I Found the Perfect Story for the Next Batman Movie (& It Would Bring Sci-Fi to the DCU)

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Batman is one of the most iconic comic book superheroes of all time, and his stories have ranged from grounded and realistic to bombastic and fantastical over the course of his decades-long history. One of the most versatile characters in the contemporary pop culture zeitgeist, Batman has remained a beloved fixture of the superhero landscape since the late 1930s.

Though many of his live-action adaptations have taken the character in a much more grounded direction, Batman has had his fair share of sci-fi tales and fantastical storylines. Some of his most beloved stories involve bizarre, super-powered villains, alien technology, or ancient supernatural beings. With James Gunn’s new DCU heating up, a new Batman interpretation is on the horizon, and many fans are hoping for a more comic-accurate, fantastical take. With that in mind, a perfect comic book story to adapt just wrapped up earlier this year: Batman: Off-World.

Batman: Off-World Is a Sci-Fi Story Starring a Young Batman

Batman Realizes He Needs to Prepare for Threats From Across the Galaxy

One of Batman’s most important facets in his comic book stories is the fact that he is often prepared for anything. Having mastered every major martial art on the planet, studied sciences and mysticism, and learned the art of detective work, Batman is one of the most dangerous human beings in the DC Universe. Even though he has no superpowers of his own, Batman is capable of standing toe-to-toe with just about any major powerhouse in the DC Universe.

With Batman: Off-World, writer Jason Aaron offers a fresh take on an early-days Batman who begins to realize that his Earth-based training may not be enough. Despite mastering every known fighting style, science, and strategy available on Earth, living in the DC Universe, which is filled with alien worlds, interdimensional threats, and magical dangers, demands a new level of preparedness.

Determined to be the ultimate protector of Gotham City, Batman embarks on a mission into deep space to learn how to face extraterrestrial threats head-on. It’s a compelling premise for an early-career Batman story, especially since many of the best tales from this period typically pit him against street-level criminals, corrupt officials, or mobsters. Artist Doug Mahnke’s spectacular renderings of Batman and his outer space surroundings perfectly set the stage for the epic sci-fi tales to come.

DC Comics is home to some incredible sci-fi heroes, but many Batman fans have never seen The Dark Knight in cosmic stories. Setting a character who, especially at this time in his crimefighting career, is completely inexperienced with cosmic interactions and alien races, in a bizarre, other-worldly conflict, is utterly brilliant. Of course, Batman’s mission originally is to simply gain enough information and training to effectively battle against alien races that might come to Gotham, but being the hero he is, the Caped Crusader gets sucked into a large-scale, intergalactic battle of right and wrong.

Batman Needs More Modern Sci-Fi Stories

The Dark Knight Works Perfectly in Space-Based Tales Like Off-World

Many of Batman’s recent hit storylines have remained grounded, street-level, earthbound tales set in Gotham City and its surrounding areas. As one of the oldest and most iconic heroes in the DC Universe, Batman should be a character whose stories take bold risks and explore unique directions. While there are certainly exceptions that break away from the formula, recent titles have largely played it safe, leaving many fans feeling ambivalent.

For example, the latest Hush 2 storyline, from superstars Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, left many fans disappointed and hasn’t reached the quality of their original Hush story. The mainline Batman book did have a sci-fi heavy series of storylines from writer Chip Zdarsky, and they were actually quite good, but, unfortunately, many readers found his run unremarkable, and he didn’t get much time to further his ideas with the character and his stories.

Due to the popularity of Batman adaptations like 2022’s The Batman and, of course, 2008’s The Dark Knight, many mainstream audiences are eager to see more of what came before from Batman and his supporting characters. They want to see The Dark Knight punching thugs in alleys and taking on iconic characters like the Joker and the Riddler on the mean streets of Gotham City.

These kinds of stories are the bread and butter of Batman’s canon, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with them, but it’s time for Batman movies to try something new. One of the best things about Batman as a character is how versatile he is. He can embark on space adventures with the Justice League in Justice League Unlimited, battle mobsters and serial killers alongside his son in Batman and Robin, or take on colorful, comic book-style threats with super-powered allies in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest.

DC adaptations have made several smart changes from the comics, but embracing more of Batman’s unique comic book source material could make the DCU version of the character more distinct, and it would be a refreshing change for both moviegoers and longtime fans. The Batman and The Dark Knight are both exceptional films with compelling interpretations of the character, but they lack the comic book energy that makes Batman so versatile.

Most Batman movies have an extremely serious tone. The films are so grounded and self-contained that incorporating elements of sci-fi or fantasy feels almost unthinkable. That perception needs to shift, and adapting a story like Batman: Off-World would be an ideal way to reintroduce a sense of fun and imagination to Batman’s live-action legacy.

The DCU Could Take Batman in a Brand-New Direction

Adapting Batman’s Sci-Fi Stories Would Make New Movies Stand Out from Previous Adaptations

With the DCU’s Batman already confirmed to be joined by his son, Damian Wayne, this new live-action iteration is positioning itself as a more comic-accurate adaptation of the source material. James Gunn and the other creatives shaping the DCU have emphasized their commitment to building a more “comic-booky” universe, and that bodes well for Batman’s future. The franchise appears to be drawing inspiration from acclaimed writer Grant Morrison’s iconic Batman run, a promising step toward fully embracing the character’s more fantastical and imaginative elements.

If, after The Brave and the Bold, the newest interpretation of Batman, releases, fans still want more sci-fi-oriented Batman stories in live-action, Batman: Off-World would be the perfect place to draw from. A live-action interpretation of the story wouldn’t necessarily have to be a one-to-one adaptation, but it would be a sincere delight to see on the big screen. Batman coming into contact with murderous aliens, intergalactic robots, and mysterious, extraterrestrial femme fatales would be so much fun in live-action, and with so much superhero content releasing each year, it would differentiate itself from the previous iterations of the Caped Crusader in a major way.

Fans have never seen the definitive, comic-accurate Batman on the big screen before, and it’s time for that to change. James Gunn is setting up a universe that seems to be completely unafraid of its roots in an inherently silly source material, and that is wonderful news for longtime fans of the DC Comics Universe. Batman: Off-World is the perfect source material for the upcoming DCU Batman, and if the universe were to embrace and engage with the sci-fi material as well as the comics do, it would engage audiences and critics in ways they’ve never seen from the Dark Knight before. Whatever happens with the DCU moving forward, one thing is clear — something new needs to be done with Batman, and the obvious option would be to embrace the other aspects of his character that have made him a pop culture icon for decades.

“}]] This recent Batman comic book miniseries that focuses on a more sci-fi oriented side of the Dark Knight would be perfect for the DCU to adapt.  Read More