In 1988, the Writers Guild of America spent 153 days on strike.
Also in 1988, making a Batman movie was a risk, let alone one overseen by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton.
Studios hemmed, hawed, and balked at the idea of a moody Caped Crusader, preferring the camptastic television series from the 1960s starring Adam West.
Although Beetlejuice was a resounding box office success the same year Batman eventually went into production, Burton was years removed from household name status.
Keaton, meanwhile, was still an up-and-coming actor with just a handful of lead roles under his belt.
All these factors spelled disaster, right?…
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