Well who doesn't know the Batman ? After all, he's is one of the most well-known characters of all time who has appeared in a lot of comic-books and media. Batman appeared in live-action (both movies and TV) many times. In each live-action cinematic versions, the character has been portrayed differently, due to their eras. Following:
* Classical golden-age Batmans, played by both Lewis Wilson and Robert Lowery
* Crampy silver-age Batman, played by Adam West
* Noir-fantastical Batman, played by Michael Keaton
* Corny kiddie Batmans, played by both Val Kilmer and George Clooney
* Gritty realistic Batman, played by Christian Bale
* Dark comic-accurate exprienced Batman, will be played by Ben Affleck
So that implies in 76 years of history, live-action Batmans had different themes and layers. However lets imagine that once DCEU Ben Affleck's take on Batman ends, what will happen to this awesome character in future ?
Yes it's really too soon to think about that, but many people wondering do we need a new Batman again after DCEU ? We had a lot of times where Batman was in his own stand-alone universe, and now will share with other characters in DCEU.
So i thought of 6 options about what to do with Batman character for Cinema in post-Batfleck era:
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Option 1 : Have another character take the mantle in DCEU
People mostly know Batman's secret identity as Bruce Wayne, but sometimes the character's identities were as some people too. For now Bruce Wayne has been always Batman in live-action cinematic versions, which implies we've never had someone else outside Bruce to operate as Batman.
But what if Warner Bros. decides to have a new person operate as Batman in DCEU, once Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne retires/dies ?
This option will indeed bring fresh and unique to the character, also It'll have Bruce Wayne fakes his "death" while someone else takes the mantle of Batman. As well as linking this to Batman's quote in The Dark Knight Rises, "A hero can be anyone." So yes, Batman can be anyone.
Meanwhile it's hard for fans and mainstream people to accept someone else (except Bruce) be Batman, it'd not be a bad choice at all.
Characters with most possiblity to take the mantle are Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne. Dick was
Batman in comics a few times, so that's not hard to understand at all. Damian Wayne is Bruce's son, so it's simple the son to follow his father's career.
Other choices include Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley), Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and a lot of other options from different Earths and canon DCEU.
Likely to happen : 6.5 / 10
Option 2 : Kill off Batman/Bruce Wayne and Not show the character again for a while
Killing off such an important character in DC universe is a big risk, but it obviously did happen a few times in the whole DC comics.
In live-action, Batman has yet to be killed off. Although at the end of The Dark Knight Rises, Batman seemed to be died, Bruce Wayne was alive with Selina Kyle thus leaving the mantle to someone else aka John Blake (like Option 1).
Imagining Ben Affleck's age (43), he'd likely to be Batman for likely 12 years minimum to 18 years
maximum. If he's getting old, DCEU crew might surprisingly decide to kill off either Bruce Wayne or Batman altogether in a possible Justice League movie during a possible heroic moment, therefore they focus on other DC characters.
Killing off this character would not only put Mainstream/General Audience and Fans in anger, but the
decision also will recieve unfair criticism from them, for killing such a beloved character although it
happened a few times in comics.
Overall it's kinda half/half prediction.
Likely to happen : 4.5 / 10
Option 3 : Expand Batman's early career (Pre-Dawn of Justice) as Prequel Film series, or maybe Prequel Animated Series
To differ from The Dark Knight Trilogy, the new Batman is not a young vigilante again but an older and tougher vigilante who has been operated for a while, although not as expected as 20 years.
It's sad and bad not to see Batman's amazing 20 years (or 10 years, if they follow The Dark Knight
Returns' retirement time) of his career.
But it had to happen because The Dark Knight Trilogy already did that, which Batman's whole career took barely 1 years (except 8 years retirement) or even Burton/Schumacher films.
However it's interesting to many people that what Batman has done in these 20 years in Gotham,
conforting his rogue gallery, having side-kicks, etc.
If Ben Affleck's Batman ends one day, Warner Bros. might plan to create a new film series of Batman, taking place before events of Dawn of Justice. Yes it may seem repetitive and unnecessary since we
already saw 2 Batmans in their early career (Burton/Schumacher and TDK Trilogy), but we didn't see a comic-accurate Batman in his early career. However what has Warner Bros. to do with these kind of films ?
Act it like Burton-episodic movies, where Batman has dealt with Joker then The Penguin and Catwoman next movie and so on. We can see Batman dealing with likes of Man-Bat, Two-Face, Crime Bosses, The Penguin, The Riddler, and a lot of others in Batman's early career as well as seeing Dick Grayson or Jason Todd in their Robin roles.
Unless they could do this Prequel in animated, similar to Bruce Timm's Batman Animated Series.
Likely to happen : 7 / 10
Option 4 : A new full-blown Reboot
Like Marvel's Spider-man, Batman is rebooted for 2nd time for the new DC Extended Universe films, so Batman would officially exist with Superman and Wonder Woman and other characters of DC world. We're not sure if Warner Bros. keeps on expanding DCEU, or do "Another" reboot once again.
But wouldn't it be unnecessary for Batman and other characters ? We already have an excellent
Superman origins film (Man of Steel), and will see other excellent films too. Seeing Batman be rebooted for 3rd time is just ridiculous.
Likely to happen : 1 / 10
Unless the new reboot will about...
Option 5 : Elseworld-type Reboot Universe
You read it right, Elseworld. But what is it actually !?
As known as Imaginary Stories or similar to "What if" stories, Elseworld is a universe that doesn't fit the canon continuity of a universe and their stories are separate from Canon stories.
For example what if Batman and Superman were brothers, what if Superman was raised by apes, what if a Victorian Age version of the superhero Batman hunting Jack the Ripper. Overall i meant Warner Bros. making movies about "What if"-like versions of these characters.
One of the flaws is indeed Mainstream and General audience will be confused over this unusual versions of these characters. However it'd be fun to have "What if" for more creative ideas.
Likely to happen : 3 / 10
Option 6 : To the infinity and Beyond!!
No No, i don't mean turning Batman into a toy like Buzz Lightyear, chill and keep reading...
There were a few options, so lets analyize another interesting option.
What if Warner Bros. doesn't plan to do either of these after Ben Affleck's Batman, but instead bring
"Beyond" universe tie-in to far future of DCEU !?
Lets say 20 years after now (2035), Ben Affleck is an old man and officially retires as Batman, then a teenager named Terry McGinnis decides to take the mantle of Batman of the Future (just like Option 1) in Neo-Gotham.
In my opinion, this is the most likely choice for future of Batman in live-action cinematic films. Seeing our world in 20 years later, the technology will indeed be improved so it makes sense the Batman be updated to fit that era (Beyond).
This "Beyond" universe is big enough to tell their own unique stories, new enemies, new settings, and new themes. And not just for Batman, but also for successor of other Super-heroes (Flash, Superman, etc). Tell the far future of their universes when the original heroes get old or retire or even die, therefore young people take their places.
Another main reason for "Beyond" universe after Ben Affleck's Batman, is because the whole history of the chracter is there, as Bruce Wayne had been operating for 30 years or nearly 35 years before he retires. You can bring back the old characters, old enemies in major or minor roles, and even make possible adaption of "Return of the Joker" animated film where The Joker returns after decades.
There are a lot of possiblities for "Beyond" Universe to do.
Likely to happen : 9 / 10
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So there you folks, here are a few options to adapt Batman after Ben Affleck's Batman. What do you think ? Do you agree with either of these options ? If Disagree then why ? Do you think Batman won't even be adapted in live-action after DCEU version ? Is there another option you have in your mind ? Share your feedbacks and opinions please. Thanks for reading.