What secrets lurk beneath the cape and cowl? The Batman film franchise has been through many iterations of the caped crusader, from Keaton to Bale and now Pattinson, and each of those movies have their own wild behind the scenes stories. From the original Batman (1989) to The Batman (2022) let’s take a look at some of the craziest stories to come from the set of Batman movies (and even a story from Adam West’s Batman!)
Did you know that before Michael Keaton stepped into the Batcave, Bill Murray was considered for the role of the Caped Crusader? It’s hard to imagine the wisecracking comedian driving the Batmobile, but in the multi-verse of Hollywood casting, anything seems possible. Read on for more of our favorite behind the scenes stories from Batman movies that even mega fans might not know about.
9. In ‘The Batman,’ The Video Call Between Batman And The Riddler Took Over 200 Takes
In The Batman, the title character has to contend with a serial killer version of the Riddler, who delights in tormenting the Gotham City Police Department. Paul Dano imbues his character with a frantic energy that is terrifying to watch. By all accounts, Dano was incredibly committed to the role, to such an extent that it took him 200 takes – many of which were at his instigation – to perfect a notable scene in which the Riddler talks to Batman on a video call. As director Matt Reeves recalled:
He goes, ‘OK, let me try one where I’m off camera and I stick my head in. Let me try one where I’m already sitting there.’ He’s directing this one-person play on an iPhone. It was the giddiness that really got to me. Calling out the passing time, like he was a game show host. He was so inventive and creative. He’s also very critical of himself.
Of course, Dano is no stranger to being in the director’s chair, which may help explain his meticulous attention to detail in ensuring he captured the character just the right way.
8. ‘The Batman’ Was Primarily Shot In Liverpool To Make Gotham City Unique To Other Interpretations
As obviously important as Batman is to his own story, Gotham City is also pivotal to his development as a character and as a superhero. There is no Batman without Gotham City. Thus, it makes sense that each iteration of the franchise would involve a lot of work to ensure Gotham reflects the general sensibility of the film(s) in question. In The Batman, for example, most of the filming took place in Liverpool, with other buildings added in during postproduction. The result? A Gotham which looks very different from other iterations (as well as from any easily identifiable American cities).
7. Bruce’s Apartment From ’The Dark Knight’ Was Actually Just An Entire Lobby
Like many other superheroes, Batman leads a double life. As Bruce Wayne, he exudes wealth and power, and this is particularly true in The Dark Knight. This version of Bruce lives in a sparsely-furnished penthouse apartment, which is in keeping with the hero’s terse demeanor when he is Batman. Remarkably, the actual filming location for his apartment was the lobby of a Chicago hotel (both the views and the exterior shots of the apartment were shot from a different hotel, though one from the same architect, Mies van der Rohe). As is often the case with mise-en-scene, the setting says a lot about the character and this apartment is significantly more scaled back than some of Batman’s other dwellings.
6. Chris O’Donnell Crashed The Batmobile During The Shooting Of ‘Batman Forever’
One of the enduring appeals of the Batman franchise is the hero’s extensive use of various gadgets and devices. Arguably the most important and memorable of these is the Batmobile, which has only grown more impressive and ornate with each iteration of the character. However, the vehicle has endured its own fair share of mishaps on the set of the films, including one memorable incident in which Chris O’Donnell, the actor portraying Robin in Batman Forever, actually crashed it. According to the actor, the rest of the cast never let him hear the end of this particular mishap. When you wreck something as iconic as the Batmobile, you’re probably gonna hear about it for a while, Chris.
5. Adam West Cried When He Wasn’t Considered For Tim Burton’s Film
Before Tim Burton breathed new life into the figure of Batman with his signature vision, most people probably associated the Caped Crusader with one man in particular: Adam West. West portrayed Batman for several years in the television series in the late 1960s. Though it might seem cheesy from a 2022 perspective, the series’ campiness remains key to its enduring appeal.
Fascinatingly, Adam West actually harbored hopes of being cast in the role when Tim Burton rebooted it. In an interview, he remarked that he cried for an hour, and while the actor was disgruntled about not being asked to have any involvement, he eventually made peace with the reality of the situation.
4. There Was An Actual ‘Demon Batman’ Suit Used For ‘Batman Begins’
Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins is notable for how it brought a darker, more grounded tone to the Batman story compared to previous feature films. In one of the film’s most disturbing sequences, Batman becomes a demonic version of himself, complete with black ooze coming out of his mouth. Eschewing overreliance on special effects, this sequence instead relies on an actual “demon Batman” suit, which was used in filming. The use of a real suit gives the entire moment a visceral immediacy it would have lacked otherwise, even though CGI was used to enhance the suit in postproduction. As such, it is a timely reminder of the value of practical effects in superhero filmmaking.
3. Battery Acid Kept Ending Up In Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mouth While Shooting ‘Batman & Robin’
Though it might be regarded as the worst of the 1990s Batman movies – and, in the eyes of some, one of the worst superhero movies of all time – Batman & Robin nevertheless has its own camp aesthetic, which is very much in keeping with the directorial persona and oeuvre of Joel Schumacher. And, say what one will, it also features some very memorable villains, particularly Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze. Compelling as he might be onscreen, he endured his fair share of mishaps on the set.
In addition to the tremendous amount of makeup required to transform the actor into his supervillain character, an LED light was put into his mouth for close-ups. Unfortunately, problems arose when Schwarzenegger’s saliva caused the batteries to start secreting acid into his mouth. In addition to being a significant health hazard, this also necessitated yet another workaround, adding even more hassle to the film’s turbulent production.
2. Around 20 Minutes Of Footage Was Stolen From The Set Of ‘Batman’
When Tim Burton decided to resurrect the Dark Knight for a new era, it was a huge risk for everyone involved. Indeed, the film proved to be quite difficult for the production team, with a budget that continued to balloon throughout the production. Matters were compounded by the theft of about 20 minutes of footage from the actual set. Of course, theft of this sort is always a big deal, but it was made even more so by the difficulties in filming since the crew then had to find ways to work around what was missing. Fortunately for everyone, including the legions of fans who went to the theater to see the film, it ended up being a success, showing Hollywood how profitable superhero movies could be.
1. They Really Did Put A Live Bird In Michelle Pfeiffer’s Mouth In ‘Batman Returns’
Important as Batman is, he would be nothing without the villains he constantly fights against. In the films, one of his most notable opponents has always been Catwoman, and Michelle Pfeiffer’s interpretation of the character remains one of the most enduring. In one of Pfeiffer’s most memorable scenes in Batman Returns, she puts a live bird into her mouth and then opens it so the bird can fly away.
Given this occurred before the widespread use of CGI, Pfeiffer actually did the whole thing herself. Stunning though the moment is, the actress has expressed some subsequent regret, stating: “I look back and say, ‘What was I thinking? I could’ve gotten a disease or something from having a live bird in my mouth. It seemed fine at the time. I don’t think the bird was drugged or anything. We did that scene in one take. I think Tim likes to torture me a bit, it’s like a little brother [or] brat kind of thing.”