What if WB made a show about Bruce Wayne instead of Clark Kent?

[bannermanonemillion]

Imagine....

Let's say WB decided to create a show about the formative years of Bruce Wayne instead of Clark Kent. IOW, they figure thanks to the Donner Superman, everyone pretty much knows the hows and whys of Superman but Batman got barely a half-origin in the Burton comics. And the Animated Batman was more focused on the Bat than the boy who grew into it, so what if we didn't get Smallville but instead got a show centering around Bruce Wayne's youth?

Who would the other characters be?

Any ideas for guest stars?

Would young Bruce out-mope young Clark?

[nervmeister]

It would probaly feature the nameless comedian (aka. Red Hood).

[StoneGold]

They were going to at one point. I remember at one point, there was a plan to do a show that would basically serve as a prequel to the first new Batman movie.

[CaptainAwesome]

ive heard that they planned to do do ones about Batman and The Flash. I think that the only one it would work for is clark. Bruce would just be whiny and the flash was either already a hero (wally) or didnt have his powers (barry).

[bigman45]

but they did do one about the flash .. it tanked .. true story .. and .. nobody wants to see a show about batmans or birds of pray would have done good.. and don't get me started on mutant x ... but the funny thing i did like that show :eek:

[sgt.candy]

coincidently, i was reading an old wizard today about this, before smallville came out

[Slappy san]

They'd find a way to screw it up with their old WB formula.

[Pól Rua]

They were considering doing one at about the time Lois & Clark was big, basically 'The Private Life of Bruce Wayne'. As L&C focused on the work environment and personal lives of the main character, so 'Private Life' would focus on Bruce Wayne as corporate hotshot and billionnaire playboy who just happens to dress as a bat and belt the bejeezus out of criminals occasionally.

Frankly, though, a Smallville-style Batman series could be good. Basically detailing the life of a young man who is obsessively training himself to be the best in everything he can be, from criminology through martial arts to the sciences.
Showing the conflict between him trying to be 'human' and him following his 'mission' could be fairly intriguing. As well as the conflict between duty and self-control, and his rage and desire for revenge.
I wouldn't include any kind of proto-Joker, but characters like Vicki Vale, Silver St.Cloud, Alfred, Lucius Fox and (especially) Harvey Dent could feature.

[bannermanonemillion]

Frankly, though, a Smallville-style Batman series could be good. Basically detailing the life of a young man who is obsessively training himself to be the best in everything he can be, from criminology through martial arts to the sciences.
Showing the conflict between him trying to be 'human' and him following his 'mission' could be fairly intriguing. As well as the conflict between duty and self-control, and his rage and desire for revenge.
I wouldn't include any kind of proto-Joker, but characters like Vicki Vale, Silver St.Cloud, Alfred, Lucius Fox and (especially) Harvey Dent could feature.

Agreed. I'd love to see how Bruce declined saner options like being a cop, a gov't agent or (gasp!) the military.

I've got some ideas percolating as we speak.....

[elheffe]

I wouldn't include any kind of proto-Joker, but characters like Vicki Vale, Silver St.Cloud, Alfred, Lucius Fox and (especially) Harvey Dent could feature.
I'd like to see an young Selina Kyle.

[Royal]

We'd see Bas Rutten as "Wicked" Teddy Grant.

http://www.realfighting.com/0102/imgs/basrut.jpg

[Iangould]

I wouldn't include any kind of proto-Joker, but characters like Vicki Vale, Silver St.Cloud, Alfred, Lucius Fox and (especially) Harvey Dent could feature.

Toss in The Sensei too - and maybe even R'as Al Ghul.

[Iangould]

Of all the DC characters, the oen who think would make a GREAT show along these lines is Martian Manhunter:

Think about it, an alien stranded on Earth in the 1950's, trying to make sense of those strange "humans" and working as a cop.

[monkeysweat]

That's where the idea for Smallville came from. The original plan was to have a show called "Bruce Wayne," that would follow him on his adventures between his parents' deaths and his becoming Batman. But WB nixed the idea and the producers opted to go with Clark Kent instead.

[jimmyboy]

I think such a show would work great, of course depending on how they handle it. They could show him tavelling around, learning, growing, and training in his obsessive manner. Somewhere early on he meets Clark Kent, maybe Jonn, maybe Diana. Yes, the meeting part could be real hokey, depending on how they handle it. At least, he should come into contact with Clark. Maybe somehow he comes across Lex Luthor.

Who knows. There are lots of ways to handle it, some good, some not so good, but there is a good way to do it.

[Magneto_X]

That's where the idea for Smallville came from. The original plan was to have a show called "Bruce Wayne," that would follow him on his adventures between his parents' deaths and his becoming Batman. But WB nixed the idea and the producers opted to go with Clark Kent instead.

Which is strange. A show based on Wayne (pre-"Batman Begins") would be way cheaper to make then a show on Superman.

And Bats has always been slightly more popular than Supes, too.

[monkeysweat]

Which is strange. A show based on Wayne (pre-"Batman Begins") would be way cheaper to make then a show on Superman.

And Bats has always been slightly more popular than Supes, too.
I think they assume that people are stupid and that having both a TV and movie Batman would confuse them. I can't honestly say they're wrong.