Michael Keaton recalls the initial reaction that comic book fans had when he was chosen to portray Batman in the 1989 Tim Burton-directed film.
Until then, Batman had been a character on a campy television series. However, Batman would mark a before and after for the superhero movie genre.
“When they said ‘We’re thinking of doing Batman,’ I said, ‘Wait, you’re thinking of making a movie about Batman?’,” Keaton said in an interview with GQ.
He continued, “The fact that Tim said ‘That guy, I want that guy’… the fact that people cared one way or another so much is still baffling. But that was a ballsy move on his part. We also had a nice working relationship from Beetlejuice, so he felt that he and I could get along and would work well together.”
Keaton played the titular role in the 1989 film and would reprise the Bruce...
Until then, Batman had been a character on a campy television series. However, Batman would mark a before and after for the superhero movie genre.
“When they said ‘We’re thinking of doing Batman,’ I said, ‘Wait, you’re thinking of making a movie about Batman?’,” Keaton said in an interview with GQ.
He continued, “The fact that Tim said ‘That guy, I want that guy’… the fact that people cared one way or another so much is still baffling. But that was a ballsy move on his part. We also had a nice working relationship from Beetlejuice, so he felt that he and I could get along and would work well together.”
Keaton played the titular role in the 1989 film and would reprise the Bruce...
- 4/3/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Evil Dead Posters from Bottleneck Gallery
Bottleneck Gallery will release two Evil Dead posters today, March 29, at 9am Pst/12pm Est. Set an alarm if you’re hoping to snag one, because they’re going to move faster than a Deadite.
Adam “Readful Things” Perocchi’s The Evil Dead artwork is inspired by the classic RoboCop poster. 24×36 giclee prints, limited to 125, will cost $60. Evil Dead 2 by Jack Gregory is a 24×36 screen print, limited to 75, for $70.
Bad Lieutenant 4K Uhd from Kino Lorber
Bad Lieutenant shoots onto 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on May 21 via Kino Lorber. The 1992 neo-noir crime film has been newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision/Hdr.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Evil Dead Posters from Bottleneck Gallery
Bottleneck Gallery will release two Evil Dead posters today, March 29, at 9am Pst/12pm Est. Set an alarm if you’re hoping to snag one, because they’re going to move faster than a Deadite.
Adam “Readful Things” Perocchi’s The Evil Dead artwork is inspired by the classic RoboCop poster. 24×36 giclee prints, limited to 125, will cost $60. Evil Dead 2 by Jack Gregory is a 24×36 screen print, limited to 75, for $70.
Bad Lieutenant 4K Uhd from Kino Lorber
Bad Lieutenant shoots onto 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on May 21 via Kino Lorber. The 1992 neo-noir crime film has been newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision/Hdr.
- 3/29/2024
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Everything about the first trailer for the reboot of The Crow looks familiar. Sure, some of that is to be expected, as the 2024 movie retells the story from the 1994 cut classic. And yes, The Crow 2024 does make some obvious choices, casting Bill Skarsgård as a weird tall skinny guy and Danny Huston as a bad guy.
But besides the paint-by-numbers approach that director Rupert Sanders seems to be taking with the property, the really familiar part is The Crow‘s approach to comic book adaptations. Those young enough to have listened to the soundtrack to The Crow back in the ’90s will remember that the current pop culture landscape seemed impossible 30 years ago. Only the most recognizable superheroes got translated to live-action, and even then received a radical make-over, sanding down all of the colorful comic book aspects and stuck into a standard action flick.
In the pages of the...
But besides the paint-by-numbers approach that director Rupert Sanders seems to be taking with the property, the really familiar part is The Crow‘s approach to comic book adaptations. Those young enough to have listened to the soundtrack to The Crow back in the ’90s will remember that the current pop culture landscape seemed impossible 30 years ago. Only the most recognizable superheroes got translated to live-action, and even then received a radical make-over, sanding down all of the colorful comic book aspects and stuck into a standard action flick.
In the pages of the...
- 3/14/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Tim Burton's horror/comedy "Beetlejuice" was surprising when it was released in 1988. The plot follows a kindly couple named the Maitlands (Alec Baldwin and Geen Davis) who live in a beautiful small town far away from any big city. They are blissfully married and enjoy books and crafts. The Maitlands die in a car wreck, becoming ghosts who have to slowly figure out the rules of the afterlife. Shortly thereafter, a gaggle of obnoxious yuppies move into their home, and the Maitlands prove ineffectual at scaring them away; the vintage sheets they wear as their makeshift death shrouds aren't exactly terrifying to a zonked-out art snot (Catherine O'Hara) dizzy with valium. The yuppies' Goth daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) is the only one who can see the Maitlands outside of their shrouds, and is more bemused that she's living with ghosts than scared.
Eventually, the Maitlands have to enlist the...
Eventually, the Maitlands have to enlist the...
- 12/28/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Director Tim Burton was only a day and a half from being able to wrap production on his latest movie, Beetlejuice 2 – which, of course, happens to be the long-awaited (it’s been thirty-five years!) sequel to his classic Beetlejuice (watch it Here) – when the Screen Actors Guild strike hit in July. When the strike ended earlier this month, Beetlejuice 2 was able to go back into production. Now Burton has taken to Instagram to celebrate the end of filming by sharing a picture of himself sitting on a familiar set. You can check it out at the bottom of this article.
The SAG strike delay was very minor compared to what this project has been through over the years. Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script,...
The SAG strike delay was very minor compared to what this project has been through over the years. Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script,...
- 11/30/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Back in March, film journalist Jeff Sneider said he had heard that “an aging action star” was up for the role of a ghost in director Tim Burton‘s Beetlejuice 2 – which, of course, happens to be the long-awaited (it’s been thirty-five years!) sequel to his classic Beetlejuice (watch it Here). Sneider heard Jean-Claude Van Damme was in the running to play the character… but over the eight months since, we haven’t heard anything that indicates Van Damme actually made it to the set of Beetlejuice 2. We do know that Willem Dafoe plays an afterlife detective in the film – and during a new interview with Variety, he revealed that his character also happens to be a former action star!
Dafoe said, “I haven’t seen any footage (from Beetlejuice 2) yet, but it was fun to do. I play a police officer in the afterlife, so I’m a dead person.
Dafoe said, “I haven’t seen any footage (from Beetlejuice 2) yet, but it was fun to do. I play a police officer in the afterlife, so I’m a dead person.
- 11/27/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Director Tim Burton was less than two days from being able to wrap production on his latest movie, Beetlejuice 2 – which, of course, happens to be the long-awaited (it’s been thirty-five years!) sequels to his classic Beetlejuice (watch it Here), when the Screen Actors Guild strike hit in July. Production had to be paused for months. But the SAG strike came to an end earlier this month, and now Wbz News reports that Burton and his cast and crew were able to return to the town of Melrose, Massachusetts and cover the place in Halloween decorations for a couple days of filming. Beetlejuice 2 has since wrapped, finally.
The SAG strike delay was very minor compared to what this project has been through over the years. Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.
The SAG strike delay was very minor compared to what this project has been through over the years. Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.
- 11/21/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Last year, we lost Goodfellas star Ray Liotta, who passed away in his sleep at the age of 67. Now Deadline has shared a previously unreleased interview they conducted with Liotta a couple years before he died – and during the interview, Liotta mentioned that he felt stupid for turning down a role in director Tim Burton‘s 1989 version of Batman.
Batman first came up when Liotta was talking about writer/director Noah Baumbach’s Netflix-released film Marriage Story, which he had a role in. He said, “They started with the Batman stuff and triggered the whole comic book genre, and now most of the studios are putting an unbelievable amount of money into things like that. But movies like this one, Marriage Story… Thank God for Netflix, because they’ll finance your movie. I don’t know who else would give money for Marriage Story. It’s a great movie,...
Batman first came up when Liotta was talking about writer/director Noah Baumbach’s Netflix-released film Marriage Story, which he had a role in. He said, “They started with the Batman stuff and triggered the whole comic book genre, and now most of the studios are putting an unbelievable amount of money into things like that. But movies like this one, Marriage Story… Thank God for Netflix, because they’ll finance your movie. I don’t know who else would give money for Marriage Story. It’s a great movie,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Thirty-five years after the release of the Tim Burton-directed classic Beetlejuice (watch it Here), Burton has been working on the long-awaited sequel we’re calling Beetlejuice 2, and as part of the production he once again turned the town of East Corinth, Vermont into Winter River, Connecticut. The house the first movie took place in has been rebuilt, and pictures taken by fans revealed that an iconic sculpture featured in that movie was sitting outside the house. Unfortunately, that sculpture has since been stolen!
The Vermont State Police are looking for the sculpture and a pumpkin-topped lamp post that was also stolen from the set:
We tried saying the name of this stolen statue three times, but it didn't come back! We're investigating the theft of this 150-pound sculpture from the "Beetlejuice 2" set in E. Corinth, along with a lamppost topped with a pumpkin decoration. Call 802-748-3111 with any info.
The Vermont State Police are looking for the sculpture and a pumpkin-topped lamp post that was also stolen from the set:
We tried saying the name of this stolen statue three times, but it didn't come back! We're investigating the theft of this 150-pound sculpture from the "Beetlejuice 2" set in E. Corinth, along with a lamppost topped with a pumpkin decoration. Call 802-748-3111 with any info.
- 7/24/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Thirty-five years after the release of the Tim Burton-directed classic Beetlejuice (watch it Here), production is officially underway on a sequel – and while we haven’t seen any official images from Beetlejuice 2 yet, set pics did give us our first look at Winona Ryder, back in the role of Lydia Deetz, a couple months ago. And now more set pics have revealed the first look at the character being played by Jenna Ortega, who previously worked with Burton on the hit Netflix series Wednesday. Images of Ortega’s character, Lydia’s daughter, can be seen in Twitter embeds at the bottom of this article.
Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script, Pamela Norris did rewrite it, and Warner Bros. offered Kevin Smith...
Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script, Pamela Norris did rewrite it, and Warner Bros. offered Kevin Smith...
- 7/7/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Production is officially underway on director Tim Burton‘s long-awaited sequel to his 1988 classic Beetlejuice (watch it Here) – and spy pics snapped on the Beetlejuice 2 set have given us our first look at Winona Ryder, reprising the role of the “strange and unusual” Lydia Deetz! These images can be seen in the Twitter embed at the bottom of this article.
Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script, Pamela Norris did rewrite it, and Warner Bros. offered Kevin Smith the chance to do another rewrite. He turned it down. Seth Grahame-Smith was hired to write and produce a new version of a sequel in 2011. Mike Vukadinovich was brought on to rewrite his script in 2017.
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, co-creators and co-showrunners of Netflix’s hit series,...
Beetlejuice 2 was in development hell for decades. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script, Pamela Norris did rewrite it, and Warner Bros. offered Kevin Smith the chance to do another rewrite. He turned it down. Seth Grahame-Smith was hired to write and produce a new version of a sequel in 2011. Mike Vukadinovich was brought on to rewrite his script in 2017.
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, co-creators and co-showrunners of Netflix’s hit series,...
- 5/18/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
It’s been a long wait, but director Tim Burton is finally heading into production on a sequel to his 1988 classic Beetlejuice (watch it Here) – and he’s assembling a cast that looks to guarantee that Beetlejuice 2 is going to be worth the wait. Not only is Michael Keaton reprising the role of the titular ghoul and Winona Ryder returning to play the “strange and unusual” Lydia Deetz, with Catherine O’Hara back as Lydia’s stepmother Delia, but new additions include Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter, Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s wife, and Justin Theroux in an unspecified role. Now The Hollywood Reporter has broken the news that Willem Dafoe has joined the cast and will be playing a law enforcement officer in the afterlife.
We’re still waiting to hear whether or not the rumor that Jean-Claude Van Damme is going to play a ghost in this...
We’re still waiting to hear whether or not the rumor that Jean-Claude Van Damme is going to play a ghost in this...
- 5/12/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Bee–ah, that was a close one! A massive success upon release, Beetlejuice went through a strange and unusual production that saw multiple rewrites and firings, not to mention the dodging of some seriously questionable casting choices. But through the terrific performances by its cast and creative skirting around a small budget, the movie became one of the best horror-comedies ever, worthy of a sequel that has been in development hell for over three decades.
So let’s open up the handbook for the recently deceased and shake, shake, shake senora because it’s showtime! Let’s to find out…Wtf Happened to this movie?!
Following the massive success of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which pulled in $40 million on a $7 million budget, Tim Burton had his pick of what his next project would be. One thing he knew, it wouldn’t be talking horse movie Hot to Trot.
So let’s open up the handbook for the recently deceased and shake, shake, shake senora because it’s showtime! Let’s to find out…Wtf Happened to this movie?!
Following the massive success of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which pulled in $40 million on a $7 million budget, Tim Burton had his pick of what his next project would be. One thing he knew, it wouldn’t be talking horse movie Hot to Trot.
- 5/10/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Composer Danny Elfman has expressed his excitement about returning to the world of Beetlejuice, the iconic 1988 film on which he partnered with longtime filmmaking collaborator Tim Burton.
“I love being a fly on the wall when he’s shooting. I’ll be doing that in a couple of months, as you may know, on another Tim Burton project,” said Elfman during the taping for an upcoming episode of Deadline’s The Process, alluding to the sequel. “That is very exciting, to return to that world.”
Elfman shared that someone recently asked him, “Really, after all these years? Michael Keaton?”, referring to the actor’s return as the titular ghoul. “I said, ‘He’s not even going to look that much different. That’s the beauty of the Beetlejuice makeup. He already looked like he was 150 in the first one.'”
Continued Elfman, “It’s perfect, you know? Everybody else has to play the next generation,...
“I love being a fly on the wall when he’s shooting. I’ll be doing that in a couple of months, as you may know, on another Tim Burton project,” said Elfman during the taping for an upcoming episode of Deadline’s The Process, alluding to the sequel. “That is very exciting, to return to that world.”
Elfman shared that someone recently asked him, “Really, after all these years? Michael Keaton?”, referring to the actor’s return as the titular ghoul. “I said, ‘He’s not even going to look that much different. That’s the beauty of the Beetlejuice makeup. He already looked like he was 150 in the first one.'”
Continued Elfman, “It’s perfect, you know? Everybody else has to play the next generation,...
- 5/3/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
35 years since its release on March 30, 1988, what continues to stand out the most about Tim Burton's macabre and quirky film is its soundtrack — both the score by Danny Elfman and the inclusion of Harry Belafonte musical numbers. The eccentric mix of these sounds creates the ideal stage for Betelgeuse himself: the ghost with the most that teams up with the recently deceased Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) to haunt the pretentious, urbane Deetz family that moves into their New England-style home.
"Beetlejuice" was Tim Burton's first major feature after his breakthrough Pee-wee's Big Adventure. For the zany family film, Burton also collaborated with composer Danny Elfman, establishing a long-term creative partnership. But the "Beetlejuice" soundtrack that we all know and love almost never was.
The original screenplay by novelist Michael McDowell was decidedly grimmer, featuring a much darker alternate ending where Lydia sets herself on...
"Beetlejuice" was Tim Burton's first major feature after his breakthrough Pee-wee's Big Adventure. For the zany family film, Burton also collaborated with composer Danny Elfman, establishing a long-term creative partnership. But the "Beetlejuice" soundtrack that we all know and love almost never was.
The original screenplay by novelist Michael McDowell was decidedly grimmer, featuring a much darker alternate ending where Lydia sets herself on...
- 3/30/2023
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
Eleven days ago, we heard that Wednesday and Scream VI star Jenna Ortega is circling a role in director Tim Burton’s long-awaited Beetlejuice 2, which is apparently finally on the edge of going into production, thirty-five years after the first film was released. Ortega would be joining returning Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton (as the title character), Winona Ryder (as Lydia Deetz), and Catherine O’Hara (as Lydia’s stepmother Delia), and she would be playing Lydia’s daughter. Film journalist Jeff Sneider heard the Ortega rumor a couple weeks before it went public – and during an episode of the podcast The Hot Mic, which he hosts with critic John Rocha, Sneider revealed that he has also heard “an aging action star” is in the running to play a ghost in the film. And that action star might be Jean-Claude Van Damme.
We have to be clear that this is just a Rumor right now,...
We have to be clear that this is just a Rumor right now,...
- 3/20/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
In 2005, Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" introduced a darker and moodier version of the iconic superhero than had ever been seen on-screen before, and that angst and violence was further embraced by Matt Reeves' "The Batman" in 2022. For the first time in a while, moviegoers were given raw and brutal street fights between The Dark Knight and Gotham goons, and wanted more.
The overwhelming success of Nolan and Reeves' films proved that Batman fans longed for the tortured and barbaric version of the character after years of being dragged through goofy and childish portrayals of the vigilante in films such as 1966's "Batman," starring Adam West, and 1997's "Batman & Robin," starring George Clooney. Nolan's trilogy often receives credit, rightfully so, for tossing the grit and dirt back into the vigilante's image and tugging the film version of Batman closer to his graphic novel roots. However, Nolan wasn't the first...
The overwhelming success of Nolan and Reeves' films proved that Batman fans longed for the tortured and barbaric version of the character after years of being dragged through goofy and childish portrayals of the vigilante in films such as 1966's "Batman," starring Adam West, and 1997's "Batman & Robin," starring George Clooney. Nolan's trilogy often receives credit, rightfully so, for tossing the grit and dirt back into the vigilante's image and tugging the film version of Batman closer to his graphic novel roots. However, Nolan wasn't the first...
- 10/28/2022
- by Christian Gainey
- Slash Film
Filmmakers Albert Birney and Kentucker Audley discuss the movies that inspired their latest film, Strawberry Mansion.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Strawberry Mansion (2022)
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Neverending Story (1984)
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Pretty Woman (1990) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Barton Fink (1991)
Being There (1979) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Salesman (1969)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Eraserhead (1977) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary
The Shining (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Bottle Rocket (1996)
Rushmore (1998)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Beetlejuice (1988) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Axelle Carolyn’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s trailer commentary
Honey I Shrunk The Kids (1989)
Re-Animator (1985) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Strawberry Mansion (2022)
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Neverending Story (1984)
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Pretty Woman (1990) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Barton Fink (1991)
Being There (1979) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Salesman (1969)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Eraserhead (1977) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary
The Shining (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Bottle Rocket (1996)
Rushmore (1998)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Beetlejuice (1988) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Axelle Carolyn’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s trailer commentary
Honey I Shrunk The Kids (1989)
Re-Animator (1985) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review...
- 3/1/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B has boarded Beetlejuice 2, Deadline has confirmed, bringing a new sense of life to a project that has long been in the works at Warner Bros.
The sequel remains in early development, with the script yet to be written. No other attachments have been disclosed at this time.
Beetlejuice is a classic film from director Tim Burton in which the spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, hiring a malicious spirit of the same name to drive them out. Michael Keaton played the title role in the original, with Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder and more rounding out the cast.
The film that Warren Skaaren adapted from a story by Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson grossed nearly $75M worldwide upon its 1988 Warner Bros release and won an Oscar in 1989 for Best Makeup,...
The sequel remains in early development, with the script yet to be written. No other attachments have been disclosed at this time.
Beetlejuice is a classic film from director Tim Burton in which the spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, hiring a malicious spirit of the same name to drive them out. Michael Keaton played the title role in the original, with Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder and more rounding out the cast.
The film that Warren Skaaren adapted from a story by Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson grossed nearly $75M worldwide upon its 1988 Warner Bros release and won an Oscar in 1989 for Best Makeup,...
- 3/1/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
1989’s Batman is widely regarded as a time-tested, transformative entry for the comic book movie genre, and its $411.5 million worldwide gross ($872.8 million adjusted for inflation) certainly shook an unsuspecting film industry to its core. However, for actress Sean Young, who was initially set to co-star in the film as Vicki Vale opposite Michael Keaton’s Caped Crusader, it represents a point in which misfortune pulled her away from a prospective mainstream breakthrough. Not only did a pre-production accident force her off the film, but the scene for which she was preparing ended up getting cut from the movie!
Director Tim Burton’s choice of Young for Batman’s leading lady role as photojournalist Vale seemed auspicious since it brought the genre experiment a rising star with pertinent gravitas from roles in then-recent offerings like Blade Runner and Dune, along with dramas such as No Way Out and Wall Street. It...
Director Tim Burton’s choice of Young for Batman’s leading lady role as photojournalist Vale seemed auspicious since it brought the genre experiment a rising star with pertinent gravitas from roles in then-recent offerings like Blade Runner and Dune, along with dramas such as No Way Out and Wall Street. It...
- 3/23/2021
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
2020 has been a brutal and depressing year, with a raging pandemic affecting every corner of the globe and massive civil unrest arising in righteous response to long-ignored systemic inequities stateside. It makes sense, then, that film fans have opted to prioritize comedy in their home video streaming, away from the tragedy that is real life.
Per Owen Harris at JustWatch, it appears that comedy has been, by far, the most popular genre across the globe. Based on data gathered for 60 countries collated from July through September, comedy films and TV shows rank at the top in popularity among 28 countries — especially in Europe and North America.
Action films rank second in genre popularity, topping streams across 17 countries tracked. Romance and Animation are the preferred genres in Southeast Asian countries for the same time period.
(Graph courtesy of JustWatch)
Based on this information, I asked Owen if he might mind doing a bit more digging for me.
Per Owen Harris at JustWatch, it appears that comedy has been, by far, the most popular genre across the globe. Based on data gathered for 60 countries collated from July through September, comedy films and TV shows rank at the top in popularity among 28 countries — especially in Europe and North America.
Action films rank second in genre popularity, topping streams across 17 countries tracked. Romance and Animation are the preferred genres in Southeast Asian countries for the same time period.
(Graph courtesy of JustWatch)
Based on this information, I asked Owen if he might mind doing a bit more digging for me.
- 11/18/2020
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
A quarter century after its release, Batman Forever remains perhaps the most divisive of the Caped Crusader’s 10 big-screen appearances to date. It is certainly the fulcrum on which the entire history of the series balances: the point where the franchise changed course in pursuit of instant gratification and success, only to pave the way for abject failure and supreme rebirth.
The back story of Batman Forever has been well documented before, so here it is in brief in case you were napping: following the less than stellar box office returns of Tim Burton’s 1992 Batman Returns — a Gothic fever dream which frightened not just children but Warner Bros. Pictures’ corporate partners like McDonald’s — the studio brain trust decided a change was in order.
Burton would not be back to direct a third Batfilm; that task was bequeathed to Joel Schumacher, who was mandated to bring a lighter, more playful vibe to the proceedings.
The back story of Batman Forever has been well documented before, so here it is in brief in case you were napping: following the less than stellar box office returns of Tim Burton’s 1992 Batman Returns — a Gothic fever dream which frightened not just children but Warner Bros. Pictures’ corporate partners like McDonald’s — the studio brain trust decided a change was in order.
Burton would not be back to direct a third Batfilm; that task was bequeathed to Joel Schumacher, who was mandated to bring a lighter, more playful vibe to the proceedings.
- 6/17/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
There never has been (nor will there ever be) anything quite like Beetlejuice, that inimitable horror comedy concoction hailing from the demented minds of screenwriter Michael McDowell, plus writer/producer Larry Wilson and script doctor extraordinaire Warren Skaaren, filtered through the wacky gothic lens of director Tim Burton.
To celebrate Beetlejuice‘s Los Angeles return to the big screen at the Nuart Theatre at midnight tonight, December 20th, Tfh decided to take a look back at the film’s singular significance 31 years later.
As our tale unfurls, Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) are a fairly bland couple in the throes of (bland) domestic bliss. They occupy a pleasant, spacious house in the leafy suburb of Winter River, Connecticut. Adam owns a hardware store up the road, and enjoys whiling away his free time building a remarkably thorough model replica of Winter River while jamming out to Harry Belafonte songs.
To celebrate Beetlejuice‘s Los Angeles return to the big screen at the Nuart Theatre at midnight tonight, December 20th, Tfh decided to take a look back at the film’s singular significance 31 years later.
As our tale unfurls, Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) are a fairly bland couple in the throes of (bland) domestic bliss. They occupy a pleasant, spacious house in the leafy suburb of Winter River, Connecticut. Adam owns a hardware store up the road, and enjoys whiling away his free time building a remarkably thorough model replica of Winter River while jamming out to Harry Belafonte songs.
- 12/20/2019
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
Plans are afoot for a sequel to Tim Burton's Beetlejuice. But what made the original so special, and where might the sequel go?
Last week, an extremely cautious Winona Ryder confirmed on Late Night With Seth Myers that a sequel to Tim Burton's beloved 1988 haunted house comedy Beetlejuice was finally in the works. Ryder will be reprising her role as Lydia Deetz, with Burton back behind the megaphone and Michael Keaton, fresh from a career-resurrecting turn in Birdman (2014), again starring as 'the ghost with the most'.
Ryder's announcement was met with the inevitable woops and cheers from Myers' studio audience, but fans of Burton's breakthrough feature will be seeking reassurances that the forthcoming follow-up will remain true to the spirit of its predecessor.
For those who've never seen it, Beetlejuice tells the story of Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), a happily married couple living...
Last week, an extremely cautious Winona Ryder confirmed on Late Night With Seth Myers that a sequel to Tim Burton's beloved 1988 haunted house comedy Beetlejuice was finally in the works. Ryder will be reprising her role as Lydia Deetz, with Burton back behind the megaphone and Michael Keaton, fresh from a career-resurrecting turn in Birdman (2014), again starring as 'the ghost with the most'.
Ryder's announcement was met with the inevitable woops and cheers from Myers' studio audience, but fans of Burton's breakthrough feature will be seeking reassurances that the forthcoming follow-up will remain true to the spirit of its predecessor.
For those who've never seen it, Beetlejuice tells the story of Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), a happily married couple living...
- 8/18/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Batman
Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren
USA, 1989
For me, film has always been a strong source of inspiration. As long as I can remember, I have been truly captivated by the motion picture. One of my earliest memories would have to be seeing the first Batman in theaters a quarter of a century ago. In 1989, “Batmania” was sweeping the nation and I was perfectly content playing with my Toy Biz and Kenner action figures. The character of Batman had been around 50 years before I was even born and I’m sure other children before me have been amazed by The Caped Crusader’s various adventures. Tim Burton’s epic would have to be my first experience seeing The Dark Knight in action and it was monumental one at that.
If you aren’t familiar with 1989’s smash hit, then please let me enlighten you.
Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren
USA, 1989
For me, film has always been a strong source of inspiration. As long as I can remember, I have been truly captivated by the motion picture. One of my earliest memories would have to be seeing the first Batman in theaters a quarter of a century ago. In 1989, “Batmania” was sweeping the nation and I was perfectly content playing with my Toy Biz and Kenner action figures. The character of Batman had been around 50 years before I was even born and I’m sure other children before me have been amazed by The Caped Crusader’s various adventures. Tim Burton’s epic would have to be my first experience seeing The Dark Knight in action and it was monumental one at that.
If you aren’t familiar with 1989’s smash hit, then please let me enlighten you.
- 11/26/2014
- by Randall Unger
- SoundOnSight
The best movie culture writing from around the internet-o-sphere. There will be a quiz later. Just leave a tab open for us, will ya? “A Personal Story: Peter Sciretta and The Forbidden Journey” — Peter Sciretta at Slashfilm speaks vulnerably about a difficult change he had to make to his life and the Harry Potter ride that awaited him at the end (or the midway point) of the tunnel. “Summer of ’89: Batman” — Kenji Fujishima at Slant Magazine compares/contrasts a tale of two Gothams, prompting me to watch a double feature of Eyes Without a Face and The Dark Knight. “Take the Joker in Burton’s Batman and Nolan’s The Dark Knight. There’s a telling difference in the way Burton’s Joker describes himself to Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) as an “artist” who deals in anarchy, compared to the “agent of chaos” self-designation of Nolan’s Joker; compared to Nicholson’s lordly lip-smacking (it’s...
- 6/26/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
At a time when Christopher Nolan was shedding the final awkwardness of his teenage years, Tim Burton was busy laying the groundwork for the future of all gritty superhero franchises. While Heath Ledger was navigating the treacherous waters of fifth grade, Jack Nicholson was tapping into the darkest parts of his psyche. 25 years ago, the first Batman film hit theaters and changed the movie quote landscape forever. As an ode to both Burton's vision of a Gotham City steeped in noir influences and Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren's screenplay, here are some of the best quotes from 1989's 'Batman' that have fused to our collective pop culture consciousness. #1 - Batman works pro-bono guys. Why we can't stop quoting it: The key is here is the incredulous 'And if so…' repetition. You can replace just about any series of events here and watch the absurdity escalate even from the most mundane questions.
- 6/23/2014
- by Donna Dickens, Kristopher Tapley, Melinda Newman
- Hitfix
It's hard to argue with Jerry Bruckheimer's success. The artistic merit of the films that he has produced? Yes, that's up for debate. But what is not up for debate is that his movies make a lot of money. So much money, in fact, that many of his films -- "Flashdance," "Beverly Hills Cop," "Top Gun" (these three co-produced with the late Don Simpson) -- aren't just mere movies, but cultural phenomenons.
"The Lone Ranger," Bruckheimer's latest project, re-teams him with his "Pirates of the Caribbean" cohorts Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski. Depp stars as Tonto in this reconfigured origin story for the iconic masked hero (played here by Armie Hammer), which finds the unlikely pair teaming up to stop a wanted criminal and other nefarious evildoers.
Before the film's release on June 3, we took a deep dive with Bruckheimer -- not only discussing "The Lone Ranger," but...
"The Lone Ranger," Bruckheimer's latest project, re-teams him with his "Pirates of the Caribbean" cohorts Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski. Depp stars as Tonto in this reconfigured origin story for the iconic masked hero (played here by Armie Hammer), which finds the unlikely pair teaming up to stop a wanted criminal and other nefarious evildoers.
Before the film's release on June 3, we took a deep dive with Bruckheimer -- not only discussing "The Lone Ranger," but...
- 6/25/2013
- by Mike Ryan
- Huffington Post
Batman (1989) was directed by Tim Burton, from a screenplay written by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren. The film starred: Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier/The Joker, Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale, Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth, Tracey Walter as Bob, Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox, Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon, Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent, Jack Palance as Carl Grissom, and William Hootkins as Lt. Eckhardt. With a budget of $48 million, the filmed earned $411 million at the worldwide box office.
- 3/10/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
With a title like that, I'm sure to get a lot of hate for even suggesting such a notion. But here's the thing: I loved Tim Burton. He was my absolute favorite director until around 2001. The worlds he created held my attention in a deeper way than other filmmaker's. The oddball and macabre design, along with the melancholy atmosphere, were unlike anything I had seen in movies. It was as fantastical in imagination as any blockbuster, and it felt more ethereal and personal than the "Hollywood" spectacle of a Spielberg or Zemeckis film. He introduced me to ideas of retro kitsch, spooky fringe and proudly holding onto timeless obsessions of your youth. Burton is one of those early influences in my life that made me become a passionate movie lover. I can catch "Beetlejuice" or "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" at any moment on TV and immediately get sucked back into them.
- 5/14/2012
- by Eric Larnick
- Moviefone
Tomorrow "Dark Shadows" will hit theaters, the latest gothic entertainment from director Tim Burton and his muse Johnny Depp. And, as per our review and many others, it's sadly another disappointment; another wonderful-looking, empty picture that seems to have been derived from the filmmaker and his star taking on the kind of film that's expected of them, rather than something to push or challenge them.
But once upon a time, Burton was one of the most exciting filmmakers around, a former Disney animator who moved into the live-action world with an enduring family comedy classic, and went on for a nearly-decade-long run of critically acclaimed box-office hits that established him as having one of the most distinctive, unusual voices in Hollywood. With "Dark Shadows" bumming us out this weekend, we've decided to provide an antidote by examining five of the most essential Burton directorial efforts in the filmmaker's career. Disagree?...
But once upon a time, Burton was one of the most exciting filmmakers around, a former Disney animator who moved into the live-action world with an enduring family comedy classic, and went on for a nearly-decade-long run of critically acclaimed box-office hits that established him as having one of the most distinctive, unusual voices in Hollywood. With "Dark Shadows" bumming us out this weekend, we've decided to provide an antidote by examining five of the most essential Burton directorial efforts in the filmmaker's career. Disagree?...
- 5/10/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
An article published today in the Austin American Statesman describes how Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law a filmmaking incentives bill with Texas’ most prolific filmmaker at his side, Robert Rodriguez.
Now, a little more than a year and a half later, Texas has denied a grant for as much as $1.75 million to Rodriguez’ film Machete, filmed in Texas and released in September. This comes after Rodriguez had already praised the Texas incentives bill as crucial to being able to make films in Texas. “Thanks to the bill, I don’t have to go shoot out of the state,” he told the Associated Press before making Machete.
Why was the grant denied? The Texas Film Commission referred to a code that allowed denial, “because of inappropriate content or content that portrays Texas or Texans in a negative fashion.” So either Perry is playing “moral police” with a violent film,...
Now, a little more than a year and a half later, Texas has denied a grant for as much as $1.75 million to Rodriguez’ film Machete, filmed in Texas and released in September. This comes after Rodriguez had already praised the Texas incentives bill as crucial to being able to make films in Texas. “Thanks to the bill, I don’t have to go shoot out of the state,” he told the Associated Press before making Machete.
Why was the grant denied? The Texas Film Commission referred to a code that allowed denial, “because of inappropriate content or content that portrays Texas or Texans in a negative fashion.” So either Perry is playing “moral police” with a violent film,...
- 12/9/2010
- by Alice gray
- SoundOnSight
The Austin Film Society will present its Warren Skaaren Lifetime Achievement Award to Michael Nesmith at the 10th anniversary Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards on March 11, 2010. The event honors Texans who have made a significant contribution to the film and media industry. Nesmith, born in Houston and raised in Dallas, is perhaps best known for his contributions to The Monkees band and TV show, as well as for ...
- 2/17/2010
- Indiewire
In 1989, Tim Burton's Batman redefined the comicbook film genre and proved that seriousness and superheroes can go together as the perfect dual identity.
The starting point had been Richard Donner's Superman just over a decade earlier which is still regarded as a classic in dispensing with camp, cartoonish absurdity.
Although Batman did later move back in that direction, the character was refocused once more by Christopher Nolan with Batman Begins and its 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight.
Tim Burton, though, was the first to try to recapture the original Detective Comics take on the character as a troubled billionaire driven to become a sinister creature of the shadows. At the time, there was considerable negative press over the hiring of Burton and then the hiring of lead actor Michael Keaton - but we now know it all worked out fine in the end.
And the director, whose penchant for...
The starting point had been Richard Donner's Superman just over a decade earlier which is still regarded as a classic in dispensing with camp, cartoonish absurdity.
Although Batman did later move back in that direction, the character was refocused once more by Christopher Nolan with Batman Begins and its 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight.
Tim Burton, though, was the first to try to recapture the original Detective Comics take on the character as a troubled billionaire driven to become a sinister creature of the shadows. At the time, there was considerable negative press over the hiring of Burton and then the hiring of lead actor Michael Keaton - but we now know it all worked out fine in the end.
And the director, whose penchant for...
- 5/13/2009
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
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