Watchmen Showrunner Describes His Idea for Dark Knight Returns Movie

Damon Lindelof has guided the first season of Watchmen home, for better or for worse. In an interview with Collider, he shared his thoughts on what he would like to see in a possible Dark Knight Returns live-action movie. Now, there have been animated adaptations from DC not too long ago, but people still wonder what a live-action version of the story could look like. Lindelof has a radical idea of what an eventual adaptation might resemble. Some of his sensibilities from taking on Watchmen seems to bleed into his ideas here. The showrunner had absolutely no interest in doing a straight-up adaptation of Watchmen. So, the Zack Snyder version of Dark Knight Returns is out. (Although, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice takes some definite inspiration from The Dark Knight Returns.) Here’s his whole explanation of the idea for the story of an old Bruce Wayne.

“The reason that I don’t have any interest in it is because that would be a straight-up adaptation. Where you’re taking something Frank Miller already wrote and illustrated and is perfect. Basically, you’re bringing it to life. Obviously, Superman is going to be in it if you’re doing Dark Knight straight up. All you’re basically doing is adapting something.”

“What made Dark Knight so amazing and revolutionary was that it was so original and groundbreaking. So, it’s like taking the dance instructions where the painted feet are there on the ground. You just have to hit the right steps. I would just be terrified of messing it up. More importantly, I want to freestyle. I’m not the guy for that.”

“I think it would be really interesting to wait for somebody like, you know, Michael Keaton, who has already done Batman, or a Christian Bale 25 years from now and then do Dark Knight with them. So, it’s someone who we actually saw play a younger version of Batman. That would be rad.”

For some fans, that would be an absolute blast as people really love those two actors in the role of The Caped Crusader. There are others who would absolutely despise Lindelof coming anywhere near The Dark Knight Returns. Like it or not though, the reception to Watchmen will only make people more curious about what the showrunner has planned next.

Upcoming DC movies include Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, Black Adam on December 22, 2021, Shazam! 2 on April 1, 2022, The Flash on July 1, 2022, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.