bit of news on 60s Batman show closer to DVD release

[madmarva]

In this snippet of news from digitalbits.com, it reports Christopher Nolan may have slowed the release of the Batman TV show to DVD. It's reported without attribution so it could be a rumor.



"And here's something pretty cool: Consider this Rumor Mill-worthy, but we've been hearing in recent weeks that Warner Home Video and 20th Century Fox are finally making moves toward releasing the the classic 1960s Batman TV series (starting Adam West and Burt Ward) on disc. Multiple sources who have spoken to the actors in recent weeks have heard from them that something was finally in the works as far as a DVD release. As many of you know, Warner owns the rights to the characters but Fox owns the TV show, so working out a deal has been difficult. This has apparently been complicated by the fact that Dark Knight feature film director Christopher Nolan didn't want older, campier versions of Batman competing for audience attention with his more serious film version. But now that his trilogy is done, it appears the situation has changed. Variety ran a story last month suggesting that new licensing deals on the 60s series have been worked out, and new products are already starting to be announced. So it appears that there could finally be some BIFF!, BAM! and POW! on your TV screens come 2013. More as it comes in."

Link to the web story. It's towards the bottom of the report

Look forward to this release and playing Frisbee with my bootleg copies.

[batty]

Awsome! Finally, after all these years of waiting!

[kingdom warrior]

I hope Nolan understands that there is no definitive version of Batman, That multiple versions of Batman can co-exist at the same time.....His version is just one of many of the Dark knight it is NOT the definitive version.......

[BlackKnight]

All this crap shoulda came out 10 years ago, for ultimate sales.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Wish it would have come out sooner, too. Hope there is a DVD version if it does come out.

[Blue Meanie]

There are 2 things that are certain with non dvd releases...The Beatles Let It Be will never be released on DVD and the other is that the Batman 66 series will never be released on DVD. It's all fine and dandy that the actors involved in the 66 series are talking...but Barris is the one sticking point. As long as he thinks the Batmobile was the star of the show...they'll never release the series. Barris is one of the main sticking points with an official release. I'll believe it when I see the set in stores. Til then it's a dream.

[bobws]

For Christopher Nolan: I prefer the 60's camp to your dark knight.

[thunderbolt]

Barris has gotten over it, see all the 66 Hot Wheels Batmobiles out there. The merchandising is getting geared up with Hot Toys and Mattel making figures. The series is coming, otherwise all the merchandise in the works would not be happening.

There are 2 things that are certain with non dvd releases...The Beatles Let It Be will never be released on DVD and the other is that the Batman 66 series will never be released on DVD. It's all fine and dandy that the actors involved in the 66 series are talking...but Barris is the one sticking point. As long as he thinks the Batmobile was the star of the show...they'll never release the series. Barris is one of the main sticking points with an official release. I'll believe it when I see the set in stores. Til then it's a dream.

[The Toyroom]

Yeah Barris is no longer part of the problem from what I've heard....

[Earth 2 Chris]

I don't buy that about Nolan. He was commenting on the Barris Batmobile in the portion of "The Batmobile" documentary CW aired last week. He seemed very fond of that car, and the show from his youth.

It could be true, but I just don't personally believe it.

I do think, that despite some comments to the contrary, these new licensing deals must have broken some of the legal ice keeping the DVDs from happening.

Chris

[Earth 2 Chris]

I just saw this quote from Nolan concerning the next version of Batman coming to film:

"When I first met with Paul Levitz of DC Comics prior to BATMAN BEGINS, he explained to me clearly that Batman, of all superheroes, has thrived on reinterpretation and almost is strengthened by it. And I'm talking about over the years in the comic books but also in the movies. So when the time is right, whenever someone does whatever the next iteration of the character is, they simply need to be true to whatever it is they want to see, to what they believe in, not worry too much about what everyone else is telling them it should be."

Doesn't sound like a guy hung up on different interpretations of a character coexisting, does it?

Chris

[MIB41]

I'm with Chris. I think our society has become diverse enough to except Batman in different capacities. And I can't see Nolan remotely caring about a DVD box set running interference with his films. We already have Batman in various cartoon incarnations on DVD and television. How would the Adam West version change that dynamic? Well at least we'll get some nice clean copies of these shows... I hope!

[thunderbolt]

Yeah Barris is no longer part of the problem from what I've heard....

If Hot Toys is making one for its 1/6th line I'd say he's definitely not a problem anymore.

[madmarva]

I thought the Nolan part was interesting, one if it was true, it kind of sucked, but two look how quickly someone gets thrown under the bus once his work is done.

When I first read it, I immediately thought that Brave and Bold ran simultaneously with at least Dark Knight and if not Begins. Warner's has also released just about everything it could from it's Batman library — from serials to cartoons to Legends of the Super Heroes (with West and Ward) during the run of Nolan's Trilogy and none carried the same tone of Nolan's work. So, like others I doubt the veracity of the unattributed rumor.

Digitalbits.com is an informative site with a lot of good sources, but it's a fan site, not a bastion of journalistic integrity.

Also, like others have stated, there is too much licensed material coming down the pipeline for the DVDs not to be on their way. Mattel's figure line is supposed to begin fall of 2013. I'm guessing that's when we'll see the release.

Question: Would you rather see it released as seasons or a master set to begin with? (I'm sure Warner's would do both eventually, if the DVDs are ever released).

My collector's side would rather have a full box set from the beginning, but my wallet would rather have it split up by seasons or even half seasons.

I could eventually see the show getting the Star Trek treatment with smaller sets featuring various characters finest moments — Best of the Riddler or Best of Batgirl.

He was commenting on the Barris Batmobile in the portion of "The Batmobile" documentary CW

I enjoyed that documentary quite a bit. It is something I would have really loved as a kid. I read there will be an expanded version on the BKR Blu-Ray.

[MIB41]

I would be willing to bet it will be first released like the Six Million Dollar Man. A box set extravaganza of the entire run to cater to fans who have waited so long. Of course it will come at a price... Then later, like Six Mill, it will start coming out as seasonal sets. That's my thinking.