Batman is one character that is very important to get right. While fans may forgive if a lesser well-known character wasn’t completely accurate to the source material, this is one character, that if cast inaccurately in a project, would cause an uproar of angry fans who would not let it survive into a second part. This is a huge pressure that has been felt by many who have been a part of adapting the Dark Knight, or for that matter, any superhero character who is at the center of their universe, with the choice of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man being the perfect example of this.
While this was a controversial choice and there was a lot of pushback before the release of this film if his version were to not be accepted by fans, it would not be as the failure of an iteration of Batman, This is what could have happened with Tim Burton’s 1989 adaptation of Batman, when the choice of casting Michael Keaton in this role, cause immense pushback from the fans.
DC Wanted This Batman To Be Taken Seriously
Before Tim Burton’s version of Batman came out, DC Studios were desperately trying to change the way the public viewed the character of Batman. Earlier, this character was seen in a much more comedic light compared to the reputation he has today. Bruce Wayne is known as one of the most complex, morally conflicting comic-book characters in all of this franchise, who has many people questioning what side of good and evil he lies on. With this version of the Caped Crusader, the studio wanted to change the comical image that many had of him, to the way the majority of the fans of this character knew him.
This was best conveyed after they announced that they would be casting Jake Nicholas, who was well-known for his work in projects like The Shinning, The Departed, and A Few Good Men, in the role of the Joker. This sent a clear message that this adaptation was something that they were and wanted their audiences to take seriously. The effect that this move had, however, was completely undone when it was announced that Tim Burton would be directing this project, alongside, Michael Keaton, who was best known in the industry as a comedy actor up until that point.
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Michael Keaton as Batman was Very Controversial
After Michael Keaton was announced in this role, many fans of the character of Batman questioned the decision taken by DC, as the actor, until that point, was only known through his work as a comedy actor, in projects like Beetlejuice, Mr. Mom, and romantic comedies like Touch and Go. Being protective over their beloved character, many took it into their own hands to make sure that casting the wrong person may not cause tragedy to strike.
Around 50,000 letters were written to Warner Bros, criticizing their casting choice and asking them to reconsider and recast. There were also questions about his physique and the fact that he would not fit the role of Batman very well due to the fact that he wasn’t fit enough. The matter was so publicized that the Wall Street Journal ended up mentioning this on its front page. Ironically enough, the actor ended up proving all of these doubts wrong and Keaton ended up portraying one of the most iconic adaptations of the character.
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