BATMAN (1989)
>Tom Mankiewicz wrote the first draft of the script, which featured Thomas and Martha Wayne being murdered by the Joker on behalf of Thomas' political rival, Rupert Thorn. Years later, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City after years training abroad and adopts the identity of Batman to expose Thorn, who has become the mayor, while also developing a relationship with Thorn's secretary, Silver St. Cloud. The Joker then recruits another mobster, the Penguin, to help him eliminate Batman, and the Flying Graysons are caught in the crossfire, leading Bruce to adopt their son, Dick Grayson, who learns his secret and becomes Robin, aiding Batman in defeating Thorn, the Joker and the Penguin.
>Mankiewicz's draft was modeled after the campy 1960's TV show and included scenes such as the Batmobile, which can turn into a submarine and an aircraft, being pursue by the Penguin and his men mounted on jetpacks and armed with laser umbrellas; The Joker assassinating one of Thorn's enemies by placing a vial of poison in a chandelier atop his booth at the opera house, so the vial is shattered by the opera singer's powerful voice and the poison drips into the target's mouth while it is agape over the performance; and Batman fighting Thorn in a museum fitted with giant writing objects, upon which Thorn is killed after being thrown into a giant pencil sharpener that shreds him to bits. Producer Michael Uslan revised the script to correct the tone.
>Ivan Reitman was approached to direct the movie, but wanted to make it into a comedy starring Bill Murray as Batman, Michael J. Fox as Robin and Eddie Murphy as the Joker. Joe Dante, David Cronenberg and Alex Cox were also considered before Tim Burton was hired.
>Burton disliked Mankiewicz's script and recruited Sam Hamm to write a new draft, removing Robin, the Penguin and Rupert Thorn and replacing Silver St. Cloud for Vicki Vale.