The Batman will introduce a new Dark Knight now played by Robert Pattinson, and even though details about this version and the plot of the movie are scarce, there are enough to show how Pattinson’s Batman will be different to previous movie versions. After its first wave of movies didn’t perform as expected, especially Justice League, DC’s movie universe (unofficially titled DC Extended Universe) decided to make some major changes. A couple of characters and their actors will remain, such as Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, but others will have a full makeover and their stories will be retold from scratch, as is the case of Batman.
The DCEU’s Caped Crusader was introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, played by Ben Affleck, and went on to appear in two more movies: Justice League and David Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Affleck was set to direct and star in the DCEU’s first solo Batman movie, but ended up leaving the project entirely in early 2019. Matt Reeves was later brought on board as director and Warner Bros. found its new Batman in Robert Pattinson. Now titled The Batman, the movie will bring a whole new version of Batman’s universe, recasting all those roles previously introduced during Affleck’s time.
The Batman began filming in January 2020, and set photos quickly made their way online. Since then, Reeves has been a step ahead and shared on his Twitter account a test footage video showing Pattinson in the new Batsuit and later the first pics of his Batmobile. Still, plot details are being kept under wraps, and the only bits of information about the story and the character are those shared by Reeves in different interviews and events – but all of these are enough to get an idea of how this new Batman will be different to previous movie versions.
Without counting the two serial films from the 1940s, Batman and Batman and Robin, the Caped Crusader has gone through six different versions on the big screen: Adam West in 1966, Michael Keaton in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Val Kilmer in 1995, George Clooney in 1997, Christian Bale from 2005 to 2012, and Ben Affleck in 2016 and 2017. Each version has had a different tone, with some embracing a more comedic style (such as 1966’s Batman), others going for a more comic book vibe (like Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns), and others aiming for a darker and more realistic tone (Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy), but they have also been influenced by the actors playing the part.
Adam West was more comedy oriented (though he played characters from different genres throughout his career, but was typecast after the Batman series), while Michael Keaton is a more flexible actor, having played characters that go from Beetlejuice to Vulture to more serious roles without being pigeonholed. Val Kilmer’s style is more action-comedy, Christian Bale is best-known for drama roles and his intense method acting style, and Ben Affleck has gone through pretty much everything – from failed comedies, to intense dramas, and a short-lived superhero career. Robert Pattinson is best known for playing Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga, but there’s much more to him than a sparkling vampire – you just have to look a bit further.
Robert Pattinson has worked with some big names in the industry, such as David Cronenberg and Claire Denis, and has played a variety of roles that prove that he has range and can play pretty much any character he wants. Pattinson is charming and has a great sense of humor, which shows in almost every interview, something that not all previous Batman actors have (Christian Bale, for example, has a reputation of not being the nicest person) and which will surely be reflected in his performance. Twilight might have been a shadow over his career for years, but the audience is ready to see this new phase in Robert Pattinson’s career, and that’s one of his biggest advantages over his predecessors.
The test footage shared by Reeves was dark and under a red light, so it was hard to appreciate the details in Pattinson’s Batsuit. The clearest look so far is in the Batmobile photos, but they don’t offer a close up look to it. Still, Batman fans have already pointed out the similarities between this new Batsuit and those from the comics, and of course, the differences with previous Batsuits and what the new one tells about the character.
The Bat-symbol is the biggest difference in this new design, as it’s carved into the suit and filled in with pieces of metal (that some fans have speculated are parts of the gun used to kill his parents) rather than molded into it or stitched. The new Batsuit has an overall armor-esque design, even more than Bale’s, suggesting that even though he’s in his detective phase, he has already gotten his dose of problems with dangerous criminals, and knows the type of suit he needs. Conversely, the cowl looks to be made of stitched leather, which seems odd given all the protection the rest of the suit has – though it’s possible that this Batsuit has a hidden exoskeleton.
Pattinson’s Batsuit doesn’t look finished quite yet, which confirms that this will be a Batman in his early days as detective, and there’s a lot of room for improvement for this Bruce Wayne. The design of the new suit also shows that Reeves and company are going for a more realistic Batman – and, thankfully, it looks nothing like the Batsuits in Joel Schumacher’s movies, meaning that the metallic finish and the unnecessary and infamous “bat-nipples” are long gone.
Pattinson’s Batmobile is also very different to previous ones, and it shows a lot more about the style of the movie than the Batsuit. The design of the new Batmobile is far from the tank-like look of Nolan’s, it’s a lot less comic book-y than Burton’s, and less dramatic than Schumacher’s, instead going for a more DIY vibe. The vehicle looks like an enhanced muscle car, and it might even be a combination of (at least) two different commercial cars. The new Batmobile has an exposed rear engine and a couple of extras on the exterior, giving the idea that it wasn’t built from scratch like the previous ones, and was instead built from a car (or cars) Bruce Wayne already had in his garage.
The new Batman having a seemingly simpler car fits with Reeves’ comments on The Batman leaning more towards a noir style and following the early years of the title character as detective. Surely, he will need some fancy toys at some point, as the criminals in Gotham City are no easy ones, but the Batmobile lacks all those theatrical details that previous versions had, as well as the heavy armor of some (Nolan’s and Snyder’s), hinting at a more grounded approach and a Batman that is still finding his style and learning about what he needs in order to successfully continue with this part of his career.
Plot details on The Batman remain a secret, but Reeves has stated that he’s going for a “noir-driven, detective version of Batman”, and will leave Batman’s origins behind – so no more Thomas and Martha Wayne being killed in an alley. Although The Batman will be set in the DCEU, its connections to other works will be minimal, and there won’t be cameos “servicing other stories”. The Batman is looking to be its own thing in an already established universe, and it’s already very different to previous versions of the Dark Knight.
The biggest difference is, perhaps, that it won’t be an origin story. While Burton’s version wasn’t an origin story either, it did go back to it in Batman, with flashbacks and the Joker (Jack Nicholson) revealed to be the one who killed Bruce’s parents. Nolan’s Batman Begins followed young Bruce Wayne and all his journey into the character the world now knows, from the murder of his parents to his intense training. The Batman focusing on exploring the character’s detective phase is also a big difference – although previous versions have included this side of him to some extent, none have actually delved into it.
Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is known and praised for its dark and realistic tone, but even that one has its elements of fantasy that don’t quite fit with a realistic vibe, yet work well as it’s pretty much Nolan’s style. The Batman, on the other hand, seems to be going for a grittier and realistic tone, which fit with the exploration of his detective days. As the Batsuit and Batmobile show, this Bruce Wayne/Batman will rely more on strategy and intelligence than fancy, high-tech equipment, fitting the realistic approach.
It’s unlikely Warner Bros. will reveal plot details on The Batman soon, but Matt Reeves will surely continue sharing first looks from the set without giving away too much. The Batman is already on its way to be one of the best cinematic adaptations of the Caped Crusader, and one that will stand-out from the rest for many reasons – and hopefully good reasons.
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