Batman’s tragic origin story is one of the most famous ever told across mediums. But do you know the origins of the man who put the Bat on the big screen? Michael Uslan — the DC Comics writer turned producer who purchased the Batman movie rights in 1979 with fellow producer Benjamin Melniker — has been credited as an executive producer on every film featuring the Dark Knight since 1989’s Tim Burton-directed Batman . Now Tony Award-winning actor and comic creator Dan Fogler (the Fantastic Beasts films) will play Uslan in a stage play adaptation of his 2011 memoir, The Boy Who Loved Batman.
Nederlander Worldwide — behind The Who’s Tommy , On Your Feet!: The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan , and Grease — in association with Legion M Productions is developing the play, which was first announced by The Hollywood Reporter .
The Boy Who Loved Batman stage play (formerly known as Darknights and Daydreams ) is “an inspirational comedy about one man’s vision that became a national phenomenon,” according to the official synopsis. “It’s a crazy journey that goes from New Jersey to Hollywood, comic books to the silver screen. Every hero needs a hero, even Batman.” The true story-inspired show will premiere at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, running from October 1st-November 10th.
“Dan’s exceptional talent, comic timing, impressive stage presence and deep, enthusiastic roots as an unabashed fanboy make him the perfect actor to take on the obviously challenging, complicated role of Michael Uslan,” Uslan told THR . “From the first moment he was given the script, Dan has been spot-on in his approach to the material, and I could not be happier that he agreed to join us on this journey.”…