Jennifer Lawrence’s ex-flame and the mastermind behind Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky, once toyed with bringing his own dark vision to Gotham. Per the American filmmaker himself, his take on Batman would’ve been oh so gritty than Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy. Pretty hard to imagine, right?
With Matt Reeves now leading the charge on new Batman films, it’s sort of unlikely we’ll ever see Aronofsky’s twisted Gotham—but it’s fun to dream about what could’ve been.
Grittier Than Christopher Nolan? Darren Aronofsky’s Vision for Batman
Ever wondered what a Darren Aronofsky-helmed Batman would’ve looked like? Well, it’s a question that’s been haunting fans for years.
Best known for his intense, mind-bending films, Darren Aronofsky once had his sights set on Gotham. Yep, the one who dated Jennifer Lawrence and brought us Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream. The 55-year-old claimed his take on Batman would have had “much more of a gritty feel” compared to Christopher Nolan‘s famed Dark Knight trilogy. But that’s something comic book fans find hard to believe.
Aronofsky ain’t no stranger to the superhero world. He was once attached to a Wolverine film and kind of even flirted with directing Man of Steel. But Batman? That’s the superhero that got away.
In an interview with the Empire podcast (via The playlist), the American filmmaker spilled the tea about his close encounter with the Caped Crusader. He even collaborated with comic book legend Frank Miller on a few scripts. But in the end, Hollywood wasn’t ready for his darker vision. Aronofsky asserted:
I love superhero films. I got really close on a few of them, but it just hasn’t worked out. Nolan’s version is exactly what the studio wanted. I think I was much more of a gritty feel is what we were going for.
With Matt Reeves now steering the Batman ship, it doesn’t look like Darren Aronofsky’s version will hit the big screen anytime soon. Still, one can dream, right? Who knows what the future holds for Batman—and for Aronofsky?
Darren Aronofsky Directed Batman: Fans Still Wonder ‘What If?’ Amid Nolan’s Dominance
Do you know that Warner Bros. was on the verge of giving the direction of Batman movies to Darren Aronofsky, the director of Requiem for a Dream? Well, fans are reliving that near-miss. Of course, most people are clearly on Team Nolan now that the Dark Knight’s found his Dark alley, but a portion of the Bat-following public’s still interested in seeing what Aronofsky might bring to the role.
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Well then, how do you see it? Was there a market for an Aronofsky Batman, or was this truly the only way Nolan could manage it? Sometimes it appears that the controversy will never end, while viewers are keen to draw their own conclusions on the further destiny of the Dark Knight.
Dark Knight is available to watch on Max and Apple TV.
