title: Green Book (film)

text: In its second weekend the film made $3.9 million, falling just 29% and leading some industry insiders to think it would achieve $50 million during awards season. In its third weekend of wide release, following its Golden Globe nominations, it dropped 0% and again made $3.9 million, then made $2.8 million the following weekend. In its eighth weekend, the film made $1.8 million (continuing to hold well, dropping just 3% from the previous week). It then made $2.1 million in its ninth weekend (up 18%) and $2.1 million in its 10th. In the film's 11th week of release, following the announcement of its five Oscar nominations, it was added to 1,518 theaters (for a total of 2,430) and made $5.4 million, an increase of 150% from the previous weekend and finishing sixth at the box office. The weekend following its Best Picture win, the film was added to 1,388 theaters (for a total of 2,641) and made $4.7 million, finishing fifth at the box office. It marked a 121% increase from the previous week, as well as one of the best post-Best Picture win bumps ever, and largest since "The King's Speech" in 2011.


title: Green Book (film)

text: "Green Book" was a surprise success overseas, especially in China where it debuted to a much higher-than-expected $17.3 million, immediately becoming the second highest-grossing Best Picture winner in the country behind "Titanic" (1997). As of March 7, 2019, the largest international markets for the film were China ($26.7 million), France ($10.7 million), the United Kingdom ($10 million), Australia ($7.8 million) and Italy ($8.6 million). By March 13, China's total had grown to $44.5 million. On March 31 the film passed $300 million at the global box office, including $219 million from overseas territories. Its largest markets to-date were China ($70.7 million), Japan ($14.6 million), France ($14 million) Germany ($13.5 million) and the UK ($12.9 million).


title: Green Book (film)

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads: ""Green Book" takes audiences on an excessively smooth ride through bumpy subject matter, although Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen's performances add necessary depth." On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 91% positive score, with 80% saying they would definitely recommend it.


title: Green Book (film)

text: Writing for "The San Francisco Chronicle", Mick LaSalle praised Ali and Mortensen and said: "...there's something so deeply right about this movie, so true to the time depicted and so welcome in this moment; so light in its touch, so properly respectful of its characters, and so big in its spirit, that the movie acquires a glow. It achieves that glow slowly, but by the middle and certainly by the end, it's there, the sense of something magical happening, on screen and within the audience." Steve Pond of "TheWrap" wrote, "The movie gets darker as the journey goes further South, and as the myriad indignities and humiliations mount. But our investment in the characters rarely flags, thanks to Mortensen and Ali and a director who is interested in cleanly and efficiently delivering a story worth hearing."


title: Green Book (film)

text: Jazz artist Quincy Jones said to a crowd after a screening: "I had the pleasure of being acquainted with Don Shirley while I was working as an arranger in New York in the '50s, and he was without question one of America's greatest pianists ... as skilled a musician as Leonard Bernstein or Van Cliburn ... So it is wonderful that his story is finally being told and celebrated. Mahershala, you did an absolutely fantastic job playing him, and I think yours and Viggo's performances will go down as one of the great friendships captured on film."


title: Green Book (film)

text: Some critics thought "Green Book" perpetuated racial stereotyping by advancing the white savior narrative in film. "Salon" said the film combines "the white savior trope with the story of a bigot's redemption". Peter Farrelly told "Entertainment Weekly" that he was aware of the white savior trope before filming and sought to avoid it. He said he had long discussions with the actors and producers on the point, and believes that it was not advanced by the film, saying it is "about two guys who were complete opposites and found a common ground, and it's not one guy saving the other. It's both saving each other and pulling each other into some place where they could bond and form a lifetime friendship."


title: Green Book (film)

text: "New York Times" writer Wesley Morris characterized the film as being a "racial reconciliation fantasy". Morris argues that the film represents a specific style of racial storytelling "in which the wheels of interracial friendship are greased by employment, in which prolonged exposure to the black half of the duo enhances the humanity of his white, frequently racist counterpart". Writing a positive appreciation in "The Hollywood Reporter," Kareem Abdul-Jabbar noted that "filmmakers are history’s interpreters, not its chroniclers."


title: Green Book (film)

text: Despite some praise, Shirley's relatives condemned the film because they thought it misrepresented the pianist's relationship with his family and they were not contacted by studio representatives until after development started. Shirley's brother, Maurice Shirley, said, "My brother never considered Tony to be his 'friend'; he was an employee, his chauffeur (who resented wearing a uniform and cap). This is why context and nuance are so important. The fact that a successful, well-to-do black artist would employ domestics that did NOT look like him, should not be lost in translation." However, his brother's statements are contradicted by audio recordings from the 2010 documentary "Lost Bohemia" which featured interviews with Don Shirley and Vallelonga. In one of them, Shirley said that "I trusted him implicitly. You see, Tony got to be, not only was he my driver. We never had an employer/employee relationship." The interviews also supported other events depicted in the film.


title: Green Book (film)

text: Writer-director Peter Farrelly said that he was under the impression that there "weren't a lot of family members" still alive, that they did not take major liberties with the story, and that relatives of whom he was aware had been invited to a private screening for friends and family. Tony Vallelonga's son, Nick - and the film's co-writer - acknowledged that he was sorry that he had offended members of the Shirley family because he did not speak to them. He told "Variety" that "Don Shirley himself told me not to speak to anyone" and that Shirley "approved what I put in and didn't put in."


title: Green Book (film)

text: Actor Mahershala Ali apologized to Shirley's nephew Edwin Shirley III, saying that "I did the best I could with the material I had" and that he was not aware that there were "close relatives with whom I could have consulted to add some nuance to the character."


title: Green Book (film)

text: Don Shirley Trio cellist Jüri Täht (Oleg in the film) was still alive at the time the film premiered and he was surprised to see a stage of his life depicted in a movie. He did not know anything about the making of the film. He was deeply hurt by the fact that he was made a Russian in the film.


title: Green Book (film)

text: "Green Book" has received numerous award nominations. In addition to winning the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2018, "Green Book" was nominated for five awards at the 91st Academy Awards, winning three awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali. "Green Book" was the fifth film to win Best Picture without a Best Director nomination. "Green Book" had five nominations at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, with the film winning Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The National Board of Review awarded it , and it was also recognized as one of the Top 10 films of the year by the American Film Institute.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Directed by Tim Burton, it is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial "Batman" film series. The film was produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber and stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance. The film takes place early in the title character's war on crime and depicts his conflict with his archenemy The Joker.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: After Burton was hired as director in 1986, Steve Englehart and Julie Hickson wrote film treatments before Sam Hamm wrote the first screenplay. "Batman" was not greenlit until after the success of Burton's "Beetlejuice" (1988). The tone and themes of the film were partly influenced by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's "" and Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns". The film primarily adapts and diverts from the "Red Hood" origin story for the Joker, having Batman inadvertently cause gangster Jack Napier to fall into Axis Chemical acid, triggering his transformation into the psychotic Joker. Additionally, Batman creator Bob Kane worked as a consultant for the film.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Numerous A-list actors were considered for the role of Batman before Keaton was cast. Keaton's casting was controversial since, by 1988, he had become typecast as a comedic actor and many observers doubted he could portray a serious role. Nicholson accepted the role of the Joker under strict conditions that dictated top billing, a portion of the film's earnings (including associated merchandise), and his own shooting schedule.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Filming took place at Pinewood Studios from October 1988 to January 1989. The budget escalated from $30 million to $48 million, while the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike forced Hamm to drop out. Warren Skaaren did rewrites, with additional uncredited drafts done by Charles McKeown and Jonathan Gems.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: "Batman" was both critically and financially successful, earning over $400 million in box office totals. Critics and audiences particularly praised Nicholson and Keaton's performances, Burton's direction, the production design, and Elfman's score. It was the fifth-highest-grossing film in history at the time of its release. The film received several Saturn Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination for Nicholson's performance, and won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction. It also inspired the equally successful "", paving the way for the DC Animated Universe, and has influenced Hollywood's modern marketing and development techniques of the superhero film genre. The film was followed by three sequels: "Batman Returns" (1992), with both Burton and Keaton returning; "Batman Forever" (1995), which featured Val Kilmer in the lead role; and "Batman & Robin" (1997), which featured George Clooney in the role.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Reporter Alexander Knox and photojournalist Vicki Vale investigate sightings of the "Batman", a masked vigilante targeting Gotham City's criminals. Both attend a fundraiser hosted by billionaire Bruce Wayne, who is secretly Batman, having chosen this path after witnessing a mugger murder his parents when he was a child. During the event, Wayne becomes infatuated with Vale.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Meanwhile, mob boss Carl Grissom sends his sociopathic second-in-command Jack Napier to raid Axis Chemicals and retrieve incriminating evidence. However, this is secretly a ploy to have Napier murdered for sleeping with Grissom's mistress Alicia Hunt. Corrupt lieutenant Max Eckhardt arranges the hit on Napier by conducting an unauthorized police operation. However, Commissioner Jim Gordon arrives, takes command, and orders the officers to capture Napier alive. Batman also appears, while Napier kills Eckhardt as revenge for the double-crossing. During a scuffle with Batman, Napier topples off a catwalk and falls into a vat of chemicals. Although presumed dead, Napier survives with various disfigurements including chalk white skin and emerald green hair and nails. He undergoes surgery to repair the damage, but ends up with a rictus grin. Driven insane by his new appearance, Napier, now calling himself "the Joker", kills Grissom, massacres Grissom's associates, and takes over his operations.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: He then starts terrorizing Gotham by lacing hygiene products with "Smylex" – a deadly chemical that causes victims to die laughing. The Joker soon becomes obsessed with Vicki and lures her to the Gotham Museum of Art, which his henchmen start vandalizing. Batman rescues Vicki, takes her to the Batcave, and provides her with all of his research on Smylex, which will allow Gotham's residents to escape the toxin. Conflicted with his love for her, Wayne visits her apartment intending to reveal his secret identity, only for the Joker to interrupt the meeting. Joker asks Wayne, "Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?", which Wayne recognizes as the catchphrase used by the mugger who killed his parents. The killer turns out to have been Napier all along. He shoots Wayne, who survives thanks to a serving tray hidden underneath his shirt.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Vicki is taken to the Batcave by Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, who had been coaxing the relationship between the pair. After exposing his secret to Vicki, Wayne reveals he cannot focus on their relationship with the Joker on the loose. He then departs to destroy the Axis plant used to create Smylex. Meanwhile, Joker lures Gotham's citizens to a parade with the promise of free money. This turns out to be a trap designed to dose them with Smylex gas held within giant parade balloons. Batman foils his plan by using his Batwing to remove the balloons, but Joker shoots him down. The Batwing crashes in front of a cathedral, which Joker uses to take Vicki hostage. Batman pursues the Joker, and in the ensuing fight, he explains that Napier killed his parents and thus, indirectly created Batman. This leads Joker to realize Batman is Bruce Wayne. Joker eventually pulls Batman and Vicki over the cathedral's ceiling, leaving them hanging while he calls in a helicopter. The helicopter is piloted by his goons, who throw down a ladder for him to climb. Batman uses a grappling hook to attach Joker's leg to a crumbling gargoyle that eventually falls off the roof. Unable to bear the statue's immense weight, Joker falls to his death while Batman and Vicki make it to safety.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Sometime later, Gordon announces that the police have arrested all of Joker's men and unveils the Bat-Signal. Batman leaves the police a note, promising to defend Gotham should crime strike again, and asking them to use the Bat-Signal to summon him in times of need. Alfred takes Vicki to Wayne Manor, explaining that Wayne will be a little late. She responds that she is not surprised, as Batman looks at the signal's projection from a rooftop, standing watch over the city.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: In the late 1970s, Batman's popularity was waning. CBS was interested in producing a "Batman in Outer Space" film. Producers Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan purchased the film rights of Batman from DC Comics on October 3, 1979. It was Uslan's wish "to make the definitive, dark, serious version of Batman, the way Bob Kane and Bill Finger had envisioned him in 1939. A creature of the night; stalking criminals in the shadows." Richard Maibaum was approached to write a script with Guy Hamilton to direct, but the two turned down the offer. Uslan was unsuccessful with pitching "Batman" to various movie studios because they wanted the film to be similar to the campy 1960s television series. Columbia Pictures and United Artists were among those to turn down the film.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: A disappointed Uslan then wrote a script titled "Return of the Batman" to give the film industry a better idea of his vision for the film. Uslan later compared its dark tone to that of the successful four-part comic book "The Dark Knight Returns", which his script predated by six years. In November 1979, producers Jon Peters and Peter Guber joined the project. Melniker and Uslan became executive producers. The four felt it was best to pattern the film's development after that of "Superman" (1978). Uslan, Melniker and Guber pitched "Batman" to Universal Pictures, but the studio turned it down. Though no movie studios were yet involved, the project was publicly announced with a budget of $15 million in July 1980 at the Comic Art Convention in New York. Warner Bros., the studio behind the successful Superman film franchise, decided to also accept and produce "Batman".


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Tom Mankiewicz completed a script titled "The Batman" in June 1983, focusing on Batman and Dick Grayson's origins, with the Joker and Rupert Thorne as villains and Silver St. Cloud as the romantic interest. Mankiewicz took inspiration from the limited series "Batman: Strange Apparitions", written by Steve Englehart. Comic book artist Marshall Rogers, who worked with Englehart on "Strange Apparitions", was hired for concept art. "The Batman" was then announced in late 1983 for a mid-1985 release date on a budget of $20 million. Originally, Mankiewicz had wanted an unknown actor for Batman, William Holden for James Gordon, David Niven as Alfred Pennyworth, and Peter O'Toole as the Penguin, whom Mankiewicz wanted to portray as a mobster with low body temperature. Holden died in 1981 and Niven in 1983, so this would never come to pass. A number of filmmakers were attached to Mankiewicz' script, including Ivan Reitman and Joe Dante. Reitman wanted to cast Bill Murray as Batman and Eddie Murphy as Robin. Nine rewrites were performed by nine separate writers. Most of them were based on "Strange Apparitions". However, it was Mankiewicz's script that was still being used to guide the project. Due to the work they did together with the film "Swamp Thing" (1982), Wes Craven was among the directors that Melniker and Uslan considered while looking for a director.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: After the financial success of "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" (1985), Warner Bros. hired Tim Burton to direct "Batman". Burton had then-girlfriend Julie Hickson write a new 30-page film treatment, feeling the previous script by Mankiewicz was campy. The success of "The Dark Knight Returns" and the graphic novel "" rekindled Warner Bros.' interest in a film adaptation. Burton was initially not a comic book fan, but he was impressed by the dark and serious tone found in both "The Dark Knight Returns" and "The Killing Joke". Warner Bros. enlisted the aid of Englehart to write a new treatment in March 1986. Like Mankiewicz's script, it was based on his own "Strange Apparitions" and included Silver St. Cloud, Dick Grayson, the Joker, and Rupert Thorne, as well as a cameo appearance by the Penguin. Warner Bros. was impressed, but Englehart felt there were too many characters. He removed the Penguin and Dick Grayson in his second treatment, finishing in May 1986.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Burton approached Sam Hamm, a comic book fan, to write the screenplay. Hamm decided not to use an origin story, feeling that flashbacks would be more suitable and that "unlocking the mystery" would become part of the storyline. He reasoned, "You totally destroy your credibility if you show the literal process by which Bruce Wayne becomes Batman." Hamm replaced Silver St. Cloud with Vicki Vale and Rupert Thorne with his own creation, Carl Grissom. He completed his script in October 1986, which demoted Dick Grayson to a cameo rather than a supporting character. One scene in Hamm's script had a young James Gordon on duty the night of the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents. When Hamm's script was rewritten, the scene was deleted, reducing it to a photo in the "Gotham Globe" newspaper seen in the film.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Warner Bros. was less willing to move forward on development, despite their enthusiasm for Hamm's script, which Kane greeted with positive feedback. Hamm's script was then bootlegged at various comic book stores in the United States. "Batman" was finally given the greenlight to commence pre-production in April 1988, after the success of Burton's "Beetlejuice" the same year. When comic book fans found out about Burton directing the film with Michael Keaton starring in the lead role, controversy arose over the tone and direction "Batman" was going in. Hamm explained, "They hear Tim Burton's name and they think of "Pee-wee's Big Adventure". They hear Keaton's name and they think of any number of Michael Keaton comedies. You think of the 1960s version of "Batman", and it was the complete opposite of our film. We tried to market it with a typical dark and serious tone, but the fans didn't believe us." To combat negative reports on the film's production, Kane was hired as creative consultant. Batman's co-creator, Bill Finger, was uncredited at the time of the film's release and his name was not added to any Batman-related media until 2016.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Parallel to the "Superman" casting, a who's who of Hollywood top stars were considered for the role of Batman, including Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, Charlie Sheen, Tom Selleck, Bill Murray, Harrison Ford and Dennis Quaid. Burton was pressured by Warner Bros. to cast an obvious action movie star, and had approached Pierce Brosnan, but he had no interest in playing a comic book character. Burton was originally interested in casting an unknown actor, Willem Dafoe, who was falsely reported to be considered for the Joker but had actually been considered for Batman early in development. Producer Jon Peters suggested Michael Keaton, arguing he had the right "edgy, tormented quality" after having seen his dramatic performance in "Clean and Sober". Having directed Keaton in "Beetlejuice", Burton agreed.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Keaton's casting caused a controversy among comic book fans, with 50,000 protest letters sent to Warner Bros. offices. Kane, Hamm, and Uslan also heavily questioned the casting. "Obviously there was a negative response from the comic book people. I think they thought we were going to make it like the 1960s TV series, and make it campy, because they thought of Michael Keaton from "Mr. Mom" and "Night Shift" and stuff like that." Keaton studied "The Dark Knight Returns" for inspiration.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Tim Curry, David Bowie, John Lithgow, Brad Dourif, Ray Liotta, and James Woods were considered for the Joker. Lithgow, during his audition, attempted to talk Burton out of casting him, a decision he would later publicly regret, stating, "I didn't realize it was such a big deal." Burton wanted to cast John Glover, but the studio insisted on using a movie star. Robin Williams lobbied hard for the part. Jack Nicholson had been the studio's top choice since 1980. Peters approached Nicholson as far back as 1986, during filming of "The Witches of Eastwick"; unlike Keaton, he was a popular choice for his role. Nicholson had what was known as an "off-the-clock" agreement. His contract specified the number of hours he was entitled to have off each day, from the time he left the set to the time he reported back for filming, as well as being off for Los Angeles Lakers home games. Nicholson demanded that all of his scenes be shot in a three-week block, but the schedule lapsed into 106 days. He reduced his standard $10 million fee to $6 million in exchange for a cut of the film's earnings (including associated merchandise), which led to remuneration in excess of $50 million—biographer Marc Eliot reports that Nicholson may have received as much as $90 million. He also demanded top billing on promotional materials.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Sean Young was originally cast as Vicki Vale, but was injured in a horse-riding accident prior to commencement of filming. Young's departure necessitated an urgent search for an actress who, besides being right for the part, could commit to the film at very short notice. Peters suggested Kim Basinger: she was able to join the production immediately and was cast. As a fan of Michael Gough's work in various Hammer Film Productions, Burton cast Gough as Bruce Wayne's mysterious butler, Alfred. Robert Wuhl was cast as reporter Alexander Knox. His character was originally supposed to die by the Joker's poison gas in the climax, but the filmmakers "liked [my] character so much," Wuhl said, "that they decided to let me live." Burton chose Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent because he wanted to include the villain Two-Face in a future film using the concept of an African-American Two-Face for the black and white concept, but Tommy Lee Jones was later cast in the role for "Batman Forever", which disappointed Williams. Nicholson convinced the filmmakers to cast his close friend Tracey Walter as the Joker's henchman Bob. Irish child actor Ricky Addison Reed was cast as Dick Grayson before the character was removed by Warren Skarren for the revised shooting script. The rest of the cast included Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon, Jerry Hall as Alicia, Lee Wallace as Mayor Borg, William Hootkins as Lt. Eckhardt, and Jack Palance as crime boss Carl Grissom.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Burton had been impressed with the design of Neil Jordan's "The Company of Wolves" (1984), but was unable to hire its production designer Anton Furst for "Beetlejuice" as Furst had instead committed to Jordan's London-filmed ghost comedy "High Spirits" (1988), a choice he later regretted. A year later Burton successfully hired Furst for "Batman", and they enjoyed working with each other. "I don't think I've ever felt so naturally in tune with a director," Furst said. "Conceptually, spiritually, visually, or artistically. There was never any problem because we never fought over anything. Texture, attitude and feelings are what Burton is a master at."


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Furst and the art department deliberately mixed clashing architectural styles to "make Gotham City the ugliest and bleakest metropolis imaginable". Furst continued, "[W]e imagined what New York City might have become without a planning commission. A city run by crime, with a riot of architectural styles. An essay in ugliness. As if hell erupted through the pavement and kept on going". The 1985 film "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam was also a notable influence upon the film's production design, as both Burton and Furst studied it as a reference. Black and white charcoal drawings of key locations and sets were created by Furst's longtime draftsman, Nigel Phelps. Derek Meddings served as the visual effects supervisor, overseeing the miniatures and animation. Conceptual illustrator Julian Caldow designed the Batmobile, Batwing and assorted bat-gadgets that were later constructed by prop builder John Evans. Keith Short sculpted the final body of the 1989 Batmobile, adding two Browning machine guns. On designing the Batmobile, Furst explained, "We looked at jet aircraft components, we looked at war machines, we looked at all sorts of things. In the end, we went into pure expressionism, taking the Salt Flat Racers of the 30s and the Sting Ray macho machines of the 50s". The car was built upon a Chevrolet Impala when previous development with a Jaguar and Ford Mustang failed. The car itself was later purchased by standup comedian/ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, who had it outfitted with a Corvette engine to make it street legal.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Costume designer Bob Ringwood turned down the chance to work on "Licence to Kill" in favor of "Batman". Ringwood found it difficult designing the Batsuit because "the image of Batman in the comics is this huge, big six-foot-four hunk with a dimpled chin. Michael Keaton is a guy with average build", he stated. "The problem was to make somebody who was average-sized and ordinary-looking into this bigger-than-life creature." Burton commented, "Michael is a bit claustrophobic, which made it worse for him. The costume put him in a dark, Batman-like mood though, so he was able to use it to his advantage". Burton's idea was to use an all-black suit, and was met with positive feedback by Bob Kane. Vin Burnham was tasked with sculpting the Batsuit, in association with Alli Eynon. Jon Peters wanted to use a Nike product placement with the Batsuit. Ringwood studied over 200 comic book issues for inspiration. 28 sculpted latex designs were created; 25 different cape looks and 6 different heads were made, accumulating a total cost of $250,000. Comic book fans initially expressed negative feedback against the Batsuit. Burton opted not to use tights, spandex, or underpants as seen in the comic book, feeling it was not intimidating. Prosthetic makeup designer Nick Dudman used acrylic-based makeup paint called PAX for Nicholson's chalk-white face. Part of Nicholson's contract was approval over the makeup designer.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: The filmmakers considered filming "Batman" entirely on the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, California, but media interest in the film made them change the location. It was shot at Pinewood Studios in England from October 10, 1988 to February 14, 1989, with 80 days of main shooting and 86 days of second unit shooting. 18 sound stages were used, with seven stages occupied, including the 51 acre backlot for the Gotham City set, one of the biggest ever built at the studio. Locations included Knebworth House and Hatfield House doubling for Wayne Manor, plus Acton Lane Power Station and Little Barford Power Station. The original production budget escalated from $30 million to $48 million. Filming was highly secretive. The unit publicist was offered and refused £10,000 for the first pictures of Jack Nicholson as the Joker. The police were later called in when two reels of footage (about 20 minutes' worth) were stolen. With various problems during filming, Burton called it "Torture. The worst period of my life!"


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Hamm was not allowed to perform rewrites during the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike. Warren Skaaren, who had also worked on Burton's "Beetlejuice", did rewrites. Jonathan Gems and Charles McKeown rewrote the script during filming. Only Skaaren received screenplay credit with Hamm. Hamm criticized the rewrites, but blamed the changes on Warner Bros. Burton explained, "I don't understand why that became such a problem. We started out with a script that everyone liked, although we recognized it needed a little work." Dick Grayson appeared in the shooting script but was deleted because the filmmakers felt he was irrelevant to the plot; Kane supported this decision.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Keaton used his comedic experience for scenes such as Bruce and Vicki's Wayne Manor dinner. He called himself a "logic freak" and was concerned that Batman's secret identity would in reality be fairly easy to uncover. Keaton discussed ideas with Burton to better disguise the character, including the use of contact lenses. Ultimately, Keaton decided to perform Batman's voice at a lower register than when he was portraying Bruce Wayne, which became a hallmark of the film version of the character, with Christian Bale later using the same technique.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Originally in the climax, the Joker was meant to kill Vicki Vale, sending Batman into a vengeful fury. Jon Peters reworked the climax without telling Burton and commissioned production designer Anton Furst to create a model of the cathedral. This cost $100,000 when the film was already well over budget. Burton disliked the idea, having no clue how the scene would end: "Here were Jack Nicholson and Kim Basinger walking up this cathedral, and halfway up Jack turns around and says, 'Why am I walking up all these stairs? Where am I going?' 'We'll talk about it when you get to the top!' I had to tell him that I didn't know."


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Burton hired Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo, his collaborator on "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" and "Beetlejuice", to compose the music score. For inspiration, Elfman was given "The Dark Knight Returns". Elfman was worried, as he had never worked on a production this large in budget and scale. In addition, producer Jon Peters was skeptical of hiring Elfman, but was later convinced when he heard the opening number. Peters and Peter Guber wanted Prince to write music for the Joker and Michael Jackson to do the romance songs. Elfman would then combine the style of Prince and Jackson's songs together for the entire film score. At the encouragement of Prince's then-manager Albert Magnoli, it was also agreed that Prince himself would write and sing the film's songs.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Burton protested the ideas, citing "my movies aren't commercial like "Top Gun"." Elfman enlisted the help of composer Shirley Walker and Oingo Boingo lead guitarist Steve Bartek to arrange the compositions for the orchestra. Elfman was later displeased with the audio mixing of his film score. ""Batman" was done in England by technicians who didn't care, and the non-caring showed," he stated. "I'm not putting down England because they've done gorgeous dubs there, but this particular crew elected not to." "Batman" was one of the first films to spawn two soundtracks. One of them featured songs written by Prince while the other showcased Elfman's score. Both were successful, and compilations of Elfman's opening credits were used in the title sequence theme for "", also composed by Shirley Walker.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: When discussing the central theme of "Batman", director Tim Burton explained, "the whole film and mythology of the character is a complete duel of the freaks. It's a fight between two disturbed people", adding, "The Joker is such a great character because there's a complete freedom to him. Any character who operates on the outside of society and is deemed a freak and an outcast then has the freedom to do what they want... They are the darker sides of freedom. Insanity is in some scary way the most freedom you can have, because you're not bound by the laws of society".


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Burton saw Bruce Wayne as the bearer of a double identity, exposing one while hiding the reality from the world. Burton biographer Ken Hanke wrote that Bruce Wayne, struggling with his alter-ego as Batman, is depicted as an antihero. Hanke felt that Batman has to push the boundaries of civil justice to deal with certain criminals, such as the Joker. Kim Newman theorized that "Burton and the writers saw Batman and the Joker as a dramatic antithesis, and the film deals with their intertwined origins and fates to an even greater extent".


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: "Batman" conveys trademarks found in 1930s pulp magazines, notably the design of Gotham City stylized with Art Deco design. Richard Corliss, writing for "Time", observed that Gotham's design was a reference to films such as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) and "Metropolis" (1927). "Gotham City, despite being shot on a studio backlot", he continued, "is literally another character in the script. It has the demeaning presence of German Expressionism and fascist architecture, staring down at the citizens." Hanke further addressed the notions of "Batman" being a period piece, in that "The citizens, cops, people and the black-and-white television looks like it takes place in 1939"; but later said: "Had the filmmakers made Vicki Vale a femme fatale rather than a damsel in distress, this could have made "Batman" as a homage and tribute to classic film noir." Portions of the climax pay homage to "Vertigo" (1958).


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: The B.D. Fox ad agency created hundreds of unused logos and posters for promotion, many by John Alvin. In the end Burton and producers decided on only using a gold and black logo designed by Anton Furst and airbrushed by Bill Garland, with no other key art variation, to keep an air of mystery about the film. The logo is also an ambiguous image, which can be read either as Batman's symbol or as a gaping mouth (suggesting the Joker). Earlier designs "had the word 'Batman' spelled in "RoboCop" or "Conan the Barbarian"-type font". Jon Peters unified all the film's tie-ins, even turning down $6 million from General Motors to build the Batmobile because the car company would not relinquish creative control.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: During production, Peters read in "The Wall Street Journal" that comic book fans were unsatisfied with the casting of Michael Keaton. In response, Peters rushed the first film trailer that played in thousands of theaters during Christmas. It was simply an assemblage of scenes without music, but created enormous anticipation for the film, with audiences clapping and cheering. DC Comics allowed screenwriter Sam Hamm to write his own comic book miniseries. Hamm's stories were collected in the graphic novel "Batman: Blind Justice" (). Denys Cowan and Dick Giordano illustrated the artwork. "Blind Justice" tells the story of Bruce Wayne trying to solve a series of murders connected to Wayne Enterprises. It also marks the first appearance of Henri Ducard, who was later used in the rebooted "Batman Begins", albeit as an alias for the more notable Ra's al Ghul.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: In the months before "Batman"s release in June 1989, a popular culture phenomenon known as "Batmania" began. Over $750 million worth of merchandise was sold. Cult filmmaker and comic book writer Kevin Smith remembered: "That summer was huge. You couldn't turn around without seeing the Bat-Signal somewhere. People were cutting it into their fucking heads. It was just the summer of Batman and if you were a comic book fan it was pretty hot." Hachette Book Group USA published a novelization, "Batman", written by Craig Shaw Gardner. It remained on the "New York Times" Best Seller list throughout June 1989. Burton admitted he was annoyed by the publicity. David Handelman of "The New York Observer" categorized "Batman" as a high concept film. He believed "it is less movie than a corporate behemoth".


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: "Batman" grossed $2.2 million in late night previews on June 22, 1989, on 1,215 screens and grossed $40.49 million in 2,194 theaters during its opening weekend. This broke the opening weekend records held by "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (which had a 4-day Memorial Day weekend gross of $37.0 million the previous month) and "Ghostbusters II" (which had a $29.4 million 3-day weekend the previous weekend). The film also set a record for a second weekend gross with $30 million (also the second biggest 3-day weekend of all-time) and became the fastest film to earn $100 million, reaching it in 11 days (10 days plus late night previews), The film closed on December 14, 1989, with a final gross of $251.2 million in North America and $160.15 million internationally, totaling $411.35 million. It was the highest-grossing film based on a DC comic book until 2008's "The Dark Knight". The film's gross is the 66th highest ever in North American ranks. Although "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" made the most money worldwide in 1989, "Batman" was able to beat "The Last Crusade" in North America, and made a further $150 million in home video sales. Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold more than 60 million tickets in the US.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Despite the film's box office – over $400 million against a budget of no more than $48 million – Warner Bros. claimed it ended up losing $35.8 million and "not likely to ever show a profit," which has been attributed to a case of Hollywood accounting.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: "Batman" was criticized by some for being too dark, but nonetheless received a generally positive response from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 73% based on 77 reviews, with an average score of 6.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "An eerie, haunting spectacle, "Batman" succeeds as dark entertainment, even if Jack Nicholson's Joker too often overshadows the title character." On Metacritic, the film received a weighted average score of 69 based on 21 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Many observed that Burton was more interested in the Joker and the art and set production design than Batman or anything else in terms of characterization and screentime. Comic book fans reacted negatively over the Joker murdering Thomas and Martha Wayne; in the comic book, Joe Chill is responsible. Writer Sam Hamm said it was Burton's idea to have the Joker murder Wayne's parents. "The Writer's Strike was going on, and Tim had the other writers do that. I also hold innocent to Alfred letting Vicki Vale into the Batcave. Fans were ticked off with that, and I agree. That would have been Alfred's last day of employment at Wayne Manor," Hamm said.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: The songs written by Prince were criticized for being "too out of place". While Burton has stated he had no problem with the Prince songs, he was less enthusiastic with their use in the film. On the film, Burton remarked, "I liked parts of it, but the whole movie is mainly boring to me. It's OK, but it was more of a cultural phenomenon than a great movie."


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Despite initial negative reactions from comics fans prior to the film's release, Keaton's portrayal of Batman was generally praised. James Berardinelli called the film entertaining, with the highlight being the production design. However, he concluded, "the best thing that can be said about "Batman" is that it led to "Batman Returns", which was a far superior effort." "Variety" felt "Jack Nicholson stole every scene" but still greeted the film with positive feedback. Roger Ebert was highly impressed with the production design, but claimed ""Batman" is a triumph of design over story, style over substance, a great-looking movie with a plot you can't care much about." He also called the film "a depressing experience". On the syndicated television series "Siskel & Ebert", his reviewing partner Gene Siskel disagreed, describing the film as having a "refreshingly adult" approach with performances, direction and set design that "draws you into a psychological world."


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Anton Furst and Peter Young won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, while Nicholson was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor (Musical or Comedy). The British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominated "Batman" in six categories (Production Design, Visual Effects, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound and Actor in a Supporting Role for Nicholson), but it won none of the categories. Nicholson, Basinger, the makeup department, and costume designer Bob Ringwood all received nominations at the Saturn Awards. The film was also nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: The success of "Batman" prompted Warner Bros. Animation to create the acclaimed "", as a result beginning the long-running DC Animated Universe and helped establish the modern day superhero film genre. Series co-creator Bruce Timm stated the television show's Art Deco design was inspired from the film. Timm commented, "our show would never have gotten made if it hadn't been for that first "Batman" movie." Burton joked, "ever since I did "Batman", it was like the first dark comic book movie. Now everyone wants to do a dark and serious superhero movie. I guess I'm the one responsible for that trend."


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: "Batman" initiated the original "Batman" film series and spawned three sequels: "Batman Returns" (1992), "Batman Forever" (1995), and "Batman & Robin" (1997), the latter two of which were directed by Joel Schumacher instead of Burton and replaced Keaton as Batman with Val Kilmer and George Clooney, respectively.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Executive producers Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan filed a breach of contract lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on March 26, 1992. Melniker and Uslan claimed to be "the victims of a sinister campaign of fraud and coercion that has cheated them out of continuing involvement in the production of "Batman" and its sequels. We were denied proper credits, and deprived of any financial rewards for our indispensable creative contribution to the success of "Batman"." A superior court judge rejected the lawsuit. Total revenues of "Batman" have topped $2 billion, with Uslan claiming to have "not seen a penny more than that since our net profit participation has proved worthless." Warner Bros. offered the pair an out-of-court settlement, a sum described by Melniker and Uslan's attorney as "two popcorns and two Cokes".


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Reflecting on the twentieth anniversary of its release in a retrospective article on Salon.com, film commentator Scott Mendelson noted the continuing impact that "Batman" has had on the motion film industry, including the increasing importance of opening weekend box office receipts; the narrowing window between a film's debut and its video release that caused the demise of second-run movie theaters; the accelerated acquisition of pre-existing, pre-sold properties for film adaptations that can be readily leveraged for merchandizing tie-ins; the primacy of the MPAA PG-13 as the target rating for film producers; and more off-beat, non-traditional casting opportunities for genre films. The film was responsible for the British Board of Film Classification introducing its "12" age rating, as its content fell between what was expected for a "PG" or "15" certificate.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: The American Film Institute anointed Batman the 46th greatest movie hero and the Joker the 45th greatest movie villain on "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains".


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: Robert Wuhl reprises his role as Alexander Knox in The CW's Arrowverse crossover, "Crisis on Infinite Earths". The event also retroactively established that the world of the film and its sequel, "Batman Returns", takes place on Earth-89; which is one of the worlds destroyed by the Anti-Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) during the Crisis. Michael Keaton will be reprising his role as Batman in the upcoming "The Flash" set in the DC Extended Universe.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: In March 2016, artist Joe Quinones revealed several art designs he and Kate Leth had created to pitch a comic book continuation set in the Batman '89 universe to DC Comics. The pitch, which was rejected, would have included the story of Billy Dee Williams' Harvey Dent turning into Two-Face as well as the inclusion of characters such as Batgirl in a story that took place following the events of "Batman Returns". In 2021, DC announced it would be releasing a comic book continuation of the "Batman '89" film. The series would be written by Sam Hamm and illustrated by Joe Quinones. The comic's synopsis revealed that it would include the return of Selina Kyle/Catwoman, an introduction of a new Robin, and the transformation of Williams' Harvey Dent into Two-Face.


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: "Batman" has been released on various formats, including VHS, LaserDisc, DVD and Blu-ray. In an unprecedented move at the time, it was made available to buy on VHS in the US on November 15, less than six months after its theatrical release, at a suggested retail price of only $24.95 although most sellers sold it for less. It was first released on DVD on March 25, 1997, as a double sided disc containing both Widescreen (1.85:1) and Full Screen (1.33:1) versions of the film. The 2005 "Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989–1997" included 2-disc special edition DVDs of the film and all three of its sequels. The anthology was also released as a 4-disc Blu-ray set in 2009, with each film and its previous extras contained on a single disc. Other Blu-ray reissues include a "30th Anniversary" Digibook with 50-page booklet, and a steelcase edition; both also include a Digital Copy. Most recently the "25th Anniversary" Diamond Luxe reissue contained the same disc as before and on a second disc, a new 25-minute featurette: "Batman: The Birth of the Modern Blockbuster".


title: Batman (1989 film)

text: The film was also included in "The Tim Burton Collection" DVD and Blu-ray set in 2012, alongside its first sequel, "Batman Returns".


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Sushant Singh Rajput (21 January 1986 – 14 June 2020) was an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi cinema. He starred in a number of commercially successful Hindi films such as "" (2016), "Kedarnath" (2018) and "Chhichhore" (2019). Due to his contribution to the film industry, he received a Screen Award and was nominated for the Filmfare Awards on three occasions. He appeared on "Forbes India" Celebrity 100 list twice since 2017.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Rajput began his acting career after dropping out of his engineering course at the Delhi College of Engineering and entering the theatre industry in Mumbai. He moved on to feature in Hindi television serials, his debut show was the romantic drama "Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil" (2008), followed by the lead role in the soap opera "Pavitra Rishta" (2009–2011). He made his film debut with the film adaptation "Kai Po Che!" (2013) which became a commercial and critical success. Following it were his starring roles as a tourist guide in the romantic comedy "Shuddh Desi Romance" (2013) and the titular detective in the action thriller "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" (2015).


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Rajput also starred in a number of other films such as the reincarnation drama "Raabta" (2017), the historical drama "Sonchiriya" (2019) and the action thriller "Drive" (2019). His highest-grossing releases came with a supporting role in the satire "PK" (2014), and from the titular role in the sports biopic of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. For his performance in the latter, he received his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor and became the winning nomination at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. Apart from acting, he was the founder of a nonprofit organisation and has been credited as the co-founder of a technological startup.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Rajput died by suicide at his home in Bandra, Mumbai in June 2020, aged 34. His last film, "Dil Bechara" (2020), was released posthumously on the streaming platform Hotstar.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Sushant Singh Rajput was born in Patna in the state of Bihar to Krishna Kumar Singh and Usha Singh. His father is a retired technical officer and worked at Bihar State Handloom Corporation in Patna. He was the youngest of five siblings and had the nickname Gulshan. One of his four sisters Mitu Singh was a state-level cricket player. He attended the St. Karen's High School in Patna. His family moved to Delhi following his mother's death in 2002 where Rajput completed his schooling for intermediate studies in Kulachi Hansraj Model School.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Rajput was reportedly an avid reader who was deeply interested in astrophysics and won the National Olympiad in Physics. He secured admission in the Delhi College of Engineering (later renamed Delhi Technological University) to pursue a Bachelor of Engineering degree in mechanical engineering. According to Rajput, he did not have any interest in engineering but his family gave him no option which left him dissatisfied. He instead wanted to become an astronaut and later an air force pilot but was also interested in Bollywood, being a fan of Shah Rukh Khan.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: During his course at the Delhi College of Engineering, Rajput enrolled himself in Shiamak Davar's dance classes. Soon afterward, he also began attending acting classes under the theatre director Barry John. Rajput later stated that he found the experience to be liberating and wanted to continue doing it forever. He featured as a background dancer in the "Dhoom Again" song of "Dhoom 2" and in Aishwarya Rai's performance at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. In 2006, he dropped out of his engineering course during his fourth year to begin a career in arts and performance. He moved to Mumbai, took up odd jobs and small roles alongside working in the theatre industry. Rajput eventually joined Nadira Babbar's theatre group called the "Ekjute" in which he remained for two and a half years.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: He was spotted by a casting team of Balaji Telefilms while he was working at the Prithvi Theatre. Rajput was subsequently called for an audition and cast as a second lead in the television series "Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil" in 2008"." He had secured the role of Preet Singh Juneja, the stepbrother of the lead named Harshad Chopda and entered the show in its seventh episode. The character was killed early in the show, but due to popularity among viewers was brought back in the series finale as a spirit looking on as his family celebrated coming out of difficult times. The performance had made an impression on the producer Ekta Kapoor who vouched for him to be cast as the lead in another series "Pavitra Rishta", reportedly against the wishes of the hosting channel, Zee TV.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In "Pavitra Rishta", Rajput was cast as Manav Deshmukh who was an "ideal son and husband" and co-starred along with Ankita Lokhande. The role was reportedly a breakthrough for him and for which he won various television awards, including his first award for best actor in the Indian Television Academy Awards 2010. He also won three major television awards in the categories of best male actor and most popular actor. In 2010, he joined the dance reality show "Zara Nachke Dikha" in its second season as part of the "Mast Kalandar Boys" team. On the Mother's Day special episode, the team dedicated a performance to Rajput's mother who had died. Later in the same year, he also took part in the fourth season of another dance competition reality show called "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa" and was paired alongside the choreographer Shampa Sonthalia; they emerged as the runners-up of the season.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Rajput continued to act in "Pavitra Rishta" from its first airing in 2009 till his exit in 2011, having played the part of the protagonist of the series for two and a half years at the time of his exit. He had stated that he intended to move to the United States to study filmmaking and had already gained experience behind the scenes in the film "Raaz 2", where he was an assistant director. Rajput made a later reappearance in the final episode of "Pavitra Rishta" in 2014 after gaining critical acclaim in Bollywood.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In 2011, Rajput was spotted by Mukesh Chhabra, the casting director of "Kai Po Che!", who invited him for an audition. He was in the process of enrolling for a course in filmmaking at Stanford University but decided to accept the offer. He was subsequently cast in the role of Ishaan Bhatt, a district-level cricketer who was a victim of politics in the selection fraternity and one of the three leads, along with Rajkummar Rao and Amit Sadh. The film was directed by Abhishek Kapoor and based on the Chetan Bhagat novel called "The 3 Mistakes of My Life", which dealt with the life of three friends affected by the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and the 2002 Gujarat riots. It was released in 2013 and became a commercial and critical success. Rajput received a nomination for the Filmfare Awards in the category of best debut actor for his performance in the film.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Before the release of his debut film "Kai Po Che!", Rajput was signed in by Raj Kumar Hirani for a role in the Aamir Khan starring satirical drama called "PK". In the film, he was cast as the boyfriend to Anushka Sharma's character of a journalist. He also entered into a deal with Yash Raj Films beginning with the starring role in the film "Shuddh Desi Romance". The film was a romantic comedy, where Rajput played the character of Raghu Ram Sitaram, a tour guide who fell in love with a woman on the way to his own marriage, it featured Parineeti Chopra and Vaani Kapoor. "Shuddh Desi Romance" was released in 2013 and became a sleeper hit. Following the release of his first two films, Rajput was described by the veteran director Shekhar Kapur as "one of the most inspiring young actors to emerge out of India" and was occasionally referred to as the "next SRK". The film "PK" was later released in 2014 and became the highest grossing Indian film.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In June 2013, Yash Raj Films and Dibakar Banerjee Productions announced the joint production of "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" with Sushant Singh Rajput in the starring role. Rajput began working on the new project following the release of his second film "Shuddh Desi Romance". The film was a mystery action-thriller featuring Byomkesh Bakshi, a fictional detective originally created by the Bengali writer Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Dibakar Banerjee, the director of the film and the IP rights holder of Byomkesh Bakshi stories had signed him in to play the part of the protagonist. Before the release, Rajput made a special appearance in the police crime drama "CID" in the character of Byomkesh Bakshy. The film was released on 3 April 2015, and failed to perform well in the box office but still received a positive critical reception. In September 2013, Rajput began collaborating with Shekhar Kapur for his upcoming project "Paani", a film set in the future that showcased a world where wars where being fought over water. The film was initially reported to be starred by Hrithik Roshan and then Vivek Oberoi but finally went to Rajput after Yash Raj Films entered in its co-production and opted for his inclusion. He had reportedly attended workshops with Kapur for 10 months before the project was suspended in 2015 when the Yash Raj Films backed out of it. In the aftermath, Rajput ended his contract with the production house.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In 2011, a biopic on the life of the Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was conceived by Dhoni's manager, Arun Pandey. The project was initially faced with various difficulties including objections from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Dhoni's demand for a large royalty. On 25 September 2014, Sushant Singh Rajput was announced as the actor who would play the role of Dhoni in the biopic which was titled "" and directed by Neeraj Pandey. The film was centered around the life of the cricketer beginning with his childhood in the city of Ranchi and leading up to the 2011 Cricket World Cup victory for India under his captaincy. Incidentally, Rajput wasn't adept at cricket and had to train regularly in the game for 13 months as well as capture the playing style of Dhoni for his portrayal in the film, he was coached by Kiran More who reportedly trained him in the regimen of a professional sportsperson rather than as an actor. The film was produced by Arun Pandey with Fox Star Studios and released on 2 October 2016. It became the 5th highest grossing Bollywood film of that year. Rajput received critical acclaim for his performance and nominations to a number of awards, including the Filmfare Awards, the International Indian Film Academy Awards and the winning nomination at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. He also made a cameo appearance in the comedy film "Welcome to New York", which was released on 23 February 2018 and where the lead characters met Rajput but confused him for Mahendra Singh Dhoni.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: During the release of "M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story", Rajput in an interview had stated that he was signed up to do five more films; namely "Raabta", "Takadum", "Chanda Mama Door Ke", another biopic of an athlete and a film produced by Dharma Productions featuring Jacqueline Fernandez. Earlier in 2014, reports had emerged that Rajput was being signed in alongside Alia Bhatt for the starring roles in the largest budget production of the producer–directors Homi Adajania and Dinesh Vijan. In an announcement in February 2015, the film titled "Raabta", produced by the Vijan owned Maddock Films and co-directed by Adajania and Vijan was publicised where Rajput and Bhatt were in the lead role. Bhatt however decided to opt out of the project in the same year, and the role of the female lead eventually went to Kriti Sanon. Rajput and Sanon later featured in a 2017 T-Series music video of the song named "Paas Aao", composed by the duo Armaan and Amaal Mallik. In 2017, he was featured for first time in the Forbes India's "Top 100 Celebrity" list.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: The second biopic that Rajput was to feature in was tentatively titled as "Murli: The Unsung Hero", where he would play the role of the disabled "jawan" turned Paralympics gold medalist Murlikant Petkar. In June 2016, Rajput along with Parineeti Chopra and Irrfan Khan were also announced as the lead of the Adajania directed film called "Takadum" with shooting scheduled to begin in October but the project was being put on hold due to issues related to script re-adaptation. Meanwhile, the announcement of Rajput's role in "Chanda Mama Door Ke" had come in September 2016. In the film which was to be directed by Sanjay Puran Singh, Rajput would have starred alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui and R. Madhavan and was cast in the role of an astronaut, for which he was even sent to NASA on a training module in 2017. He was also cast as the lead in the spy thriller film "Romeo Akbar Walter" in 2017, however he quit the project in the same year reportedly causing displeasure to the producer Bunty Walia who had publicised the film with him on the cover. Later in December 2017, it was announced that he was signed in by Abhishek Chaubey, the director of "Udta Punjab" for his next film titled "Son Chiraiya", where he would star alongside Bhumi Pednekar.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: "Raabta" was released on 9 June 2017, which subsequently received mixed reviews from critics and ended up a flop in the box office, unable to recover its large production cost. It was a time transcending love story, where Sushant Singh Rajput played the role of two characters who were reincarnations of each other. While the filming was primarily carried out in the city of Budapest, Hungary, in the Indian state of Punjab and in the island country of Mauritius. Earlier in March 2017, Rajput had also begun shooting alongside Jacqueline Fernandez for Karan Johar's Dharma Productions film, by then titled as "Drive". The film was directed by Tarun Mansukhani and was a prequel to the 2014 film "Bang Bang!", that had featured Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. Part of the shooting occurred in the city of Tel Aviv, Israel which was promoted by the Government of Israel as a part of its tourism and diplomatic initiative. The release was initially scheduled for 2 March 2018, but in a February announcement, the date was moved to 7 September 2018. The release was however postponed for a second time with no fixed release date due to creative disagreements between the director Mansukhani and the producer Karan Johar.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In the meantime in March 2017, Rajput was signed in by the director Abhishek Kapoor and the producer Ekta Kapoor for their film called "Kedarrnath". It was a love story set in the backdrop of the 2013 floods in Uttarakhand, where Rajput co-starred with Sara Ali Khan. He played the character of Mansoor, a Muslim porter who was also a devotee of Lord Shiva and whose livelihood revolved around the Shiv temple at Kedarnath. The shooting of the film began in September 2017 and was set to release by June 2018. During the shooting, Abhishek Kapoor who had previously been the director of Rajput's debut film "Kai Po Che!", stated that Rajput was in much better form for "Kedarnath" and expected it to become an even bigger success. The film however soon became embroidered in controversy as the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that it was promoting Jihad by showing an interfaith couple and called for the imposition of a ban on it. In the end, the film was banned from screening in 7 out of 13 districts in Uttarakhand and released on 7 December 2018. Despite the ban, it became a commercial success, although it didn't completely meet the projected success in the box office. Following the release, it was the second highest grossing among Rajput's starring films after the Dhoni biopic.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: On 2 May 2018, Rajput was inducted as a partner in a company named Innsaei Ventures, which was founded on 26 April 2018; following which he was appointed as one of its three directors, the others being Varun Mathur and Saurabh Mishra. Rajput and Mathur were credited as the co-founders and set to make an investment of in the company. The company was named Innsaei after the Icelandic word for Institution and marketed as working in the fields related to intellectual property and emerging technologies. Within a week, he was signed in by NITI Aayog to become a brand ambassador of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform and for the promotion of the BHIM mobile payment app. Subsequently, Innsaei Ventures set up a fund of in favour of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform. In the same year, Rajput announced the first creative product of Innsaei Ventures, a 12 biopic series where he would play the roles of various Indian historical characters between the years of 540 BC to 2015 CE.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In early 2018, Rajput began shooting for the film "Sonchiriya". It was a historical drama set in the 1970s, where he played the role of a character named Lakhna, a lieutenant in a gang of dacoits; he was in the lead role alongside Bhumi Pednekar, Manoj Bajpayee, Ranvir Shorey and Ashutosh Rana. The film was directed by Abhishek Chaubey, produced by Ronnie Screwvala and featured the real life character of Daku Man Singh, played by Bajpayee. Released on 1 March 2019, it received a positive critical reception and won a number of awards but failed to become a commercial success. In 2018, he was also signed in by Nitesh Tiwari, the director of the blockbuster film "Dangal" for his new film titled "Chhichhore", whose shooting began in September. It was a romantic comedy where Rajput played the character of Anirudh Pathak, a divorced husband who recounts his college life to his teenage son and opposite Maya, his ex-wife played by Shraddha Kapoor. Produced by Fox Star Studios and Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film was released on 6 September 2019, and became the third movie featuring Rajput to gross over after "PK" and the Dhoni biopic. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In an interview in January 2019, before the release of "Sonchiriya", Rajput had stated that he was in the talks for 12 other films of which "Chanda Mama Door Ke" and the biopic of Murlikant Petkar were yet to be finalised. He was to feature in "Rifleman", but the film got into legal trouble over copyright issues shortly after its announcement and could not be made. He had opted out of the production of "Chanda Mama Door Ke" in the previous year citing timing conflict in scheduling for its shooting and had stated that he would produce his own space film through Innsaei Ventures. In September 2019, a second company named Vividrage Rhealtyx was registered with a paid up capital of ; Rajput became one of the three directors of the company, the others being Rhea Chakraborty and Showik Chakraborty. Meanwhile, the long delayed release of the film titled "Drive" had its premiere finalised and was released directly on Netflix in November 2019, as a cost cutting measure. On 6 January 2020, Rajput also founded a nonprofit organisation (NGO) named Front India for World Foundation with the stated intent of working towards the eradication of poverty, hunger and malnutrition and promotion of better healthcare and sanitation. Prior to that, on behalf of one of his fans, he donated to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund following the 2018 Kerala floods. In 2019, he featured the second time in Forbes' annual "Top 100 Celebrity" list.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Since 2017, Rajput was signed in for the directorial debut of Mukesh Chhabra; Fox Star Studios had employed Chhabra for a Hindi language remake of "The Fault in Our Stars", a Hollywood hit film produced by 20th Century Fox. Chabbra had also been the casting director who had first spotted him for "Kai Po Che!", which was Rajput's debut film. The shooting for the film began on 9 July 2018, in the city of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. During the time of the shooting, Rajput had remarked that he shared a great bond with Chhabra and had promised Chhabra that he would appear in his first as well. Based on the novel by the same name "The Fault in Our Stars" written by the author John Green, the film was initially titled "Kizie aur Manny" and was scheduled to release in theatres in 2019. Rajput co-starred alongside Sanjana Sanghi and played the character of Manny, a patient of the bone cancer osteosarcoma; the role in the Hindi remake was a reprisal of the role of Ansel Elgort. It also notably featured Saif Ali Khan and musical compositions of A. R. Rahman. The title was later renamed to "Dil Bechara" and the release date moved to 8 May 2020. The slated release of the film however did not occur due to restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the end, it was posthumously released on the streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar and became a record breaker in its first 24 hours viewership, having gathered approximately 95 million viewers. The director Uday Singh Gauri claimed after Rajput's death that he was in talks with him about a film based on the 2008 Mumbai attacks.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: Rajput's personal relationships have been the subject of widespread media attention. In 2011, Rajput publicly proposed to his "Pavitra Rishta" co-star Ankita Lokhande during a national broadcast of the dance competition show "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa"; both of them had participated in the show as competing contestants. The couple began dating after their first meeting on the set of "Pavitra Rishta", where they had been cast as husband and wife to each other. In 2012, they began living together, and reports of an imminent marriage between the two occasionally cropped up in the media. In an interview, Rajput stated that marriage and cohabitation were no different and that it was hypocritical to treat the former as sacred and the latter as a crime. At an event, he had said, "I am very transparent about my relationships. I mean I will not hesitate to say that I am in a relationship".


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In 2014, rumours that they were already secretly married due to family pressure were denied by the couple. In January 2016, Rajput confirmed that a lavish wedding would take place in December, but the relationship ended prior to that, with the pair maintaining silence on the reasons for the cancellation. In a 2021 interview, Lokhande said that Rajput wanted to go ahead in his career and they ended their relationship mutually.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: After the breakup, Rajput's relationship status became the subject of speculation and gossip. He was rumored to be dating his "Raabta" co-star Kriti Sanon which was denied by both of them. In 2017, Rajput courted controversy when he came out in support of the producers of "Padmaavat" whose sets were vandalised by members of the Rajput Karni Sena. That same year, he became the co-owner of "Delhi Gladiators", a team in the Super Boxing League. In preparation for his role in "Chanda Mama Door Ke", he was given the opportunity to train at NASA where he intended to go back and complete his instructor training, aspiring to be chosen for the 2024 Artemis program. Retaining his interest in astronomy and astrophysics, he purchased the high end Meade LX-600 16" telescope for stargazing purposes. He also had a collection of 125 books including a six-volume theoretical physics series. Rajput stated in an August 2017 interview that his collection was not for film research, but covered personal interests in multiple disciplines, including cognitive science and behavioral economics. He was reportedly an avid reader who would bring books during tours for film shooting.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: In 2018, he was the subject of another rumour regarding his "Kedarnath" co-star Sara Ali Khan. The rumours were never confirmed as before the two supposedly broke up, Rajput refused to comment on the claims. Later in the next year, it was reported that he was dating actress Rhea Chakraborty and that they intended to keep the matter private. When questioned, he reportedly unwittingly confirmed the relationship by stating that if interviewers asked questions that were only about him, he could answer at his own discretion but he would also have to ask "somebody" before confirming any details. Chakraborty and Rajput were occasionally spotted on "dates" and outings in Mumbai, and on a vacation to the Himalayan region of Ladakh.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: After Rajput's death, Chakraborty confirmed that she was his girlfriend and that he would refuse medication, relying instead on yoga and meditation. According to Rajput's father, the actor mentioned his plans to marry in 2021 but did not reveal his intended bride; Ankita Lokhande was the only girlfriend that his father had known about.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: On 14 June 2020, Rajput, aged 34, was found dead, hanging from the ceiling fan in his home in Bandra, Mumbai. He had reportedly shown signs of clinical depression and was suffering from bipolar disorder. The Mumbai Police commenced an investigation, stating that the death was being treated as a suicide. The postmortem report stated that the cause of death was "asphyxia due to hanging," and called it a "clear case of suicide." The autopsy doctors placed the time of death at 10 to 12 hours before postmortem examination on 14 June at 11:30 p.m.—meaning between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (Indian Standard Time). No foul play was found. The viscera report likewise ruled out foul play. On 25 July, Rajput's family lodged a first information report with police in Patna, where his father lives, accusing Rhea Chakraborty and five others of abetment of suicide.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: On 31 July, Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a case to investigate the money laundering of Rajput's money from his bank accounts by Chakraborty, her parents and associates. On 19 August 2020, the Supreme Court of India allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Indian national government's top investigating agency, to take control of the investigation and ordered the CBI to look into any future cases registered in relation to Rajput's death. Later, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) also filed a case to investigate drug peddling, based on phone chats forwarded to it by ED during its investigation.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: On 8 September, Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the NCB in a drug case linked to the investigation of the death probe. Prior to the arrest, 9 others were arrested by the NCB in the drug case including Rhea's brother, Showik Chakraborty.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: On 7 September, Chakraborty filed an FIR against the late actor's sisters, claiming they had supplied him psychotrophic anti-depressants without proper medical consultation and using a forged prescription. She requested an investigation into whether these had resulted in his suicide or a decline in his mental state. The following month, Rajput's sisters asked the High Court to cancel the FIR. The Bombay High Court agreed to invalidate the FIR against his sister Meetu but upheld the FIR against his sister Priyanka, stating that there was "prima facie evidence" against her. The Supreme Court also rejected an appeal filed by Priyanka Singh and the filing was handed to the CBI to investigate.


title: Sushant Singh Rajput

text: On 3 October, Dr. Sudhir Gupta of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, leader of a forensic medical team tasked by CBI for assistance, said, "Sushant death is a case of suicide. Murder completely ruled out." Gupta told Asian News International (ANI), "There were no injuries over the body other than hanging. There were no marks of struggle or scuffle in the body and clothes of the deceased." On 5 October, ANI reported that the AIIMS medical board had submitted its report to CBI confirming that Rajput died by suicide and ruling out murder. On 15 October 2020, the CBI said it "continues to investigate the death of Rajput. There are certain speculative reports in the media that the CBI has reached a conclusion. It may be reiterated that these reports are speculative and erroneous."


title: Dany Garcia

text: Dany Garcia (born November 29, 1968) is an American businesswoman, producer, and IFBB professional bodybuilder. Garcia is the founder of GSTQ, and the CEO and chairwoman of The Garcia Companies and TGC Management, overseeing a portfolio of brands in business, entertainment, and food, including TGC Management, Teremana Tequila, Athleticon, and the Project Rock Collection at Under Armour, VOSS, Atom Tickets, Salt & Straw, ZOA Energy, Acorns, and the XFL.


title: Dany Garcia

text: Following her graduation from the University of Miami's School of Business, she began her career in finance at Merrill Lynch in 1992. In 2008, she began managing her ex-husband Dwayne Johnson's career. In 2012, Garcia co-founded the production company Seven Bucks Productions, for which she has since produced several films starring Johnson, including "Baywatch", "" (both 2017), "Shazam!", "Hobbs & Shaw", "" (all 2019), "Jungle Cruise", "Red Notice" (both 2021), "DC League of Super-Pets", and "Black Adam" (both 2022).


title: Dany Garcia

text: Garcia was born on November 29, 1968 to Cuban immigrants and grew up in Belleville, New Jersey. She has one brother and one sister. Garcia majored in international marketing and finance at the University of Miami and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the university's School of Business in 1992. She became an associate vice president at Merrill Lynch and started her own wealth management firm, JDM Partners LLC in 2002. In 2008, Garcia transitioned from her career in finance to manage Dwayne Johnson’s career, now serving as his global strategic advisor.


title: Dany Garcia

text: In 2008, Garcia executive produced the documentary "Theater of War", directed by John Walter and starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. This was followed by the Christmas-themed romantic drama film "Lovely, Still" (2008), starring Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. The following year, Garcia produced the documentary "Racing Dreams" (2009). Directed by Marshall Curry, the film follows two boys and a girl as they compete and aspire to become professional NASCAR drivers. The film was critically acclaimed, winning Best Documentary at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, where it was also runner up for the Audience Award. The film received a 100% fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes based on 26 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.38/10. The film was called "The best film of the year" by the "Los Angeles Times" ("The Envelope") and "Absorbing… one of the rare documentaries you leave wishing it was a little longer, " by "The New York Times".


title: Dany Garcia

text: In 2012, Garcia and Johnson co-founded their production company, Seven Bucks Productions. Garcia then produced the action film "Snitch" (2013), directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Johnson, followed by the reality television series "The Hero". She later founded her multi-platform enterprise, The Garcia Companies and TGC Management, a global brand development and management company, representing actors Henry Cavill and Dwayne Johnson. That same year, TNT ordered eight hour-long episodes for the reality television series "Wake Up Call", which premiered in 2014 and into 2015. Garcia served as executive producer for all eight episodes, which was described as "The Hero"'s "natural successor." Another reality TV series, "Clash Of The Corps", premiered in 2016 with Fuse TV. Garcia and Johnson later launched a digital channel for the short-TV series "Millennials the Musical" (2016).


title: Dany Garcia

text: In 2017, Garcia executive produced several projects for TV and the web. The first one was "Rock and a Hard Place" for HBO, which focuses on the lives of incarcerated young people. This was followed by the web series "Logan Paul Summer Saga" with American internet personality Logan Paul, "Bro/Science/Life: The Series," and "Lifeline".


title: Dany Garcia

text: Garcia later executive produced her first large budget film, "Baywatch" (2017), an action comedy film directed by Seth Gordon and based on the television series of the same name. The film was panned critically, but a box office success, grossing $177.8 million worldwide, against a production budget of $69 million. Garcia followed this up with "" (2017), a fantasy adventure comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan. It the third installment of the "Jumanji" franchise, after "" (2005) and a direct sequel to "Jumanji" (1995), which was based on the 1981 children's book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg. "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" received positive reviews and grossed $962.1 million worldwide, becoming one of Sony's highest-grossing films of all time.


title: Dany Garcia

text: "Rampage" (2018), a science fiction monster film directed by Brad Peyton, and based on the video game series of the same name by Midway Games, was released the following year. It grossed over $428 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics. Garcia's next film, "Skyscraper" (2018), an action film written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, received similar critical responses. Garcia then executive produced the documentary "Stuntman" (2018). She returned to television to serve as executive producer on HBO's most-watched half-hour comedy-drama series "Ballers" for HBO.


title: Dany Garcia

text: In 2019, Garcia executive produced "The Titan Games", a sports competition series which premiered on NBC and has been renewed for a second season. The same year, Seven Bucks’ made its Sundance Film Festival debut with the biographical sports comedy-drama film, "Fighting with My Family", written and directed by Stephen Merchant and produced by Garcia, followed the same year. Garcia later produced a six-episode docu-series "Finding Justice" for BET, focusing on the stories of heroes, leaders, advocates and change agents in the African American community across America as they uncover injustices and fight to bring healing and change.


title: Dany Garcia

text: Returning to the large screen, Garcia served as executive producer for the superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, "Shazam!" (2019), "The Fast and the Furious" spin-off "Hobbs & Shaw" (2019), and produced "" (2019) which set the record Seven Bucks Productions’ biggest global opening weekend.


title: Dany Garcia

text: In August 2020, Garcia and Johnson led the consortium that purchased the XFL out of bankruptcy from its founder, Vince McMahon, the first woman to own an equal or majority ownership stake in a major professional sports league in the United States. Garcia has followed the iterations of the XFL as both a fan and businesswoman since its original 2001 incarnation. As Chairwoman, Garcia leads XFL’s ownership group alongside Dwayne Johnson and Gerry Cardinale's RedBird Capital Partners. The league will launch in 2023.


title: Dany Garcia

text: After not releasing any new projects in 2020, Garcia partnered up with Disney for the Disney+ docuseries "Behind the Attraction" (2021), Disney+ documentary "Stuntman" (2021), and the blockbuster film "Jungle Cruise" (2021), based on the classic 1955 Disneyland ride. She also produced "Young Rock", an American television sitcom based upon long-time collaborator Johnson's life.


title: Dany Garcia

text: That same year, Garcia announced the launch of her latest venture, GSTQ. A lifestyle and fashion brand, GSTQ includes a highly curated, ready-to-wear fashion collection. GSTQ combines and refines the best of a mogul’s savvy style, accentuated with the ease of movement and range of motion sought in performance wear.


title: Dany Garcia

text: In 2020, Garcia was awarded the Outstanding Film Producer Impact Award from the National Hispanic Media Coalition and was recognized in The Hollywood Reporter’s 2021 Women in Entertainment Power 100 List, earned a spot in the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Variety500 lists, and selected for Variety’s Power of Women Report in both 2016 and 2018. She was also named to Entrepreneur’s Women of Influence 2022 list, Inc. Female Founders 100 2022 list, SUCCESS Magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential Leaders of 2022, Create & Cultivate’s 100 2021, and Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports 2020 lists.


title: Dany Garcia

text: Garcia met Dwayne Johnson while both were University of Miami college students, and they were married on May 3, 1997. By marrying Johnson she joined the famous Samoan Anoa'i family. They have one child together. On June 1, 2007, the couple announced they were divorcing amicably. The divorce was finalized in May 2008 and Garcia now serves as Johnson’s global strategic advisor. In 2014, Garcia married bodybuilder and The Garcia Companies’s Chief Health & Fitness Brand Officer, Dave Rienzi. They reside in Los Angeles and Orlando and have four dogs.


title: Dany Garcia

text: Garcia is a bodybuilder and often credits the sport for shaping her relentless nature in business. She first competed in 2011 and went on to earn her IFBB Pro card in 2014. She was the first-ever Women's Physique Division athlete to be signed to the Weider roster.


title: Dany Garcia

text: Garcia holds several board positions. In 2008, she founded the Beacon Experience, as part of the nationwide “I Have a Dream” foundation that encourages at-risk students to continue their educations beyond high school. She was elected to be on Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc's board of directors that same year. Garcia serves on the University of Miami Board of Trustees and as President of the University of Miami Alumni Association.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the Federal government of the United States. The various American territories differ from the U.S. states and tribal reservations as they are not sovereign entities. In contrast, each state has a sovereignty separate from that of the federal government and each federally recognized Native American tribe possesses limited tribal sovereignty as a "dependent sovereign nation". Territories are classified by incorporation and whether they have an "organized" government through an organic act passed by the Congress. American territories are under American sovereignty and, consequently, may be treated as part of the United States "proper" in some ways and not others (i.e., territories belong to, but are not considered to be a part of, the United States). Unincorporated territories in particular are not considered to be integral parts of the United States, and the Constitution of the United States applies only partially in those territories.


title: Territories of the United States

text: The United States currently administers three territories in the Caribbean Sea and eleven in the Pacific Ocean. Five territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) are permanently inhabited, unincorporated territories; the other nine are small islands, atolls, and reefs with no native (or permanent) population. Of the nine, only one is classified as an incorporated territory (Palmyra Atoll). Two additional territories (Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank) are claimed by the United States but administered by Colombia. Historically, territories were created to administer newly acquired land, and most eventually attained statehood. Others, such as the Philippines, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau, later became independent.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Many organized, incorporated territories existed from 1789 to 1959. The first were the Northwest and Southwest territories and the last were the Alaska and Hawaii territories. Thirty-one territories (or parts of territories) became states. In the process, some less-populous areas of a territory were orphaned from it after a statehood referendum. When a portion of the Missouri Territory became the state of Missouri, the remainder of the territory (the present-day states of Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota; most of Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana; and parts of Colorado and Minnesota) became an unorganized territory.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Politically and economically, the territories are underdeveloped. Residents of United States territories cannot vote in United States Presidential elections, and they have only non-voting representation in the United States Congress. Territorial telecommunications and other infrastructure are generally inferior to that of the continental United States and Hawaii, as well as some territories' Internet speed was found to be slower than the least developed countries in Eastern Europe. Poverty rates are higher in the territories than in the states.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Organized territories are lands under federal sovereignty (but not part of any state) which were given a measure of self-governance by Congress through an organic act subject to the Congress's plenary powers under the territorial clause of the Constitution's Article Four, section 3.


title: Territories of the United States

text: The term "unorganized" was historically applied either to a newly acquired region not yet constituted as an organized incorporated territory (e.g. the Louisiana Purchase prior to the establishment of Orleans Territory and the District of Louisiana), or to a region previously part of an organized incorporated territory left "unorganized" after part of it had been organized and achieved the requirements for statehood (e.g. a large portion of Missouri Territory became unorganized territory for several years after its southeastern section became the state of Missouri).


title: Territories of the United States

text: Regions that have been admitted as states by the United States Constitution in addition to the original thirteen were (most often), prior to admission, territories or parts of territories of this kind. As the United States grew, the most populous parts of the organized territory would achieve statehood. Some territories existed only a short time before becoming states, while others remained territories for decades. The shortest-lived was Alabama Territory at two years, while New Mexico Territory and Hawaii Territory both lasted more than 50 years.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Of the current 50 states, 31 were at one time or another part of an organized, incorporated U.S. territory. In addition to the original 13, six subsequent states never were: Kentucky, Maine, and West Virginia were each set off from an already existing state; Texas and Vermont were both sovereign states (only "de facto" sovereignty in Vermont's case, as the region was claimed by New York) at the time when they entered the Union; and California was set off from unorganized land ceded to the United States by Mexico in 1848 at the end of the Mexican–American War.


title: Territories of the United States

text: All of the five major U.S. territories are permanently inhabited and have locally elected territorial legislatures and executives and some degree of political autonomy. Four of the five are "organized", but American Samoa is technically "unorganized". All of the U.S. territories without permanent non-military populations are unorganized.


title: Territories of the United States

text: The Office of Insular Affairs coordinates federal administration of the U.S. territories and freely associated states, except for Puerto Rico.


title: Territories of the United States

text: On March 3, 1849, the last day of the 30th Congress, a bill was passed to create the U.S. Department of the Interior to take charge of the internal affairs of "United States territory". The Interior Department has a wide range of responsibilities (which include the regulation of territorial governments, the basic responsibilities for public lands, and other various duties).


title: Territories of the United States

text: In contrast to similarly named Departments in other countries, the United States Department of the Interior is not responsible for local government or for civil administration except in the cases of Indian reservations, through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and island dependencies administered by the Office of Insular Affairs.


title: Territories of the United States

text: The U.S. has five permanently inhabited territories: Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in the North Pacific Ocean, and American Samoa in the South Pacific Ocean. American Samoa is in the Southern Hemisphere, while the other four are in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2020, their combined population was about 3.62 million, over 90% of which is accounted for by Puerto Rico alone.


title: Territories of the United States

text: People born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands acquire U.S. citizenship by birth, and foreign nationals residing there may apply for U.S. citizenship by naturalization. People born in American Samoa acquire U.S. nationality but not U.S. citizenship by birth if they do not have a U.S. citizen parent. U.S. nationals without U.S. citizenship may hold U.S. passports and reside in any part of the United States without restriction. However, to become U.S. citizens they must apply for naturalization, like foreigners, and may only do so while residing in parts of the United States other than American Samoa. Foreign nationals residing in American Samoa cannot apply for U.S. citizenship or U.S. nationality at all.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Each territory is self-governing with three branches of government, including a locally elected governor and a territorial legislature. Each territory elects a non-voting member (a non-voting resident commissioner in the case of Puerto Rico) to the U.S. House of Representatives. Although they cannot vote on the passage of legislation, they can be members of and vote in committees, are assigned offices and staff funding, and may nominate constituents from their territories to the Army, Naval, Air Force and Merchant Marine academies.


title: Territories of the United States

text: As of the 117th Congress (January 3, 2021January 3, 2023) the territories are represented by Aumua Amata Radewagen (R) of American Samoa, Michael San Nicholas (D) of Guam, Gregorio Sablan (D) of Northern Mariana Islands, Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PNP) of Puerto Rico and Stacey Plaskett (D) of U.S. Virgin Islands. The District of Columbia's delegate is Eleanor Holmes Norton (D); like the district, the territories have no vote in Congress and no representation in the Senate. Additionally, the Cherokee Nation has delegate-elect Kimberly Teehee, who has not been seated by Congress.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Every four years, U.S. political parties nominate presidential candidates at conventions which include delegates from the territories. U.S. citizens living in the territories can vote for presidential candidates in these primary elections but not in the general election.


title: Territories of the United States

text: The territorial capitals are Pago Pago (American Samoa), Hagåtña (Guam), Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Charlotte Amalie (U.S. Virgin Islands). Their governors are Lemanu Peleti Mauga (American Samoa), Lou Leon Guerrero (Guam), Ralph Torres (Northern Mariana Islands), Pedro Pierluisi (Puerto Rico) and Albert Bryan (U.S. Virgin Islands).


title: Territories of the United States

text: Among the inhabited territories, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is available only in the Northern Mariana Islands; however in 2019 a U.S. judge ruled that the federal government's denial of SSI benefits to residents of Puerto Rico is unconstitutional. This ruling was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, allowing for the exclusion of territories from such programs. In the decision, the court explained that the exemption of island residents from most federal income taxes provides a "rational basis" for their exclusion from eligibility for SSI payments.


title: Territories of the United States

text: American Samoa is the only U.S. territory with its own immigration system (a system separate from the United States immigration system). American Samoa also has a communal land system in which ninety percent of the land is communally owned; ownership is based on Samoan ancestry.


title: Territories of the United States

text: Except for Guam, the inhabited territories lost population in 2020. Although the territories have higher poverty rates than the mainland U.S., they have high Human Development Indexes. Four of the five territories have another official language, in addition to English.


title: Territories of the United States

text: The territories do not have administrative counties. The U.S. Census Bureau counts Puerto Rico's 78 municipalities, the U.S. Virgin Islands' three main islands, all of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands' four municipalities, and American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents. The Census Bureau also counts each of the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands as county equivalents.