What If...? – Warner Bros. (Joel Schumacher's Batman Unchained)

During the filming of the notoriously reviled Batman & Robin, the higher-ups at Warner Bros. Pictures were so impressed with the dailies that they immediately hired director Joel Schumacher to return to helm a fifth Batman film. However, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman turned down the chance to return to pen the script, with The Cell and I Am Legend scribe Mark Protosevich being hired in his place. Entitled Batman Unchained, Protosevich's screenplay featured the Scarecrow as the main villain, with Harley Quinn as a supporting antagonist, reimagined as the daughter of the Joker. Schumacher approached Nicolas Cage to portray the Scarecrow while he was filming Face/Off and Courtney Love was considered for Harley. There were also rumors floating around at the time that Martin Short was being looked at to portray another villain, the Mad Hatter. George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Gough, and Pat Hingle were set to reprise their respective roles of Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Alfred Pennyworth, and Commissioner Gordon. It was hoped that the villains from the prior films — Catwoman, the Penguin, Two-Face, and the Riddler — would make cameo appearances in the hallucinations caused by the Scarecrow, culminating with Jack Nicholson reprising his role as the Joker. Schumacher also reportedly intended it to be much darker than the previous two films. However, following the poor critical reception and underwhelming box office of Batman & Robin, Clooney vowed never to play the character again and Warner Bros. pulled the plug on any future sequels and spin-offs.

Music: "A Batman Overture" – Elliot Goldenthal (Batman Forever)