Ever wonder if youre living in the darkest timeline?
Columnist Joe Reid sifts through Hollywood history to figure it out.
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But Nolan wasnt the only director Warner was eyeing at the time.
What happens in the mirror universe where Aronofsky made the Batman movie instead of Nolan?
It starts with a Freddie Prinze Jr. rejection and ends with an HBO Max catastrophe, naturally.
Batman Begins With a Fight for Joaquin Phoenix
2.
An Even Darker Knight Takes Shape
2005:Batman: Year Oneopens in theaters.
Hes Bruce WayneandJohnny Cash?
Give that man an Oscar!
Christian Bale Plays Superman … Bale ends up snagging the lead role in what turns out to beSuperman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer.
Instead, we getBatman: Year Two, a much smaller, weirder follow-up film.
So when the Oscar nominations are announced, theres no real backlash to a Batman snub.
butyoutry telling Christian Bale not to alter his body for a big role).
A nice companion, sure, butHulkis the movie everybody is excited about.
This nets a huge payday for Bale, making him one of the worlds biggest movie stars.
Directing again, Nolan castsBatman: Year Onestar Rosario Dawson as Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a.
Black Widow, beginning to put the pieces of the Avengers together.
(Yup, no universe can escape it.)
This time, his original stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett actuallydostick around to make the movie.
Nolan ultimately leaves the project, with Marvel bringing in Joss Whedon to pick things up.
Having just come offThe Wolf of Wall Street, Leo has a ton of Oscar buzz surrounding him.
(As a result, Leo doesnt win forThe Revenantthe next year.
This clears the field forLa La Landto win Best Picture despite more than a few noisy detractors.
(Instead of Tony Starks I am Iron Man, Bruce Banners final line is Hulk … snap).
The film is considered a masterpiece, but the at-home audiencesloatheit.
Columnist Joe Reids ongoing series, Alternate Timelines, will appear regularly on Vulture.
