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Batman Beyond is an upcoming American superhero film written by Daniel Casey and produced by DC Studios, based on the animated series of the same name, itself based on the comic book character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.

Previous attempts to adapt Batman Beyond as a feature film were done by Warner Bros. Pictures during the early 2000s following the critical and commercial failure of Batman & Robin (1997), with Boaz Yakin attached as director and co-writer alongside co-creators Paul Dini and Alan Burnett, but the project was ultimately scrapped. Two other Batman Beyond films were comissionned years later by former DC Films head Walter Hamada, one being a live-action feature set within the DC Extended Universe, with Christina Hodson writing and Michael Keaton returning as Bruce Wayne, and another being an animated film written by Casey. While the live-action film was cancelled after James Gunn and Peter Safran were named heads of DC Studios as part of a reboot of the DCEU, the animated film continued development.

Background
After the critical and commercial failure of Batman & Robin (1997), Warner Bros. Pictures began considering multiple options for a reboot for the Batman film series, one of these being a live-action film based on the DC Animated Universe series Batman Beyond (1999-2001). In 1999, Warner Bros. licensced multiple domain names under the Batman Beyond: The Movie, reportedly unrelated to the direct-to-video film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000). Boaz Yakin was set to direct the film, as well as to co-write it alongside series co-creators Paul Dini and Alan Burnett, while science fiction novelist Neal Stephenson was hired as a consultant. Yakin wanted to cast Clint Eastwood as an eldery Bruce Wayne. The writers developed an early draft for the film, which was set to be "hard-edged" and nihilistic strong in violence and swearing in the vein of Blade Runner, which was against the studio's plans for a PG-13 rated film. Warner lost interest in the project and put it on hold by Septmber 2001, and finished development on the project in favor of an ultimatelly cancelled Batman: Year One feature film''. ''

In August 2019, Dini revealed that interested in Warner for a Batman Beyond film has remained, but the studio put plans on hold in favor of other projects. In June 2020, it was reported that Michael Keaton was set to reprise his role as Batman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), starting with The Flash (2023), and set to appear in multiple films in a mentor-esque role akin to Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Keaton was officially hired to return that August. During that time, The Flash and Birds of Prey (2020) writer Christina Hodson was hired to write a Batman Beyond film, with Keaton set to reprise his role and featuring Terry McGinnis / Batman and Selina Kyle / Catwoman, as well as plans for Michelle Pfeiffer to reprise her role from Batman Returns (1992). The film was set to continue plot threads first established in The Flash. After James Gunn and Peter Safran were hired as heads for DC Studios, the live-action film was scrapped alongside most DCEU feature films in pre-production in favor of a reboot of the DCEU in the form of the DC Universe.

Development
Alongside Hodson's live-action film, an animated Batman Beyond feature film was commissioned by former DC Films head Walter Hamada in response to the success of Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), with Daniel Casey serving as the writer of the script. In March 2023, reporter Jeff Sneider revealed the film's existence while also mentioning that it is currently unknown whether development on the film will move forward under Gunn and Safran's regime, but noted that none of the people involved with the film has been informed it was cancelled.

Batman Beyond
A direct-to-video feature film, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, was released on December 12, 2000. The original release was censored for elements of violence and death following the Columbine High School massacre, though a second, uncensored version was later released. Nevertheless, it received critical acclaim for its story, voice acting, animation and score. A second Batman Beyond film, focusing on the origins of Terry McGinnis, multiple clones of Bruce Wayne and the appearance of an elderly Selina Kyle, was planned by Bruce Timm and Glen Murakami, though it was never scripted, as it never went beyond a 45-minute impromptu plotting session between the two. The project was scrapped due to the dark tones and controversies surrounding Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Despite this, the plot elements were eventually reworked into the second-season finale of Justice League Unlimited titled "Epilogue" (which was intended to be the series finale until the show was renewed for a third and final season) where Terry discovers his genetic origins from Amanda Waller and Selina Kyle is briefly mentioned in passing.

Among the live action films proposed between the critical failure of Batman & Robin and the reboot of the Batman franchise was Batman Beyond. In August 2000, Warner Bros. announced that it was developing a live-action film adaptation with Boaz Yakin attached to co-write and direct. The TV series' creators, Dini and Alan Burnett, were hired to write a screenplay for the feature film, with Neal Stephenson as consultant. Yakin hoped to cast Clint Eastwood as the retired Batman. By July 2001, a first draft was turned in to the studio, and the writers were waiting to see if a rewrite would be needed. The studio, also exploring other takes of Batman in development eventually placed Batman Beyond on hold in August 2001, but ultimately canceled the proposal. Yakin reportedly wanted the film to be dark, nihilistic, and with swearing and violence, and not the PG-13 film the studio wanted.

In January 2019, rumors began to circulate that Warner Animation Group was developing an animated Batman Beyond film following the critical and commercial success of Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but was later reported that no such film was in the works. In the later August interview with DC Universe, Paul Dini revealed that Warner Bros. continues to express interest in a film adaptation but have put emphasis on other projects. Actor Tyler Posey has expressed interest in playing Terry McGinnis in the possible film adaptation. In June 2020, Michael Keaton entered talks to play an elderly Bruce Wayne, reprising his role from Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), in the DCEU film, The Flash, which was set for release in 2023. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. hopes for Keaton to return for multiple DCEU films in a way "akin to the role played by Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something of a mentor or guide or even string-puller". Keaton was officially confirmed to return in August of the same year. In December 2022, it was announced that Christina Hodson, writer of The Flash and the cancelled Batgirl film, had been hired to write a script for a live-action Batman Beyond film. The plot would have involved an aged Bruce Wayne, continuing the plot threads from his appearance in The Flash, and would have included the return of Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman. Development on the film was shelved after James Gunn and Peter Safran were appointed as co-heads of DC Studios. In January 2023, Gunn and Safran stated that there is potential for a future multiverse project in which they may incorporate Keaton's incarnation of Batman.

In March 2023 it was reported that an animated Batman Beyond film had been put into development, written by Daniel Casey and serving as WB's answer to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. However, the project was put into commission under the leadership of Walter Hamada, who served as DC Films president from 2018-2022, and it is currently unknown if it is still happening under Gunn and Safran's direction, though Jeff Sneider of The Hollywood Reporter noted that nobody who was working on the project was told it was cancelled.

Batman in film
The studio decided it was best to consider a live-action Batman Beyond film and an adaptation of Frank Miller's Batman: Year One. Warner Bros. would then greenlight whichever idea suited them the most. By September 2000, Warner Bros. was developing a live action screen adaptation of Batman Beyond, written by Paul Dini, Neal Stephenson and Boaz Yakin, with the possibility of Yakin directing.

Despite interest from Schumacher, the studio amazed and pleased fans by hiring Darren Aronofsky to direct and co-write with Miller, whom he previously collaborated with on an unproduced script for Ronin. Yakin developed one draft of the Batman Beyond screenplay with the writers but soon lost interest.

DC Extended Universe

 * In December 2022, it was reported that a Batman Beyond film starring Michael Keaton was in development, with a script by Christina Hodson. The plot would have involved an aged Bruce Wayne, continuing the plot threads from his appearance in The Flash, and would have included Catwoman. Development on the film was shelved after Gunn and Safran were appointed as co-heads of DC Studios. In January 2023, Gunn and Safran stated that there is potential for a future multiverse project in which they may incorporate Keaton's incarnation of Batman.

Development of the DC Extended Universe
In December 2022, a planned Batman film starring Keaton and based on the Batman Beyond (1999–2001) animated series was scrapped.

Sneider: "The following project was commissioned by [former DC Films President] Walter Hamada. It was, as far as I know, never reported. As of this minute, the project is in development at DC ... Daniel Casey, the writer of 'Fast 9,' wrote a 'Batman Beyond' movie, but the catch wasn't that it was live-action, because that was what Christina Hodson was working on. It was an animated 'Batman Beyond,' to be DC's answer to 'Into the Spider-Verse.'"

Redirects

 * Batman Beyond (live action film)
 * Batman Beyond (film) (currently points to Return of the Joker)
 * Batman Beyond: The Movie