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‘Batman’ (1989) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

March 8, 2022 · Batman (1989) · Action · Adventure · 1:26:50

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 42:07Driving into the Batcave - 'I think is my favorite part of the movie'
Chris Ryan▶ 40:05Mentioned liking the newscasts/Smilex ad and the parade sequence, but didn't give one definitive pick
Sean Fennessey▶ 42:09The party man scene where Joker is dancing and defacing all the art at the museum

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 48:36The importance of the Gotham Globe newspaper, Keaton's hair looking like a wig, some casting choices including Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon, and especially Robert Wuhl as Knox
Chris Ryan▶ 50:25The treatment of Billy Dee Williams being cast as Harvey Dent but then getting 'boned over' when they brought in Tommy Lee Jones instead
Sean Fennessey▶ 48:57The movie's confusing time period (simultaneously set in 1989 and 1948), agrees Robert Wuhl as Knox is the most unfortunate part of the movie

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 54:01Pierce Brosnan — Discussed extensive Batman casting alternatives including Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, Charlie Sheen, Tom Selleck, Bill Murray, Harrison Ford, Dennis McQuarrie, with Pierce Brosnan being serious contender who met with Burton but declined; expressed relief that Bill Murray/Ivan Reitman version didn't happen
Chris Ryan▶ 54:13Pierce Brosnan — Confirmed Pierce Brosnan was serious candidate who caught Burton's eye and met about the role but declined saying he wouldn't play a superhero
Sean Fennessey▶ 54:50Bill Murray — Would not have enjoyed Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman's version despite loving both individually

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 55:54Shared extensive trivia including: Jack Nicholson was studio's top choice for Joker since 1980, Willem Dafoe was in talks, Robin Williams casting controversy where he was offered role then released when Nicholson committed, Nicholson's demands including top billing and no work during Lakers games, Sean Young replacement controversy with Kim Basinger, and Adam West wanting to reprise Batman role
Chris Ryan▶ 56:38Provided additional details on Sean Young controversy, noting she had fewer lines in new script draft and tanked the read-through in front of Warner Bros executives, plus mentioned Kim Basinger wrote scenes for herself during filming
Sean Fennessey▶ 57:25Contributed box office facts (Batman #1, Indiana Jones #2, Dead Poets Society #3 in 1989), discussed sliding doors casting scenarios, and added Sean Young's later Catwoman audition story and career trajectory through Ace Ventura

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:33Tracey Walter — Bob the Goon (Tracy Walter)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:36Tracey Walter — Agrees with Tracy Walter, noting Nicholson negotiated to have him in cast and praising his Repo Man performance

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:30Jack Palance is bad in this movie overall
Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:02Jack Palance's over-the-top death scene where he dramatically rolls around yelling 'No! No! No!' - calls it the platonic ideal of making fun of 'bang, bang, you're dead'

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:13Michael Keaton — Yes for Michael Keaton - he had the most juice after this movie, enabling him to make Pacific Heights. For Tim Burton, says Batman Returns because it's a better movie where he had more control.
Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:48Michael Keaton — Yes for Michael Keaton - agrees without hesitation that this is his apex mountain.
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:08:41Michael Keaton — Yes for Michael Keaton - this was the biggest movie of all time when it came out. For Tim Burton, torn between this and Batman Returns but leans toward this one for setting the iconography.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:33Was this Nicholson's secretly most important movie? What piece of memorabilia would you want from this movie - clearly has to be the Batmobile
Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:52Would want Joker's palm electrocution device as memorabilia to shock people when dapping them up
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:18:43Dr. J theory - Keaton as Batman is Dr. J, Bale is Michael Jordan, Pattinson/Reeves era is LeBron. Extended basketball analogies for different Batman actors

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:45Jack Nicholson — Nicholson

Movies Referenced (60)

Superman (2025)

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 4:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 10:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead Poets Society (1989)

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 12:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beetlejuice (1988)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 30:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Batman Returns (1992)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 19:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Do the Right Thing (1989)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 12:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 23:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Prestige (2006)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Shining (1980)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 16:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wall Street (1987)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 43:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chinatown (1974)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 19:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (14)

Tim Burton

30 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Edward Scissorhands▶ 8:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 22:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Billy Dee

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for There's Something About Mary▶ 50:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ivan Reitman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Up in the Air, Ghostbusters▶ 54:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Hughes

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 32:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Donner

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Lethal Weapon▶ 31:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Zemeckis

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact▶ 31:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Zack Snyder

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Wonder Woman▶ 44:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

AFI

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 12:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Jarmusch

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Broken Flowers▶ 31:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Carpenter

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Dark Star, Halloween▶ 31:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 54:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (67)

Jack Nicholson

52 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 8:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Keaton

32 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Spotlight, The Founder▶ 8:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Young

28 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective▶ 2:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Murray

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 2:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Williams

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Mrs. Doubtfire▶ 11:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kim Basinger

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for L.A. Confidential, Batman▶ 42:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Morgan Freeman

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Se7en, Driving Miss Daisy, Million Dollar Baby▶ 24:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Wall

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Enter the Dragon▶ 13:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Adam West

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Palance

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for City Slickers▶ 1:00:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Pattinson

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Twilight, The Batman▶ 1:19:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Willis

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Die Hard, Pulp Fiction▶ 10:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Lawrence Kasdan

7 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp▶ 13:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 36:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tommy Lee

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Vanilla Sky▶ 51:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rachel Axler

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Hamm

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Batman, Batman Returns▶ 36:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗