Sam Raimi has expressed an interest in helming a Batman movie, but interestingly his first superhero movie Darkman came after he failed to get the rights to the Dark Knight. Long before he was helping revive the comic book genre with his Spider-Man trilogy or returning for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Sam Raimi made a name in horror with the acclaimed Evil Dead trilogy. Darkman marked his first chance to finally break into the superhero genre with his own creation, developing it with producing partner Robert Tapert and brother Ivan Raimi.

Darkman centered on Peyton Westlake, a scientist whose attorney girlfriend learns of a corruption scheme between ruthless mobster Robert Durant and developer Louis Strack Jr., resulting in Westlake being horribly disfigured and left for dead by Durant's goons. Though unable to fully recover from his burn injuries, Westlake is left with super-human abilities that also threaten his insanity as he seeks vengeance on Durant and his men. Liam Neeson led the cast of Darkman as Westlake/Darkman alongside Frances McDormand as his girlfriend Julie, Larry Drake as Durant, and Colin Friels as Strack.

Related: Why Marvel Movies Still Haven't Topped Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2

In a recent interview to discuss Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the director shared his wishlist of other superheroes he'd like to help bring to the screen, with Raimi naming Batman and The Shadow as his top choices. While many have responded favorably to both ideas, what some may not know is that Raimi actually tried his hand at both characters before, attempting to get the rights for the DC and pulp fiction heroes to develop for live-action adaptations. Though neither attempt succeeded, these efforts resulted in Raimi's first superhero movie Darkman and the result ended up working in Raimi's favor.

How Darkman Help Sam Raimi's Career

Hitting theaters in 1990, Darkman received largely positive reviews from critics for its gruesome and gothic tone and Raimi's unique visual style. The film also proved to be a box office success, grossing over $48 million against its $18 million budget, helping launch a franchise that included two direct-to-video sequels, neither of which saw Raimi or Neeson return and received negative reviews, and various comic books, a well-received video game and action figures. Darkman would ultimately serve as Sam Raimi's stepping stone to other movies and into the superhero movie genre that would later lead to his beloved Spider-Man trilogy and the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

As such, while the concept of a Sam Raimi-helmed Batman movie may sound appealing to audiences, especially in comparison to the divisive Joel Schumacher efforts, his inability to land the rights to the character was really for the best given it allowed him to deliver the underrated Darkman. Additionally, while Raimi would get his own creation off the ground, the Dark Knight would make his way to the big screen with Tim Burton at the helm and Michael Keaton under the cape and cowl. Both decisions were initially questioned but later highly praised by critics and audiences alike. In the meantime, Raimi has recently confirmed that a Darkman sequel is in development at Universal.

More: Sam Raimi Is Perfect For Batman: Here's What His Movie Could Look Like

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