Overview

• In a new Happy Sad Confused interview, Aronofsky describes a down-and-dirty, duct-tape approach that would have carried an R rating and ignored merchandise goals.
• He co-wrote the script with Frank Miller as a Year One–inspired reboot that reimagined core lore, including a homeless Bruce Wayne and an auto-shop mentor nicknamed Little Al.
• Aronofsky preferred Joaquin Phoenix for Bruce Wayne, whereas the studio leaned toward Freddie Prinze Jr.
• He acknowledges he never believed the studio would make the film, which remained unproduced before Christopher Nolan rebooted the franchise with Batman Begins.
• The effort dates to around 2000, during Warner Bros.' search for a darker direction after Batman & Robin.