Darren Aronofsky says his ‘Batman’ film got scrapped because he wanted to cast Joaquin Phoenix

nme.com:

The studio wanted someone very different to take on the superhero's role Darren Aronofksy has shared what got his Batman movie scrapped – his desire to cast Joaquin Phoenix as the Caped Crusader.

The director was in the running to helm a film in the DC Comics universe in the early ‘00s, but the project didn’t end up going ahead.

Speaking to Empire, Aronofsky explained he had a difference of opinion to Warner Bros when it came to casting decisions. “The studio wanted Freddie Prinze Jr and I wanted Joaquin Phoenix,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘Uh oh, we’re making two different films here.’ That’s a true story.

It was a different time. The Batman I wrote was definitely a way different type of take than they ended up making.” Christopher