Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, put simply is the greatest Batman graphic novel ever written. It is a groundbreaking work that has been referenced for two decades. An obvious influence on Christopher Nolan's portrayal of the "Dark Knight". Zack Snyder also revealed that he would love the chance to one day reboot the franchise after Nolan's trilogy and stated his movie would be based on Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Today that British institution and rumored former Ale conglomerate BleedingCool report that work has started on an animated adaptation of Miller and Klaus Janson's 1986 cult classic, The Dark Knight Returns. Hit the jump for details.
"Bleeding Cool have heard from multiple sources (enough with the multiples already) that work is underway on a movie adaptation of Frank Miller and Klaus Janson‘s classic The Dark Knight Returns. As you might have guessed, however, this is to be an animated adaptation, much like the recent All Star Superman or in-the-works Year One. Fittingly, Year One will come along first, but DKR is already in the early stages of development. According to our sources, several veterans of Batman toons past will be on the crew list, though we’re still trying to confirm who is writing and directing the film."
The plot of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises.
The Dark Knight Returns is set in a dystopian near-future version of Gotham City. A year is never specified, though it has been a full decade since the last reported sighting of Batman. Gotham City has sunk deeper into decadence and lawlessness. Now, when his city needs him most, the Dark Knight returns in a blaze of glory. Joined by Carrie Kelly, a teenage female Robin, Batman takes to the streets to end the threat of the mutant gangs that have overrun the city. And after facing off against his two greatest enemies, the Joker and Two-Face, for the final time, Batman finds himself in mortal combat with his former ally, Superman, in a battle that only one of them will survive.
This is not the first time the cult graphic novel has been up for adaption, about ten years ago Warner was developing a big screen version of The Dark Knight Returns with plans for the Hughes brothers [The Book of Eli] to direct Clint Eastwood as Batman who would have been somewhere between 60 and 70 years old. Before you get excited, keep in mind that everything related to the project is entirely unofficial at this point and there's no guarantee that we'll see such such a film.
