Darren Aronofsky Recalls Considering Joaquin Phoenix For Batman: Year One

Batman: Year One was a project that never happened over discrepancies between Darren Aronofsky and Warner Bros. regarding the script which Darren intended to reinvent the Batman character and wanted to cast Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role as Bruce Wayne.

Warner appointed Darren to direct and co-write alongside Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, a live-action animated film storyline for Batman: Year One, but their expectation was that script was one that Freddie Prinze would be the character in the lead role.

Darren tells it all during a discussion with Empire and revealed the irreconcilable differences over who takes the lead role between Freddie Prinze and Joaquin led to it being scrapped. Apparently, it seemed as they were making two films instead of one.

"The studio wanted Freddie Prinze, Jr. and I wanted Joaquin Phoenix," said Darren in a discussion with Empire. "That's a true story. It was a different time. The Batman I wrote was definitely a way different type than they ended up making."

Warner did not just reject Darren's idea about Batman: Year One and scrapped it altogether, the reason being that Batman Forever and Batman & Robin was poorly received - these two were the early entries of the franchise.

Darren went further to explain that he got the script wrong because all he knew about Batman then was Batman & Robin and was at loggerheads for trying to undermine that and reinvent it."

After canceling that project, Christopher Nolan was appointed to write and direct Batman Begins which was released in 2005 and that was the turnaround for the franchise. The film was nominated for Oscar Award for Best Cinematography. Bafta also nominated it in three categories.