Dark Knight Returns Graphic Novel to Become Animated Movie?

 "...and I'm the surgeon."

There have been literally thousands of Batman stories, but among the all time influencers for these many, many Batman stories, one that ranks at least very near the tippy-top (if not perching directly upon it) is definitely The Dark Knight Returns by Sin City creator, Frank Miller. That’s the one that Nolan’s movies have been getting their titles and cherry picking story elements from (Bat-tank, imitation Batmen, etc.) That’s the one that’s been the perennial crossover superhero best seller with Watchmen. That’s the one about a middle-aged Batman getting seriously pissed in a dystopian, cyberpunk Gotham City of the future and kicking the hell out of Superman.

Fans have hoped and wished for a movie version of DKR for a many a year, even if the prospect of trying to sell a graying Batman to a mainstream movie audience is a near-impossibility-- George Clooney in Batman and Robin, anyone? However, DC Animated’s been doing a great job of making such impossibilities into realities with their direct-to-video adaptations of important storylines like The Death of Superman and Justice League: the New Frontier. We’ve known that Miller’s other big Batman story, Year One (the basis for Batman Begins) would be getting this treatment, but now Bleeding Cool’s putting out a scoop that DKR might be getting it, too.

If it happens, it’ll surely be a long ways off. Year One could be out in time for The Dark Knight Rises’ theatrical release, sure, but this could conceivably make the home video run (at the earliest.) As some might recall, a latter episode of Batman: the Animated Series actually did a take-off on this comic that would likely be similar to what we might get, here. I’d be woefully remiss not to embed it...