Bat Nipples

What Film Launched the Modern Superhero Genre?

Part 5: Batman & Robin

This is Asteroid G’s regular column documenting the rise of superhero films in Hollywood. For the complete story, make sure to read the previous parts:

Batman ‘89 helped to create the modern cinematic superhero and then, in an ironic twist, it was one of that film’s sequels that nearly killed BatmanOne of the longest running, consistently in-print superheroes ever (matched only by Superman and Wonder Woman), Batman has been a force in entertainment for nearly as long as there's been an entertainment industry. It only makes sense, then that he is also the most regularly adapted, and consistently successful, superhero to grace the Silver Screen. entirely on the big screen. The question would be which film had that honor. You could trace the downfall of the Caped Crusader’s film series to two films, either the third movie in the series, Batman Forever, or its fourth film, Batman & Robin, and a case can be made either way. Both were directed by Joel Schumacher, and both show the direction Warner Bros. wanted to go with the franchise. I think both could arguably be the right answer. But if we really want to discuss the film that truly changed the landscape and forced Hollywood into a new direction for cinematic superheroes, then we have to look specifically at Batman & Robin.

Riddle Me This…

When Tim Burton put out Batman Returns, Warner Bros. had some rather unkind thoughts for the film. It was supposed to be the massive, more successful sequel to Burton’s first bat-effort, and it certainly did build on all the things Burton started in his first foray into superhero filmmaking. It was also, however, a relative disaster. It wasn’t as successful at the Box Office (although it did still make good bank). It wasn’t beloved by parents, who found it too gory, scary, and violent. Worst of all, though, it didn’t sell merchandise. Warner Bros. made twice as much money off the merchandise for Batman ‘89 as they did from the film itself, and they didn’t want to let that sweet cash cow die.

So, after initial talks with Burton went sour (reportedly because WB had already decided to move on from the director), Schumacher was brought in to shepherd the franchise into the future. His first film, Batman Forever, was a very different beast from what Burton had been making (despite nominally existing in the same universe). Gone were the Gothic, retro backdrops and horror-tinged creature effects. This Batman was less violent, less scary, and his Gotham was little by candy-colored neon and bright special effects.

And, for the general public, it worked. Schumacher’s Batman wasn’t the same kind of film as what Burton was making, but it also didn’t try to be. It was the family-friendly, toyetic film that Warner Bros. wanted, bringing in $336 Mil at the Box Office, plus all of those sweet, delicious merchandising sales. Sure, it still wasn’t as successful as Batman ‘89 (making $100 Mil less than that film) but it made $100 Mil more than Batman Returns, making it a solid film for the franchise, and everything Warner Bros. wanted it to be.

Ice to Meet You

But then along came Batman & Robin. This film was the nadir on WB’s approach to the Caped Crusader. They said to Schumacher, “do everything you just did in Batman Forever, just more.” So he did. It’s a bigger film, a sillier film, a more toyetic film. It has three villains instead of two, as well as three heroes now (with the introduction of Batgirl), and more neons and brightly-colored outfits, all designed to sell more toys. Schumacher takes a lot of flack for this film, but (credit to the director) he made exactly the film he was told to make. It just so happens to be a terrible movie.

By going so hard on the brightly-colored, toy-style aesthetics, crafting a film that was the most family-friendly possible, Schumacher’s second Batman essentially took the series all the way back to Batman ‘66. This was a Batman for the kids, one that cracked silly jokes and made dad-humor puns. One that wanted nothing more than to be a live-action cartoon with everyone running around, being silly and having fun. And, make no mistake, I’m sure for the six-year-olds in the audience, the film was a huge success. For anyone older, this film was just an absolutely awful time in the theater.

I speak from experience on that front, having seen this film opening weekend when it came out. To say my disappointment was palpable would be an understatement. I actually really liked Batman Forever when it came out, finding it to be an amusing good time. Sure, it was flawed, a little too campy and over-the-top, but it had its heart in the right place and there were plenty of good moments that made it a fun time. Batman & Robin just went too far, too hard on all its worst impulses, and it made a film basically no one would want to watch.

The film absolutely bombed at the Box office, making on $236 Mil against its inflated $160 Mil budget (when films have to make at least twice their budget to be considered successful). Worse, most people in the audience that did see the movie didn’t like it and wanted nothing to do with the merchandise being sold for the film. WB’s plans to dive into a money pit filled with all the cash they made off this four-quel died upon the film’s release. And it essentially stopped the whole franchise for a time.

Batman & Robin was released in 1997 and it would be eight years until we got a new film, Batman Begins. Eight years of development when previously the films were coming out every two-to-three years apart. It seemed like, during that time, Batman & Robin had killed the Caped Crusader for good.

But How Did It Redefine Superheroes?

Batman & Robin stands as a cautionary tale, a lesson in what not to do with a superhero property. Yes, toy sales are going to be part of the business, as is all the rest of the merchandising that goes with, but it’s important to not let the movie become just a commercial for the toys. Warner Bros. went too far in their ambitions, creating a film that was simply there to act as a vessel for merchandise, and it was nakedly obvious about it. “Look at the vehicles, look at the props, look at the costumes. We can sell toys of all of this!” And they wanted to, but no one was buying because the film that sold it all was bad. Just plain bad.

That didn’t stop bad superhero films from coming out after this, but studios (at least for a time) were less obvious about their naked ambitions. And, most importantly, any time a studio did step too far, went too hard on making their movies into commercials for toys and junk, those were the films that failed (we could discuss the same lesson again, down the road, with Spider-man 3, if we wanted).

End of the day, though, the biggest thing this film did was to show studios that this style of superhero film had a short shelf life, and in the case of Batman that was exactly one film. After that, audiences no longer wanted anything to do with it.

It’s Influence on the Future

After this, superhero films quickly took a turn in a new direction. Silliness was out, and darker, more mature takes on the genre were in. No one wanted to be the next Batman & Robin, so we got a dark vampire hunter in Blade, a more serious take on the X-Men, and a more Burton-style influence on Spider-man. Each of these learned their lessons from Schumacher’s failed sequel and did everything they could to not follow that same path.

Even Warner’s learned their lesson (at least for a time), putting a halt to development on Schumacher’s third film and sending it back to the drawing board to find a new look, and a new tone, for Batman. That led to the aforementioned Batman Begins, which really sent the WB in a different direction. But we’d be getting ahead of ourselves if we started discussing that just yet.

And, of course, there was one more twist: the Burton/Shumacher era got its dues paid one more time in the DC Extended UniverseStarted as DC Comics' answer to the MCU, the early films in the franchise stumbled out of the gates, often mired in grim-dark storytelling and the rushed need to get this franchise started. Eventually, though, the films began to even out, becoming better as they went along. Still, this franchise has a long way to go before it's true completion for Marvel's universe. The Flash. Michael Keaton returned to the role of the Dark Knight for a long part of that film, and then George Clooney made a jokey appearance towards the end of the film as well. Everyone got to wipe away the distaste of the Schumacher era, and even Clooney (the man who “killed the Batman”) got to have a laugh over it.

Next Time On…

Kid-focused films are out, dark and gritty is in, as a new hero hits the streets. It’s bloody justice in the absolutely excellent Blade.