Finally, the feel-good Batman movie America has long been waiting for is here in the form of Batkid Begins. Batkid tells the true story of Miles Scott, who, as a 5-year-old stricken with leukemia, got to live out his biggest fantasy and save Gotham City (San Francisco) while dressed as his favorite superhero. His dream came true thanks to a colossal effort by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who put out a call on social media and got over 10,000 volunteers, plus the cooperation of San Francisco’s city government, police department, and local media. Batkid thwarted the Penguin and the Riddler while saving several innocents, including San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal, as millions cheered him on worldwide. The story got an even happier ending, as Scott is currently in remission.
And now the same social media that brought Batkid to fame is making Batkid Begins possible, as an Indiegogo campaign has raised $45,500 and counting to produce a movie about his big day (out of a $100,000 goal). Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Dana Nachman (Witch Hunt, The Human Experiment) is directing what’s sure to be an uplifting counterpoint to Ben Affleck brooding.