Dark Things You Never Knew About The Batman Films
1. Batman - the Joker's weird connection
Image source 20 Century Fox | Warner Bros.Here’s such a cool Batman movie connection! The name ‘Jack Napier’ given to The Joker in Tim Burton’s 'Batman' was invented purely for the movie. If you're interested in knowing why, well, it turn out that in the Adam West 'Batman' series, Alfred was played by an actor called . Alan Napier!2. Batman- Steve Martin's face tools for Joker!
Image source Geffen CompanyIt is an open secret that props are used over and over again in the making of Hollywood movies. You probably would not have noticed that the tools used to fix The Joker's face in 'Batman' were the exact ones used by Steve Martin on a dental patient in 'Little Shop of Horrors'.3. Batman Forever - how about Nightwing?
Image source Warner BrosBatman Forever maybe wasn't the best of the movie series but it wasn't a bad film. As Dick Grayson drops ideas for his sidekick identity to the Crusader, one might ring a bell - Nightwing. Grayson adopted the name after growing up and hoping for a career outside of 'Batman'. He became the masked protector of the rotten whaling town of Bludhaven.4. Batman Returns - shadow on the eyes means ....
Image source Warner Bros.There was a clever teaser in Selina Kyle’s future role as Catwoman in 'Batman Returns'. When she is working on some paperwork at her desk, the shadows on her eyes look more than similar to the mask she wears later in the movie as she becomes Catwoman.5. Batman Forever - Riddler in a crossword!
Image source Warner BrosDuring his campaign across Gotham in 'Batman Forever', the Riddler leaves his trademark clues by way of products of the Crisscross Puzzle Company. This was the Riddler’s chosen method of sharing his riddles when he first broke on to the scene back in the '40’s, before deciding on a more bespoke method of exposure.6. Batman Begins - it's The Joker card ....
Image source Warner BrosThe Joker’s arrival in 'The Dark Knight' was shown as a teaser at the end of 'Batman Begins', when Batman is given an evidence bag by Jim Gordon. It's a Joker playing card with a written label 'J. Kerr'. This obviously refers to Joe/Joseph Kerr, an infamous alias The Joker uses in the comics.7. Batman & Robin - break into asylum
Image source Warner BrosIn 'Batman & Robin', when Bane breaks into Arkham Asylum to retrieve Mr. Freeze’s cryo-suit, he passes by some familiar accessories belonging to Batman's villains - Riddler's green question mark attire and Two Face's 2-tone suit. We also briefly see a clock and wonder if this is the Clock King or the Toyman.8. Batman Begins - Zsasz on the loose
Image source Warner BrosSociopathic serial killer, Victor Zsasz makes a scary cameo in 'Batman Begins' as one of the Falcone thugs that get sent to Arkham and is later freed by Ra’s al Ghul.. Although his bald head is easy to hide, the three 5 tally scars on his neck are clearly visible. Zsasz’s signature feature has always been the scars he marks on his body for each kill he's involved in. It's good to keep a tally!9. The Dark Knight - two faced
Image source Warner BrosHarvey Dent’s fateful transformation into Two-Face is different from the comics, where he was scarred by acid rather than being burned. Nolan, attentive as ever, still gives us a tease. When Harvey is questioning one of Sal Maroni’s thugs in 'The Dark Knight', Dark he pulls a gun and almost misses Harvey. This is a signal nod to how Sal classically threw a vial of acid in Harvey’s face during the trial. Clever stuff.10. The Dark Knight - homage to original Joker
Image source Warner BrosYes, another Joker Easter Egg in 'The Dark Knight'. Do you remember the clown mask that Heath Ledger wears at the start of the movie? Well, look closely and you’ll see that it’s exactly the same one that actor Cesar Romero’s Joker wore back in 1966! I'm loving the connection.11. The Dark Knight - dancing with the Devil
Image source Warner BrosThe Joker’s gate crashing of a Gotham gala in 'The Dark Knight' could well be a visual nod to calling phrase from the 1989 'Batman' movie. 'Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?' This is the question he asks Batman and he has a dance with him at the gala.12. The Dark Knight - Catwoman teaser!
Image source Warner BrosThe appearance of Catwoman in 'The Dark Knight Rises' was teased in 'The Dark Knight' when Lucius Fox is asked by Bruce to improve his ba-tsuit against more dog attacks. The reply was that his costume might not defend him against dogs but 'should do fine against cats'!13. The Dark Knight Rises - Shakespeare Bust
Image source Warner BrosAn old house like Wayne Manor is filled with historic artifacts but when John Blake meets Bruce in 'The Dark Knight Rises' a couple of them are missing, a bronze bust of Shakespeare and a bright red object. Both of these were iconic props from the Adam West TV show, Commissioner Gordon's hotline and a secret entrance to the Batcave.14. The Dark Knight Rises - reference to Clayface
Image source Warner BrosWas this a future nod? It seems master of disguise, Clayface, may appear one day. We can guess this as Roland Daggett, chairman of the company that makes the chemical that Basil Karlo would be exposed to, is presented as a chief rival to Bruce Wayne in 'The Dark Knight Rises'.15. The Dark Knight Rises - killer croc!
Image source Warner BrosIt might not be wise to disregard the prospect of alligators in the sewers of Gotham City, as John Blake did, following Commissioner Gordon’s story about something going on down below. Veteran Gothamites might know that the city’s sewers are home to one particular crocodilian, the mutant cannibal, Killer Croc. Was John playing with fire - or teeth?16. The Dark Knight Rises - Robins and Rogues
In 'The Dark Knight Rises', the Gotham Rogues match had some terrible bad luck when Bane came to town. There appears to be something a bit' off' about their 'R' brand, a letter that looks much like an 'R' for Robin, as worn by Tim Drake who was the third Robin!17. The Dark Knight Rises - Old DC comics logo
An awesome call back to Detective Comics wasn't easy to spot during a particular scene in 'The Dark Knight Rises'. Those eagle-eyed viewers would have noticed that the original DC Comics logo was marked on the radios as used by Gotham Police. Very cool indeed!18. Man Of Steel - Keep Calm and Call Batman
Image source Warner BrosDuring Superman’s intense battle with General Zod in'Man Of Steel', he zips past a rather humorous poster that reads 'Keep Calm and Call Batman.' Memes aside, this gave audiences a very early insight that Batman had been operating for years and a likely sign of things to come!19. The Dark Knight Rises - Heath Ledger tribute
Image source Warner BrosHeath Ledger’s brilliant role as The Joker was given a small tribute in 'The Dark Knight Rises'. His very eerie face was spotted on a magazine cover right next to Bruce Wayne, to suggest that although Ledger was gone, The Joker was still very much alive, causing trouble elsewhere. Ledger was voted as the best Joker of all time so the tribute was very fitting.20. Batman v Superman - Knightmare and the Joker
Image source Warner BrosIf you look closely at Batman’s gun during the “Knightmare” dream sequence in 'Batman v Superman', there appears to be a playing card taped to it, a likely nudge to our favourite murder clown with whatever history the DCEU had planned for him, beyond what we had seen in 'Suicide Squad'.21. Batman v Superman - nod to Comics
Image source DC Comics / Warr BrosBatman loves to pose! Standing on top of the Grim Reaper gargoyle is another nod to Detective Comics #602 where the Caped Crusader faces off against the KG Beast (who appeared as a mercenary under Luthor in 'Dawn Of Justice'. Favourite Batman actor - Christian Bale, Robert Pattison or George Clooney?22. The Lego Batman Movie - wardrobe of suits
Image source Warner BrosAs Batman explores his massive suit wardrobe in 'The Lego Batman Movie', it’s not just mad variants like 'Vacation Bat' that are stored there. A few nods to broader mythology are in there as well, such as the Batman Beyond variant, the Winged Armageddon and a Nightwing suit that Dick Grayson picks up and adopts. There's also half a dozen varieties of the classic suit as well!23. Justice League - Sionis in the skyline
Image source Warner BrosDC movies are no stranger to shots of the Gotham Skyline but when we see the city in 'Justice League', one name is almost shadowed by Wayne Enterprises as Batman breaks an Apokolips soldier - Janus Cosmetics, the cosmetics manufacturer that is subsidiary to Sionis Industries. Avid comic fans will better know the company’s chairman, Roman Sionis, as the Black Mask.24. Justice League - ACE chemicals calling
Image source Warner BrosWhen the Bat-signal shines up in the sky to assemble the 'Justice League', another signal shines much lower to the ground and that's the three letter neon sign for ACE Chemicals. This is the most infamous company as it's the place where the Joker was born.25. Justice League - wind-up Penguins!
Image source Warner BrosHere’s another 'Justice League' moment that references the original Batman movies. As Bruce and Alfred contemplate how the world has changed since the early days of 'exploding wind up penguins' a nod is given to the avian time bombs that the Penguin liked to use in the 'Batman' series.26. Joker - young Bruce Wayne
Image source BRON StudiosWe got a glimpse of a young Bruce Wayne outside his parents’ mansion and it was even better seeing him come face to face with The Joker. This was long before their history of battles ensued. Here's a bonus Easter Egg for you - a young Alfred Pennyworth showed up in the Clown Prince of Crime’s movie!27. Justice League - Batman original theme
Image source Warner BrosIf you listen closely during a particular scene and you might hear the motifs to the iconic soundtrack composed by Danny Elfman for the 1989 'Batman'. Out of all of the movie's themes, this one is a close second to the classic 'Na-na-na-na-na-na-Bat-Man!' Keep your ears out during the scene when Batman appears at the top of the Gotham police station before he meets with Jim Gordon.28. The Batman - Catwoman’s kitty claws!
Image source DC ComicsSelina Kyle may not completely don the Catwoman costume, but one thing she definitely has is those kitty claws! When she attacks Falcone after she discovers he killed her friend, Selina whips out her nails and scratches the villain across the face. This is a direct call back to Frank Miller’s 'Batman: Year One' comic.29. The Batman - Robin, is that you?
Image source Warner BrosIn this Easter Egg, a member of the gang that Batman beats at the start of the movie is Jay Lycurgo, who plays Tim Drake (the third Robin) in 'Titans'. These little cameos that sneak in always get Batman enthusiasts excited and then you can't shut them up as they start remembering their favourite nods!30. The Batman - Riddler’s strange cards ....what do they mean?
Image source Warner BrosIf you examined the Riddler’s cards addressed to Batman very closely, you’d notice that they feature subtle nods to other comic book villains in his rogues gallery. The first greeting card shows an owl, a reference to the Court of Owls, the second shows a bald doctor which is Hugo Strange and another card shows a red headed girl, none other thn Poison Ivy. Awesome!31. Batman Was Intended To Be The "Dark, Serious Version Of Batman"
Image Source / IMDbThe 1989 version with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson was intended by DC comics' Michael Uslan to be "the definitive, dark, serious version of Batman" when he wanted the movie to be made, and eventually Tim Burton signed on to direct the movie while Uslan teamed up with producer Benjamin Melniker.32. Tim Burton Wasn't Happy With The Original Script
Image Source / WikipediaWhen Burton first read the script after he bagged the director role for Batman, he was originally less than enthusiastic. He thought it was "basically Superman" and that everyone was being jokey rather than acknowledging the "freakish nature" of it. Well, if there's anyone who can bring the freaky nature out in something, it's Tim Burton!33. Michael Keaton's Casting As Batman Had HUGE Backlash
Image Source / The WrapWhen Keaton was cast as the lead, it was a very controversial decision indeed! Around 50,000 letters were sent to Warner Bros. from fans who didn't want Keaton to play Batman. The main problem people had was that he was known for comedy and they didn't want the role to become 'camp'. But if you've seen Beetlejuice, you'll know Keaton is very good at comedy as well as ominously dark, which is also why Burton knew he'd be perfect.34. Jack Nicholson Was Always The Number One Choice For Joker
Image Source / Slash FilmA fair few actors were considered for the role of the Joker, including Tim Curry, Robin Williams and even David Bowie. Although other actors were considered, Jack Nicholson was always the first choice. The Joker then went on to be one of the most coveted villain roles for a lot of actors.35. Actress Sean Young Fell Off A Horse Practising For A Scene
Image Source / IndieWire
Actress Sean Young, of Blade Runner fame, was cast as photojournalist Vicki Vale for the Batman movie, but when practicing for a scene in the film one week before she was due to shoot, she fell off a horse. And the scene that she'd been practising for was cut from the movie anyway!
36. Keaton's Original Cowl Was Too Tall To Be Able To Fit In The Batmobile
Image Source / The Guardian
When the Batmobile's design was finished - when Keaton's cowl ears had already been established - they apparently hadn't bothered to check the measurements inside the vehicle, because it turns out the vehicle couldn't close with the ears on the cowl being too tall. The seats couldn't be lowered, either, so a new cowl ended up having to be made (easier than making a new Batmobile, anyway!).
37. Prince Originally Wrote An Album For The Batman Movie
Image Source / Biography
While Tim Burton is best known for his collaborations with composer Danny Elfman, who provided a soundtrack for Batman, there was also one other musician who was very interested indeed. Prince was originally supposed to write two songs for the film but loved the movie so much he went and wrote a whole album. Burton then said that he couldn't make Prince's songs work.
38. The Rise Of The Full Body 'Bat Turn'
Image Source / USA Today
There's a lot that goes into those Batsuits, and there's no doubt they look very, very tight and very, very stiff. When Keaten was shooting for Batman, he run into some trouble turning his head due to the cowl being attached to the cape. Because he couldn't move his head, he had to move his whole body to turn - and the Bat Turn was born!
39. Tim Burton Didn't Really Want To Make A Sequel
Image Source / No Film School
He started off being very unhappy with the original script, and then went on to not even wanting to do a sequel due to the stress of shooting the first one. Burton was eventually convinced after he was given more creative control for the movie.
40. Marlon Wayans Was Originally Supposed To Be A Mechanic In Batman 2
Image Source / Men's Health
Actor Marlon Wayans, famous for his comedy roles like Scary Movie and collabs with his brother, was originally supposed to play Robin, a teenager who worked as a mechanic in a garage. Only a few days before Wayans was supposed to start filming, the scenes were cut.
41. Heath Ledger Directed The Hostage Videos The Joker Sends To The News Network
Image Source / WhatCulture.com
In The Dark Knight, the Joker sends two very disturbing videos to the news network GCN. Actor Heath Ledger actually directed both of them, supervised by Nolan for the first, and left to his own devices for the second.
42. Composer Hans Zimmer Tried Some Disturbing Noises For The Joker
Image Source / BBC
When Hans Zimmer wanted to create signature music for the Joker without doing a cliché villain theme, he experimented with some pretty dark stuff, including razor blades on piano wire. In the end, the final music includes a guitar played with a piece of metal.
43. A Lot Of The Very Gravelly Voice Work For Christian Bale Was Added Postproduction
Image Source / Variety
Christian Bale's Batman is extremely memorable for that we-can't-even-understand-what-you're-saying deep growl he has, which actor Bale definitely put on for his scenes. But the extra, extra gravelly effect was added to his voice during postproduction.
44. Heath Ledger Locked Himself Away In A Hotel Room For A Month To Get In The Joker Mindset
Image Source / MensXP
To get into the role, Heath Ledger lived a lonely life in a hotel room for a month to get into character, where he would practice the role and personality of the Joker, as well as keep a journal for the Joker's thoughts. He was also responsible for designing the makeup, using grease paint and mascara.
45. Before Batman Begins Was Finished, There Were Ideas For Two More Batman Movies
Image Source / Empire Online
The second movie after Batman Begins was going to see Batman, Dent and Gordon take down the Joke together. The third would then have the Joker turn Dent into Two-Face during his trial. In the end, the two ideas were put together for one script, which would become The Dark Knight.
46. Nolan Actually Attempted To Use Real Bats On Set
Image Source / Sideshow Collectibles
Director Nolan, not wanting to use CGI if he could avoid it, actually attempted to use real bats on set. As you can imagine, that did not go well. In the end, dead bats had to be digitally scanned into computer images so that scenes with bats could more easily be handled - quite literally.
47. Gotham City License Plates Were Made To Look Like Illinois Plates
Image Source / Reddit
Gotham was inspired by real life cities Chicago, Tokyo and New York. Some of the scenes of the movies were filmed on location in Chicago. The reason license plates in Gotham City were designed after Illinois plates was so that, when car-chase scenes were filmed in the city, the plates would all look consistent!
48. Christian Bale Was Disappointed The Movie Was Big Budget
Image Source / GameSpot
When Bale was first in discussions about taking over the role of Batman, he'd heard they were doing a low-budget version and it's this that tempted him. When he found out it was actually going to be a big-budget movie, he was disappointed - but still interested. And we're glad he was!
49. Nolan's Main Goal Was To Tell Batman's Origin: And He Started Writing It In His Garage
Image Source / The Hollywood Reporter
When Christopher Nolan was hired to reboot the franchise, his goal with the first movie in the Dark Knight Trilogy, Batman Begins, was to tell the origin story of the moody hero, whilst still keeping the story realistic. He began work writing the story in his garage with screenwriter David S. Goyer and production designer Nathan Crowley. The threesome would take the day off Batman work when the garage dryer was switched on!
50. The Batnipple Controversy
Image Source / MEL Magazine
When you think of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, you may remember something very specific on Batman's suit: nipples! The inclusion of the nipples was just one part of a whole load of controversy surrounding the 'sexualisation' of the outfits, which included the tight latex and large codpieces.