Sam Hamm’s Plans for Robin in 1989
The studio insisted on having Robin in the picture, and Tim and I couldn’t figure out how or where to squeeze him in. We spent a whole weekend pacing around in a sweat, but we couldn’t get anywhere, and we finally decided that we would have to call the WB brass and tell them there would be no Robin.Well, I did.
Then, moments away from picking up the phone, we started spitballing again, and miraculously, we came up with a really cool Robin sequence. So a couple of years later, when production is underway, and the picture is running over budget, what does the studio decide to cut? You guessed it – Robin! And in the end, nobody missed him.
Here’s one version of the scene Hamm came up with, from an early version of the screenplay. This comes toward the end of the movie, after Batman and the Joker have already been tussling. The Flying Graysons are performing their trapeze act…suspended from helicopters. And Batman, for some reason, is on horseback.
ANGLE ON FLYING GRAYSONSYes, it goes on.
GRAYSON has just completed a double somersault in midair, landing in the capable hands of his wife. Now they're swinging again, building momentum as he prepares to make the return leap back to his own trapeze.
INT. HELICOPTER - THAT MOMENT
In the bay of the helicopter stands a kid, fifteen, compact, tough, and wiry: DICK GRAYSON. Like his parents, he's wearing a red-and-green suit. From the copter, he's got a perfect bird's-eye view of the BATMAN-JOKER chase.
PILOT
Ready to go, Dick?
DICK
What's all the ruckus down there?
EXT. PARK - GROUND LEVEL - THAT MOMENT
The VAN bounces over rocks and bushes, narrowly avoiding trees, with BATMAN in hot pursuit.
INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT
At the foot of a hill, the JOKER spies a truck. On its side, in bright red letters, a WARNING: "DANGER - FIREWORKS. FLAMMABLE LOAD."
The JOKER reaches into the back for a HIGHWAY FLARE.
JOKER
Head for the truck!
INT. HELICOPTER - THAT MOMENT
Hovering over the chase scene, DICK catches sight of the JOKER. He GASPS IN SHOCK as a LIT FLARE flies from the back of the VAN... directly into the FIREWORKS TRUCK.
EXT. PARK - GROUND LEVEL - A MOMENT LATER
THE BATMAN is thrown off his horse by the shock of a massive EXPLOSION. All at once, THE SKY IS FULL of BURSTING, INCANDESCENT COLORS!!
THE JOKER hangs out of the rear of the van, looking up, an expression of PURE DELIGHT on his face.
JOKER
I love fireworks!
ANGLE ON HELICOPTERS
LURCHING AND SPINNING IN THE SKY as FIREWORKS rocket past. One of them takes a dead hit on the rotor. JOHN GRAYSON falls to his death instantly; a moment later, the COPTER plummets into the trees with a resounding, fiery CRASH.
MARY GRAYSON hangs from the second copter as it bobs and weaves out of control. ONLOOKERS SCREAM IN TERROR.
EXT. STREET - THAT MOMENT
THE JOKER'S VAN bursts out of the park and speeds up a wide, cordoned-off avenue. Overhead, THE SECOND COPTER veers wildly, out of the park now, swinging dangerously close to the tall buildings along the avenue.
INT. HELICOPTER - THAT MOMENT
DICK GRAYSON at the mouth of the bay, hanging on by a canvas strap. He watches helplessly as his MOTHER swings into a POWER LINE and drops three stories to the pavement.
DICK
NO! NOOOOOOOO!!!!
His face is contorted with rage and pain. The PILOT struggles desperately to right the copter, barely avoiding a collision with the nearest building. And then -- before THE PILOT can make a move to stop him -- DICK HAS JUMPED OUT OF THE COPTER.
ANGLE ON DICK
With astonishing physical grace, he DIVES. GRABS A FLAGPOLE. Executes a perfect somersault. FLIPS onto a nearby fire escape. VAULTS to the next fire escape down. And LEAPS OUT OVER THE STREET --
-- MAKING A PERFECT TWO-POINT LANDING on his intended target... THE ROOF OF THE JOKER'S VAN!!
INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT
THE JOKER hears a THUNK overhead. He casually lifts his gun and BLOWS A HOLE THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE VAN.
EXT. ROOF OF VAN - MOVING - THAT MOMENT
The blast just misses DICK. He sprawls flat, YANKS at the chrome luggage rack on the roof of the van, and BREAKS OFF A FOUR-FOOT SHAFT OF METAL.
ANOTHER SHOT through the roof. DICK rolls forward, hoists his chrome spear over the windshield.
INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT
SPLINTERED GLASS flies everywhere as DICK RAMS THE SHAFT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER dodges left and LOSES CONTROL OF THE WHEEL.
EXT. ROOF OF VAN - MOVING - THAT MOMENT
The VAN careens wildly toward an OVERPASS. DICK rises up into a crouch just in time to see a sign which reads "DANGER -- LOW CLEARANCE." He's about to get his head taken off!
ONE SECOND BEFORE IMPACT a BLACK-CAPED SHADOW swings across the street and SCOOPS DICK OFF THE ROOF OF THE VAN.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
BATMAN AND DICK tumble to the pavement. THE VAN knocks over a fire hydrant and STOPS. DICK is already on his feet, ready to CHARGE THE VAN, when BATMAN throws a powerful arm around his waist.
DICK
LET ME GO! LET ME --
THE JOKER steps casually out of the van. TWO GOONS with MACHINE GUNS emerge behind him. PEDESTRIANS SCREAM as the GOONS level their guns at the CROWD.
DICK (cont.)
YOU PIECE OF -- YOU MOTHERF--
DICK is kicking, screaming, clawing, biting. BATMAN has his hands full restraining the kid.
JOKER
Like your boyfriend. He's kinda hot.
(glowering at BATMAN)
Hands off the belt.
BATMAN
Take me. Let the boy go.
JOKER
Gosh, I could kill you, but then you'd miss my party. And I'd be real, real sad if you couldn't make it.
BATMAN
What are you talking about?
JOKER
Batman! Don't you even recognize your old pal Jack? After all...
(cackling insanely)
You made me what I am today.
BATMAN cocks his head in puzzlement as DISTANT SIRENS BLARE. The JOKER and his HOODS -- guns still aimed at the crowd -- back away and race off on foot, vanishing into the night.
DICK BREAKS FREE and BOLTS AFTER THEM. BATMAN throws him to the street with a flying tackle. The boy is hysterical.
DICK
HE KILLED MY PARENTS! HE KILLED MY --
BATMAN flinches at the sound of the words. He reaches into his belt and -- mercifully -- breaks a KNOCKOUT CAPSULE under DICK's nose.
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