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Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Directed by Tim Burton, it is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial Batman film series. The film was produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber and stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance. The film takes place early in the title character's war on crime and depicts his conflict with his archenemy The Joker.

After Burton was hired as director in 1986, Steve Englehart and Julie Hickson wrote film treatments before Sam Hamm wrote the first screenplay. Batman was not greenlit until after the success of Burton's Beetlejuice (1988). The tone and themes of the film were partly influenced by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke and Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. The film primarily adapts and diverts from the "Red Hood" origin story for the Joker, having Batman inadvertently cause gangster Jack Napier to fall into Axis Chemical acid, triggering his transformation into the psychotic Joker. Additionally, Batman creator Bob Kane worked as a consultant for the film.

Numerous A-list actors were considered for the role of Batman before Keaton was cast. Keaton's casting was controversial since, by 1988, he had become typecast as a comedic actor and many observers doubted he could portray a serious role. Nicholson accepted the role of the Joker under strict conditions that dictated top billing, a portion of the film's earnings (including associated merchandise), and his own shooting schedule.

Filming took place at Pinewood Studios from October 1988 to January 1989. The budget escalated from $30 million to $48 million, while the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike forced Hamm to drop out. Warren Skaaren did rewrites, with additional uncredited drafts done by Charles McKeown and Jonathan Gems.

Batman was both critically and financially successful, earning over $400 million in box office totals. Critics and audiences particularly praised Nicholson and Keaton's performances, Burton's direction, the production design, and Elfman's score. It was the fifth-highest-grossing film in history at the time of its release. The film received several Saturn Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination for Nicholson's performance, and won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction. It also led to the development of the equally successful Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995), which in turn began the DC Animated Universe of spin-off media, and has influenced Hollywood's modern marketing and development techniques of the superhero film genre. The film was followed by three sequels: Batman Returns (1992), with both Burton and Keaton returning; Batman Forever (1995), which featured Val Kilmer in the lead role; and Batman & Robin (1997), which featured George Clooney in the role.

Cast[]

Character Actor
File:Bruce Wayne (Batman, 1989).png
File:Batman (Batman, 1989).png
Batman/Bruce Wayne
Michael Keaton
File:Jack Napier (Batman, 1989).png
File:Joker (Batman, 1989).png
File:Young Jack Napier (Batman, 1989).png
Joker/Jack Napier
Jack Nicholson
Hugo E. Blick (younger)
File:Vicki Vale (Batman, 1989).png
Vicki Vale
Kim Basinger
File:Alexander Knox (Batman, 1989).png
Alexander Knox
Robert Wuhl
File:Commissioner Gordon (Batman, 1989).png
Commissioner Gordon
Pat Hingle
File:Harvey Dent (Batman, 1989).png
Harvey Dent
Billy Dee Williams
File:Alfred (Batman, 1989).png
Alfred Pennyworth
Michael Gough
File:Grissom (Batman, 1989).png
Carl Grissom
Jack Palance
File:Alicia (Batman, 1989).png
Alicia Hunt
Jerry Hall
File:Bob the Goon (Batman, 1989).png
Bob the Goon
Tracey Walter
File:Mayor (Batman, 1989).png
Mayor Borg
Lee Wallace
File:Eckhardt (Batman, 1989).png
Lt. Max Eckhardt
William Hootkins
File:Tourist Mom (Batman, 1989).png
Tourist Mom
Liza Ross
File:Tourist Dad (Batman, 1989).png
Tourist Dad
Garrick Hagon
File:Jimmy (Batman, 1989).png
Jimmy
Adrian Meyers
File:Accountant (Batman, 1989).png
Accountant
John Sterland
File:Wine Steward (Batman, 1989).png
Wine Steward
Amir Korangy
File:Becky (Batman, 1989).png
Becky
Kit Hollerbach
File:Anchorman (Batman, 1989).png
Anchorman
Bruce McGuire
File:Anchorwoman (Batman, 1989).png
Anchorwoman
Kate Harper
File:TV Technician (Batman, 1989).png
TV Technician
Lachelle Carl
File:Rotelli (Batman, 1989).png
Rotelli
Edwin Craig
File:Doctor (Batman, 1989).png
Doctor
Steve Plytas
File:Ricorso (Batman, 1989).png
Ricorso
John Dair
File:TV Director (Batman, 1989).png
TV Director
Richard Durden
File:Reporter 1 (Batman, 1989).png
Reporter #1
Leon Herbert
File:Lawyer (Batman, 1989).png
Lawyer
Sam Douglas
File:Medic (Batman, 1989).png
Medic
Jon Soresi
File:Patrolman at Party (Batman, 1989).png
Patrolman at Party
Anthony Wellington
File:Maitre d' (Batman, 1989).png
Maitre d'
Philip O'Brien
File:Nic (Batman, 1989).png
Nic
Christopher Fairbank
File:Eddie (Batman, 1989).png
Eddie
George Roth
File:Other Mugger (Batman, 1989).png
Other Mugger
Clyde Gatell

International versions[]

Language Title
Basque Batman
Bulgarian Батман
Cantonese 蝙蝠俠[1]
Catalan Batman
Czech Batman
French (Canada) Batman
French (Europe) Batman
Galician Batman
German Batman
Hindi बैटमैन
Hungarian A denevérember
Batman: A denevérember
Indonesian Batman
Italian Batman
Japanese
(Home Video)
バットマン
Japanese
(TBS)
バットマン
Japanese
(TV Asahi)
バットマン
Korean
(KBS)
배트맨[2]
Korean
(SBS)
배트맨
Mandarin (Taiwan) 蝙蝠俠
Portuguese (Brazil) Batman
Russian
(1994, Varus-Video)
Бэтмен
Russian
(2000, Most-Video)
Бэтмен
Slovak Batman
Netopierí muž
Spanish (United States) Batman
Spanish (Mexico)
(Audiomaster 3000)
Batman
Spanish (Mexico)
(Servicios de Televisión Mexicana)
Batman[3]
Spanish (Spain) Batman
Thai
(CVD International)
แบทแมน[4]
Thai
(7 HD)
แบทแมน[4]
Thai
(Mono29)
แบทแมน[4]
Turkish
(DMAX)
Batman[5]
Turkish
(360 TV)
Batman[5]
Turkish
(VCD)
Batman[5]
Turkish
(Blu-ray)
Batman[5]
Turkish
(Kanal 7)
Batman[5]
Ukrainian
(Tak Treba Production, NLO TV)
Бетмен

Language Title
Bulgarian
(Bright Ideas)
Батман
Bulgarian
(BNT 1, 1st version)
Батман
Bulgarian
(BNT 1, 2nd version)
Батман
Bulgarian
(bTV)
Батман
Bulgarian
(Doli Media Studio)
Батман
Bulgarian
(Kino Nova)
Батман
Russian
(1997, NTV)
Бэтмен
Russian
(2002, STS)
Бэтмен
Russian
(2004, Channel One)
Бэтмен
Russian
(2009, Rossiya)
Бэтмен
Ukrainian
(Studio TV+, ICTV)
Бетмен
Ukrainian
(1+1)
Бетмен
Vietnamese Người Dơi

Language Title
Greek Μπάτμαν

Hebrew באטמן
Korean 배트맨[6]

References[]


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