User:Wildroot/Batman: Year One
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| Batman: Year One | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Billy Root |
| Produced by | Billy Root Charles Roven Larry J. Franco |
| Written by | Batman Created by: Bill Finger Bob Kane Screenplay Billy Root |
| Starring | Christian Bale Nigel Havers |
| Music by | Amon Tobin |
| Cinematography | James Roddy |
| Editing by | James Roddy Billy Root |
| Distributed by | Warner Brothers Pictures |
| Release date(s) | June 15, 2005 |
| Running time | 126 min. |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40 million |
| Gross revenue | $371,853,783 |
| Official website | |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Batman: Year One (often simply titled Year One) is a 2005 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. Steven Spielberg|Billy Root]] directed the film, which stars Christian Bale as Batman, as well as Nigel Havers and others. The film reboots the Batman film series, telling the origin story of the character with shot-for-shot material behind Batman: The Man Who Falls and Batman: Year One as well as inspirations behind Batman: The Long Halloween.
After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Batman on screen following the critical and commercial failure of Batman and Robin (1997), Root began work on this film in December 2003. The film was primarily shot in Chicago and studio backlots in Burbank, California, where minor use of Green screens were used as well as traditional stunts and miniatures. Year One was critically and commercially successful, and two sequels are being developed at the moment, with the same crew returning and release dates in 2007 and 2009.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
[edit] Cast
- Christian Bale as Batman / Bruce Wayne: A billionaire industrialist whose parents were killed by a mugger when he was eight-years-old. Traveling the world for several years to seek the means to fight injustice, he returns to Gotham. At night, Wayne becomes Batman, Gotham City's secret vigilante protector. Billy Crudup, Eion Bailey and David Boreanaz all auditioned for the role. Billy Root claims that the producers and Warner Brothers brought up names such as Johnny Depp, Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill. Root was convinced to cast Bale in the role as he felt he delivered the most compatible audition and felt comfortable casting an actor had been a fan favorite for the past couple of years. Bale was previously in talks for the same role when Darren Aronofsky was set to direct, calling his and Frank Miller's script "unique and very different."
- Nigel Havers as Alfred Pennyworth: The trusted butler to Bruce Wayne's parents, who continues his loyal service to their son after their deaths. He is Bruce Wayne's closest confidante.
[edit] Development
- See also: Batman film series#Failed projects
After the critical and financial failure of Batman & Robin, director Joel Schumacher felt he owed "the hardcore Batman fans the Batman movie they would love me to give them." It was in the summer of 1998, whereas Schumacher claimed he had pitched to Warner Brothers a film adaptation of Frank Miller's acclaimed graphic novel Batman: Year One. Despite his interest, the studio decided to go to renowned independent filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, after they were impressed with his work on π. When asked how he might approach the Batman film series Aronofsky originally wanted to do an adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, another one of Miller's acclaimed works. He expressed interest in casting Clint Eastwood as the aging Batman and filming it in Tokyo, doubling for Gotham City. The studio was interested in the idea, though Aronofsky later changed his mind for an adaptation of Year One.[1]
Aronofsky would later go to work on Requiem for a Dream, while Warner Brothers was still hesitant for a film adaptation of Year One. This included the Batman Beyond and Batman: DarKnight projects that eventually fell apart. After completing Requiem for a Dream, came back to the studio for the adaptation, and officially signing on in September 2000. He brought Frank Miller with him to write the script, whom the two previously collaborated on for an adaptation of Ronin.[1] Year One was to be inspired by 1970s crime dramas such as Taxi Driver, The French Connection, Serpico, and Death Wish.[1] Aronofsky also wanted to bring "an independent guerrilla flavor [to it]."[2]
Over the course on the project, Aronofsky claims that the film wasn't greenlighted because Warner Brothers found it to be too violent, citing that an R-rated Batman film wouldn't appeal to children. As such the director came up with an idea that they could make two separate films. One was to be Aronofsky/Miller's Year One that wouldn't require a massive budget, and the second to be one that could garner to a family friendly audience. The studio ultimately turned down the concept.[1]
Warner Brothers then enlisted the aid of the Wachowski brothers[1], who went as far as writing a brief proposal.[3] They couldn't work any longer due to their commitment on The Matrix sequels and Warner Brothers asked Aronofsky if he would be willing to write/direct the film based on their proposal. He turned down the offer and the studio then enlisted more pitches.[1]
In December 2002, Joss Whedon pitched an origin story that he liked very much, but claims that Warner Brothers execs were "starring at him as if he were in a fishbowl."[4] Ultimately in January 2003, Christopher Nolan was hired to take over[5] and the result was Batman Begins.
Billy Root had always wanted to do a superhero film as he was a well noted comic book fan of Batman and many others. As far back as February 2002, Root offered his services to Warner Brothers, though the turned him down as at the same time Darren Aronofsky and Frank Miller were already developing a Batman: Year One film.
Disappointed, Root went to work on Dream Out, which would eventually be garnered to critical acclaim and financial success. Impressed as to how he accomplished Dream Out with only a $25 million budget, Warner Brothers asked if he were interested on, what Root calls, "the top projects in development." Root was optimistic to do Superman: FlyBy, though the studio had already given the director's position to Brett Ratner, while Aronofsky and Miller were still developing Batman: Year One.
Root pitched his own film, a biography on the life of Larry Chesley, a former friend of his family. Little details are known about the project, however, after Aronofsky and Miller left Year One Warner Brothers then asked Root if he was interested. At the moment Joss Whedon pitched his own adaptation of a Batman origin story, though Warner Brothers had no interest in it. In early December 2003, Root dropped the Larry Chesley biopic and successfully pitched his origin story, which was met with positive feedback by the studio.
[edit] Writing
Root claimed he went straight to work on the screenplay on January 1, 2004, after completing his story treatment around the night of New Years Eve. From January until early April, Root spent 16 hours a day, feeling that he wanted to give the Batman fans a movie they had been waiting for, and deserved. The storyline featuring Bruce Wayne traveling the world (as well as meeting Henri Ducard) was taken from Batman: The Man Who Falls.
Scarecrow. Catwoman Silver Talia. CIA. Dent.
[edit] Design
[edit] Filming
[edit] Film score
[edit] Release
[edit] Box office performance
Batman: Year One opened on June 15, 2005 in the United States in 3,858 theaters, accumulating $48,745,440 over its opening weekend, which had already passed it's $40 million budget. The film went on to gross $371,853,783 worldwide (more than nine times of how much the film cost to make).[6] It is the second highest grossing Batman film to date, behind Tim Burton's Batman, which grossed $411,348,924 worldwide.[7] Batman: Year One was the eighth highest grossing film of 2005 in the US.[8]
[edit] DVD
[edit] Reception
[edit] Critical analysis
[edit] Awards
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f David Hughes (2003). Tales From Development Hell. Titan Books. ISBN 1-84023-691-4.
- ^ Rebecca Ascher-Walsh. "Super Hunk", Entertainment Weekly, 2000-08-31. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
- ^ The Wachowski Brothers. "Batman: Year One Proposal", Leon Scripts. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
- ^ "Joss Whedon Pitched a Batman Film", SuperHeroHype.com, 2003-12-02. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
- ^ Fleming, Michael. "'Batman' captures director Nolan", Variety, 2003-01-27. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
- ^ Batman: Year One (2005). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.
- ^ Batman Movies. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2006-12-01.
- ^ 2005 Yearly Box Office Results. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2006-12-01.
