Unearthed: The Unlikely Duo That Almost Became Batman and Robin

With the arrival of Matt Reeves’s The Batman, Robert Pattinson assumes the mantle of the Dark Knight, adding his name to an illustrious roster that boasts Adam West, Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck. Yet, in the vast expanse of the DC Extended Universe, lies a realm where Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy were poised to take on the roles of Batman and Robin, steering the iconic duo into uncharted territory on the silver screen.

Believe it or not, this alternative reality nearly became our own. In the early 1980s, the late Ivan Reitman envisioned casting the comedic talents of Saturday Night Live alumni as Gotham’s guardians in a Batman feature film that never saw the light of day. “I had a discussion with Eddie Murphy, and he expressed interest in portraying Batman,” Murray reveals in an exclusive interview with Yahoo Entertainment, part of our ongoing series, The Never-Weres. “But that’s where it ended.” (Watch the interview above.)

Had Murphy seized the opportunity to embody the Caped Crusader, would Murray have stepped into the shoes of Robin? Not a chance! “I have no desire to play second fiddle,” quips the Ghostbusters star. “Perhaps in my youth, but by the ’80s, that ship had sailed. Besides, I couldn’t pull off the costume. Eddie can rock purple, but I’d resemble one of Santa’s helpers in red and green. Vanity played a significant role in that decision—it just wasn’t meant to be.”

While Murray’s remarks may be laced with humor, it’s no joke that he was Reitman’s top pick for the leading role in the Batman project that predates Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster starring Michael Keaton. Screenwriter Sam Hamm, credited with the Burton film, revealed this tidbit in the documentary Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight, released in 2005.

Further substantiating these rumors, executive producer Michael Uslan—whose tenure with the Batman franchise spans every feature film since obtaining the character rights in 1979—acknowledges Murray and Murphy’s involvement. “That aspect was deliberately kept from me,” he chuckles. “Some things are simply meant to be.”

Murray’s brush with the Batsuit marks just one chapter in Uslan’s tumultuous journey to bring the Dark Knight to cinematic life. Join him as he unravels the legend of the abortive early ’80s Batman film: its conception and near realization.

The genesis of Uslan’s stewardship of the Batman film franchise mirrors the Caped Crusader’s own origin story in terms of drama, albeit with a happier ending. Hailing from Bayonne, N.J., Michael Uslan’s fascination with Batman comics began at a young age, captivated by the iconic Silver Age covers. But unlike mere fans, Uslan didn’t just consume Batman stories; he aspired to shape them.

“On school breaks, I’d implore my mom to drive my friends and me to New York for the DC Comics Tuesday tours,” he recalls. And at 13, he began writing for comic fanzines, with his dad serving as chauffeur to the homes of legendary comic creators in the Tri-State area, including Batman co-creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger.

“My interactions with Jerry Robinson, Bob Kane, and later Dennis O’Neil, Neal Adams, and Lew Sayre Schwartz—figures pivotal to Batman’s history—were invaluable,” Uslan reflects. “Interviewing them offered me direct insights into the comic industry’s evolution. It was a formative experience.” (Explore more about Uslan’s formative years in his memoirs, The Boy Who Loved Batman and Batman’s Batman.)

During this era, many comic creators still grappled with the aftermath of psychiatrist Frederic Wertham’s 1954 book, Seduction of the Innocent, which cast a shadow over the industry, accusing comics of corrupting youth. Uslan felt a personal mission to restore honor to these creators, driven by his firsthand connections and respect for their legacy.

For Uslan, the night of January 12, 1966, marked a pivotal moment. Lorenzo Semple Jr.’s Batman TV series debuted, captivating audiences with its pop art aesthetic and campy charm. Yet, for Uslan, it struck a discordant note. “I was distraught,” he confesses, recalling that evening’s impact. “It’s an odd feeling, being simultaneously thrilled and dismayed.”

In the Uslan family den that night, a vow akin to Bruce Wayne’s oath over his parents’ graves was made. “Just as young Bruce Wayne vowed to become Batman, albeit under different circumstances—my parents were safe upstairs—I vowed to showcase the true essence of Batman to the world,” Uslan recounts. “I was determined to erase the ‘pow,’ ‘zap,’ and ‘wham’ from Batman’s cultural legacy. That became my mission.”

Unlike the fictional Wayne’s journey, Uslan’s path didn’t involve mastering martial arts or donning a costume. Instead, he pursued academia at Indiana University, where he taught the first college-level course on comic books. This led to a collaboration with DC Comics and eventually a successful bid for the film rights to Batman in 1979, laying the groundwork for a cinematic reinvention of the Dark Knight. “His ideas were revolutionary,” recalls Benjamin Melniker, Uslan’s collaborator at the time, in Shadows of the Bat. Their partnership resulted in a landmark deal with DC Comics, charting the course for Batman’s resurgence on the silver screen.