How Tim Burton’s Batman revolutionized the superhero genre

As Tim Burton’s Batman turns 30, let’s take a look back at how one film single-handedly managed to redefine an entire genre.

To say that Tim Burton’s Batman was a “triumph” simply wouldn’t give the film the credit that it deserves, especially when you factor in everything that it accomplished. Released in 1989, the comic book-inspired movie would go onto dominate the box-office, receive critical acclaim and, perhaps most importantly, introduce the world to the modern day Dark Knight.

More than that, it changed the game for both comic book and superhero movies, setting the stage for a movement that would alter the landscape of Hollywood itself – and that movement is still very much alive and well.

Now, as Batman turns 30, let’s take this opportunity to reflect on the impact that its release had on the world of film and how it ultimately became a flag-bearer for a new type of genre in Hollywood, creating a legacy that no successor could ever hope to equal.

A Time Without Heroes

Believe it or not, there was actually a time when comic book movies weren’t annually breaking box office records. Crazy, right? Well, that’s just how things went down in the 20th century, or at least it was… up until a point. For the most part, comic books were considered an acquired taste (a.k.a. children’s literature), so any potential big screen and/or small screen adventures weren’t exactly considered appealing to adults. And despite his darker origins, Batman wasn’t immune to that ideology.

If you picked up a comic book in 1988, you would know that the Caped Crusader had indeed returned to his darker roots. However, if you asked a non-comic book fan (i.e. the majority of the population) who Batman was, chances are that they would have made reference to the classic, campy and colorful TV series of the ’60s – and when you stop to think about it, that would have been completely understandable.

The beloved series turned both Batman and its star, Adam West, into household names so, as far as mainstream audiences were concerned, Batman was an upstanding crime-fighter that used his principles to win a fight, issued public service announcements at the drop of a hat and loved to dance.

So when Warner Bros.’ Batman was officially greenlit in 1988, it caused quite the stir, with mainstream audiences expecting something similar to Batman’s previous big-screen adventure (a film adaptation of the 1960s TV show), while hardcore comic fans knew better… or at least they did. The subsequent announcements that Tim Burton was directing and Michael Keaton was playing the titular character had them fearing that the POWs, ZAPs and BOFFs of the ’60s were about to make a comeback – and if that had happened, then the perception of comic book movies would have never changed.

But they were wrong. Oh, they were all so very wrong…

A Real Game-Changer

Anyone expecting Batman to be an archetypal comic book movie undoubtedly got a shock when they saw it on the big screen, because it was everything but that. No, this film was a Gothic masterpiece – one that took its cues from the more modern Batman comics of the 1980s and, in doing so, relayed that its source material was indeed capable of producing strong, mature narratives.

Set in a eerily foggy Gotham City that was overrun with violent crime, Batman played out more like a mobster movie than anything else, highlighting that it was, first and foremost, a crime story – a gritty, well-paced crime story – that just so happened to revolve around a man that dressed like a giant bat.

There was nothing stereotypical about it and Batman himself was the perfect example of that. Driven by the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne was a morally conflicted protagonist, torn between light and dark as he took to the streets as a ruthless vigilante in a bid to exorcise Gotham of its demons – and the only way to do that was to become the most terrifying demon of them all: The Batman.

Through Keaton’s beautifully sombre delivery, it became clear to non-comic book fans that Batman was no longer a colorful superhero full of inspirational life lessons; he was a dark, twisted product of a hellish world – one that could be equally as hellish in return.

Photo Credit: Batman/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc Image Acquired from DC Entertainment PR

Keaton’s portrayal broke the mold, solidifying that he was indeed the right man for the job. However, he shared that spotlight with Jack Nicholson, who somehow turned a comic book clown into one of the most sadistic, maniacal and deadly villains to ever grace our screens (long before Heath Ledger would do the same in 2008’s The Dark Knight). And this larger-than-life performance was the perfect contrast to Keaton’s subtle and tortured Caped Cruasader.

From the hellish gargoyle statues that haunted Gotham’s architecture to the film’s Noir undercurrents, audiences were beginning to realise what comic book fans had known for quite some time – superheroes don’t have to exist in a world full of colour, they don’t have to be far-fetched and they don’t have to be exclusive to one particular audience. Like Batman himself, they can live in a world of grey, walking the line between fiction and reality to offer us an adventure quite like no other – one that everyone can enjoy.

If we learned anything from Batman‘s overwhelming critical and commercial success, it was that comic books could indeed translate to the big screen without falling into any overly “heroic” stereotypes and, as a result, those films were capable of producing mature narratives that could absolutely stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best that Hollywood had to offer.

The First Modern Day Superhero Movie

Batman may have gone on to become the fifth-highest grossing film of all time upon its release, but what it accomplished after that is far more impressive. The film started a movement, renewing interest in The Dark Knight and, more importantly, generating interest in all superheroes, as it paved the way for countless more films like it – many of which borrowed the essential details and format that made it the success that it was.

Flash forward thirty years and comic book-inspired movies are the be-all and end-all of Hollywood. All you have to do is look at the 10 highest grossing films of all time, and you’ll see that half of them are indeed superhero flicks. Those films, like Batman, are built upon compelling stories and complex characters who, despite their heroic nature, are indeed morally ambiguous at times – troubled, conflicted and burdened by the responsibility (and cost) of being whatever their respective city needs them to be.

Photo: Batman (1989) Courtesy DC Universe PR

Avengers: Endgame, Logan, even the universally-acclaimed Dark Knight; all of them owe Batman a debt of gratitude for, without its groundbreaking success, the modern day superhero movie simply would not exist.

It may not have been an archetypal comic book movie at the time of its release, but the ultimate irony lies in the fact that, now, Batman is the archetype. It changed the game for comic book adaptations, altering the wider perception of them and legitimizing superhero movies as an art form. As a result, it has become the yardstick for which every single one of its successors is measured against, and as long as we continue to enjoy these compelling superhero films, its legacy will never die.

Happy 30th Anniversary Batman – you have aged incredibly well.

Is Batman among your all-time favorite movies? What are your fondest memories of the classic film? Let us know in the comments below.