Editing Batman Returns (section)

===Marketing===
Franchising had not been considered an important aspect of ''Batman'' prior to its release. However, after merchandise contributed about $500{{nbsp}}million to its $1.5{{nbsp}}billion total earnings, it was prioritized for ''Batman Returns''.<ref name="THRReturnsat25"/><ref name="TheRinger2022"/><ref name="LATimesMarketing120"/> Warner Bros. delayed major promotion until February 1992, to avoid over-saturation and the risk of driving away audiences.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="AFICatalog"/>{{sfn|White|1992|p=11}}<ref name="LATimesMarketing120"/><ref name="NYTimesMarketing"/>}} A 12-minute promotional reel debuted at [[WorldCon]] in September 1991, alongside a black-and-white poster of a silhouetted Batman, which was called "mundane" and uninspiring. A trailer was released in 5,000 theaters in February 1992 with a new poster of a snow-swept Batman logo.<ref name="AFICatalog"/>{{sfn|White|1992|p=11}} The campaign focused on the three central characters (Batman, Penguin, and Catwoman), which Warner Bros. believed would offset the loss of the popular Nicholson.<ref name="NYTimesMay241992"/><ref name="NYTimesMarketing"/> Over two-thirds of the 300 posters Warner Bros. installed in public places were stolen. Warner Bros. eventually offered 200 limited-edition posters for $250, signed by Keaton, who donated his earnings to charity.<ref name="AFICatalog"/><ref name="NYTimesMarketing"/><ref name="LATIMesPoster2"/>

Over $100{{nbsp}}million was expected to be spent on marketing, including $20{{nbsp}}million by Warner Bros. for commercials and trailers, and $60{{nbsp}}million by merchandising partners. The partners, which included [[McDonald's]], [[Ralston Purina]], [[Kmart]], [[Target Corporation]], [[Venture Stores]], and [[Sears]], planned to host about 300 in-store Batman shops.<ref name="AFICatalog"/><ref name="LATimesMarketing120"/><ref name="NYTimesMarketing"/> McDonald's converted 9,000 outlets into Gotham City restaurants, offering Batman-themed packaging and a cup lid which doubled as a flying disc.<ref name="LATimesMarketing120"/> [[CBS]] aired a television special, ''The Bat, The Cat, The Penguin{{nbsp}}... Batman Returns'', and [[Choice Hotels]] sponsored the hour-long ''The Making of Batman Returns''.<ref name="AFICatalog"/><ref name="LATimesMarketing120"/> Television advertisements featured Batman and Catwoman fighting over a can of [[Diet Coke]], and the Penguin (and his penguins) promoted Choice Hotels. Advertisements also appeared on billboards and in print (three consecutive pages in some newspapers), targeted at older audiences.<ref name="NYTimesMarketing"/>