People were pretty shocked to hear Thursday night that moviedom’s next Batman will be Ben Affleck.
An Oscar win for “Argo” has certainly turned around the career that seemed over with “Gigli” a decade ago. But a bigger question might be: Why need a new Batman at all? Can’t Hollywood come up with some other story rather than beating this dead one over and over in increasingly dark portrayals.
The most iconic Batman may have been the one who whose movie came out in the 60s, but was much better known for his role as the TV “Batman.”
Adam West, now 84, has the right perspective on the comic book that made him rich: he’s outgrown it.
Asked to be a TV Critics Association summer press tour panel along with comic book writers for an upcoming PBS documentary called “Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle,” West proved his own such battle is long over. West says he’s “done with it. I just love the money.”
Asked what he thought about the various Batmen that came after him, West said, “I really don’t even think about it.”
He doesn’t even go to see the increasingly dark movies. “I just enjoy seeing bits and pieces whenever I check into a hotel or something and it’s playing,” West said.
“Listen,” he finally said, “I’ve been an icon, I’ve been a Superhero, if you will, for almost 50 years. Now, in a sense I’m very grateful for this that we created something that is so lasting.”
But he also said that while he admired what modern comic book writers are doing,he has mostly outgrown it and “became a little more elevated.”