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Eventually, somebody close to the production decided the show needed a recurring antagonist. And since Lex Luthor is a tough act to follow, Intergang was drafted in to serve as a menace to Metropolis and our heroes. Believe it or not, this was a very clever and effective move. The Intergang-related episodes tended to be the most highly rated this season (although guest appearances from stars like Bruce Campbell and Raquel Welch probably helped too, let's be fair).

I suppose the tradition of a having a 'big bad' each season didn't come along until Buffy, but I always saw Intergang as an attempt to fill the recurring villain role that Lex occupied in the first season. It's a pity they didn't tie Intergang into the plot of the season finale, perhaps having Bill Church Jr. being the one to discover Tempus's journal and blackmail Clark.

Then Nor could've been the big bad of season 3. They could have hinted at his existence earlier in the season. 'Contact' dealt with fake alien abductions. There could have been a scene at the end of that episode where it's revealed real aliens are monitoring Earth, thus foreshadowing the invasion to come.

Another addition was Mayson Drake. A semi-rival to Lois and a semi-inversion of Lois, Mayson had eyes for Clark while keeping Superman at arm's length (at best). Even better, Mayson is someone that Clark could've realistically fallen for. The Superman angle would've become an issue at some point. But aside from that, Mayson and Clark aren't miles apart in terms of their worldview. It's not science-fiction to think that Clark could've built something with her under other circumstances. I understand that Mayson was meant to serve a specific function in the show. Only this and nothing more. But still, the character's death hit hard precisely because of how well the character worked on the show and, let's face it, what a good match Farrah Forke was for the L&C universe.

Mayson's a likeable character, but I was less keen on Dan Scardino. He always struck me as a bargain basement Martin Riggs, and his insertion into the show at that point felt like a transparent delaying tactic to stop Lois and Clark from getting together.

Ratings were BAD. The show was teetering on the edge. So, The Source asked "What exactly do you people want to see?"

Apparently, the answer was fairly unanimous. "We want Lois and Clark to go on a date!" Several people also mentioned Lex Luthor, more of Bronson Pinchot (Kyle Griffin/The Prankster, one of the more popular "Pinky & The Brain villains") and time travel.

The Source was noncommittal aside from thanking us for sharing while making no promises.

And yet, Lois and Clark went on a date, Lex Luthor came back, Pinchot came back and sure nuff there was a time travel episode.

This sounds like the complete opposite of the situation we have now. Modern WB: "We cooouuuld give the fans the live-action Batman Beyond they've been asking for... Nah, let's give 'em Creature Commandoes instead. They'll love that."

It's strange to think there was a time when studios might have been receptive to fan suggestions. I remember back around 2010, after Schwarzenegger made a cameo in The Expendables, there was talk of him making his comeback as an action star. A thread appeared on the IMDb in which the OP asked fans what kind of movie they'd like to see Arnold star in as his comeback vehicle – a sci-fi movie, a war film, a cop thriller, a western, a fantasy epic? The overwhelming consensus was that he should make a western. About a year later it was announced that his first leading role upon his return to acting would be in The Last Stand (2013), which was a western.

It might've been a coincidence, but I've always wondered if Arnold's management had read or perhaps even created that IMDb thread.

Now, we should emphasize that L&C was never a Top 20 show. At no point in its history did it ever compete with The Big Boys like The Simpsons, Friends, Seinfeld and other shows.

If Wikipedia's sources are accurate then it looks to me as though L&C was averaging more viewers during its third (1995-96) season than the seventh season of The Simpsons was at the same time. The following LA Times article reports that L&C s3 averaged 18.4 million viewers: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-14-ca-3130-story.html

The highest rated episode was 'Ultra Woman', which attracted 22.3 million viewers. The highest rated episode of The Simpsons s7 was 'Who Shot Mr Burns? – Part II', which had 22.6 million viewers. I don't know the average for the whole of The Simpsons s7, but Wikipedia lists most of the episodes as garnering around 14-17 million, which is less than L&C was averaging at the time. L&C's ratings started to decline during the last four episodes of the season, but prior to that it was almost consistently getting 18-20 million viewers throughout its third year.

According to the following site, L&C s3 ranked 44th overall for that season, while The Simpsons s7 ranked 77th: http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/1991/08/1995-96-ratings-history.html

L&C s3 also beat The X-Files that year. It had a degree of mainstream popularity back then which no other superhero show has achieved since. Sadly the viewership more or less halved the following season.

I hadn't even heard about this until now, but it seems there's a new Goosebumps TV series launching on Disney+ next month. Here's the trailer.

This doesn't evoke the classic Goosebumps feel for me. I don't understand why every modern Goosebumps adaptation has to pick and mix things from different books and tie them together with an original plot, turning it into a kind of all-stars narrative. Why not just focus on one book, and one monster, and make a good straightforward adaptation of it? I also think the 'kids' in the trailer look far too old. The protagonists in Goosebumps stories should be around 10-13. Maybe 14 or 15 at oldest. I've just checked the ages of the young actors in this series, and they're all in 24-27 range.

The Haunted Mask (1995) remains the gold standard for R. L. Stine adaptations. I doubt it'll ever be topped. The nineties atmosphere, which for me is a big part of Goosebumps' appeal, will certainly never be recaptured.

But I would add Fly Hard to form sort of a trilogy of episodes. FH ends with Clark warning Lois about Lex. BATP shows Lois essentially overruling his advice. THOL shows her suffering the consequences. Maybe "trilogy" isn't the word. Maybe BATP and THOL form a two-parter, with FH serving as sort of a prelude or something. I just think FH needs to be mentioned somehow in any discussion about BATP and THOL.

That's a good point. I should've listed them as a three-parter.

'Fly Hard' is a really good suspense thriller and another episode I vividly recall watching for the first time with my family when it originally aired. We were all on the edge of our seats.

It's an important episode in the Lois/Lex storyline. They bond more closely after going through a life-and-death situation together, and that sets up the more intimate relationship they have in the following two episodes, eventuating in their engagement. Would they have progressed to the engagement phase so quickly had they not gone through the events of FH together? I doubt it.

FH also establishes the animosity between Jack and Lex, which leads into the storyline about Luthor framing Jack for the bombing of the Daily Planet building in the following episode.

If Jack did know that Clark was Superman – and I'm leaning towards a yes on that – FH is clearly the episode where he figures it out. The final exchange between him and Clark after the crisis is over strongly hints at it. Then there's his line when Clark visits him in jail and he asks if there's any chance Clark could get Superman to bust him out. The way the question's framed suggests Jack is asking Clark directly to make the moral decision, and when Clark says no Jack accepts it as though Superman himself had responded.

I wish they'd included Jack in later seasons. I get that they already had the little brother character with Jimmy, and perhaps Jack was a little too similar. But I like how he became a semi-regular cast member in the latter part of season one, appearing in four of the last six episodes. His presence added to the family dynamic and gave Jimmy someone to hang out with that was nearer his own age. He was snarkier and moodier than Jimmy, and he would've benefitted from having a father figure like Perry to keep him on the straight and narrow. I'm not saying Jack should've become a series regular, but they could have had him and Cat show up occasionally in the later seasons, putting in appearances once every three or four episodes.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The show made it's US debut on September 12th 1993.

It didn't premiere in the UK until January 8th 1994. I vividly remember watching that first broadcast. It was a Saturday night and my mum told me there was a new Superman film on TV. I didn't realise it was a series. I just thought it was a one-off film, like the Reeve movies. To adult eyes the special effects are clearly nineties TV quality, but to my eight-year-old eyes they were just as good as the effects in the feature films. Then as the end credits rolled the announcer said there'd be another adventure with Superman at the same time the following week. I turned to my mum and said, 'It's going to be on every week?!' That was when I realised it was a series, and from thereon out I was hooked.

Much as I love Superman: The Movie, I think over time L&C has become my favourite screen version of Superman. It's one of the most re-watchable shows ever made, and I never get tired of it. It still makes me laugh, the emotional moments still move me, and I love the cosy nineties atmosphere and perfect blend of humour and drama. The L&C interpretations of classic comic book characters are, in their own way, just as idiosyncratic as those of the Burtonverse and Nolanverse. The only other comic book adaptation I can think of that comes close to the tone of L&C, with its warm romantic charm and supporting cast of eccentric characters, would be the Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, and in particular Spider-Man 2.

I've compiled a list of my top five favourite episodes from each season. I'm going to cheat a bit here and list multi-episode arcs as single episodes. I'm not claiming these are the best stories, just that they're some of my favourites. Here's the list, presented in broadcast order.

SEASON ONE

'Pilot'

The show hits the ground running with a superb feature-length episode that sets up all the major story arcs for the first season. Re-watching it now, it's impressive how every character is recognisable and well defined from the get go. Each actor inhabits their role with confidence from the moment they first appear on screen, and the sharp writing is equally on form. A great start to the series.

'The Green, Green Glow of Home'

The first Kryptonite episode. Superman only appears in costume in the cold open, but it doesn't matter. This is a great Smallville episode and contains some of the best scenes with Martha and Jonathan. Lois sees a different side to Clark and realises she's been underestimating him until now. The final fight scene between Clark and Trask is one of the best in the series.

'All Shook Up'

The plot of this episode had previously been used in the comics and the George Reeves series, but it's an interesting story that's worth retelling. The Earth's about to be destroyed and only Superman can save it. Unfortunately Clark has amnesia and doesn't remember that he's Superman. The apocalyptic scenario forces the characters to re-evaluate their priorities, which spurs some progression in the Lois and Clark romance.

'The Foundling'

This episode depicts the tale of Krypton's destruction. There are some funny villainous moments between Lex and Nigel, and David Warner makes a guest appearance as Jor-El. It's an important episode in Clark's personal journey of discovery, where he first learns about his Kryptonian heritage and starts coming to terms with his extraterrestrial identity.

'Barbarians at the Planet'/'The House of Luthor'

There are so many great moments in this two-parter: Lois rejecting Clark and then telling Superman that she'd love him even if he was an ordinary man; Lois accepting Luthor's wedding proposal and Superman's reaction (one of my favourite Superman moments ever); Lex's evil VR fantasy featuring Superman's grave; Luthor finally defeating Superman and gloating over him in the kryptonite cage; the heartfelt conversation between Lois and Clark in the final scene. Funny, thrilling and touching, these two episodes exemplify everything that made this series so appealing. I also dig the little throwbacks to the 'Pilot', like the spinning newspapers and the National Whisper headline. My only criticism is that it would've been nice to have seen Cat's storyline receive closure, but other than that it's a great ending to a great season. Also James Earl Jones guest stars.

SEASON TWO

'Season's Greedings'

I rate this as the best of the L&C Christmas episodes, and the best of the episodes written by Dean Cain. It offers a very nineties take on the comic villain Toyman and ends on a charmingly festive note. Is it sentimental? Sure. But it's a Christmas episode, so a little sentimentality is welcome.

'Chi of Steel'

Superman and martial arts. That's reason enough for it to make the list. But 'Chi of Steel' also boasts a funny script that explores gender roles in a light-hearted and playful manner. Writer Hilary Bader went on to pen scripts for several other DC TV shows and comics, but her association with the franchise started here.

'The Phoenix'

This dark episode features my favourite live action depiction of Lex Luthor. Stripped of his wealth and social status, Shea's Lex is reduced to a ruthless sewer-dwelling outlaw thirsting for revenge. I like how the kryptonite subplot connects it with the earlier 'Metallo' episode. Probably the best Lex episode outside of season one.

'Tempus Fugitive'

This might be the single best episode of the entire series. We get to see Lois reacting to the revelation that Clark is Superman, and we get to hear Clark trying to explain the meaning behind his dual identities: 'Superman is what I can do. Clark is who I am.' This episode also introduces Lane Davies as Tempus, who ranks alongside John Shea's Lex Luthor as the show's best recurring villain. I love the scene towards the end where Superman recreates the shooting star that leads his mum and dad to find him as a baby. I always found that moment very moving. Granted, the time travel stuff doesn't make much sense – how does a time machine also travel through space (is it a TARDIS?), and why do Lois and Clark lose their memories just because they're returned slightly earlier in their own time? But I can overlook all that because the story works on an emotional and dramatic level. It's a 5/5 for me.

'And the Answer Is...'

A villain discovers that Clark is Superman and blackmails him into committing crimes for him. That premise alone makes this a compelling episode, but it also contains several significant events that change the trajectory of the series. Firstly, Lois figures out that Clark is Superman. She doesn't confront him about it until the following episode, but she works it out in this one. This episode also ends with the fan favourite scene where Clark finally proposes to Lois. That cliffhanger drove fans crazy back in the nineties. Another strong finale for another strong season.

SEASON THREE

'Ordinary People'

The premise of this episode sees Lois and Clark trying to survive on a tropical island while Clark has promised not to use his powers. It's fun seeing them out of their element, with Superman taking a break from saving the day. One of the reasons I like this episode is the ridiculous villain, Spencer Spencer, who ranks as one of the funniest and most over-the-top bad guys to appear on the show.

'Ultra Woman'

This is my favourite red kryptonite episode. Superman's powers are transferred to Lois, forcing Clark to take a backseat while Lois becomes costumed crime fighter Ultra Woman. It's amusing to watch their usual roles reversed, with Lois having to save Clark as he adapts to life as an ordinary human.

'Never on Sunday'

L&C never did Halloween episodes, but they did occasionally delve into spookier horror-themed storylines such as 'When Irish Eyes Are Killing' and 'Ghosts'. The best of these horror-themed episodes IMHO is 'Never on Sunday'. The L&C version of Baron Sunday is one of the more serious villains to appear on the show, and I find him far more memorable and intimidating than the comic book character on whom he's based. It's a shame they never brought him back in later episodes.

'Tempus, Anyone?'

The first episode to explore the multiverse, this one sees Lois travelling into an alternate reality in which Clark never met her, lost Jonathan and Martha at a young age and never became Superman. Lois has to help this alternate Clark actualise his potential and become the Man of Steel his Earth so desperately needs. Another classic Tempus episode.

'Big Girls Don't Fly'

The Who's Roger Daltrey guest stars as a shape-shifting alien assassin sent to kill Superman by Lord Nor, the L&C version of General Zod. This episode ends the season on a sombre cliffhanger where Superman has to leave Earth to travel to New Krypton. Lois is heartbroken, as are all of Clark's family and friends, and humanity is forced to confront the prospect of a future without Superman. A downbeat finale that sets things in place for the excellent two-part season four premiere.

SEASON FOUR

'Lord of the Flys'/'Battleground Earth'

This two-parter is basically the L&C version of Superman II or Man of Steel. Kryptonians invade Earth and Superman has to battle Nor/Zod to liberate the planet. The nineties was a great decade for TV sci-fi, and these two episodes constitute L&C's most 'out of this world' storyline, with much of the action literally occurring in space. We get to see plenty of futuristic sets and costumes that wouldn't have looked out of place in Babylon 5 or Deep Space Nine. I wish we'd gotten more space opera stories in season four, but I expect budgetary limitations prevented that. These two episodes comprise one of the most cinematic L&C storylines, and they offer a satisfying conclusion to the New Krypton/Lord Nor arc.

'Soul Mates'

The premise of this episode is ridiculous – Lois and Clark have to Quantum Leap back into earlier incarnations of themselves in order to break a curse so they can consummate their marriage. It's absurd, but I enjoy it nonetheless. We get to see familiar characters re-imagined in different historical contexts (rather like an Elseworlds book): firstly in a swashbuckling medieval European fantasy, then in a Lone Ranger-style western. It's pure fairytale romance. Silly, but fun. Plus Tempus makes an appearance.

'Twas the Night Before Myxmas'

Season four's Christmas episode features the only appearance of the L&C Mr. Mxyzptlk, played by Howie Mandel. Mxyzptlk traps Superman in a time loop where he has to live the same Christmas Eve over and over, only each time things get worse and the prevailing attitude of despair deepens. There are obvious shades of It's a Wonderful Life and Groundhog Day on display here. Another classic Christmas episode.

'Meet John Doe'/'Lois and Clarks'

This is the final Tempus storyline. After Tempus traps Superman in the L&C equivalent of the Phantom Zone, H. G. Wells brings the other Superman (the one from 'Tempus, Anyone?') into our reality to cover for his absence. There's plenty of political satire, and I like how these episodes continue the storyline about the Superman from the parallel universe.

'Faster Than a Speeding Vixen'/'Shadow of a Doubt'/'Voice from the Past'

The only three-parter to make my list, this was the last big storyline of the series prior to its cancellation. The trilogy centres around Lex Luthor Junior and is a continuation of the House of Luthor saga that seemingly ended with the death of Lex. John Shea returns, but only in vocal form, and we get to see Superman go up against two superpowered henchmen: an Amazonian robot named Vixen, and an assassin loosely based on the comic villain Shadow Thief. Like the rest of season four, this trilogy has its share of flaws. But it's decent overall.

So those are my top five episodes from each season. What are everyone else's favourite episodes?

At one point in the AYAOTD episode 'The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner' there's a close-up shot of a very distinctive piece of Superman art.

I always wondered what the source of this image was, and today I happened to stumble across some information about it while browsing online. Apparently it's a 1994 poster titled 'Faster Than a Speeding Bullet' by Joe DeVito. Here's the full poster.

The long hair and shiny detailed musculature evoke a strong Superman Lives vibe. I wonder if it influenced the look of the Cage Superman.

Well spotted, colors. I never would've caught that reference in a million years.

You can hear Doubleday's Joker laugh at the beginning of the following clip.

And again at the 1:26 mark here.

He wasn't a big name actor, but he'd have been perfect as the Carpenterverse Joker.

Are there any fans of Deep Rising (1998) on the site? It's essentially a cross between It Came from Beneath the Sea and The Poseidon Adventure. Sea monsters have always freaked me out, and the Octalus in Deep Rising perfectly illustrates why.

The reason I'm posting about it in this thread is because it has a connection to King Kong. Supposedly director Stephen Sommers was hoping to direct a King Kong movie in the late nineties. He teased it in the final scene of Deep Rising, where the surviving characters wash ashore on what appears to be Skull Island.

Ultimately Sommers would go on to make the Mummy films with Brendan Fraser, while Peter Jackson helmed the Kong remake. Deep Rising has a similar blend of action and comedy as the Mummy movies, only it's R-rated and a lot gorier. It's no masterpiece and it doesn't have much depth to it (no pun intended). But it's an extremely enjoyable B movie with a strong cast and plenty of action and humour. It's also currently available to watch free on YouTube if anyone's interested. I think it's underrated.

The final scene makes me wonder what Sommers' R-rated Kong movie might have been like. Deep Rising itself could easily be part of the MonsterVerse.

[BATMAN (1982)]

An early eighties Batman film loosely based on the Bronze Age comics and directed by John Carpenter using only people who worked on other Carpenter movies.

BATMAN (1982)

Director – John Carpenter
Writer – Dan O'Bannon
Producer – Debra Hill and John Carpenter
Music – Alan Howarth and John Carpenter
Cinematographer – Dean Cundey
Fight choreographer – Jeff Imada
Filming location – Los Angeles

Carpenter's Batman theme would be something like this:

CAST

Batman – Kurt Russell



Alfred – Donald Pleasence



Gordon – Tom Atkins



Ra's al Ghul – Lee Van Cleef



Selina Kyle – Adrienne Barbeau



Leslie Thompkins – Janet Leigh



Hamilton Hill – Hal Holbrook



Rupert Thorne – Peter Jason



Joker – Frank Doubleday



PLOT

All Hell breaks loose in Gotham City when eco-terrorist Ra's al Ghul hijacks an offshore nuclear power plant belonging to industrialist Rupert Thorne. Ra's demands one billion dollars or else he'll set the reactor core to meltdown. GCPD Commissioner Jim Gordon advises against paying the ransom. He suspects Ra's is planning to blow the reactor anyway and believes the money is merely a diversionary tactic. Bowing to pressure from Thorne, Mayor Hamilton Hill dismisses Gordon's theory and tells Ra's the city agrees to his demands.

Ra's gives Hill six hours to deliver the money. Gordon suspects the reactor will be blown when that time runs out. Previously Jim would have turned to the outlaw vigilante Batman for assistance, but earlier that week the GCPD received an anonymous tip that billionaire Bruce Wayne was the man behind the mask. Consequently Gordon was forced to arrest Wayne, who is now being held in a maximum security prison awaiting trial. Jim has Wayne transferred to Gotham Central where he discusses the Ra's crisis with him.

Bruce believes Ra's was the one who exposed his secret identity in order to get him out of the way before hijacking the power plant. Bruce also thinks that Mayor Hill acceded to the terrorists' demands because he's in the pocket of Boss Thorne, who owns the power plant. He agrees with Gordon that Ra's will blow the reactor core regardless of whether he gets paid, since he cares more about eco-terrorism than money. Gordon has Batman's body armour and weapons smuggled to him and together they sneak out of the police station. They collect Batman's souped-up muscle car from the police impound lot and drive to the power plant using a secret service tunnel that runs beneath the bay.

Using the car's radio, Batman is able to contact his accomplice and former butler Alfred Pennyworth, who evaded arrest by hiding in a secret bunker beneath Wayne's penthouse. Alfred supplies Bruce and Jim with intel, warning them that Ra's has recruited several street gangs to assist in the hijacking. The gang members think they're getting paid out of the ransom money, when in reality Ra's is planning to kill them along with everyone else. The first street gang Batman and Gordon encounter upon emerging from the tunnel is the Deadshots, a team of snipers who shoot their car to pieces.

Batman and Gordon survive the encounter and then have to fight their way through various other gangs to reach the reactor. There they are captured by Ra's, who was warned of their coming by Thorne. It turns out Thorne is in cahoots with Ra's to extort the city, though Rupert has no idea his accomplice is planning to screw him over and blow up his precious power plant. Gordon and Batman are brutally tortured, and the Dark Knight is forced to fight Ra's' champion, Ubu, while the street gangs watch. Batman snaps Ubu's neck (yeah, Carpenter's Batman kills; he also uses guns and drops the occasional f-bomb) and the gang members start cheering his name, much to Ra's' chagrin.

One particular gang member, Selina Kyle, is smitten with Batman and helps him and Gordon escape captivity. Meanwhile Rupert Thorne, who is growing suspicious of Ra's' true intentions, covertly travels to the island to confront him. Ra's kills Thorne, collects the ransom money and initiates the reactor meltdown. Some of the gang members get wind of this and try stopping him. This leads to all out war between those gangs that are loyal to Ra's (the Deadshots, the Mad Hi-Hatters and the Arkham Furies) and those that aren't (the Park Row Robins and the Gotham Nightwings). Ra's selects Joker, the most psychotic suicidal gang member in his employ, to guard the power plant control room. Meanwhile Ra's intends to escape the island with the ransom money using a stealth boat.

Selina leads Batman and Gordon to the control room where they are ambushed by Joker. Joker kills Selina and wounds Batman by stabbing him through a chink in his body armour using a crescent-shaped knife resembling a toothy smile. Joker is about to finish off Batman when Gordon sneaks up behind him and blows his brains out with a .357 Magnum. Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a nuclear physicist taken hostage at the plant, tries to help Gordon avert the meltdown while Batman goes after Ra's.

The wounded Batman leaps onto Ra's' boat as it's speeding away from the island. We intercut between scenes of Gordon and Leslie trying to stop the meltdown and scenes of Batman and Ra's fighting on the boat as it skims across the moonlit bay. Ra's exploits the injury Joker inflicted on Bruce to get the better of him. He then knocks the wounded and fatigued Batman into the water, but not before Bruce plants an explosive that destroys the boat and kills the Demon's Head.

With the meltdown averted, the GCPD storm the island. Some of the gang members are arrested, while others escape through the secret service tunnel. Batman's corpse fails to wash ashore, but the authorities assume that both he and Ra's are dead. Hamilton Hill arrives by helicopter and starts chewing out Gordon, telling him he's on suspension pending an inquiry into how Bruce Wayne escaped from Gotham Central. Gordon tells Hill go eff himself before knocking the mayor out cold with a right hook.

Gordon and Leslie go ashore where Jim lights up a cigarette on the riverbank and watches the sun rise over the bay. A black car slowly passes them on the street and Gordon recognises the driver as Alfred. He also glimpses a passenger seated in the back of the vehicle, but when Leslie asks him if he knows who the passenger is Jim simply smiles and says he's never seen him before.

Roll credits accompanied by awesome eighties synth music.

RECEPTION AND LEGACY

Batman '82 received a mixed response on its release. Contemporary reviewers praised its dark cinematography and gritty atmosphere, but criticised it for lacking the humour and family-friendly tone that had characterised the earlier screen versions of Batman. Comic fans took issue with Carpenter deviating from the source material by having Batman kill and use guns.

The studio was disappointed when the film failed to perform as well at the box office as the Christopher Reeve Superman films had. This prompted them to cancel plans for a sequel and reboot the franchise in 1989 with Mr. Mom and the guy who directed Pee-wee's Big Adventure.

Modern reviews of Batman '82 have been more favourable, and with the passage of time the film has gained a cult following. It's rumoured that Carpenter was planning to write and produce a sequel titled Escape from Gotham (1985), on which Tommy Lee Wallace would have assumed directorial duties. Supposedly the sequel would've featured Austin Stoker as Lucius Fox, Ernest Borgnine as Oswald Cobblepot, Keith David as Killer Croc and Alice Cooper as Scarecrow. Daryl Hannah was rumoured to be in talks to portray Silver St. Cloud.

Although Carpenter's association with the Batman film series ended in 1982, he would later return to the franchise to pen The Joker: Year of the Villain V1 #1 (December 2019). Barbeau reprised her role as Selina Kyle in Batman: The Animated Series, and Russell's Batman and Doubleday's Joker both made CGI cameos in the 2023 movie The Flash.