Overview

• Darren Aronofsky reiterated on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he co-wrote a raw, R-rated Batman script with Frank Miller inspired by Batman: Year One.
• He described the unmade film as a "down and dirty, duct-tape" take that "wasn't gonna be selling Batmobile [toys]."
• Aronofsky said he pitched Joaquin Phoenix for Bruce Wayne, while Warner Bros. preferred Freddie Prinze Jr., underscoring a creative disconnect.
• The script proposed major departures from canon, including a homeless Bruce Wayne and an Alfred reimagined as an auto shop owner called "Little Al."
• He acknowledged he never fully pursued the project, using the Batman talks to push The Fountain, and the studio ultimately moved on, later handing the reboot to Christopher Nolan.