There's no doubt about it—Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a milestone in comic history, an untouchable peak!
The New Haven Register raved, "The Dark Knight Returns is, without question, a work of genius—a serious piece from an artist who takes comics seriously."
Rolling Stone called it, "A turning point in Batman's history, a classic that reshaped American comics."
Bestselling author Stephen King gushed, "Perhaps the finest comic art ever published."
Crime writer Mickey Spillane added, "This is an ambitious, gripping crime Batman—pure manliness!"
This comic didn't just catapult Batman back to the top as America's favorite superhero—it rewrote the playbook for the entire medium. It transformed Batman from a traditional hero into an obsessive antihero, fully embracing the darkness, outsmarting everyone, and even taking down Superman. That laid the groundwork for countless "universe" stories to come.
Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, adapted from this comic, achieved god-tier status right alongside it.
Now, Dunn had already shifted the comic market's landscape. Marvel Entertainment was a subsidiary of Dunn Pictures, and Spider-Man had kicked off the Avengers franchise.
He didn't mind pushing the envelope even further—his goal was to let Marvel Studios dominate the superhero movie market completely!
"In the comic world, Batman stole the spotlight that should've belonged to Daredevil, becoming the iconic 'Caped Crusader' everyone knows. That's the past, and we can't change it," Dunn said, pausing for effect before letting out a soft huff. "But in the movie world, Daredevil's going to reclaim his rightful glory. We're taking control of the future!"
His words hit hard, stirring something deep in the old-timers from Marvel Entertainment.
Back when Marvel was teetering on bankruptcy, DC swooped in and poached the brilliant Frank Miller. It was a sore spot for every Marvel veteran.
Dunn's declaration was a clear signal—he was ready to strike back for Marvel's past!
Of course, it was also about Marvel Studios' growth and securing their place in the superhero film arena.
Bill McNick spoke cautiously, "We've got to tread carefully here. The situation's totally different—The Dark Knight's rights belong to DC."
Dunn waved him off with a grin. "Bill, you're missing the point. Daredevil is Daredevil, Batman is Batman—we're not borrowing The Dark Knight's story. We're crafting our own. But the mindset? That's fair game. Ideas are free for anyone, right?"
Bill couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.
Christopher Nolan, who'd been quiet for a while, suddenly piped up, "It's not just the mindset—it's the style too!"
Dunn's eyes lit up. "Exactly! Style's the key!"
Nina Jacobson, who'd hashed this out with Dunn plenty of times, explained smoothly, "We all know Spider-Man is just the opening act. We're building the full Avengers universe! This massive series needs a consistent style—witty, humorous, straightforward, and crowd-pleasing. Pure popcorn flicks."
"Spider-Man is like that, and so will Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Ant-Man. We're talking a dozen, maybe dozens of films. But sticking to that formula too long risks getting stale and boring—audience fatigue sets in. So, we've got to mix it up with different flavors of superhero movies to keep things fresh."
"Spider-Man 2 is slated for summer 2002, and we're already talking about Ant-Man for 2003. To avoid backlash from samey vibes, we need a Marvel movie with a totally different style slotted between them—and that's Daredevil!"
The Avengers founders in the comics are Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man, and Wasp.
In the previous timeline, Marvel Studios skipped Ant-Man and Wasp early on, opting for the bigger names—Captain America and Black Widow—to crack the market faster.
Things were different now. With Spider-Man's explosive debut leading the Avengers charge, influence wasn't an issue.
Sticking closer to the comics and honoring the fans felt like the better move.
Grant Hill hesitated, "No matter how you slice it, Daredevil and Batman's styles are similar. Warner's not going back to that '90s gothic vibe. While Marvel's superhero movies lean sunny, funny, and light, Warner might dodge that and go dark, serious, and heavy to stand out."
Andrew O'Hare shook his head. "Not necessarily! Dark movies have never been the commercial mainstream. Warner's rebooting Batman with a big budget—they might not risk going too edgy."
Nina Jacobson smiled. "Warner might not take the gamble, but we will! Plus, even if they do, we've got the edge on timing."
"Timing edge?" someone asked.
Kevin Feige grinned, jumping in, "Daredevil's already in prep. Even if rewriting the script—especially a series—takes time, we can start shooting this year and hit a May 2003 slot. Warner's different. Batman died in the '90s—they've got to do serious market research. If they rush a summer 2003 release, they won't have time to polish it."
Dunn waved a hand dismissively. "That's all external stuff—doesn't matter. Let them do their thing. As long as our movie's quality is top-notch, we don't need to fear anyone! Nina's take on the Avengers tone was solid, but I'll add one more layer."
"For the Avengers, saving the world is pragmatic and grounded. These heroes are just regular people aside from their powers. They don't just save lives—they do it with a scientific approach that doesn't wreck everything, then go home to live normal lives."
"That makes them relatable and modern, shifting from worshipped icons to lovable, charming good guys."
Seeing everyone nod in agreement, Dunn pressed on, "But Daredevil? We're going a different route. His take on saving the world is pure, absolute heroism—true idealism, even if it's a bit tweaked from the comics for the screen."
"Daredevil's got heart. Even if you don't get me, hate me, or want me dead, I'll still save you—quietly, secretly, no reason needed, no hesitation. That's why Daredevil needs that Greek epic, tragic grandeur. He's noble, but not your everyday 'nice guy'—he's a pure good in the truest sense."
Andrew O'Hare caught on quick, elaborating, "The Avengers series is family-friendly, built on mainstream values—good versus evil. Daredevil, though, digs deeper into values, painting a hero with real epic spirit."
"That's the vibe!" Dunn said, his vision crystal clear.
In the old timeline, Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy hit god-level status, becoming the ultimate weapon for DC fans to dunk on Marvel stans.
So Dunn's plan was simple: take that Dark Knight trilogy blueprint, swap "Batman" for "Daredevil," and flip it inside out to craft a unique Daredevil series.
Plus, he had a natural edge over Warner.
Nolan's trilogy made Warner a fortune and turned Batman into a deity.
But after that? Trouble brewed.
How do you bring a godlike Batman back to earth?
In Batman v Superman and Justice League, Batman came off as dumb, clumsy, useless, and flat—even diehard fans couldn't help but cringe.
The Dark Knight trilogy was a massive win, but it wrecked any chance of a cohesive "universe."
That was Warner's unavoidable flaw.
For Dunn, though? No problem.
If the Daredevil trilogy hit god-tier? Great—let him stay up there as the epic hero in everyone's minds.
No need to drag him down to clown around with a mishmash of other heroes just to sell tickets.
A superhero ascending to "divinity" was worth way more to Marvel than box office cash.
It'd be the ultimate image boost for Marvel's entire hero lineup!
Unless a deep, dark, philosophical script came along, Dunn wouldn't touch Daredevil again.
Let him sit on a pedestal, basking in glory.
The Avengers didn't need Daredevil anyway, and the Defenders? Without him, that crew couldn't even make it to the small screen—zero point in bothering.
Netflix's Daredevil series had solid reviews and a decent run, echoing Nolan's Dark Knight vibe. But it never captured that "bearing the world's righteousness" tragic grandeur.
Like most Marvel movies, it stuck to clear-cut good-versus-evil, with shallow gray-area chats often brushed off with religious fluff.
The gray zone—complex, messy humanity—is where the real magic lies.
And Dunn wasn't about to let that slip by.
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