My Pitch for The Batman 2

The Man Bat element is what makes this pitch so dope. Batman is having trouble being 2 different personas when he is haunted by a creature who has no ability to control which persona he can be. Poetry.

Mr Freeze's theme isn't revenge. It's the fear of loosing your loved ones. Which is the only thing Batman said he fears in the previous movie...

The potential for Scarecrow has already been teased within this new batman universe with psychedelic drugs such as “Drops” being common place in the universe. It’s totally possible that Crane is at Arkham Asylum right now.

I’ve always loved the idea of Hugo introducing or making the monster characters like Croc and Man Bat and Clayface.

I’m pretty torn on this pitch. I think Hugo Strange is perfect for a storyline about Arkham, which seems right on time in this version of Batman’s story. However, I think Strange making monsters like ManBat feels very off in Reeves’s world. Moreover, I think the jump to Bruce no longer being a recluse, while being a logical jump to make from the previous film, is an arc that should be seen and not told. The process of him becoming a public figure like his father, his first press conference in years, these are things that should be big moments in a film, not happening between them.

I think one other reason why Freeze would be cool is simply because you could have the film set during winter and have another opening monologue by Batman except it's christmas eve instead of halloween. And then the poster could be blue instead of red. In other words the aesthetics

I really need a movie where Clayface is a Hugo Strange Monster, because it would justify Clayface’s origin a lot better than his traditional origin, and it would allow us to have him in an otherwise grounded movie. Plus, a man who can shapeshift is an amazing antagonist for a detective story.

I think having man-bat would be a great catalyst for batman's refined winged suit. He could see the way man-bat flies. He could also see how he has issue with fighting man-bat in there first encounter which inspires him to make the definitive cape glider we all know and love.

6:40 Freeze is not just about vengence. There's the whole drama of him trying to save his wife at all cost, which already makes him different from Riddler, who is selfish and crimes were result of his desire for attention. The fact he does all this evil just to save the woman loves could work as great test to Batman development, with him discovering about Nora and in the end defeating Freeze not by punching him but rather by saving his wife (maybe with the help of scientists of Wayne enterprise), showing how he grow into a hero who actually helps people in need, including his enemies.

What I love about including Harvey Dent in all this is that everyone watching will be on edge every time he is on screen, just because they know who is he is going to eventually be. I do agree, building up the relationship between Dent and Wayne early on will make the fall from grace hurt even more.

The Martha Wayne / Arkham point is so interesting in the context of the flashpoint story where she becomes the Joker. If you have her being prone to manic episodes in the main storyline, then that turn becomes that much more believable. I’d also love to see an Arkham that (at least on the surface) is actively trying to help normal peoples mental health - but that under the surface they’re treating everyone as they’d treat the criminally insane.

I think what you're missing about Mr. Freeze is that everyone wants him while the town is flooded, that he'd be more menacing with all the water to freeze and travel over

I still wanna see Scarecrow now because Batman said how he had mastered fear, and I’d love to see that idea challenged and get some genuinely scary superhero horror

id personally say this sounds like a movie 3. exploring arkham is more impactful if we have another movies worth of villains in there, and while i hadnt heard the mr freeze mini pitch before now i really agreed with all the reasons you gave for why people want it. if the only holdup is the theme not matching, shift it a little. turn mr freeze away from revenge and towards “wanting to save his wife” and it can like up w where bruce is as trying to help people

Can’t lie, I disagree with Freeze, it can bring out an emotion of empathy in Bruce and can teach him that his villains also have a struggle and a story, and can be an emotional ride for him.

I feel like the problem with this pitch is that it fails as a mystery. We immediately know the man behind everything is Strange. Where's the noir angle? The dark secrets? Also, the way you characterize Strange, he comes off as a moustache twirling villain instead of a man who genuinely believes Bruce is """sick""" and needs help, which makes the conflict far less interesting.

This pitch is GREAT. You're always so thoughtful about themes and characterization. Also, please consider making a Casting The Batman's Remaining Rogues video! My wife and I always lose our minds about your casting videos, and Giancarlo Esposito as Hugo Strange is positively inspired. We would love to see who you'd come up with for Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, Two-Face, Mad Hatter, Ventriloquist, Scarecrow, etc. as well as who you're imagining for Professor Pyg and White Rabbit!

I really like this pitch! However this feels like one of those “one bad apple” stories if we don’t see the abuse being undertook by other doctors/orderlies/guards that is overlooked by the system of the asylum

I feel like another lesson Bruce should take from the confrontation is that everyone is in need of help, support, and saving. Not just the average citizens, but the worst of his rogues, especially. That’s one thing I live about Batman is that once he grows to become THE BATMAN, he is just as motivated to save the villains as he is their victims. He sees them as sick, lost, or in pain. “Even after everything you’ve done, I still would have saved you.” One of my favorite episodes of Batman The Animated Series (Old Wounds), Batman gives a henchman a second chance at life by hiring him to work security at Wayne Enterprises so that he can support his family. It would tie in to Bruce’s efforts to rebuild Arkham to be a better care facility for Batman to show a similar goal for saving others and giving them second chances.

That dialogue pitch for the scene between Strange and Bats was amazing I felt like I was already seeing it in my mind