Matt Reeves has unleashed the teaser trailer for his highly anticipated The Batman movie at DC Fandome, and it looks awesome. Reeves’ Batvision will not be an origin story, but will show the caped crusader finally coming into his own, and figuring out in a year or two how to BE the best Batman.
In the trailer we also get glimpses of The Riddler (Paul Dano), and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), and Reeves promises that the aforementioned characters are different than you’ve ever seen on the silver screen.
In the panel for the film, Reeves said “The Batman” won’t be an origin story per se, but it does start in “Year Two” of Batman’s emergence, in which Batman and several other iconic characters — Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Penguin (Colin Farrell) — are still in the early stages of their development. In exploring the corruption at the heart of the story, Batman also begins to uncover a larger story of corruption within the city, and how it may connect back to the vastly wealthy and powerful Wayne family.
Seeing Batman grow and fail and be heroic and develop his crime-fighting plan is what makes this one different, according to Reeves. Being a detective is essential. Darwyn Cooke’s Ego is one point of reference. Many things are driven by the parts of him that he doesn’t yet know. He cited movies like Chinatown and Taxi Driver as non-comic inspirations.
Reeves is also working with Terence Winter (“The Sopranos”) on a spin-off “Gotham PD” TV series set a year before the events of “The Batman.” Reeves said in the panel that the show will focus on a corrupt cop during the first year of the emergence of Batman in Gotham City. HBO Max picked up the show with a series commitment.
Based on the footage they’ve filmed so far (The Batman was six weeks into shooting before the pandemic shut down all Hollywood productions – filming will resume next month), I think it looks great. Robert Pattinson’s Batman looks rough around the edges, and I love the Batman: Year One noir-ish vibe of the film.
One of the things I’ve always wanted from a Batman film is more a focus on him as a detective, and less on him being the arrogant billionaire playboy, which many cinematic Batman’s have focused too much on in the past. So far it seems like I’m getting the Batman movie I’ve always wanted, and can’t wait to see this film when it’s done.
Zoë Kravitz co-stars in the film as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, with Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/Riddler. Additionally, Commissioner James Gordon will be played by Westworld standout, Jeffrey Wright. John Turturro also appears as Carmine Falcone, a powerful crimelord in Gotham City. Colin Farrell will portray Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot.
The Batman will hit theaters on October 1, 2021, barring any further delays.