Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood Almost Starred in This Live-Action Superhero Film

Clint Eastwood is one of the most recognizable faces in all of Hollywood. His grizzled personality helped define the western genre and today he’s a highly regarded filmmaker still directing and starring in films at the age of 92. Unlike many of his counterparts in the business, Eastwood is one of the few major names yet to take a stab at the superhero genre.

He might not have ever put on a cape, but he did come close. His name has been tossed around for superhero roles in the past. As far as superhero roles go, few are as big as the Dark Knight himself, Batman.

The character has seen many iterations over the years. From the classic TV version starring Adam West, to the most recent film starring Robert Pattinson. One version that is beloved by Batman fans is the animated series Batman Beyond. This story features a Bruce Wayne who’s much older than the version we’re used to. Confined to a wheelchair, this Batman finds a young protege to take the cowl and become the new Caped Crusader.

Fans have begged to see this version of the character in film for years. It very nearly happened with Eastwood taking on the elderly version of Bruce Wayne.

Clint Eastwood Almost Played An Old Bruce Wayne

Co-creator of Batman Beyond, Paul Dini, appeared on the Fatman on Batman Podcast and discussed pitching the idea of Eastwood as a down-and-out version of Bruce Wayne.

“It was set in Gotham’s future, but it didn’t quite have the fantastic, futuristic edge. It was sort of like an amalgam,” Dini explained. “There was a little bit of Dark Knight, there was a little bit of contemporary comics and there was Terry [McGinnis] and the suit and everything. It was old Bruce Wayne.”

It was never meant to be. Warner Brothers executive rejected the idea hoping to find a more family-friendly direction. The appeal of comic book movies had not yet become fully mainstream as it is today. Since then, there have been numerous versions of Batman on screen, but demand remains for a Batman Beyond movie. Eastwood would still be a wonderful fit for the character.

Eastwood’s Long Career Takes Work to Maintain

Eastwood’s manly demeanor has made him an unflinching symbol of grit. However, he is a human like the rest of us. As such, he works hard to keep his mental health in line with the vigorous work schedule he maintains even at his age. He once explained in a speech his secret to 40 years of being stress-free: meditation.

“I think it’s a great tool for anyone to have and to be able to utilize it as a tool for stress,” Eastwood said. “And stress, of course, comes with almost every business. I think there are enough studies out there that show that transcendental meditation or TM, as we all call it, is something that can benefit everybody.”

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