that Amanda Waller took DNA from Bruce to create Terry.
In “Future’s End,” Batman Beyond traveled to a time where Brother Eye took over. Brother Eye’s original purpose was to dispatch OMAC, One Man Army Corps, a Jack Kirby creation, to save the world. I suppose, like Ultron, Brother Eye felt humans weren’t very good to the world. A live-action battle between Batman Beyond and OMAC would be pretty wild to see. Maybe in a sequel, where Tim Drake has become Batman Beyond, like he is currently in the comics.
2. Son of Batman
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a popular fancast for Deathstroke the Terminator in Suicide Squad. Pitting Schwarzenegger against Ben Affleck would be excellent Hollywood theater. I know Ah-nold hammed it up as Mister Freeze, but I think he could do some real justice to Slade Wilson. Throw in Carla Gugino (Spy Kids, Sin City, Wayward Pines) as Talia Al Ghul, and you got yourself some star-power.
Years after their relationship had ended, Talia returned to Bruce with their son. Raised by his grandfather, Ra’s, and his stepfather, Deathstroke, Damian is a bad-ass. He could be the answer to Hit Girl from Kick Ass. Damien donned a hood, and called himself the new Robin.
The animated feature also had Killer Croc. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje will play him in Suicide Squad– he could reprise his role. I would also like to see Dr. Kirk Langstrom transform himself into Man-Bat.
1. The Owls
Batman Vs. Robin was the sequel to the animated take on “Son of Batman.” Not only did they fight each other, but also Talon and the Court of Owls.
Talon could team up with another Owl-villain. From the dimension that included Ultra Man, Superwoman, and Power Ring, Owl Man is an evil incarnation of Bruce, but named Thomas Wayne, Jr. Who better to play Owl Man than Christian Bale?
Now that Batman and Superman are in the movies together, and could see anyone in the DC Multiverse, I am stoked. I can’t wait for them to meet all the great heroes and villains out there.
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