What If Tim Burton Directed Batman Forever?
Tim Burton was slated to direct a 3rd Batman movie in the mid '90s before handing off the project to Joel Schumacher. The result was 1995's "Batman Forever". But how would things have gone if Burton stayed on-board and made a third film to round out his own Dark Knight Trilogy?
This Fanscription contains examples of:
- Comic-Book Fantasy Casting:
- Robin Williams as Edward Nygma/Riddler.
- Mike Vitar as Dick Grayson/Robin.
- Death by Adaptation: The Riddler blows himself up to try and take Batman and Robin down with him.
- Knights and Knaves: Discussed, in which Edward talks with Grace about how he got that riddle when he was a kid. He even explains the answer and how the beauty of the riddle is that in order to find the truth, you need a liar present. However, Edward also explains how this also became his Start of Darkness:Edward: That wasn't the problem. Problem was it got me thinking. Everyone in this maze was lost but me. They were all flying around me like a bat out of hell. But I didn't care about leaving, because if out there with my father was supposed to be Heaven... then maybe I'd prefer it in Hell.Grace: That's a dark thought.Edward: Or maybe it's a dark world... But it taught me something: Always have the answer. So come Heaven or Hell, at least it's your choice.
- Meaningful Echo: Edward explains that the overall message of the Knights and Knaves riddle is that in order to find the truth, you need a liar present. When he finds Grace and realizes she lied about her name, he also finds Bruce Wayne and begins connecting the dots and as such, calls back to what he said.
- Sequel Episode: Takes place in the same continuity as What If Harvey Dent Was in Batman Returns?
- Sequel Hook: The ending has Catwoman take the fall for the Ice Princess's murder while making it clear she only did it to make things interesting for both her and Bruce.
- Spared by the Adaptation: By contrast to the Riddler, Two-Face is saved by a combined effort of Batman, Robin, and Grace.
- Title Drop: The title of Batman Forever is a heading on the newspaper that Bruce reads detailing how Batman is exonerated of his accused killing of the Ice Princess thanks to Catwoman taking the fall for him.
- Villainous Breakdown: Edward goes through this alongside his "Eureka!" Moment.
- Would Hurta Child: Zig-Zagged as Edward threatens Bruce by claiming to have placed a bomb instead a Gotham orphanage to coax Bruce into revealing his identity as Batman, beating a reluctant goon of Dent's to near death when said henchman objects. When Batman gets face to face with Edward, he confronts Nygma about where the bomb is; only for Edward to admit he never got far enough into actually rigging the bomb for detonation.
