Toys - Hot Toys Batman (1989) : Take a look on the upcoming Collectible Action Figurine 1/6

By Mulder, 14 february 2023

Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Directed by Tim Burton, it is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial Batman film series. The film was produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber and stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance. The film takes place early in the title character's war on crime and depicts his conflict with his archenemy The Joker.

After Burton was hired as director in 1986, Steve Englehart and Julie Hickson wrote film treatments before Sam Hamm wrote the first screenplay. Batman was not greenlit until after the success of Burton's Beetlejuice (1988). The tone and themes of the film were partly influenced by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke and Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. The film primarily adapts and diverts from the "Red Hood" origin story for the Joker, having Batman inadvertently cause gangster Jack Napier to fall into Axis Chemical acid, triggering his transformation into the psychotic Joker. Additionally, Batman creator Bob Kane worked as a consultant for the film. Numerous A-list actors were considered for the role of Batman before Keaton was cast. Keaton's casting was controversial since, by 1988, he had become typecast as a comedic actor and many observers doubted he could portray a serious role. Nicholson accepted the role of the Joker under strict conditions that dictated top billing, a portion of the film's earnings (including associated merchandise), and his own shooting schedule.

Filming took place at Pinewood Studios from October 1988 to January 1989. The budget escalated from $30 million to $48 million, while the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike forced Hamm to drop out. Warren Skaaren did rewrites, with additional uncredited drafts done by Charles McKeown and Jonathan Gems.

Batman was both critically and financially successful, earning over $400 million in box office totals. Critics and audiences particularly praised Nicholson and Keaton's performances, Burton's direction, the production design, and Elfman's score. It was the fifth-highest-grossing film in history at the time of its release. The film received several Saturn Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination for Nicholson's performance, and won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction. It also led to the development of the equally successful Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), which in turn began the DC Animated Universe of spin-off media, and has influenced Hollywood's modern marketing and development techniques of the superhero film genre. The film was followed by three sequels: Batman Returns (1992), with both Burton and Keaton returning; Batman Forever (1995), which featured Val Kilmer in the lead role; and Batman & Robin (1997), which featured George Clooney in the role.

Tim Burton’s movie spin on the story of fan-favorite Batman released in 1989 is iconic to a generation of Dark Knight fans. Starred Michael Keaton as the multimillionaire Bruce Wayne, who has transformed himself into the crime-fighting Batman after witnessing his parents’ brutal murder as a child. Michael Keaton’s return to the role of Batman in The Flash movie gave chills to DC fans! Expanding on the current Bat collection, Hot Toys is introducing a brand new 1/6th scale Batman collectible figure based on Tim Burton’s Batman (1989).

Meticulous and faithful recreation of Michael Keaton’s remarkable appearance as Batman in Batman (1989), the highly-detailed 1/6th scale figure features a newly developed Batman head with separate rolling eyeballs and interchangeable lower faces techniques design; a specialized body highlighting Batman’s muscular form; the newly designed Batsuit to mimic the material appearance; unique Bat gadgets including grapple gun, gauntlet with line launcher, rope attached batarang, ninja wheels, smoke capsules; also accessories including a white heel shoe, Batmobile remote, bomb timer and punch gear.

The 1/6th scale Batman Collectible Figure specially features :
- Authentic and detailed likeness of Michael Keaton as Batman in Batman (1989) movie
- One newly developed Batman head with separate rolling eyeball function and three (3) interchangeable lower faces capturing Batman’s facial expressions
- Movie-accurate facial expression and skin texture
- Approximately 30 cm tall
- Specialized body with 30 points of articulation
- Eight pieces of interchangeable gloved hands including:
- One pair of fists
- One pair of relaxed hands
- One pair of weapon holding hands
- One remote holding right hand
- One open left hand
- Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted

Costume :
- One Bat-suit with cape and Batman logo on chest
- One utility belt
- One pair of black boots

Weapons :
- One grapple gun
- One gauntlet with line launcher
- One rope attached batarang
- Two ninja wheels
- Three smoke capsules

Accessories :
- One white heel shoe
- One Batmobile remote
- One bomb timer
- One punch gear
- A figure stand with movie logo and character name

Synopsis :
The famous and ruthless vigilante, Batman, is back. Better looking, stronger and more dusted than ever, he's about to clean up Gotham City and take on the terrible Joker.

Batman
Directed by Tim Burton
Screenplay by Sam Hamm
Warren Skaaren
Story by Sam Hamm
Based on Characters by DC Comics Batman by Bob Kane Bill Finger
Produced by Jon Peters, Peter Guber
Starring Jack Nicholson,Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat HingleBilly Dee Williams, Michael Gough
Jack Palance
Cinematography : Roger Pratt
Edited by Ray Lovejoy
Music by Danny Elfman
Production companies : Warner Bros, Guber-Peters Company, Polygram Pictures,
Distributed by Warner Bros
Release dates : June 19, 1989 (Westwood, Los Angeles), June 23, 1989 (United States), August 11, 1989 (United Kingdom), September 13 1989 (France)
Running time : 126 minutes

Specifications :
product code : MM692
product name : Batman
heigh tapproximately : 30 cm tall
points of articulations : 30
special features : newly developed Batman Head with separate rolling eyeball function;
product release datea : pproximately Q2 –Q3 2024

You can discover the Hot Toys photos on our Flickr page

*Prototype shown, final product may be slightly different
**Product details can subject to change without further notice