It’s been 20 years since Tim Burton’s “Batman” introduced a moody Michael Keaton to movie audiences, effectively re-establishing the caped crusader as an obsessive loner after extended periods of live-action and animated campiness. While the more whimsical elements of 1992’s “Batman Returns” sometimes overshadow Burton’s legacy of gothic motifs, his two films’ darker take on Batman and the Joker are echoed in Christopher Nolan’s Bat-blockbusters.

MTV spoke with the “9” producer ahead of his appearance at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego about his time with the franchise and his take on cinematic superheroes — namely, Nolan’s acclaimed “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.”

“These [movies] are great. When I got involved with [the Batman franchise] many years ago things were ripe for a different interpretation,” Burton told MTV News. “When you look at character novels and [regenerated characters], they’re such strong things that they can take reinvention.”

“At the time for the ’89 ‘Batman’ it felt different at the time to make it darker,” he added. “That still is the trend to this day. At some point maybe it’ll go back to Adam West!”

Even though it seems unlikely that Batman will go-go dance onscreen again anytime soon, Burton’s point is already being proven by the partially West-inspired “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” on Cartoon Network. While retaining his tragic origin and unbreakable focus, this Batman dresses in lighter colors, cracks jokes and regularly smiles. The same goes for comic books with Dick Grayson’s more upbeat personality seeping into his role as the new Batman.

[Source] MTV