More info on Batman 5

[Brian Damage]

Release Date: Summer, 2005 (wide)

Title Note: (9/3/03) According to a completely unconfirmed scoop over at AICN, the current working title may be 'Batman: Intimidation.'

MPAA Rating Note: (6/2/03) Nothing's official until the MPAA sees the final cut, but it is extremely likely that Warner Bros. will be aiming for a PG-13.

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Production Company: DiBonaventura Pictures (Constantine)

Cast: None announced yet.

Cast Notes: (9/3/03) The casting notes and thoughts have become so lengthy that I have moved them over to the Greg's Preview Thoughts column. Check the 9/3/03 entry for the latest news.

Director: Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia, Following)

Screenwriter: David S. Goyer (Blade, Blade II, Death Warrant, The Crow: City of Angels; he's also got Blade 3 and Freddy vs Jason coming)

Screenwriter Note: (6/2/03) Recently, before David S. Goyer was announced as the screenwriter of this project, a script appeared online called 'Batman: The Frightening' which may have been a spec script that Warner Bros. optioned (or not), with there being conflicting reports about who might have written it. This script, which is available to read over at Batman-on-Film.com, focuses on the Scarecrow as the main villain, with a small role for the Joker. It will not be used for this movie, but it is the origin of rumors that Nolan and Goyer may be using the Scarecrow as the villain. Something that is worth remembering is that rumors that the Scarecrow would be the next Batman villain go all the way back to 1997, when there was talk of the "next George Clooney movie" after Batman and Robin (such talk stopped after that movie flopped critically, becoming the target of fan derision).

Based Upon: (6/2/03) This movie is, of course, based upon the character of Batman, which has been published in a variety of comic books by DC Comics since 1939 ("Detective Comics" #27).

Premise: (6/2/03) Warner Bros. is being very tight-lipped about what exactly this take on the 'Batman' legacy is like. There are many rumors online, but they mostly conflict with each other. What is known for sure is that this movie will mark a new direction for the franchise, which might mean it is an origin story, but might not. There are rumors that the villain may be the Scarecrow, but they may not be reliable. So, all we really know is that this film will follow one of the adventures of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, whose obsession with bringing justice to the evil-doers of Gotham City compels him to fight crime as Batman, master detective.

Filming: Production is scheduled to start in February, 2004. If this scoop at AICN is accurate, filming may take place at Shepperton Studios near London.

[TJL]

Glad to see they've got everything under control...