How come Schumacher was chosen to direct the next film?

[arnaud187]

I know that the executives at WB wanted to make a lighter and more kid friendly BATMAN movie after BR. What I am curious about is why did the executives feel that Schumacher would the best choice.

Don't get me wrong, I think that he is a fine film maker, but if you look at his works pre 1995, then there's nothing that suggest camp, flamboyant, kid friendly or something along those lines. Yes, he has directed some really decent films, but it's not like they were hiring Baz Luhrman.

Is there an article or any piece of information on that subject?

[johnnygobbs]

I do recall reading that Sam Raimi was also considered as a potential replacement for Tim Burton.  But if the studio wanted to go lighter post-Burton I can't imagine them thinking the guy behind the Evil Dead series and Darkman was a serious option.

With Spider-Man Raimi demonstrated that he was perfectly capable at making a successful comic-book movie that was neither too dark nor too light, but that was seven years later after he had added several dramatic/non-horror movies to his filmography.

[Slash Man]

I can see how they'd get Raimi from Burton. Both were very creative and visually inventive, as well as sticking to usually dark subject matter. I was a big fan of his interpretation of Spider-Man. I'd say he did to Spider-Man what Burton did to Batman. But we'll never know if he could do Batman.

[johnnygobbs]

It's a shame Schumacher went for such a light, camp and goofy tone because his work on the horror films, The Lost Boys and particularly the relatively sombre and affecting Flatliners, demonstrated that he was capable of making a more serious, albeit wholly commercial, take on Batman.  Sadly, I think the studio essentially instructed him to make Batman as 'toyetic' as possible, possibly as a direct response to the Happy Meal fiasco on Batman Returns.

[Slash Man]

Hell, his original work on Batman Forever showed he could handle dark films

[johnnygobbs]

Hell, his original work on Batman Forever showed he could handle dark films

What do you mean?  Batman Forever wasn't dark.

[Edd Grayson]

Batman Forever was darker before studio interference. Bruce questioning being Batman more, Two-Face's Arkham cell, Bruce literally facing his trauma...

[johnnygobbs]

Batman Forever was darker before studio interference. Bruce questioning being Batman more, Two-Face's Arkham cell, Bruce literally facing his trauma...

Has there ever been a cut with all those scenes inserted into the film?

Also, some of the scenes that remained within the film, like the goofy fight between Batman and Two-Face's incompetent henchmen at the start, and the easy way Batman manages to save Chase and Dick, let Batman Forever down for me a little. 

[The Laughing Fish]

Batman Forever was darker before studio interference. Bruce questioning being Batman more, Two-Face's Arkham cell, Bruce literally facing his trauma...

Has there ever been a cut with all those scenes inserted into the film?

We had a fan here who made an unofficial director's cut of BF awhile ago. He included those deleted scenes and edited out some lousy lines in the film.

http://www.batman-online.com/forum/index.php?topic=1582.30

[Edd Grayson]

They wanted to have a more kid-friendly Batman film, they did that, and I like Batman Forever even so, but it could have been more serious.