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Batman Meets Godzilla is an unmade 1966 Godzilla film. It was intended to be a collaboration between Toho film studio and the American film studio Greenway Productions along with DC Comics starring Batman from the 1966 series of the same name and Godzilla.[1]

Two drafts of the film were made, one by Shinichi Sekizawa and the other by an unknown American author, before the project was abandoned. The former was titled Batman vs. Godzilla (バットマン対ゴジラ,   Battoman tai Gojira?).

Plot[]

Commissioner Gordon and his daughter Barbara are vacationing on a beach cruise, Gordon is conducting business while Barbara reunites with her Vassar college acquaintance Reiko Hammamoto. Suddenly, an unpredicted tidal wave capsizes the boat. Outerpol Far Eastern Chief, Ito Nagano, explains the wave was caused by Klaus Finster, a German meteorologist who recently immigrated to Japan after 20 years in Argentina, operating in Mt. Fiju. Finster claims to have control of the weather, and threatens to destroy the country under ransom of $20 million in gold. Gordon informs Outerpol that they can call in Batman and Robin to take Finster down.

It is then revealed that Finster is actually operating Godzilla and is using him to attack the country. Upon learning that Batman and Robin are on the case, Finster sends an android doppelgänger of Count Draidl to intercept them. After defeating the imposter, Batman and Robin meet up with Gordon and the Japanese police. Batman suspects Godzilla’s involvement, so they watch clips of his battle with King Kong, which matches with Godzilla's behavior. While scouting on Finster's whereabouts, Batman and Robin attend a Kabuki show in their civilian identities; during the show, Reiko is decapitated in the fight and is revealed to be a Finster-built spy robot. As Batman and Robin, the two set up a meeting with Finster, only to find themselves trapped in a taxi cab filling with poisonous gas. Barbara Gordon arrives as action as Batgirl, melting the door to free the duo as the crimefighters continue their chase.

While in the Batcopter for reconnaissance, they encounter Godzilla for the first time in Takada. In the grand finale, Batman, Robin, and Batgirl hop into their individual vehicles and head to Tokyo to cut Godzilla off at the pass. They pursue Finster through the streets of Tokyo and brawling atop the Kazan building, where the scientist slips and falls to his death. Godzilla grabs Batgirl during the encounter, so Batman activates the Godzilla mating call, prompting Godzilla to throw Barbara far away. Batman then scales the beast's backside and ties a bomb to Godzilla's neck, which blasts Godzilla all the way up into orbit.

Cast[]

  • Adam West as Batman/Bruce Wayne
  • Burt Ward as Robin/Dick Grayson
  • Alan Napier as Alfred
  • Neil Hamilton as Commissioner Gordon
  • Stafford Repp as Chief O'Hara
  • Madge Blake as Aunt Harriet Cooper
  • Yvonne Craig as Batgirl/Barbara Gordon
  • Lee Meriwether as The Catwoman
  • Cesar Romero as The Joker
  • Burgess Meredith as The Penguin
  • Frank Gorshin as The Riddler
  • Boris Karloff as Klaus Finster
  • Kumi Mizuno as Reiko Hammamoto
  • Bruce Lee as Himself (cameo)
  • Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla

History[]

Following the success of Godzilla vs. Kong, Toho made plans on another Godzilla crossover films with another American film icon. Around this time, the 1966 Batman TV series had launched and was popular among Japanese audiences, prompting Toho to approach Batman producer William Dozier for the film idea. Toho commissioned Mothra vs. Godzilla writer Shinichi Sekizawa to write the film's script. When learning the film was conceived as a sequel to the 1966 film Batman: The Movie, however, Dozier turned down the offer and production never launched. Soon after, the Batman TV series ratings rapidly declined, until Toho cancelled the film entirely.[1]

Trivia[]

  • The American version of the film is available at the American Heritage Center in the University of Wyoming, as part of a collection of papers from William Dozier.[1]

References[]

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