Behind the scenes of Batman Returns: Tim Burton’s rollercoaster ride to bring the ultimate Dark Knight showdown to life! With Warner Brothers granting him the creative freedom he craved, Burton signed on for another round. But the drama didn’t end there – Annette Bening’s pregnancy meant Michelle Pfeiffer swooped in as Catwoman. And who knew that Danny DeVito’s Penguin suit was a source of discomfort and required a mouthwash mix-up to perfect his vile look? Critics complained it was too dark, but with a cast led by the fantastic Michelle Pfeiffer and always-delightful Michael Keaton, this might just be our favorite Burton Batman film yet!

Not in the mood to read? Watch the video here.

Behind the scenes of Batman Returns

Tim Burton’s rollercoaster ride to bring the ultimate Dark Knight showdown to life! With Warner Brothers granting him the creative freedom he craved, Burton signed on for another round. But the drama didn’t end there – Annette Bening’s pregnancy meant Michelle Pfeiffer swooped in as Catwoman. And who knew that Danny DeVito’s Penguin suit was a source of discomfort and required a mouthwash mix-up to perfect his vile look? Critics complained it was too dark, but with a cast led by the fantastic Michelle Pfeiffer and always-delightful Michael Keaton, this might just be our favourite Burton Batman film yet!

Synopsis

Get ready for the ultimate face-off in Gotham City! Fresh off defeating the Joker, Batman faces a new nemesis: the twisted and damaged Penguin, with the help of crooked businessman Max Schreck. But when Max’s secretary Selina Kyle transforms into the enigmatic Catwoman, things get complicated. With Batman’s reputation on the line, he must clear his name and decide what to do about this feline femme fatale. Will he save her or bring her to justice? The Dark Knight has his work cut out for him in this thrilling sequel!

11 Facts about Batman Returns

1. This 1992 sequel to the critically acclaimed Batman brings together an all-star cast, including Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Christopher Walken, under the visionary direction of Tim Burton.

2. Danny DeVito was so committed to his role as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin that he stayed in character even between takes. His intense portrayal helped create one of the darkest and most grotesque villains in superhero movie history. Crew members often said they were unsure whether they were speaking to DeVito or the Penguin.
3. Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman look proved wildly popular — so much so that her bus stop posters were repeatedly stolen from displays across the U.S. Warner Bros. had to frequently replace them, and eventually police had to patrol the most affected areas to stop people from smashing the protective Plexiglas to grab the ads.
4. The iconic Catwoman suit was vacuum-sealed onto Michelle Pfeiffer to give it that slick, skin-tight appearance. The process made it difficult to breathe, so she only had a short window to perform before it had to be unsealed. Pfeiffer has said the experience was both thrilling and terrifying.
5. The tight-fitting costume muffled sound so much that Michelle Pfeiffer couldn’t hear her own voice. Director Tim Burton often had to remind her to lower her voice because she’d unconsciously shout her lines, unaware of how loud she was being.
6. Danny DeVito spent over two hours every day in the makeup chair for his Penguin transformation. The look was so detailed and secretive that he was under strict orders not to reveal it to anyone — not even his family. The makeup involved heavy prosthetics, black ooze, and sharpened teeth that helped define his eerie persona.
7. Despite the film being marketed alongside toys and merchandise, the dark, gothic tone and suggestive scenes caused backlash among parents. Complaints poured in, prompting McDonald’s to cancel a planned Happy Meal promotion, which marked a significant shift in how studios would handle merchandise for darker films in the future.
8. Stan Winston, the legendary special effects artist, recalled how after one shoot, his team returned to the set to gather the animatronic penguins. To their surprise, they found one of the live penguins cuddled up next to a mechanical one, apparently mistaking it for real company. It was a touching moment amid the chaos of filmmaking.
9. Walken played ruthless businessman Max Shreck — a name that wasn’t chosen at random. It’s a direct nod to German actor Max Schreck, who famously portrayed Count Orlok in the silent horror classic Nosferatu (1922). This was Burton’s subtle tribute to classic monster cinema.
10. Security during the filming of Batman Returns was so tight that even A-lister Kevin Costner was denied entry when he tried to visit the set. The production team went to great lengths to prevent leaks, given the secrecy surrounding the elaborate sets, costumes, and special effects.
11. Batman Returns marked the first use of digital effects in a Batman movie. The high-tech shield that encases the Batmobile and the path-tracking Batarang were early uses of CGI, paving the way for more complex digital integration in superhero cinema for years to come.