The 2003 Variety article that announced Christopher Nolan as director of new Batman film, mentions JJ Abrams Superman script, a Wolfgang Petersen Batman Vs. Superman movie and Darren Aronofsky's Batman Year One project.

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Nolan on embarking into the Batman world:

All I can say is that I grew up with Batman, I’ve been fascinated by him and I’m excited to contribute to the lore surrounding the character,” Nolan said. “He is the most credible and realistic of the superheroes, and has the most complex human psychology. His superhero qualities come from within. He’s not a magical character. I had a fantastic experience with the studio on ‘Insomnia,’ and I’m keen to repeat that experience.

I guess Wolfgang Peterson thought "Troy" was a more interesting project. Do you blame him? I'm not too sure the tonal differences between the superheros, Batman and Superman, would have worked with this film. Just look at Zack Snyder's version, which, I suppose, did a suitably decent job at trying to convey both remarkably different color palletted-superheros 

Batman Vs. Superman,” nearly went into production with director Wolfgang Petersen and a script by Andrew Kevin Walker (“Seven”) until Petersen instead moved to the Greek epic “Troy,” set to star Brad Pitt and Eric Bana."

Aronofsky's "Batman: Year One" had a homeless Bruce Wayne, Alfred as a car mechanic called 'Little Al', and the batmobile was a Lincoln pimpmobile. I'm not joking. It's one of the great "What if" projects in cinema history:

Batman: Year One” is a Gen-X version of the crimefighter that is being developed by Darren Aronofsky and creator Frank Miller."


A J.J Abrams penned "Superman" directed by Brett Ratner? Oh, the horror:

"WB’s superhero project closest to the starting line is the J.J. Abrams-scripted “Superman,” with Brett Ratner directing and Jon Peters producing. The film will reintroduce a franchise that sputtered after four Christopher Reeve films, and WB is currently testing actors for its Man of Steel, with Josh Hartnett, Jude Law, Ashton Kutcher and Brendan Fraser among those rumored as aspirants to be fitted in cape and spandex."

[Variety]