The new Batman film, starring Robert Pattinson, will hit theaters in early March 2022. It will star Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman and Colin Farrell as Penguin.
What do we know about the cast, the costume, the story, the release date, or even the duration of The Batman ? This new work on the Dark Knight will give a dark and violent image of the character. But will the film be of quality when it is so awaited? Verdict at the theatrical release in early March 2022.
This film will not be part of the DC Comics Extended Universe. The superhero firm wants more dark, alternative movies like Joker… and The Batman is part of. He is disconnected from the universe of Justice League.
Who is the director?
It is the eighth film centered exclusively on Batman, a few years later The Dark Knight Rises by Christopher Nolan. For this new version of the comic book character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane 80 years ago, it’s Matt Reeves who worked behind the camera, directing and writing the screenplay. He is best known for his work on Cloverfield and the last two opuses of the trilogy The Planet of the Apes.
Release date
Filming had started at the beginning of 2020, but, with the pandemic, the production suffered a haïtus and slowdowns. As a result, the release date has been pushed back several times. But it is now certain: the exit of The Batman is for March 2, 2022.
The trailers
During the DC Fandome 2020 convention, the film team revealed the very first official trailer. The images show us an atmosphere as well as a very dark plot. The Dark Knight is violent, driven by rage and presumably by a form of vengeful justice (“ i am revenge “, sentence that says already pronounced in the cartoon flagship and typical of Batman).
We see Colin Farrell as Penguin (the actor is unrecognizable) and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman (with a costume that is not that of the vigilante, because she is in her debut). As for the big villain of the film, the clue is in the writing of the release date: “?0?1”. The question mark, in the Gotham universe, refers to the Riddler — the Riddler.
It was again during the DC Fandome event that, in 2021, a second trailer was released. It confirms the brutal and vengeful atmosphere of the film, and demonstrates a very beautiful photography. It also contains many striking elements that serve as clues.
Then, finally, as the theatrical release approaches, yet another trailer has been unveiled. Titled The Bat And The Cat, it delves into the relationship between Batman and Catwoman in particular. This trailer is full of intriguing details about the film.
What is the cast of The Batman?
After the abandonment of the project worn by Ben Affleck, the mystery hovered for a long time over who was going to embody the famous masked hero. The choice ultimately fell on Robert Pattinson. If the actor became known with the saga Twilight, he has since distinguished himself in other films such as Cosmopolis, The Lighthouse, Remember Me. If this announcement was not immediately unanimous, fans of the Dark Knight still welcomed a face very close to the Bruce Wayne of the comics. We also know, thanks to Cosmopolis, that he can very easily adopt a style jet set which fits well with Bruce’s public life.
And clearly, the images from the trailers prove that Robert Pattinson was cut out for this role. Even more, it would seem very clear that he is going to offer us a unique interpretation of the hero, very far from Ben Affleck, Christian Bale or Michael Keaton.
The rest of the cast is also known, which allows to have a good general vision of the allies and enemies of the Dark Knight who will be present in this new film. Side acolytes, the famous butler of Bruce Wayne will take on the features ofAndy Serkis and Commissioner Gordon will be played by Jeffrey Wright. For Catwoman, who can turn out to be an ally as well as an enemy, it’s Zoe Kravitz who will succeed Anne Hathaway and Halle Berry.
Side bad guys, no Joker on the horizon, but we will find characters who had not been portrayed in the cinema for a long time: the Penguin, embodied by Colin Farrell, and the Sphinx, performed by Paul Dano.
Duration of The Batman Movie
The Batman will be very long: 2h47, not counting the end credits. An unprecedented length for a film dedicated to the Dark Knight.
Robert Pattinson’s suit
For comics, clothing aesthetics is quite a challenge for directors: you have to respect the iconic canon while adding your own artistic touch. February 13, 2020 Matt Reeves had published by surprise, on his Twitter account, a “camera test” that was Robert Pattinson’s first-ever appearance in his Batman costume. The video lasts a few seconds, against a background of a first extract from the music of Michael Giacchino.
We then had the opportunity to see the costume again in the trailer.
If it is slightly less “imposing” than that worn by Ben Affleck, it is quite impressive, more in the style of that of Christian Bale. The costume exudes a certain form… of aggressiveness. This effect comes from the particularly angular and metallic design. Moreover, an interesting theory, even solid, has already emerged about the Batman logo on the costume, which seems to be made from pistol grips: it would be the weapon that killed the parents of Bruce Wayne. As for the mask, it is in slight contrast to the military side of the costume. It appears to be made of leather and to be a bit less protective than the rest.
In any case, between the hint of a logo forged from firearms, the dark and glowing atmosphere of this video, and the tense jaw of Robert Pattinson, the tone of the film is already almost announced: it will be black, brutal .
the batmobile
It is again thanks to a simple tweet from Matt Reeves that we were treated to a few additional images on March 4, 2020. The director reveals three photos of the famous “batmobile”, an accessory as cult as it is essential for Batman.
The design is relatively refined, because it looks like… a car, after all. We are far from the rather titanic “tank” side of the Knight’s batmobile embodied by Ben Affleck, and which was inspired by Franck Miller’s comics. That of Robert Pattinson’s Batman rather adopts a retro style, as if it came straight out of the second half of the 20th century.
We find that said the very angular and metallic side of the costume, a sign that there is a recurring theme in the aesthetics of this new film. Moreover, the Dark Knight himself appears on the images, which allows to see a little more about the look of Robert Pattinson when he is in the skin of Batman.
What will be the plot of The Batman?
The Batman will not be a origin story, but this Bruce Wayne will remain young in his career. The movie is set before the Dark Knight’s second year of existence in Gotham (the Gotham Police spin-off will be in Year 1). During an interview given to Nerdist and published on April 8, Matt Reeves gave some details on his approach: “ I didn’t want to do an origin story, but a story that respects his origins, in the sense that they forged his personality. » He has by elsewhere insisted on the very humanistic side of his story, which should show a Bruce Wayne/Batman fighting against his inner demons – the dark atmosphere of the BA confirms this.
The approach of this version piloted by Matt Reeves seems quite close to a whodunnit, a dark thriller. Faced with a series of bloody murders, he will have to investigate and face a long list of enemies: the Penguin, the Sphinx, Two-faced, the Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, Firefly… And especially the Riddler. The exact camp of Catwoman alias Selina Kyle remains unclear, and the BA has not lifted any veil on this point.
Gotham PD & Penguin
A prequel to the film has been announced, and it will take the form of a TV series on HBO Max. It will be set in year 1 of this universe. The story will explore how Gotham’s police gradually became corrupt. Matt Reeves has made it clear that while the series will contain some key characters from the comics, new characters will also be created specifically for this series.
The series is also supposed to narrate the impact of the first appearances of the vigilante, but nothing has been confirmed as to the presence or not of Batman in person, and therefore of Robert Pattinson, in the series.
We also know since December 2021 that a spin-off series, similarly on HBO Max, will be dedicated to the Penguin, again in the guise of Colin Farrel.