The Batman from director Matt Reeves will establish a new actor as the DC Comics hero: Robert Pattinson. The story features a younger Batman than we’re used to seeing, which gave Reeves the chance to show a Bruce Wayne who is still learning. Pattinson took the stage at DC FanDome first on Saturday to share his enthusiasm for the character but quickly handed the reins to Matt Reeves. And Reeves excitedly discussed his passion for Batman and how he loves that the character isn’t a superhero in the traditional sense. Reeves confirmed his movie very much shows Batman’s early days—year two of being the Caped Crusader, to be specific. But before we talk more about the story, let’s watch the first teaser for The Batman.
Yeah, we’re excited.
As mentioned, it’s year two, and Batman is far from being perfect. He’s not having the effect he wants to have on Gotham. A series of murders begin happening in Gotham (as seen in the teaser), and they tie into the history of the city. So while this movie is emphatically not an origin tale, Reeves said the movie does touch on Batman’s origins. As Bruce learns more about Gotham’s corruption, Bruce has to reconcile it with how his family—the Waynes—fit into the mess. It’s a detective story; there’s a mystery. But The Batman is also an incredibly personal story. And along the way, Bruce encounters rogues who aren’t quite rogues. Selina Kyle, Edward Nashton, and Oswald Cobblepot—none of them are the villains we know yet.
Warner Bros.
When asked about a deep cut comic book story that inspired him, Reeves cited Darwyn Cooke’s Batman: Ego and Other Tails. That comic is a deeply psychological exploration of Bruce that Reeves said fits with his take on the character. He cited Taxi Driver, Chinatown, and The French Connection as influencing him as well.
The Batman features Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson, Jayme Lawson as Bella Reál, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin.
Warner Bros.
The Batman is currently scheduled for release on October 1, 2021. Reeves noted that at this point they’ve only shot about 25-30 percent of the movie, so we’re excited to see what else is in store.
Featured Image: Warner Bros.
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available for pre-order now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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