Batman Unchained

Batman Unchained is the name of a cancelled sequel to Batman & Robin which was planned for a release in mid-1999. The script for the movie was written by Mark Protosevich, and was never known to have any other title. Joel Schumacher would return as director. Unfortunately, the film was cancelled after Schumacher and the studio agreed the hallucination finale would be far too costly, although he liked the story and it was cancelled since Batman & Robin failed to outgross the preceding Batman films. The cancellation led to a second sequel pitch entitled Batman: DarKnight.

Plot
Sometime after the events of Batman & Robin, Batman, Robin and Batgirl find out about a crazy scientist named Jonathan Crane, also known as "The Scarecrow". Flashbacks from the first three Batman movies were to be shown in the cancelled movie. Batman would also have hallucinations after being exposed to Scarecrow's fear toxins, in which he would see the Joker, The Penguin, Catwoman, Two-Face and The Riddler re-unite to judge him on trial. Harley Quinn was also intended to appear in the movie as a character, namely a toymaker and daughter of the Joker determined to get revenge on Batman for the death of her father.

Cast

 * George Clooney as Bruce Wayne/Batman (refused to return)
 * Kurt Russell as Bruce Wayne/Batman (possible replacement for Clooney)
 * Chris O’Donnell as Dick Grayson/Robin
 * Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl/Barbara Wilson
 * Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth
 * Nicolas Cage as Dr. Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow
 * Jeff Goldblum (second choice)
 * Courtney Love as Harley Quinn (actress never hired)
 * Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon (expected)
 * Jack Nicholson as the Joker, Danny DeVito as The Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face and Jim Carrey reprising their roles respectively (they would return in Batman's mind as a result of the Scarecrow's fear toxins)

Why It Was Cancelled

 * 1) Batman & Robin failed to outgross its predecessors (previously mentioned).
 * 2) George Clooney admitted that he hated playing Batman and refused to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
 * 3) Despite interest in making the film, Joel Schumacher didn't want to make Batman fans mad again following the backlash of Batman & Robin.
 * 4) The entire story hinging on the hallucination in the finale would have been too costly due to all the starpower.
 * 5) Warner Brothers decided to put all future live-action Batman movies on hold until further notice and focus on making more animated direct-to-video and DVD Batman movies as well as the 2001 series Justice League, which featured Batman as one of the major characters in the series.

Results

 * In 2005, Batman came back to the big screen with Batman Begins and the film had some elements that were to be shown in the cancelled sequel.
 * Similar elements were also featured in the 2015 game Batman: Arkham Knight.

Trivia

 * Another working title was for the film was Batman Triumphant.
 * After Clooney disowned playing Batman, rumor has it that Joel Schumacher handed the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman to Kurt Russell
 * Rumor has it that Madonna was another possible casting choice for Harley Quinn.
 * In response to how comedic and child-friendly Batman & Robin was, Joel Schumacher wanted to make the film darker like the first film and Returns. Schumacher also wanted to make the film’s storyline ignore the events of Batman & Robin after he disappointed many fans of the earlier Batman films.
 * The film was supposed to be released to celebrate Batman's 60th anniversary.