Director Tim Burton said he’s not interested in dabbling in superhero films again despite being considered by many to be a pioneer of the genre.
The 65-year-old celeb is best known for his gothic and horror films, but he’s also recognized for being the creative force behind “Batman” (1989). That movie is thought to be the first in a long line of superhero films that was a gateway for Marvel and DC.
“I was lucky because at that time, the word ‘franchise’ didn’t exist,” Burton told Variety of working on the movie. “So ‘Batman’ felt slightly experimental at the time. … It deviated from what the perception [of a superhero movie] might be.”
He went on to explain how he didn’t experience “pressure” from the studio because he was far removed from them.
“So you didn’t hear that kind of studio feedback, and being in England, it was even further removed. We really just got to focus on the film and not really think about those things that now they think about even before you do it,” Burton explained.
The filmmaker also discussed the idea of doing a sequel.
“I wasn’t really interested in doing a sequel, but I liked Penguin and Catwoman so I got reenergized by the whole thing,” he said. “And that was when we started hearing the word franchise and where the studio started going, ‘What’s the black stuff coming out of the Penguin’s mouth?’ It was the first time the cold wind of that kind of thing came upon me.”
When asked if he’d do a superhero movie in the future, the Academy Award nominee said probably not. “I would say no. Like I said, I come at things from different points of view, so I would never say never to anything. But, at the moment, it’s not something I’d be interested in.”
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In a recent interview with GQ, “Batman” star Michael Keaton credited Burton with helping create the superhero film genre as it now stands despite pushback from comic book fans at the time.
“Tim deserves enormous credit. He changed everything,” Keaton said. “I can’t necessarily say this, but there’s a strong possibility there is no Marvel Universe, there is no DC Universe, without Tim Burton. He was doubted and questioned.”
