Watch CBS News

'Batman Live' Directors Insist The Show Will Be Nothing Like 'Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark'

NEW YORK CITY (CBSNewYork) -- Watch out, Spider-Man - another superhero may be trying to muscle in on your high-wire act.

Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark has made headlines here for things like safety violations, special effects mishaps and stunt-related injuries to the show's actors.

Across the pond, another comic book character is preparing to take his show on the road – and is doing his best to take tips from his superhero colleague here in Manhattan.

Batman Live is kicking off a European tour in July, and the show's producers are doing their best to learn from the mistakes of Turn Off The Dark, which has cost $65 million. In fact, Batman's producer told British paper The Guardian that Batman won't be anything like the troubled Spider-Man production.

"It's a very different show to ours," said Batman's creative director Anthony van Laast in regards to Spider-Man. "The only comparison is they're about heroes."

The $20 million show will not be a musical – though, like Spider-Man, it will feature special effects, acrobatics and intense, theatrical sets of the Gotham City.

In February, Turn Off The Dark was hit with two new safety violations by New York State labor officials. Van Laast told BBC News that these types of technical dangers won't be a risk for his crew.

"We're in an arena, we can fly wherever we want," he said.

You can make the comparison. The Batmobile won't arrive in North America until summer 2012.

Would you go see Batman Live? Is this a good idea? Sound off in our comments section.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.