An Open Letter To Michael E. Uslan

Harrison F.
Nov 1 · 2 min read

Dear Mr. Uslan,

Usually when we talk about Batman films we talk about them in terms of the directors. Burton’s Batman movies, Schumacher’s movies, Nolan’s movies, Snyder’s movies.

As you know, since you are you, you have been a producer on every Batman movie major and minor since the 1989 Batman movie. You have been the one piece of connective tissue between all the live action movies, the animated movies, the Lego Batman movies, and most recently, Joker.

So here’s my question, the reason for this open letter:

Why you gotta show Thomas and Martha Wayne die in damn near every one of these movies? Especially the live action ones?

It’s not the 80s anymore. Audiences are savvy. Superhero cinema has dominated the box office for the past 20 years. We know that Thomas and Martha Wayne bite the dust in Crime Alley. We know that Bruce is there to witness this and it sends him down a path of grief and revenge and becoming the Batman.

So what’s the deal? Why is it in every movie? Who is demanding that it be shown again and again and again?

Also, let me take a step back for a second. Maybe I’m falsely attributing this decision to you. If that’s the case, then I am sorry. Maybe you’re just as frustrated as I am (and many other fans are) about including the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne in all these cinematic adaptations.

But still… Even if you are frustrated, it seems like you’re the perfect person to put a stop to it, right? You are the Batman producer. You’ve been doing this for 30 years! Surely if there’s anyone with the power stop this, then it’s you!

The death of Bruce Wayne’s parents is a huge part of his backstory, but at this point, every time the sequence starts in a Batman movie where we see the death of the parents, I check out of the movie for a few moments. The feeling I get when I watch these scenes is not “Oh no, poor Bruce Wayne.” It’s “C’mon, c’mon, we get it, let’s go. Can we speed this up?” I’m not trying to be callous. It’s just with so many Batman stories in cinema it feels over done. It breaks the immersion.

All that said, I do not mean any ill will towards you or the movies you’ve produced. I like a great many of these Batman movies. It’s beyond obvious that Batman is the corner stone of DC cinema. That you’ve been involved with them all these years is a testament to your love of the character.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I am anxiously looking forward to Matt Reeves’ The Batman (killer casting, btw).

Sincerely,

Harrison F.

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