133-477: Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters . Based on the DC Comics character Batman , it is the sequel to Batman (1989) and the second installment in the 1989–1997 Batman series . In the film, Batman comes into conflict with wealthy industrialist Max Shreck and malformed crime boss Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin , who seek power regardless of
266-575: A Catwoman spin-off was announced. Michelle Pfeiffer was to reprise her role, with the character not to appear in Forever because of her own spin-off. Burton became attached as director, while producer Denise Di Novi and writer Daniel Waters also returned. In January 1994, Burton was unsure of his plans to direct Catwoman or an adaptation of " The Fall of the House of Usher ". On June 6, 1995, Waters turned in his Catwoman script to Warner Bros.,
399-477: A sequel , Barb Wire (1996), The Phantom (1996), Black Mask (1996), Chouriki Sentai Ohranger: Ole vs. Kakuranger (1996), Revive! Ultraman (1996), Gekisou Sentai Carranger vs. Ohranger (1997) and Steel (1997). Marvel Comics ' Captain America (1991) did not have a theatrical release , and Roger Corman 's The Fantastic Four (1994) was produced solely for the legal maintenance of
532-587: A 1998 interview, Wayans said that he still received residual checks as part of the two-film contract he signed. Early reports suggested that Nicholson had been asked to return as the Joker, but refused to film in England because of the salary tax on foreign talent. Nicholson denied being asked, however, believing that Warner Bros. would not want to replicate his generous compensation for Batman . Principal photography began on September 3, 1991. Burton wanted to film in
665-494: A Red Triangle member. Much of Waters's "bitter and cynical" dialogue for Batman (such as Gotham City not deserving protection) was removed because Keaton said that Batman should rarely speak in costume and Burton wanted Batman to be driven by trauma not nihilism. As a result, the script focused on villains. Burton said that he initially struggled to understand the appeal of the Penguin's comic-book counterpart; Batman, Catwoman, and
798-599: A backlash against marketing partners for promoting the film to young children. Reviews were polarized about the film, but praised most of the main cast. After the relative failure of Batman Returns , Burton was replaced as director of the third film, Batman Forever (1995), with Joel Schumacher to take the series in a family-friendly direction. Keaton chose not to reprise his role, disagreeing with Schumacher's vision. Batman Forever and its sequel, Batman & Robin (1997), were financial successes but fared less well critically. Batman Returns has been reassessed as one of
931-569: A chance to explore something new and different. Batman writer Sam Hamm 's initial story idea expanded the character of district attorney Harvey Dent , played in Batman by Billy Dee Williams , and his descent into the supervillain Two-Face . Warner Bros. wanted the main villain to be the Penguin, however, whom Hamm believed the studio saw as Batman's most prominent enemy after the Joker . Catwoman
1064-762: A city on the verge of collapse. The key element for Welch came early in design, when he realized that he wanted to manipulate spaces to convey specific emotions (emphasizing vertical buildings to convey a "huge, overwhelmingly corrupt, decaying city" filled with small people): "The film is about this alienating, disparate world we live in." The wintertime setting took advantage of the contrast between black and white scene elements, influenced by Citizen Kane (1941) and The Third Man (1949). Welch's concept designs began by carving out building shapes from cardboard with images of fascist sculptures and depression era machine-age art. The resulting 1 by 4 ft (0.30 by 1.22 m)-tall rough model represented Gotham Plaza, described as
1197-474: A costume and adopts the name Catwoman. To Shreck's surprise, Selina returns to work with newfound confidence and assertiveness, immediately capturing the attention of visiting billionaire Bruce Wayne. As his alter ego, the vigilante Batman, Wayne investigates Oswald, suspecting a connection to the Red Triangle gang. To remove obstacles to his power plant, Shreck persuades Oswald to run for mayor and undermine
1330-760: A cup lid which doubled as a flying disc. CBS aired a television special, The Bat, The Cat, The Penguin ... Batman Returns , and Choice Hotels sponsored the hour-long The Making of Batman Returns . Television advertisements featured Batman and Catwoman fighting over a can of Diet Coke , and the Penguin (and his penguins) promoted Choice Hotels. Advertisements also appeared on billboards and in print (three consecutive pages in some newspapers), targeted at older audiences. Batman Returns premiered on June 16, 1992, at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Two blocks of Hollywood Boulevard were closed for over 3,000 fans, 33 TV film crews, and 100 photographers. A party
1463-517: A few weeks of its premiere. Paramount Pictures increased the budget of Patriot Games by $ 14 million just to make it more competitive with Batman Returns and Lethal Weapon 3 . Franchising had not been considered an important aspect of Batman prior to its release. However, after merchandise contributed about $ 500 million to its $ 1.5 billion total earnings, it was prioritized for Batman Returns . Warner Bros. delayed major promotion until February 1992, to avoid over-saturation and
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#17327829414211596-405: A final budget for Batman Returns of $ 55 million, although it has been reported (or estimated) as $ 50, $ 65, $ 75, or $ 80 million. Danny Elfman was initially reluctant to score Batman Returns because he was unhappy that his Batman score was supplemented with pop music by Prince . Elfman built on many of his Batman themes, and said that he enjoyed working on the Penguin's themes
1729-463: A futuristic, oppressive, and "demented caricature" of Rockefeller Center . It was designed overbuilt, emphasizing the generic-but-oppressive heart of Gotham's corruption. Despite complaints from the film's financiers about its necessity, Burton insisted on the location with a detailed church overshadowed by plain surroundings. Designs attempted to create the illusion of space; the Wayne Manor set
1862-552: A growling, fierce performance." In 2023, IGN ranked Catwoman as the 3rd greatest film supervillain of all time. Todd McCarthy of Variety praised her performance: "Pfeiffer proves to be a very tasty Catwoman indeed." Entertainment Weekly ' s Owen Gleiberman wrote: "The runaway star here is Pfeiffer, whose performance is a sexy, comic triumph." Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times praised Pfeiffer: "Michelle Pfeiffer’s stylish and funny performance as
1995-542: A homemade Catwoman costume for an impromptu audition for Burton, who reportedly hid under his desk (although Keaton and producer Mark Canton briefly met with her). She shared video of her efforts with Entertainment Tonight . Warner Bros. said that Young did not fit their vision for Catwoman. The role went to Pfeiffer who was described as a proven actress who got along with Burton (although some publications said that it would stretch her acting abilities). Pfeiffer had also been considered for Vale in Batman , but Keaton vetoed
2128-420: A mechanical system of bolts and spikes beneath the breast plate to secure the cowl and cape because "otherwise, if [Keaton] turned around quickly the cape would stay where it was", due to its weight. Costumer Paul Barrett-Brown said that the suit had a "generous codpiece" for comfort, and initially included a zippered fly to allow Keaton to use the bathroom; the actor declined, however, because it could be seen by
2261-428: A mother and commitments to other projects. In January 1999, writer John August pitched his script, where Selina Kyle leaves Gotham and goes to her home town of Lake City. The film labored in development hell for years, with Pfeiffer replaced by Ashley Judd . The film ended up becoming the critically panned Catwoman (2004), starring Halle Berry as Patience Phillips, with Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle represented with
2394-663: A particular superhero character, often focuses on the hero's origin story and typically introduces the hero's nemesis. Many superhero films are adaptations of existing works. Superhero comics from publishers such as Marvel , DC , and Dark Horse ( The Umbrella Academy universe) have frequently been adapted into film. Others are based on television properties, such as films from the Japanese Ultraman , Kamen Rider , and Super Sentai franchises. Both Underdog and The Powerpuff Girls are based on their respective animated television series. The Green Hornet
2527-446: A polarized reception from professional critics. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B on an A+-to-F scale. Superhero film A superhero film is a genre centered on superheroes and their adventures, with characters often possessing superhuman abilities or exceptional skills. Superhero films typically blend elements of action , adventure , fantasy , or science fiction . The first film about
2660-492: A power plant which would covertly siphon and hoard electricity from Gotham City . Several fabric canopies help to break her fall and Selina is seemingly revived by a group of alley cats . She returns home and suffers a psychotic breakdown, angrily crafting a costume from a black raincoat and adopting the name Catwoman. As part of her larger plan to destroy Shreck, she allies herself with the Penguin ( Danny DeVito ), which attracts Batman 's ( Michael Keaton ) attention but she
2793-543: A power surge that appears to kill them both; however, Batman finds only Shreck's charred remains. The Penguin emerges one last time but succumbs to his injuries before he can attack Batman. His penguins lay him to rest in the water. Sometime later, as Alfred drives Wayne home, he spots Selina's silhouette but finds only a cat, which he takes with him. The Bat-Signal shines above the city as Catwoman gazes up at it. The cast of Batman Returns includes Andrew Bryniarski as Max's son Charles "Chip" Schreck and Cristi Conaway as
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#17327829414212926-477: A repressed secretary to an extroverted, erotic female. Padding was added because Pfeiffer was less physically endowed than Bening; this worked to Pfeiffer's advantage, however, since Barrett-Brown said that if it was too tight it "would reveal the genital area so thoroughly that you'd get an X certificate ." Ringwood and Vogt thought that if the latex material tore it would not be difficult to repair; forty to seventy backup Catwoman suits were made by Western Costume ,
3059-606: A separate district of Gotham; if Batman took place on the East Side, Batman Returns was set on the West Side. Welch was influenced by German Expressionism , neo-fascist architecture (including Nazi Germany -era styles), American precisionism painters, and photos of the homeless living on the streets in affluent areas. He incorporated Burton's rough sketch of Catwoman, which had a "very S&M kind of look", by adding chains and steel elements which would appear to hold together
3192-516: A staged kidnapping of the mayor's infant child, allowing Oswald to rescue it and become a public hero. In exchange, Oswald requests access to the city's birth records, ostensibly to learn his true identity by researching Gotham's first-born sons. Shreck attempts to murder his timid secretary, Selina Kyle , by pushing her out of a window after she accidentally uncovers his scheme to construct a power plant that would secretly drain and store Gotham's electricity. Selina survives, returns home, angrily crafts
3325-501: A steel girder, which Welch said made it depressing and ironic. The wood used to build the sets was donated to Habitat for Humanity to help build low-cost homes for the poor. Bob Ringwood and Mary E. Vogt were the costume designers. They refined the Batsuit to create the illusion of mechanical parts built into the torso, intending Batman to resemble Darth Vader . Forty-eight foam-rubber Batsuits were made for Batman Returns . They had
3458-482: A stuffed cat with its stitches coming apart at the seams. Sam Hamm originally wrote a sequel script to the original Batman , which had Catwoman teaming up with The Penguin to go after hidden treasure, but screenwriter Daniel Waters reworked her characterization after Burton brought him in to pen a new screenplay for the film. Waters explained "Sam Hamm went back to the way comic books in general treat women, like fetishy sexual fantasy. I wanted to start off just at
3591-441: A stuffed cat with its stitches coming apart at the seams. The costume was created around a body cast of Pfeiffer so that it would fit her exactly, and painted with white silicone rubber to imitate stitches. It was extremely tight and very laborious to put on – Pfeiffer had to be covered in talcum powder to squeeze into the costume, which was in turn brushed with liquid silicone on every take to give it shine. Pfeiffer would wear
3724-545: A tough core of intelligence and wit; she's a classic dazzler". Premiere retrospectively lauded her performance: "Arguably the outstanding villain of the Tim Burton era, Michelle Pfeiffer's deadly kitten with a whip brought sex to the normally neutered franchise. Her stitched-together, black patent leather costume, based on a sketch of Burton's, remains the character's most iconic look. And Michelle Pfeiffer overcomes Batman Returns ' heavy-handed feminist dialogue to deliver
3857-542: A troupe of performance artists, were changed to circus clowns at Burton's request. Waters said that his 160-page first draft was too outlandish and would have cost $ 400 million to produce, leading him to become more restrained. His fifth (and final draft) focused more on characterization and interaction than on plot. Burton and Waters eventually fell out over disagreements about the script and Waters's refusal to implement requested changes. Burton hired Wesley Strick to refine Waters's work, streamline dialogue, and lighten
3990-527: Is a character portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer in Tim Burton 's 1992 superhero film Batman Returns . Based on the DC Comics character of the same name , she is initially depicted as the meek assistant and secretary of wealthy industrialist Max Shreck, who pushes her out of a window when she uncovers his corruption. Selina survives the fall and swears revenge against Shreck as Catwoman, which brings her into conflict with Batman . She forms an alliance with
4123-549: Is based primarily on the original radio series and its 1960s television adaptation . Anime superhero films are often based on manga and television shows . Some superhero films, like the RoboCop series, The Meteor Man , the Unbreakable film series , Hancock , Darkman and They Call Me Jeeg , were developed as original projects for the screen. According to box office income figures from Box Office Mojo ,
Batman Returns - Misplaced Pages Continue
4256-506: Is consistently referred to as the greatest portrayal of Catwoman of all time by critics and fans. She is also considered one of the best villains in the Batman film franchise, ranking #2 in lists by The Ringer and The Mary Sue , and in first place by Variety . Janet Maslin described her performance as "captivating... fierce, seductive", while Peter Travers wrote in Rolling Stone "Pfeiffer gives this feminist avenger
4389-492: Is later betrayed. Meanwhile, Selina begins a relationship with Bruce Wayne, at first not knowing that he is Batman, nor he knowing she is Catwoman. At the climax of the film, Catwoman in her torn costume is intent on killing Shreck. Although Shreck shoots her several times, he fails to kill her again. She then kills Shreck by kissing him with a taser in her mouth while holding onto an exposed power cable. An explosion ensues, but afterwards, Batman finds only Shreck's charred corpse. As
4522-461: Is often considered the greatest portrayal of the character of all time as well as one of Pfeiffer's finest performances, though she regarded it as one of her most uncomfortable due to the sheer discomfort and inhibitions she suffered while wearing the costume. Selina Kyle is the meek assistant and secretary of wealthy industrialist Max Shreck ( Christopher Walken ), who attempts to kill her to silence her when she inadvertently uncovers his plot to build
4655-634: The Ultraman Tiga TV series led to several films based on it and later installments, including Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light (1998), Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace (1999) and Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey (2000). Adam Sternbergh of Vulture.com has stated that The Matrix (1999) was influenced by comic books, cyberpunk fiction, Japanese anime , and Hong Kong action films , reinvented
4788-534: The Bat-signal later shines in the night sky, a figure resembling Catwoman is seen watching from afar. In the sequel, Batman Forever , Catwoman is briefly mentioned by Dr. Chase Meridian in a conversation with Batman. In 2004's Catwoman , Kyle's photograph is shown among those of former "Catwomen" viewed by Patience Phillips ( Halle Berry ) when visiting researcher Ophelia Powers ( Frances Conroy ). In " Arrowverse " crossover, " Crisis on Infinite Earths ",
4921-562: The French political satire film Mr. Freedom (1969), the Polish parody Hydrozagadka (1970), and the American B movies Rat Pfink a Boo Boo (1966) and The Wild World of Batwoman (1966). Following the success of Star Wars which increased interest in fantasy and science fiction films, Richard Donner 's Superman (1978), the first major big-budget DC feature film,
5054-642: The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The MCU alone has earned over $ 31 billion. The MCU film Avengers: Endgame (2019) is the highest-grossing superhero film to date, grossing $ 2,797,501,328 worldwide. It briefly held the record for highest-grossing film of all time before being surpassed by Avatar . Superhero stories gained popularity through comic books and were later adapted into film serials . Early examples include Mandrake
5187-539: The Penguin to disgrace Batman while beginning to date Bruce Wayne, unaware that he is Batman's alter ego. After discovering each other's secret identities, Selina ultimately rejects Bruce's plea to abandon her vengeance and kills Shreck before vanishing into the night. When the film was released in June 1992, Pfeiffer's performance received near-universal acclaim and earned numerous accolades. Pfeiffer's portrayal of Catwoman
5320-845: The 1980s include Denshi Sentai Denziman: The Movie (1980), Flash Gordon (1980), Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan: The Movie (1981), Dai Sentai Goggle V: The Movie (1982), Swamp Thing (1982), Kagaku Sentai Dynaman: The Movie (1983), its sequel , Superman III (1983), Choudenshi Bioman: The Movie (1984), Supergirl (1984), Ultraman Zoffy: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Army (1984), Ultraman Story (1984), Dengeki Sentai Changeman: The Movie and Dengeki Sentai Changeman: Shuttle Base! The Critical Moment! (1985), The Toxic Avenger (1985), Choushinsei Flashman: The Movie (1986), Choushinsei Flashman: Big Rally! Titan Boy! (1987), Hikari Sentai Maskman: The Movie (1987), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), Masters of
5453-411: The 2012 summer film market, with three films occupying the top three positions of the box office chart. These were Marvel's The Avengers (May 2012), which broke box office records as the highest-grossing superhero film of all time, The Dark Knight Rises (July 20, 2012), and The Amazing Spider-Man (July 12, 2012). Selina Kyle (Batman Returns) Selina Kyle , also known as Catwoman ,
Batman Returns - Misplaced Pages Continue
5586-473: The Bat Signal was filmed during post-production, only two weeks before the film's release. Warner Bros. mandated the scene (depicting that the character survived) after test audiences responded positively to Pfeiffer's performance. Pfeiffer was unavailable to film the scene, and a stand-in was used. A scene of Penguin's gang destroying a store filled with Batman merchandise was removed. Warner Bros. provided
5719-743: The Ice Princess to her death with a swarm of bats, framing Batman. When Catwoman objects to the murder and rebuffs Oswald's romantic advances, he attacks her, sending her crashing through a glasshouse. Batman escapes in the Batmobile , unaware that the Red Triangle gang has sabotaged it, allowing Oswald to take it on a remote-controlled rampage. Before regaining control, Batman records Oswald's insulting tirade against Gotham's citizens and plays it during Oswald's mayoral rally, destroying his public image and forcing him to retreat to Gotham Zoo. There, Oswald renounces his humanity, fully embracing his identity as
5852-464: The Ice Princess, Gotham's beauty queen-elect. Paul Reubens and Diane Salinger appear as Tucker and Esther Cobblepot, Oswald's wealthy, elite parents. Sean Whalen appears as a paperboy; Jan Hooks and Steve Witting play Jen and Josh, Oswald's mayoral image consultants . The Red Triangle gang includes the monkey-toting Organ Grinder ( Vincent Schiavelli ), the Poodle Lady ( Anna Katarina ),
5985-456: The Joker had clear psychological profiles, but the Penguin was "just this guy with a cigarette and a top hat." The initial draft made the character resemble a stereotypical DeVito character (an abrasive gangster), but Waters and Burton agreed to make him more "animalistic". They decided to make the Penguin a tragic figure, abandoned as an infant by his parents—a reflection of Batman's childhood trauma of losing his parents. Political and social satire
6118-572: The Magician (1939), The Shadow (1940), Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941), Batman (1943), The Phantom (1943), Captain America (1944), and Superman (1948). Between 1941 and 1943, Fleischer Studios produced a series of animated short films based on the Superman comic book . In the following decades, the decline of Saturday matinee showings of serials along with turmoil in
6251-409: The Penguin, and sets his plan in motion to abduct and kill Gotham's first-born sons as revenge for his own abandonment. Selina attempts to kill Shreck at his charity ball, but Wayne intervenes, and they accidentally discover each other's secret identities. Penguin crashes the event, intending to kidnap Shreck's son, Chip, but Shreck offers himself instead. Batman disrupts the Red Triangle gang and halts
6384-886: The Tattooed Strongman ( Rick Zumwalt ), the Sword Swallower (John Strong), the Knifethrower Dame (Erika Andersch), the Acrobatic Thug ( Gregory Scott Cummins ), the Terrifying Clown ( Branscombe Richmond ), the Fat Clown (Travis Mckenna), and the Thin Clown ( Doug Jones ). Following the success of Batman (1989), which became the fifth-highest-grossing film of its time, a sequel was considered inevitable. Warner Bros. Pictures
6517-591: The Three-Headed Monster (1964). By the 1970s, Godzilla came to be viewed as a superhero, with the magazine King of the Monsters in 1977 describing Godzilla as "Superhero of the '70s". Donald F. Glut wrote that Godzilla was "the most universally popular superhero of 1977." The year 1966 saw the debut of the Ultra Series with the kaiju TV show Ultra Q . However, with the release of
6650-556: The U.S. and Canada, including a record-setting £2.8 million opening weekend in the United Kingdom. This broke the record set by Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), making it the first film to gross more than £1 million in a single day. Worldwide, Batman Returns grossed $ 266.8 million, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 1992, ahead of A Few Good Men ($ 243.2 million) and behind Lethal Weapon 3 ($ 321.7 million). Batman Returns had
6783-643: The United States with American actors because he believed that Batman , which had been filed in the United Kingdom, had "suffered from a British subtext." The economics of filming Batman in the United Kingdom had also changed, making it more cost-effective to remain in the U.S. This meant abandoning the Pinewood Studios sets sets in favor of Burton's new design. Batman Returns was filmed entirely on up to eight soundstages at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank , California, including Stage 16 (which housed
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#17327829414216916-788: The Universe (1987), Bollywood 's Mr. India (1987), Ultraman: The Adventure Begins (1987), Kousoku Sentai Turboranger: The Movie (1989), and The Punisher (1989). The success of Tim Burton 's Batman (1989) and its direct follow-up, Batman Returns (1992), spawned the DC Animated Universe . Superhero movies from the 1990s include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and its two sequels , RoboCop 2 (1990), Darkman (1990), Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue (1992), RoboCop 3 (1993),
7049-585: The Warner Bros. costume department, and Los Angeles-based clothing manufacturer Syren at a cost of $ 1,000 each. Other versions, made for Pfeiffer from a cast of her body, were so tight that she had to be covered in baby powder to wear them. Barrett-Brown said that because of the material, it was possible to get into the suit when dry; they could not re-use them, however, because of sweat and body oils. Vin Burnham constructed Catwoman's headpiece and mask. Burton
7182-560: The animated Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993), Kamen Rider ZO (1993), Kamen Rider J (1994), Gosei Sentai Dairanger: The Movie , The Shadow (1994), The Mask (1994), Ninja Sentai Kakuranger: The Movie (1994), Blankman (1994), Chouriki Sentai Ohranger: The Movie (1995), Batman Forever (1995), Judge Dredd (1995), Tank Girl (1995), Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) and
7315-469: The animatronics, which required nearly 200 different mechanical parts to control the head, neck, eyes, beak, and wings. Boss Film Studios produced the CGI penguins. By the theatrical summer of 1992 (beginning the last week of May), the film industry was struggling with low ticket sales, rising production costs, and several box-office failures the previous year. Eighty-nine films were scheduled for release during
7448-402: The animatronics; the actors controlled walking, the mechanized heads were remote-controlled and the wings were puppeteered. Dyed black chicken feathers were used for the penguin bodies. McCreery's designs for the penguin army initially included a flamethrower, which was replaced with a rocket launcher. Mechanical-effects designers Richard Landon and Craig Caton-Largent supervised the manufacture of
7581-592: The art department to keep their window blinds closed. Cast and crew had to wear ID badges with the film's working title , Dictel , a word coined by Welch and Burton meaning "dictatorial"; they were unhappy with the studio's "ridiculous gestapo" measures. Welch designed the Batboat vehicle, a programmable batarang , and the Penguin's weaponized umbrellas. He added features to the Batmobile, such as detaching much of its exterior to fit through tighter spaces; this version
7714-418: The art." Unlike Hamm, Waters was not opposed to Batman killing people, believing the character should reflect contemporary, darker times, and that the idea of a hero leaving captured villains for the authorities was outdated. Even so, Waters only had Batman kill when necessary so it would be more meaningful; he was unhappy with some of the unscripted on-screen deaths in the finished film, such as Batman blowing up
7847-461: The best Batman films in the decades since its release, and its incarnations of Catwoman and Penguin are considered iconic. A comic book, Batman '89 (2021), continued the narrative of the original two Burton films, and Keaton reprised his version of Batman in The Flash (2023). In Gotham City , two wealthy socialites , dismayed at the birth of their malformed and feral son Oswald , discard
7980-409: The camera from some angles. As with the Batman costume, Keaton could not turn his head; he compensated by making bolder, more powerful movements with his lower body. The Catwoman outfit was made from latex because it was designed to be "black and sexy and tight and shiny". The material was chosen because of its association with "erotic and sexual" situations, reflecting the character's transition from
8113-425: The casting because they had been romantically involved and he believed that her presence would interfere with attempts to reconcile with his wife. She received a $ 3 million salary ($ 2 million more than Bening), plus a percentage of the gross profits. Pfeiffer trained for months in kickboxing with her stunt double, Kathy Long , mastering the whip and becoming proficient enough to perform her own stunts with
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#17327829414218246-495: The character is specifically influenced by the graphic novel Catwoman: Her Sister's Keeper , and derives heavily from the Pre- Crisis version of the character. In the film, she wears an all-black update of the character's traditionally green catsuit, and her facial appearance includes blonde hair and a cat-eared cowl that covers up part of her face, with the initial concept for the costume coming from Tim Burton, who envisioned
8379-507: The cold conditions, and was the only person somewhat comfortable because of his costume's heavy padding. To create the penguin army, the live penguins were supplemented with puppets, forty Emperor-penguin suits worn by little people, and Computer-generated imagery (CGI). People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protested the use of real penguins, objecting to the birds being moved from their natural environment. Although
8512-600: The comic book industry slowed superhero motion picture production, with the exception of Superman and the Mole Men (1951) starring George Reeves , and Batman (1966), a big-screen extension of the Batman television series starring Adam West . Superman and the Mole Men served as a pilot for the TV series Adventures of Superman . Compilations of the series were later released theatrically. In 1957, Shintoho produced
8645-567: The concept of " faster than a speeding bullet " on-screen. Inspector Gadget and Mystery Men would then follow to close out the decade for the sub-genre. Following the success of the Kamen Rider Kuuga television series, a new era of the Kamen Rider franchise began. This led to the production of annual Kamen Rider movies, starting with Kamen Rider Agito: Project G4 in 2001. The release of Iron Man in 2008 laid
8778-695: The cost to Gotham City . Their plans are complicated by Shreck's former secretary, Selina Kyle , who seeks revenge against him as Catwoman. The cast includes Michael Keaton , Danny DeVito , Michelle Pfeiffer , Christopher Walken , Michael Gough , Pat Hingle , and Michael Murphy . Burton had no interest in making a sequel to Batman , believing that he was creatively restricted by the expectations of Warner Bros. He agreed to return in exchange for creative control, including replacing original writer Sam Hamm with Daniel Waters, and hiring many of his previous creative collaborators. Waters's script focused on characterization over an overarching plot, and Wesley Strick
8911-569: The director concentrated on directing Edward Scissorhands (1990) and writing The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) instead. Burton was confirmed to direct the sequel in January 1991, with filming scheduled to begin later that year for a 1992 release date. He agreed to return in exchange for creative control on the sequel; Burton considered Batman the least favorite of his films, describing it as occasionally boring. According to Denise Di Novi , his long-time producer, "Only about 50% of Batman
9044-549: The expansive Gotham Plaza set). An additional soundstage, Stage 12 at the Universal Studios Lot , was used for the Penguin's Arctic-exhibit lair. Some sets were kept very cold for the live Emperor , black-footed , and King penguins. The birds were flown in on a refrigerated airplane for filming, and had a chilled waiting area containing a swimming pool stocked with half a ton of ice daily and fresh fish. DeVito said that he generally liked being on set but disliked
9177-420: The film rights to the property and was therefore not released theatrically or on home video . Alex Proyas ' The Crow (1994) became the first independent comic superhero film to establish a franchise. The film introduced a level of violence not seen in previous superhero films targeted at younger audiences and bridged a gap to the more modern action film . The success of The Crow may have influenced
9310-574: The first film serial featuring the tokusatsu superhero character, Super Giant , signaling a shift in Japanese popular culture toward masked superheroes in tokusatsu . Along with Astro Boy , the Super Giant film series greatly influenced later Japanese tokusatsu superhero films. Moonlight Mask also became popular around that time, with six films retelling the story of the TV series were made. Another early Japanese superhero film
9443-454: The first two seasons of the 1966 Batman television series ), singer Madonna , Raquel Welch , Cher , Ellen Barkin , Jennifer Jason Leigh , Lorraine Bracco , Jennifer Beals , and Bridget Fonda also either sought out or were considered for the role. Burton was unfamiliar with Pfeiffer's work when she was suggested to him, but after one meeting was convinced that she would be perfect, and that she "could be both Selina Kyle and Catwoman" at
9576-488: The following day, and was shown on an above-average 3,000 screens in 2,644 theaters. Batman Returns earned $ 45.7 million during its opening weekend (an average of $ 17,729 per theater), and was the number-one film—ahead of Sister Act 's fourth weekend ($ 7.8 million) and Patriot Games ' third ($ 7.7 million). This figure broke the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend, set by Batman ($ 42.7 million). The film held this record until
9709-505: The frumpy Selina Kyle and her alter ego, the whip-cracking gender-bending Catwoman. The energy and pizazz Pfeiffer brings to the dual role is a pleasure." "After the traumas of Batman Returns she has amnesia, and she doesn't really remember why she has all these bullet holes in her body, so she goes to relax in Oasisburg. What Gotham City is to New York , Oasisburg is to Las Vegas - Los Angeles - Palm Springs . [It's a] resort area in
9842-405: The groundwork for the Marvel Cinematic Universe . A few months later, The Dark Knight released to widespread critical acclaim and became the first superhero movie to make over $ 1 billion at the worldwide box office. 2009 saw the release of Watchmen and X-Men Origins: Wolverine . The 2010s saw a continuation and expansion of the box-office success of superhero films from the 2000s, taking
9975-495: The highest-grossing superhero film franchises since 1967 include Tsuburaya Productions ' Ultra Series , Toei Company 's Kamen Rider and Super Sentai , New Line Cinema 's Blade , 20th Century Fox 's X-Men , Sony Pictures ' Spider-Man trilogy directed by Sam Raimi , the Amazing Spider-Man duology directed by Marc Webb , Pixar 's The Incredibles , Christopher Nolan 's Dark Knight Trilogy ,
10108-410: The incumbent by unleashing Red Triangle on Gotham. Batman's attempts to stop the chaos lead to a confrontation with Catwoman. Meanwhile, Selina and Wayne start dating, while Catwoman teams up with Oswald to tarnish Batman's reputation. During Gotham's Christmas-tree lighting, Oswald and Catwoman kidnap Gotham's beauty queen, the Ice Princess, and lure Batman to a rooftop above the ceremony. Oswald pushes
10241-740: The infant in the sewers, where he is adopted by a family of penguins. Thirty-three years later, during the Christmas season, wealthy industrialist Max Shreck is abducted by the Red Triangle gang—a group of former circus workers connected to child disappearances across the country—and brought to their hideout in the Arctic exhibit at the derelict Gotham Zoo. Their leader, Oswald—now named the Penguin—blackmails Shreck with evidence of his corruption and murderous acts to compel his assistance in reintegrating Oswald into Gotham's elite. Shreck orchestrates
10374-629: The kidnappings, forcing the Penguin to unleash his missile-equipped penguin army to destroy Gotham. However, Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth , overrides the control signal, redirecting the penguins back to Gotham Zoo. As the missiles obliterate the zoo, Batman unleashes a swarm of bats, causing the Penguin to fall into the contaminated waters of the Arctic exhibit. Catwoman arrives to confront Shreck, rejecting Batman's plea to abandon her quest for vengeance and leave with him. Shreck shoots her four times, but she seems unaffected, claiming she has two of her nine lives left. Catwoman electrocutes Shreck, causing
10507-607: The longevity of Batman ' s theatrical run. Batman Returns never regained the number-one position after falling to number four over its fourth weekend, and left the top-ten highest-grossing films by its seventh. The film left theaters in late October after 18 weeks, with a total gross of $ 162.8 million. It became the third-highest-grossing film of 1992, behind Home Alone 2: Lost in New York ($ 173.6 million) and Aladdin ($ 217.3 million). Batman Returns earned an estimated $ 104 million outside
10640-482: The look, from which Legacy Effects built noses on a lifecast of DeVito's face. Winston was unhappy with the "pointy nose" shapes and began sculpting ideas with clay, influenced by his work on The Wiz (1978) (which involved a forehead and brow prosthetic appliance for large-beaked creatures). The final makeup included a T-shaped appliance which went over DeVito's nose, lip and brow as well as crooked teeth, whitened skin and dark circles under his eyes. Ve Neill applied
10773-712: The loss of the popular Nicholson. Over two-thirds of the 300 posters Warner Bros. installed in public places were stolen. Warner Bros. eventually offered 200 limited-edition posters for $ 250, signed by Keaton, who donated his earnings to charity. Over $ 100 million was expected to be spent on marketing, including $ 20 million by Warner Bros. for commercials and trailers, and $ 60 million by merchandising partners. The partners, which included McDonald's , Ralston Purina , Kmart , Target Corporation , Venture Stores , and Sears , planned to host about 300 in-store Batman shops. McDonald's converted 9,000 outlets into Gotham City restaurants, offering Batman-themed packaging and
10906-434: The lowest point in society, a very beaten down secretary." Catwoman killing Schreck with the taser kiss was originally written as her disfiguring Harvey Dent and turning him into Two-Face in early drafts of the script, but he was eventually deleted from the film. According to Pfeiffer, who was previously reportedly considered to play Vicki Vale in the previous film but turned down, she felt devastated after Annette Bening
11039-493: The makeup, made by John Rosengrant and Shane Mahan . The several pounds of facial prosthetics, body padding, and prosthetic hands took four-and-a-half hours to apply to DeVito, but was reduced to three hours by the end of filming. An air bladder was added to the costume to help reduce its weight. DeVito helped create the Penguin's black saliva with the makeup and effects teams, using a mild mouthwash and food coloring which he squirted into his mouth before filming, and said its taste
11172-439: The message that true villains do not always wear costumes. In one version of the script, Shreck was the Penguin's more-favored brother. With four central characters to depict, Waters and Burton decided to remove Robin, a garage mechanic who helps Batman after Penguin crashes the Batmobile. They were not particularly interested in retaining the character, whom Waters described as worthless. The Red Triangle gang, initially conceived as
11305-427: The middle of the desert. It's run by superheroes, and the movie has great fun at making fun at the whole male superhero mythos. Then they end up being not very good at all deep down, and she's got to go back to that whole Catwoman thing." —Daniel Waters on his script for Catwoman With Warner Bros. moving on development for Batman Forever in June 1993 (a film which briefly referenced Catwoman in dialogue form),
11438-694: The most because of the character's sympathetic aspects, such as his abandonment and death. Recorded with a studio orchestra on the Sony Scoring Stage in Los Angeles, Elfman's score includes vocals, harps, bells, xylophones, flutes, pianos, and chimes. The song " Face to Face ", played during the costume-ball scene, was co-written and performed by the British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees . Burton and Elfman fell out during production due to
11571-615: The murders of Gotham's wealthiest citizens in their pursuit of a secret treasure. Their quest leads them to Wayne Manor, and reveals the Waynes's secret history. Among other things, Hamm originated the Christmastime setting and introduced Robin , Batman's sidekick, although his idea for assault rifle -wielding Santas was abandoned. Hamm ensured that Batman did not kill anyone and focused on protecting Gotham's homeless. The two drafts produced by Hamm failed to renew Burton's interest, and
11704-461: The organization had reportedly said that the penguins were not mistreated during filming, it later complained that the birds did not get fresh drinking water – just a small, chlorinated pool. PETA also objected to the penguins being fitted with appliances representing weapons and gadgets, which Warner Bros. said were lightweight plastic. Burton said that he did not like using real animals because he had an affinity for them, and ensured that
11837-614: The original Ultraman , the franchise started focusing on superheroes. The series was met with a 36.8% average audience rate, a success. In 1967, Ultraman started expanding to films. Early films, such as Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature , were compilations or theatrical releases of TV shows' episodes. The first original Ultraman film was The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army , a co-production with Thailand . This rise in popularity of television superheroes in Japan led to
11970-412: The penguins were treated with care. Walken described the filming as very collaborative, recalling that his suggestion to add a blueprint for Shreck's power plant resulted in a model being built within a few hours. The scene of Catwoman putting a live bird in her mouth was performed live, with no CGI enhancements. Pfeiffer said that, in retrospect, she would not have done the stunt as she had not considered
12103-428: The press, and Warner Bros. employed a firm of private investigators in a failed attempt to track down the source. Stan Winston Studio provided animatronic penguins and costumes to supplement Penguin's army. Thirty animatronic versions were made: ten each of the 18-inch (46 cm) black-footed, 32-inch (81 cm) King, and 36-inch (91 cm) Emperor penguins. Costumes worn by little people were slightly larger than
12236-688: The release of Jurassic Park ($ 50.1 million) the next year. Initial performance analysis suggested that Batman Returns could become one of the all-time highest-grossing films; Warner Bros. executive Robert Friedman said, "We opened it the first real weekend when kids are out of school. The audience is everybody, but the engine that drives the charge are kids under 20." According to Patriot Games producer Mace Neufeld , other films benefited from overflow audiences for Batman Returns who did not want to wait in long lines or were turned away from sold-out screenings. Batman Returns earned $ 25.4 million in its second weekend (a 44.3-percent drop) and
12369-570: The release of a film version of Spawn (1997), Image Comics ' leading character. After Marvel bought Malibu Comics (the company that owned The Men in Black comic series), Marvel and Columbia Pictures released the Men in Black film in 1997. This film was the first Marvel property to win an Academy Award and, at the time, was the highest-grossing comic book adaptation. While commercially successful, Joel Schumacher 's Batman & Robin (1997)
12502-554: The risk of driving away audiences. A 12-minute promotional reel debuted at WorldCon in September 1991, alongside a black-and-white poster of a silhouetted Batman, which was called "mundane" and uninspiring. A trailer was released in 5,000 theaters in February 1992 with a new poster of a snow-swept Batman logo. The campaign focused on the three central characters (Batman, Penguin, and Catwoman), which Warner Bros. believed would offset
12635-665: The risks of injury or disease involved. For a scene in the sewers, monkey handlers positioned above and below managed the organ grinder monkey as it descended a set of stairs with a note for Penguin. When it saw DeVito in full costume and makeup, it leapt at his testicles. DeVito said, "The monkey looked at me, froze, and then leapt right at my balls ...Thank god it was a padded costume." A scene of Shreck's superstore exploding caused minor injuries to four stuntmen. Principal photography ended on February 20, 1992, after 170 days. Chris Lebenzon edited Batman Returns ' 126-minute theatrical cut. The final scene of Catwoman looking up at
12768-406: The role, but had to drop out after becoming pregnant. Actresses lobbying for the part then included Ellen Barkin , Cher , Bridget Fonda , Jennifer Jason Leigh , Madonna , Julie Newmar , Lena Olin , Susan Sarandon , Raquel Welch , and Basinger. The most prominent candidate, however, was Sean Young (who was cast as Vale in Batman before she was injured). Young went to the Warner Bros. lot in
12901-458: The same day Batman Forever was released. Burton was still being courted to direct. Waters joked, "Turning it in the day Batman Forever opened may not have been my best logistical move, in that it's the celebration of the fun-for-the-whole-family Batman. Catwoman is definitely not a fun-for-the-whole-family script." In an August 1995 interview, Pfeiffer re-iterated her interest in the spin-off, but explained her priorities would be challenged as
13034-439: The same time. Pfeiffer undertook kickboxing lessons for the role and trained for months with an expert to master the whip, and on the first day she accidentally cut her teacher's chin. Kathy Long , Pfeiffer's kickboxing coach, also served as her body double on the film. More than 60 latex catsuits were created for the six-month shoot at $ 1,000 each. The initial concept for the design came from Tim Burton, who envisioned
13167-422: The script have no connection to Batman , outside of a singular reference to Vale as Wayne's ex-girlfriend, and that Catwoman have a greater characterization than sexy vixen. Waters did not like the 1989 film, and had no interest in following its narrative threads, acknowledging the comic-book histories of Batman Returns ' characters, or considering the opinions of their fans, saying: "We were really just about
13300-477: The season, including A League of Their Own , Alien 3 , Encino Man , Far and Away , Patriot Games , and Sister Act . Studios had to carefully schedule their releases to avoid competition from anticipated blockbusters , such as Lethal Weapon 3 and Batman Returns , as well as the 1992 Summer Olympics . Batman Returns was predicted to be the summer's biggest success, and other studios were reportedly concerned about releasing their films within even
13433-439: The sequel titled Ultraman Zearth 2: Superhuman Big Battle - Light and Shadow premiered. In 1998, Marvel released Blade , a darker superhero film blended with traditional action elements, featuring a title character with the powers of a vampire and an arsenal of weaponry. The success of Blade is considered the beginning of Marvel's film success, and a catalyst for further comic book film adaptations. The popularity of
13566-475: The setting of Batman and Batman Returns is established to take place on "Earth-89". The newspaper article read by an older Alexander Knox ( Robert Wuhl ) shows that Kyle later became publicly engaged to Bruce Wayne after reuniting with him. In Birds of Prey (2002–2003) television series opening credits and main plot, Helena Kyle / Huntress ( Ashley Scott ) is shown to be the daughter of Keaton's Batman and Pfeiffer's Catwoman. Pfeiffer's interpretation of
13699-523: The start of the Kamen Rider and Super Sentai franchises by famous manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori in 1971 and 1975, respectively. Similarly to Ultraman , many early Kamen Rider and Super Sentai episodes were released as films. Original Kamen Rider films released before 1978 include Kamen Rider vs. Shocker , Kamen Rider vs. Ambassador Hell , Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants, and Five Riders vs. King Dark . Original superhero characters emerged in other, more comedy-oriented films , such as
13832-505: The stress of finishing Batman Returns on time, but reconciled shortly afterward. Batman production designer Anton Furst was replaced by Bo Welch, who understood Burton's visual intentions after previous collaborations on Beetlejuice (1988) and Edward Scissorhands (1990). Furst, already occupied on another project, committed suicide in November 1991. Warner Bros. maintained a high level of security for Batman Returns , requiring
13965-721: The sub-genre's success and ubiquity to new heights. Matthew Vaughn 's adaptation of Kick-Ass was released in 2010, followed by Iron Man 2 a month later. 2011 releases included The Green Hornet , Green Lantern , and X-Men: First Class . After referencing the " Avengers Initiative " in the Iron Man films and The Incredible Hulk , Marvel released Thor on May 6, 2011, followed by Captain America: The First Avenger on July 22, 2011. While Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (February 17, 2012) had little audience interest, superhero films dominated
14098-440: The suit for 12 to 14 hours at a time, except lunch breaks when it was removed, which was her only opportunity to use the bathroom during the workday. Audiences at test screenings responded positively to Michelle Pfeiffer's performance, and the studio wanted to make it clear Catwoman survived, so two weeks before release the final shot of her was added to the film. Pfeiffer received universal critical acclaim for her performance, and
14231-556: The superhero film, setting the template for modern superhero blockbusters and inspiring the superhero renaissance in the early 21st century. John Kenneth Muir , in The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television , describes The Matrix as a revolutionary re-imagination of movie visuals, paving the way for the visuals of later superhero films. He credits it with helping to "make comic-book superheroes hip", and notes that its bullet-time effect effectively demonstrated
14364-399: The supernatural elements to be taken literally and planned for Catwoman to die with Shreck during the electrical explosion in the film's denouement. Waters created Max Shreck—an original character named in honor of actor Max Schreck —to take the place of Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Shreck was written satirically as an evil industrialist who orchestrates the Penguin's mayoral run, in order to convey
14497-468: The tone. Warner Bros. executives mandated that Strick introduce a master plan for the Penguin, resulting in the addition of the plot to kidnap Gotham's first-born sons and threaten the city with missiles. Waters said that the changes to his work were relatively minor, but he was baffled by the Penguin's master plan. He made a final revision to Strick's shooting screenplay and, although Strick was on set for four months of filming and agreed-upon rewriting, Waters
14630-473: The weapon. Shreck's appearance was modeled on Vincent Price in an (unnamed) older film, and Walken based his performance on moguls such as Sol Hurok and Samuel Goldwyn . He said, "I tend to play mostly villains and twisted people. Unsavory guys. I think it's my face, the way I look." Burgess Meredith (who played the Penguin in the 1960s TV series) was scheduled to make a cameo appearance as Penguin's father, Tucker Cobblepot, but became ill during filming. He
14763-420: Was Ōgon Bat (1966), starring Sonny Chiba and based on the 1931 Kamishibai superhero Ōgon Bat . The kaiju monster Godzilla , originally a villain, began to transition into a superhero role in subsequent films. He has been described as "the original radioactive superhero," due to his nuclear origin story predating Spider-Man's 1962 debut, although Godzilla did not become a hero until Ghidorah,
14896-426: Was [Burton]"; the studio wanted Batman Returns to be "more of a Tim Burton movie ... [a] weirder movie but also more hip and fun." Burton replaced key Batman crew with some of his former collaborators, including cinematographer Stefan Czapsky , production designer Bo Welch , creature-effects supervisor Stan Winston , makeup artist Ve Neill , and art directors Tom Duffield and Rick Henrichs. Daniel Waters
15029-670: Was a critical and commercial success. The same year, Toei Company 's Spider-Man reimagining and the first Super Sentai crossover film, JAKQ Dengekitai vs. Gorenger , were released. Other successful entries emerged throughout the 1980s, including Eight Riders vs. Galaxy King (1980), Kamen Rider Super-1: The Movie (1981), Richard Lester 's Superman II (1981), Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge (1981), and Paul Verhoeven 's RoboCop (1987). These were followed by Kamen Rider Black: Hurry to Onigashima and Kamen Rider Black: Terrifying! The Phantom House of Devil Pass , both released in 1988. Other superhero films released during
15162-422: Was acceptable. Burton described DeVito as completely in-character in costume, and he "scared everybody". While re-dubbing some of his dialogue , DeVito struggled to get into character without the makeup and had it applied to improve his performance. Because of the secrecy surrounding his character's appearance before marketing, DeVito was not allowed to discuss it with others (including his family). A photo leaked to
15295-461: Was acquired for the production, its raised ceilings making it seem more realistic and less like a set. Minor modifications were made to the set throughout the film to make it appear to be gradually deteriorating. The location featured a water tank filled with 500,000 U.S. gal (1,900,000 L) of water surrounding a faux-ice island. Selina Kyle's apartment had a large steel beam running through its center to appear as if it had been built around
15428-458: Was added because Burton and Hamm were interested in the character. Hamm's drafts continued directly from Batman , focusing on the relationship between Wayne and Vicki Vale ( Kim Basinger ) and their engagement. The Penguin was written as an avian-themed criminal who uses birds as weapons; Catwoman was more overtly sexualised, wore "bondage" gear, and nonchalantly murdered groups of men. The main narrative teamed Penguin and Catwoman to frame Batman for
15561-472: Was added, influenced by two episodes of the 1960s television series, Batman , ("Hizzoner the Penguin" and "Dizhonner the Penguin") in which the Penguin runs for mayor. Waters changed Hamm's Catwoman from a "fetishy sexual fantasy" femme fatale to a working-class, disenchanted secretary, writing her as an allegory of contemporary feminism. Although the character is influenced by feline mythology (such as cats having nine lives), Waters and Burton never intended
15694-744: Was called the "Batmissile". The sets were redesigned in Welch's style, including the Batcave and Wayne Manor. They were spread across seven soundstages on the Warner Bros. lot (the largest of which had 70 ft (21 m) ceilings) and the largest set owned by Universal Pictures. Batman Returns was filmed on sets, although some panoramic shots (such as the camera traveling from the base of Shreck's department store to its cat-head-shaped office) were created with detailed miniatures. Welch found it difficult to create something new without deviating from Furst's award-winning work. The designs were intended to appear as
15827-886: Was cast as Catwoman based on the strength of her performance in The Grifters , but Bening had to drop out of the film due to becoming pregnant. Sean Young , who was originally chosen for Vicki Vale in the previous film, believed the role should have gone to her, and she visited the production offices dressed in a homemade Catwoman costume, demanding to be considered. Susan Sarandon , Meryl Streep , Brooke Shields , Demi Moore , Nicole Kidman (who ended up playing Dr. Chase Meridian in Batman Forever ), Jodie Foster , Geena Davis (who worked before with Burton and Keaton in Beetlejuice ), Sigourney Weaver , Lena Olin , Julie Newmar (who had previously played Catwoman on
15960-629: Was confident in its potential, with discussions about a follow-up beginning by late 1989 and plans to start filming in May of the next year. The studio wanted Robin Williams and Danny DeVito to play the rogues Riddler and Penguin, respectively, and had also invested $ 2 million in acquiring the Gotham City sets at Pinewood Studios in England, intending to use them for at least two more sequels. These sets were kept under 24-hour surveillance as it
16093-432: Was critically panned for its campiness and deviation from the darker style of the series' first two films directed by Tim Burton. Some have cited it as a factor in the temporary decline of the superhero film sub-genre. Starting with the 1990s, original Ultraman films became more common. In 1996, Tsuburaya released Ultraman Zearth , which parodied the original TV series and later installments. The following year,
16226-451: Was held afterwards on the Stage 16 Gotham Plaza set for guests who included Keaton, Pfeiffer, DeVito, Burton, Di Novi, Arnold Schwarzenegger , Faye Dunaway , James Caan , Mickey Rooney , Harvey Keitel , Christian Slater , James Woods , and Reubens. The film had a limited, preview release in the U.S. and Canada on Thursday, June 18, earning $ 2 million. It had a wide release
16359-525: Was hired to complete an uncredited re-write which, among other elements, provided a master plan for the Penguin. Filming took place between September 1991 and February 1992, on a $ 50–80 million budget, on sets and sound stages at Warner Bros. Studios and the Universal Studios Lot in California. Special effects primarily involved practical applications and makeup, with some animatronics and computer-generated imagery . The film's marketing campaign
16492-626: Was hired to replace Hamm because Burton wanted someone with no emotional attachment to Batman and liked Waters's script for the dark comedy Heathers (1988), which matched Burton's intended tone and creative direction. Burton reportedly disliked Batman producer Jon Peters , demoted him to executive producer of Batman Returns , and effectively barred him from the set. Warner Bros. was the production company and distributor, with production assistance from executive producer Peter Guber 's and Peters's Polygram Pictures . Waters began writing his first draft in mid-1990. Burton's only instructions were that
16625-421: Was influenced to add stitching by calico cats , but the stitching came apart. Ringwood and Vogt struggled with adding stitching to latex. They tried to sculpt stitching and glue it on, but did not like the look and went over the suit with liquid silicon while it was worn (which added a shine to everything). Pfeiffer said that the suit was like a second skin, but when worn for long periods it was uncomfortable; there
16758-441: Was initially reluctant to accept the role until he was convinced by his close friend, Jack Nicholson , who played the Joker in Batman . To convey his vision, Burton gave DeVito a picture he had painted of a diminutive character sitting on a red-and-white striped ball with the caption, "my name is Jimmy, but my friends call me the hideous penguin boy." Casting Selina Kyle / Catwoman was difficult. Annette Bening initially secured
16891-401: Was more cost-effective to maintain them than to build new ones. Despite pressure from Warner Bros. to finalize a script and begin production, director Tim Burton was hesitant about returning for a sequel. He called the idea "dumbfounded," particularly before analyzing the performance of the first film. Burton was generally skeptical of sequels, believing they were only worthwhile if they offered
17024-404: Was no way to use the restroom and it would stick to her skin, occasionally causing a rash. She found the mask similarly confining, describing it as choking her or "smashing my face", and would catch the claws on nearby objects. Stan Winston Studio created an "over-the-top Burtonesque" visual for the Penguin, without obscuring DeVito's face. Concept artist Mark McCreery drew a number of sketches for
17157-450: Was partially built (consisting primarily of a large staircase and fireplace) with a scale which implied that the rest of the structure was massive. Penguin's base was initially scheduled to be built in a standard 35 ft (11 m) tall Warner Bros. soundstage, but Welch thought that it lacked "majesty" and did not create enough contrast between itself and the "evil, filthy, little bug of a man". A 50 ft (15 m)-tall Universal stage
17290-460: Was replaced by Paul Reubens; Diane Salinger played his wife, Esther. Both had starred in Burton's feature-film debut, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985). Although Robin was removed from the screenplay, the character's development was far enough along that Marlon Wayans was cast in the role (Burton had specifically wanted an African-American Robin) and costumes, sets, and action figures were made. In
17423-464: Was substantial, including brand collaborations and a variety of merchandise, aiming to repeat Batman 's financial success. Released on June 19, 1992, Batman Returns broke several box-office records and earned $ 266.8 million worldwide. However, it failed to replicate the success or longevity of Batman ($ 411.6 million); this was blamed on the darker tone as well as violent and sexual elements, which alienated family audiences and led to
17556-611: Was the number-one film again, ahead of the premiering Unlawful Entry ($ 10.1 million) and Sister Act ($ 7.2 million). By the film's third weekend, it was the second=fastest film to gross $ 100 million (11 days), behind Batman (10 days). It remained the number-one film with a gross of $ 13.8 million (a 45.6-percent drop), ahead of the premiering A League of Their Own ($ 13.7 million) and Boomerang ($ 13.6 million). The Washington Post called its week-over-week drops troublesome, and industry analysis suggested that Batman Returns would not replicate
17689-479: Was the only screenwriter credited. Keaton reprised his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman for $ 10 million, double his salary for Batman . Burton wanted to cast Marlon Brando as the Penguin, but Warner Bros. preferred Dustin Hoffman . Christopher Lloyd and Robert De Niro were also considered, but Danny DeVito became the frontrunner when Waters re-envisioned the character as a deformed human-bird hybrid. DeVito
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