Key Takeaways:
– Tim Burton cast Michael Keaton as Batman due to his unpredictable energy.
– Keaton’s unconventional portrayal of Batman became one of the most iconic superhero performances in film history.
– Burton’s casting choice faced backlash, but ultimately had a lasting impact on the superhero genre.
– Keaton continues to embrace wild unpredictability in his roles today.
– Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice fumbles with diversity representation.
In the world of superheroes, the image of a clean-cut, chiseled exterior is typical. However, when famed director Tim Burton took on the charge to cast Batman in the late ’80s, he had a different vision in mind. Enter Michael Keaton, an actor lauded for his comedic prowess rather than a brooding, vigilante persona. This unlikely choice, in spite of the backlash from fans, stood as a testament to Burton’s wild creativity and resulted in one of the most memorable and offbeat superhero portrayals in cinematic history.
Batman: A New Spin with Michael Keaton
To find his Batman, Burton wasn’t searching for the conventional superhero. Instead, he sought wildness and unpredictability, a different breeze in an otherwise stagnant field. In Michael Keaton, he found just that. Keaton’s portrayal in ‘Beetlejuice’ – chaotic, eccentric, and comfortably strange – convinced Burton he had found his Batman; someone not just enshrouded in wealth but also harboring a dangerous, almost manic edge.
Burton recalled that when he looked at Keaton in ‘Beetlejuice’ or even ‘Batman,’ he saw an intelligence, humor, and an inherent madness in his eyes. This sense of unpredictability combined with his raw energy convinced Burton that Keaton was it. Keaton embodied a ‘guy who would dress up like a bat’, Burton mused, his eyes flashing with a sort of calculated madness which set him apart from conventional Hollywood casts.
Keaton’s Unpredictability: An Everlasting Charm
In the decades since his iconic Batman role, Keaton’s career continues to showcase his unpredictable energy. From playing the role of a fallen-from-grace actor in ‘Birdman’ to portraying an art dealer facing a midlife crisis in ‘Goodrich’, Keaton’s chaotic brilliance remains untamed. His low-key demeanor and offbeat charm stand out, proving that desperation for Hollywood fame was never his game.
Burton’s Beetlejuice: Missing the Mark on Diversity
However, not all attempts to subvert norms have been successful. Burton’s attempt to include a Soul Train scene as a nod to Black culture in ‘Beetlejuice’ fell short of its intention. While the 70s show stood as a beacon of Black joy and culture, its one-off, clumsy incorporation in the film only served to highlight the lack of diversity in the movie. The scene felt out of place and forced, like a last-minute addition to check a diversity box. This wasn’t the first instance of Burton struggling with diversity. He once stated that adding diversity felt more offensive than leaving it out, raising more than a few eyebrows. The issue with ‘Beetlejuice’ wasn’t just about misplaced plotlines but also a glaring oversight in inclusivity.
Concluding Thoughts
Despite the controversies, Tim Burton’s Batman and his choice of casting Michael Keaton remain milestones in the history of superhero films. This wild and unpredictable casting decision paved a new way for superhero portrayals, one that dared to challenge norms and rewrite the typical superhero narrative. While not every risk taken leads to success, it’s the boldness to make such decisions that makes Burton’s works stand out and impact our perception of Hollywood.
