Zack Snyder Addresses Whether His Live-Action DARK KNIGHT RETURNS Movie Could Actually Happen
Zack Snyder has once again addressed the possibility of making a live-action adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, and while nothing is officially happening, Snyder certainly isn’t trying to kill the idea.
Fans have been talking about Snyder adapting Frank Miller’s legendary comic for years. Snyder has previously called The Dark Knight Returns his favorite comic book, and considering the influence Miller’s story had on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s easy to understand why people continue to wonder if he might eventually get the chance to tackle the entire story.
During a recent appearance on the Preston & Steve show, Snyder was asked about the ongoing Dark Knight Returns rumors, and he seemed perfectly happy to keep them alive.
“I love the rumors. Maybe if there’s enough rumors, someone will make the movie. Someone will be like, the rumors are so thick that we just have to film it.”
The host pointed out that persistent fan interest and speculation played a major role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League eventually becoming a reality. Snyder agreed and said he “put weight on the rumors” because they usually work.
So he clearly wants it to happen. As for whether The Dark Knight Returns could be next, Snyder kept his answer appropriately mysterious: “So, you know, yeah. Who knows?”.
This isn’t the first time Snyder has recently entertained the idea. He previously appeared at an event in Los Angeles with Miller, where he was once again asked when he would finally make the movie. His response was simple: “When they let us.”
Snyder also joked about one major advantage of adapting Miller’s comic: “Well, the good news is he’s already finished the comic book. That’s done. So the good news is, the hard work is over. The heavy lifting, if you will.”
Naturally, fans have been trying to figure out exactly who Snyder meant by “they,” with some theorizing that he could have been referring to the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.
Adding another interesting wrinkle to the story, insiders speaking with Cosmic Book News have claimed that Snyder and storyboard artist and director Jay Oliva have already storyboarded a Dark Knight Returns adaptation.
As far as direct comic book adaptations go, Snyder taking on The Dark Knight Returns makes a lot of sense. His visual style feels tailor-made for Miller’s massive, brutal version of Gotham City and its aging Batman.
We’ve already seen Snyder pull heavily from the comic visually in Batman v Superman, particularly with Batman’s armored suit and his confrontation with Superman.
Personally, I’d love to see what Snyder could do if he were allowed to simply adapt Miller’s story as its own standalone film without worrying about building a larger cinematic universe.
Watchmen is still one of the best live-action comic book adaptations to date, and Snyder showed there that he can take iconic comic imagery and translate it to the screen with total commitment to the source material.
Give him The Dark Knight Returns, let him embrace Miller’s artwork and story, and see what happens. It could make for one hell of a Batman movie.
For now, though, Snyder clearly isn’t closing the door, and judging by his comments, he’s more than happy for fans to keep knocking on it.