Batman: Year One (cancelled project)

Batman: Year One (cancelled project)
Release Date:	2002
More Information
Full Credits	Trivia
Home Video	Awards
Soundtrack	Reviews
Merchandise	Characters

Batman: Year One is the title for a canceled Batman movie intended for production during the 2000s. Despite the same name and concept of being the origin of Batman, it would not have been an adaptation of the comic storyline by Frank Miller.

Plot

The film would have revolved around a 20-something homeless Bruce Wayne having thrown away his fortune following his parents' murder and wallowing in misery, being provided shelter by Alfred Pennyworth, here portrayed an black mechanic nicknamed "Big Al".  Bruce has a ring with the initials of his dead father (Thomas Wayne), TW. In an act of vigilantism, he punches a criminal, knocking him out, and leaving a mark etched into the criminals skin, shaped like a bat.  This is how Bruce gets the idea to fight crime as the vigilante "The Bat-Man", crafting a makeshift suit to invoke a fearsome appearance and take vengeance on criminals.  The Batcave would be also hidden in a subway station in the film and Bruce makes his own disguises while Big Al assembles his gadgets.

Scripts

In January 2000, Scott Rosenberg turned down the chance to write the script for Batman: Year One. In mid-2000, Paul Dini, Neal Stephenson and Boaz Yakin were hired to write a script for a Batman Beyond film, with Yakin to direct. The film was based on the Warner Bros. animated television series of the same name. However, Warner Bros. abandoned Batman Beyond almost instantly in favor of a live-action adaptation of Batman: Year One.

Around the same time, Warner Bros. hired Darren Aronofsky to write and direct Year One, despite Joel Schumacher, who previously directed Batman Forever, having also expressed interest in the film. Aronofsky, who collaborated with Frank Miller on an unproduced script for Ronin, brought Miller to co-write Year One with him. They intended to reboot the Batman franchise, "it's somewhat based on the comic book," Aronofsky said. "Toss out everything you can imagine about Batman! Everything! We're starting completely anew." Regular Aronofsky collaborator, Matthew Libatique, was set as cinematographer, and Aronofsky had also approached Christian Bale for the role of Batman. Coincidentally, Bale would be cast in the role for Batman Begins. At the same time, Warner Bros. was moving forward on a Catwoman spin-off. However, by June 2002, the studio decided to move forward on Batman vs. Superman and abandon Year One.

However,

Gallery

Concept art of the batsuit in the film

Concept art