batman returns american superhero film directed produced based comics character batman second installment initial batman film series reprising title role film introduces characters business teams character burton originally want direct batman film mixed emotions previous film developed script writer going hidden treasure burton agreed return granted creative control replaced uncredited rewrite removing characters robin climax originally cast pregnant replaced filming batman returns started june burbank california released june film nominated bafta awards budget estimated million grossing worldwide making film financial success disappointed substantially film burton asked restrict role producer film led role batman plot tucker throw deformed infant child fearing menace society attacking pet cat child abandoned zoo found flock raise years later lighting christmas tree villainous gang carnival performers stage riot batman criminals corrupt businessman abducted brought underground crime boss known freak explains desire respected citizen helping secretary inadvertently discovers boss plan illegally supply electricity protect secrets pushes office window falling survives lies unconscious alley group cats attempting eat revive develops identity disorder apartment black vinyl costume whip formidable arranges men kidnap mayor infant son allowing rescue reward given access learns real surviving member family mayor persuaded refuses construction permit power plant orders gang attack downtown mayor reputation giving opportunity propose replacement batman confronts appears department store escapes fight batman knocks building survives landing sand truck agrees help plan discredit batman framing abduction ice princess beauty queen distracted unable stop murdering princess captive bats rejects advances tries kill helicopter umbrella umbrella takes sky narrowly death falls rooftop greenhouse fleeing police batman realizes remotely controlling taking batman control device recording mocking insults people press conference organized batman broadcasts recording destroying public image enraged flees orders gang kidnap born sons citizens ball hosted bruce secret identities party reveals intention kidnapped children including son chip prompting offer instead batman defeats forcing army soldiers destroy missiles batman instead fire hideout attacks batman rage ends falling ceiling kill batman stops bruce reason shoots runs bullets putting lips kisses grabbing hold exposed power cable causing fiery explosion bruce rubble finds corpse mortally injured tries umbrella kill batman collapses dead finish family carries makeshift funeral pushing body water alfred drives bruce home bruce spots shadow outside finds stray black cat decides home leaves lights night sky watches cast max commissioner mayor chip ice princess lady father mother production development success batman hoping sequel start filming spent storing sets film mixed emotions directing film franchise experiences previous film return sequel offers new exciting said idea burton decided direct 20th century fox previous film delivered drafts script brought creative consultant script going hidden treasure burton impressed work burton originally brought waters aboard sequel granted burton large creative control producers executive producers dissatisfied script burton commissioned rewrite waters waters came social satire evil backing bid mayor office waters reported wanted true villains world don necessarily wear costumes subplot running mayor came 1960s series episodes waters wrote total drafts characterization explained sam went way comic books general treat women like sexual fantasy wanted start lowest point society beaten secretary appeared early drafts script deleted appearance face appeared climax kisses face replaced waters quoted definitely planned having harvey start come scene coin good coin deciding wait movie early scripts golden boy family deformed outsider turned long lost brother reference actor known role pre production burton hired uncredited rewrite recalled hired write batman returns batman time big problem script lack master plan presented warming freezing plot point later use gained inspiration moses parallel killing sons similar notion parents threw river baby robin appeared script deleted waters felt film characters waters called robin worthless character world especially batman robin started juvenile gang leader ally batman robin later changed black teenage garage mechanic waters explained wearing old fashioned garage mechanic uniform drives notice film cast signed sequel actor attended wardrobe fitting decided save character installment returned significant increase salary million cast burton saw performance dropped pregnancy madonna competition role originally chosen previous film believed role gone young visited production offices dressed costume demanding audition burton unfamiliar work convinced cast meeting received million salary million percentage box office actress undertook lessons role served body double casting waters explained kind knew going play didn officially cast short nasty little guy short list ended writing character filming early hollywood largest sound stages stage stage universal_studios prepared filming batman returns filming started june stage held plaza based center universal stage housed underground half million tank filled water burton wanted sure felt comfortable locations lot property occupied sets animal rights groups started protesting film finding rockets backs curator explained helpful making sure comfortable flight plane degrees recalls hill hollywood given trailer swimming pool half ton ice day fresh fish delivered daily straight docks degrees outside entire set degrees streets use old street street devoted large secrecy batman returns art department required office pulled cast crew photo movie fake working title near sets refused chance visit set entertainment magazine leaked photos response employed private investigator track accomplice million spent production million marketing coming total cost million final shot looking bat signal completed post production shooting script completed felt best survive saving future installment unavailable body double chosen design effects burton collaborator replaced production designer unable return sequel contractual obligations blended fascist architecture world fair architecture studied russian architecture german iron maiden entry worked burton edward designed prosthetic makeup took hours apply combination red green food coloring mouth create texture weird designed month shoot updated thinner slightly flexible foam rubber material suit batman uncomfortable costume easy character wardrobe inspiration costume design bats entirely composed computer generated imagery decided directing real bats set problematic bird army combination cgi robotic creatures men suits real robotic commissioned total african king miniature effect mansion opening scene method bat ski boat exterior shots music great enthusiasm returning didn prove film remember skeptical hire work schedule hours day days week completing movie realized film score opera minutes long twice average film score burton allowed artistic sequel score violins cat themes pressure finishing score relationship strained creative differences nightmare christmas led burton use score film musician orchestrated face face written performed song heard scene film end credits release box office released america june earning million theaters opening weekend highest opening weekend highest opening weekend film point film went gross million north_america million foreign countries coming worldwide total million highest grossing film america sixth highest worldwide totals film declared financial success felt film successful critical reception received positive critical reception based reviews collected rotten_tomatoes critics enjoyed film average rating critics gave praise visual style musical score accompanied production designer casting supporting roles complement portrayal batman consistently dark violent tone received mixed reviews new_york_times thought burton creates wicked world rendered mixture horror sympathy director described showing appropriate conveying wonderfully fierce seductive production design dazzling cinematography crisp screenplay sharp rolling_stone wrote burton uses summer entertaining movie lead darkness dreams praised performances gives feminist tough core intelligence wit classic hero remains remarkably rich creation balloon kingdom sewer quicker washington_post wrote director burton creates kind atmosphere ups ups best worlds characters reside holds court crowded phantom opera like sewer home hides mansion perfectly mirrors owner inner comic strip probably happy batman movie returns comes closer dark original strip began described engaging exquisite variety wrote real accomplishment film lies amazing physical realization imaginative universe burton ideas end collaborators begin impossible know result seamless utterly consistent universe nasty notions societal deterioration greed base praised contributions cinematographer terms performances opined deck stacked entirely favor villains calling fascinating conversely roger_ebert chicago_sun-times gave film stars writing movie negative review don think bad movie great creativity denying deserve batman story matter hard try film noir don essence noir heroes compared negatively film writing depressing creature fear find funny genius role called pale substitute film felt suspense batman returns whatsoever batman comic book writer artist quoted saying hated batman returns batman little little better villains pursuing additionally burton action director aspect films entertainment_weekly gave film wrote burton hasn figured tell coherent story interested pretty putting string going surface movie original wonder people felt burned created blockbuster art film parental backlash criticized violence sexual references unsuitable children mcdonald shut happy meal promotion film burton responded like better big backlash dark found movie dark playboy ranked film number fourteen list sequels way better originals accolades american_film_institute recognition afi years heroes villains kyle nominated villain nominated villain legacy film film series featured burton director leading actor decided lighter direction mainstream process family film burton interest returning direct sequel credited producer moving development june spin announced reprise role character appear forever spin burton attached director producer writer returned january burton unsure plans direct adaptation fall house usher june waters turned script day batman forever released burton courted direct waters joked turning day batman forever opened best logistical celebration fun family batman definitely fun family script august interview interest spin explained priorities challenged mother commitments projects film development hell years replaced film ended critically panned starring film analysis comic cat depth analysis comic origins depth analysis possible comic book influences plotline
Batman Returns