Batman Unchained: What We Know About Joel Schumacher's Canceled Sequel

After Joel Schumacher's "Batman Forever" was released in theaters in 1995, it quickly became one of the highest-grossing films of the year (it grossed over $336 million worldwide). But is Schumacher's take on Batman any good? Well ... the answer is a tad complicated, as "Batman Forever" was generally liked during its time of release, even though it garnered mixed reviews from critics. Some aspects of the 1995 flick are truly worth highlighting, such as its groundbreaking use of CGI in the form of the first digital double ever used. The rest, however, is a frivolous exercise in kaleidoscopic excess.

In hindsight, the film's resounding success is rather baffling, as its imperfections seem more glaring with each passing day; the term "camp" can only do so much heavy lifting before being stretched to its limits. Sure, this is the kind of entertainment that appealed to a wide demographic (including kids, who were the target for the film's tie-in toys back then), and the film's light, humorous tone helped boost its mainstream popularity. However, this doesn't change the fact that "Batman Forever" is a pretty rough watch, where its impressive technical achievements are at loggerheads with its startling absence of depth.

That said, it is not surprising that Warner Bros. immediately greelit a Schumacher sequel, expecting it to perform as well as its predecessor. Unfortunately, 1997's "Batman & Robin" swiftly became a franchise entity that everyone would rather forget, as this critically panned title didn't inspire confidence despite churning out a decent box office performance. While there's a lot to be said about how much of a terrible misstep "Batman & Robin" was (although some believe it to be an important comic book movie), its reception led to the cancellation of a third Schumacher sequel that was planned for quite some time. Let's shed some light on "Batman Unchained," the canceled Caped Crusader story that could've been.

After Warner Bros. decided to go forward with the sequel to "Batman & Robin," Schumacher hired writer Mark Protosevich ("The Cell," "I Am Legend") to pen the script in late 1996. A 1999 release date was tentatively announced, with the film's tone being expected to be in line with the first two Schumacher entries, replete with a rogue's gallery who are up to no good. However, details about Protosevich's script reveal a darker, mature tone, believed to be closer to the delightfully eccentric Tim Burton "Batman" entries that explored a grittier Gotham. "Batman Unchained" was supposed to move away from silliness and embrace pure psychological horror — the kind where Batman is emotionally worn down by his enemies and forced to reckon with his painful past.

This obviously sounds promising, and we see a similar premise get actualized to brilliant effect in a critically-acclaimed video game years down the line. Yes, 2009's "Batman: Arkham Asylum" is mostly inspired by the "Batman" comics (including Grant Morrison's graphic novel, "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth"), but its narrative overlap with the canceled "Batman Unchained" could be more than coincidental. After all, both stories include Batman hallucinating due to Scarecrow's fear toxins, with villains like the Joker and The Riddler (along with a misguided Harley Quinn) uniting to push him to his absolute limits, so that they can have him thrown in Arkham Asylum.

"Batman Unchained," however, was also supposed to feature Robin, who would show up last minute to save his partner from Scarecrow's clutches (despite parting ways with Batman earlier over disagreements). Although Schumacher's handling of his "Batman" films feels muddled at best, "Unchained" could have tapped into his finest directorial instincts, including an affinity for unrestrained style and unconventional underdogs. I mean, could it have really been as flippant and incoherent as "Batman & Robin?" I am inclined to believe that "Unchained" could've been more than decent, but I guess we will never know.

In case you want to experience bits of this discarded storyline, then playing "Batman: Arkham Asylum" (and even "Batman: Arkham Knight") might help fill this inexplicable "Unchained"-shaped void.