Michael Bay to take over “Batman” franchise

Arthur Dent, Staff Writer
March 29, 2012
Filed under Just for Fun

Hollywood filmmaker Michael Bay, known for his work on blockbusters “Armageddon,” “Bad Boys” and the “Transformers” franchise, has announced he is set to direct the next “Batman” installment now that Christopher Nolan has stepped down.

Bay intends to start fresh with the series and has proposed a vision not unlike that of a past “Batman” director.

“As much as I’ve enjoyed Nolan’s take on the series,” Bay said, “there’s something about the way Joel Schumacher took hold of this character that’s so moving and profound. That’s essentially what I want to capture with my reimagining.”

Schumacher directed “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin” in 1995 and 1997, respectively. Bay seems certain of his choice, despite the fact that Schumacher’s version of the caped crusader is not as highly regarded as Nolan’s or Tim Burton’s.

“I’ve never really understood where all this hatred for Schumacher comes from,” Bay noted. “I think he’s the only ‘Batman’ director willing to take such giant risks. And I respect him for that. I mean, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze? Genius.”

Although a script has not yet been written, Bay has already started looking for a cast.

“Obviously, we’ll need Clooney back as the big guy himself,” Bay explained. “And I think an African-American Robin will truly appeal to today’s modern audience. So the next step is to get ahold of Chris Tucker.

“Also, I’m considering giving Steve Buscemi and Nicolas Cage the dual roles of Two-Face and the Riddler,” Bay continued. “The thing is, they’ll each get a chance to play both roles. It’ll be like the movie ‘Face/Off’…but with Batman. And Chris Tucker.”

Nolan, Schumacher and Burton were not immediately available for comment, but actor Johnny Depp spoke on Burton’s behalf.

“If Bay wants to get to our level of crazy, he’s gonna have to try a lot harder than that,” Depp said.

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