Imagine a world where 1989's Batman wasn't a reality. You kids probably wouldn't have all your Avengers phases or your Batman and Robin. Well, one of those is actually good.
Nevertheless, Batman is a great film that happened to celebrate its 25th birthday yesterday. This movie is what allowed other comic book movies to prosper due to its introduction of an actual psychotic, and not campy, Joker (played by Jack Nicholson). We also got a wonderful Bruce Wayne/Plasticky Batman in Michael Keaton. Although very successful, the film was actually a tough sell for the studio. They had no way to prove a Batman movie's worth in the growing movie market. Enter this short behind the scenes demonstration of Batman.
Andrew Gillman, director of the movie, said in an interview with 1989 Batman that Adam West started a bit of a problem for production. West went around saying that he should've played Batman in the film but the director wanted to take the caped crusader in a less campy direction:
“...this film would be the vaccination of the Adam West Batman- returning to the character all the wonder of the original comics. So this whole opening statement is basically an assurance to the viewer that Warner is presenting you with the “real” Batman now.”
The studio did what it could to prove that this movie was going to be a hit. This behind the scenes prospective shines an interesting light on what went to make the very first Batman.