The Batman: Arkham Origins trailer Tim Miller directed has been a fan blueprint for years. It’s time someone listened.
While the live-action projects steal the spotlight, the DCU’s animated department is also gearing up for a busy year with several direct-to-DVD films in the pipeline. Among them is Batman: Knightfall Part I. From new art styles to unique story direction, there’s bound to be a few surprises in store. But wouldn’t it be cool to see director Tim Miller involved in the next animated Batman movie?
Miller is known for his directorial work on Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate, but he cut his teeth as a renowned visual effects artist for many years. He co-founded Blur Studio, which has been responsible for CGI cutscenes for video games such as Need for Speed: Underground and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Perhaps less publicised, Tim Miller directed the fan-favourite Batman: Arkham Origins trailer that pitted the Dark Knight against Deathstroke. The trailer has done the rounds on the internet for years as fans have clamoured for it to be used as a template for a live-action Batman film, with its intense action sequences and moments of sheer comic book splendour.
Batman: Arkham Origins Has the Best Batman Story Nobody Talks About
When you look back at the Arkham video games, not many fans list Batman: Arkham Origins as their favourite title. It was considered far too similar to Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, without moving the franchise forward enough to stand out.
Where Batman: Arkham Origins excels, however, is in its story. Much like Matt Reeves’ The Batman, it’s set in the Dark Knight’s second year as a crimefighter. He isn’t quite the character everyone knows and fears. Instead, he’s a mysterious and unknown quantity at the beginning stages of his journey. And that’s what makes this tale interesting since it isn’t a beat-for-beat retelling of the origin story that everyone knows all too well.
Batman: Arkham Origin writers Dooma Wendschuh, Ryan Galletta, and Corey May really upped the stakes here, with a story that borrows freely from other unexpected genres. Set on Christmas Eve, Black Mask places a $50 million bounty on Batman. Eight of the deadliest assassins and villains heed the call, as the Dark Knight needs to defend himself and Gotham City. However, a spanner is thrown into the works as a new foe known only as the Joker enters the fray…
It’s an action, but it also has elements of a thriller in it. Plus, it’s set over the festive season, so could it be like Die Hard and considered a Christmas story?
Undoubtedly, the narrative suits the video game format like a glove. Its intentional breaks allow for fluid chapters and formidable bosses for Batman to defeat along the way. At the same time, its cinematic cutscenes are some of the best we’ve ever seen. The incredible Deathstroke vs Batman fight, directed by Tim Miller, as an example, is constantly lauded as an iconic moment, as are the tension-ridden and eerie encounters between the main hero and Joker.
Why Tim Miller Is the Only Director Who Can Do This Justice
Now, imagine a new animated film about Gotham City’s protector in the same style as the Arkham Origins trailer. Especially with Miller calling the shots and bringing his unique brand of storytelling to the forefront of this new animated universe. Yes, Tim Miller might be exploring the live-action world, but it’d be a wasted opportunity if his interpretation of Batman wasn’t explored further. Director Matt Reeves & James Gunn might be standing in his way on the blockbuster front, but the animated universe could allow Miller to do things that he wouldn’t be allowed to do in a live-action Batman film. More importantly, it could set a new standard for animated superhero feature films.
For years, fans have argued that DC’s animated movies lost their magic when they moved away from standalone stories and focused on a connected universe based on the New 52 comics. This shift started with Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) and ended with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020). While this approach introduced fresh takes on characters, it struggled with weak marketing and declining DVD sales.
Now, under DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn, things are changing again. The new DC Universe has already kicked off with Creature Commandos, and while some animated films may still be standalone, others will be part of this new continuity. A Batman animated film directed by Tim Miller could fit perfectly into Gunn’s DCU, helping it make a big impact right away.
Hollywood Already Tried to Steal This Story — Here’s the Proof
Ben Affleck’s Batman film was rumoured to feature him taking on multiple villains in one evening. Hmm… Does it sound familiar? In all likelihood, Batman: Arkham Origins entered the discussion at the scriptwriting phase and several ideas might’ve been utilised as well. Especially considering how Deathstroke was set to be a big character too, there’s no way that the team wouldn’t have referred to the epic encounter in the game as a storyboard reference.
If Affleck’s film had cribbed a few ideas from the video game, it would’ve made sense and worked well since Batman: Arkham Origins’ story structure doesn’t rely on—despite the name—any origins. Rather it provides the audience with established introductions. The game trusts that you know the rogues and brings them into the story in an organic way, without trying to give them an entire backstory. They are here to serve the Batman’s story, and not the other way around.
The Animated Batman Film DC Needs to Make Right Now
Naturally, this is all hypothetical at the moment. Tim Miller has never publicly said he’d like to direct an animated Batman film, nor is it likely that DC and Warner Bros. have reached out to him to do so. In fact, Miller’s stock has risen in Hollywood and he might be commanding a fee that’s too far out of the budget for these projects.
While it’s too late now to turn The Batman II into a live-action adaptation of Batman: Arkham Origins, there’s no doubt that it’d make a fantastic film at some point. Until then, you can go onto YouTube and find all the cutscenes combined into one really long feature film. Trust us, it’s worth watching. Still, fans can dream of seeing another round of the fabled Batman and Deathstroke fight, right?
