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Batman is easily one of the most-valuable superhero IPs of all time. The character has amassed innumerable versions of itself across the comics, movies, and TV series during its run, and continues to be one of the most well-loved superheroes of the generation.
What’s more, noted director Kevin Smith has also previously credited Batman, or at least one version of the character, for making superheroes in general more popular than ever. Smith was speaking of Michael Keaton’s portrayal of Batman in the 1989 Tim Burton-directorial, and claimed that the movie effectively took things up a notch both amongst comic-book enthusiasts, and general cinema-goers.
Kevin Smith credits Michael Keaton’s Batman for reviving the superhero genre
According to Smith, it was 1989’sBatmanthat set things up for the superhero genre. The movie came out at a time when the entire superhero-troupe was not as popular and regularly-done as it is today. While Smith recognized the impact that Christopher Reeve’s Superman had on the genre, the Batman movie took things up a notch, as the director claimed: (via Looper)
You couldn’t turn around without seeing the Bat-Signal somewhere,” he said. “It was just the summer of Batman, and if you were a comic book fan, it was pretty hot.
Hence, not only didMichael Keaton’sBatman reignite interest in the character. It also allowed for DC and Warner Bros. to work on future iterations, which includes 1992’s iconicBatman: The Animated Series,which was helmed by Bruce Timm.
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The series not only saw Tim Burton’s of Gotham City come to life, it also took inspiration for other iconic characters from his work. That includes Joker and Penguin, whose costumes were very similar to the ones fans saw in the 1989 movie, and its eventual sequel.
Furthermore, not only the fans, but the creatives also felt this impact. Danny Elfman returned to work on the animated series after he created the famous Batman theme for the 1989 project, as the overall portrayal from Keaton led to an huge increase in interest in the entire IP.
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The term Batmania came up during the 1960s, and was a result of the Batman TV show. However, its influence had been forgotten by the time the 1989 movie was released, and Keaton’s portrayal promptly led to a bit of a cultural phenomenon.
After the success of Batman, Warner Bros. reported earnings of over $500 million via merchandize alone, as it also led to an increase in comic book sales and general interest related to the IP. That led to the animated series becoming as huge as it did, with Keaton being recognized as Batman around the globe.
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Further, the iconic portrayal also eventually led to the actor reprising his role in the 2023 movie,The Flash,in which he played a much older version of his character. Keaton himself claimed the following:
I was curious what it would be like after this many years,” Keaton said, reflecting on his return over 30 years after “Batman Returns.”
Needless to say, the actor became iconic via his time as Batman, and undoubtedly deserves the plaudits he continues to get for the portrayal even today.
Rishabh Bhatnagar
Editor/Reviewer
Articles Published :315
Rishabh Bhatnagar is an Entertainment and pop culture journalist/editor with Fandom Wire. He has more than 6 years of experience working for multiple major platforms and is himself an avid consumer of worthwhile content. A natural storyteller, Rishabh has a unique way with words and is always looking to improve, as a storyteller, writer, and a journalist.
