And now here it is, the first look at Robert Pattinson as the newest, and strangely gothiest version of the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves upcoming “The Batman.” The trailer dropped during during DC Fandome, and you can watch it above right now.
Set early on in the Dark Knight’s career — Matt Reeves said during the film’s DC FanDome panel that it will explore Bruce Wayne’s second year in the cowl — the film skips the origin story in favor of a tale exploring how Batman earns the nickname “the world’s greatest detective.” Reeves has described his film as a “defining” and “very personal” story.
Even so, it has some of the usual Batman origin story beats, like the fact that criminals don’t yet know who he is, and of course what appears to be his first conflict with a real supervillain — which as we all know is going to be The Riddler. This version of the Riddler is definitely not the laughing troll played by Frank Gorshin in the 1960s “Batman,” or the campy drama queen played by Jim Carrey in “Batman Forever.” He’s more of a Zodiac Killer-style creep committing crimes and leaving notes for the cops to find. Works for us, especially as it’s a nice break from The Joker.
We also get glimpses of Zoe Kravitz, who plays Catwoman, and Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, and hell yes to both. But this trailer is all about our very very gothed out Dark Night Robert Pattinson, looking like he chills out with a The Smiths listening session after a evening bringing violent, bone-cracking justice to Gotham’s criminals. “I’m Vengeance!” is both a Bat-motto and the kind of thing we might have written in our diaries at 15 AND NO THAT IS NOT A COMPLAINT.
Read more takeaways from the trailer here.
The film was roughly seven weeks into shooting when production was halted as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and still had roughly 11 weeks left to go. “The Batman” is set to resume production at Warner Bros.’ Leavesden studios in the U.K. early next month, according to an individual familiar with the project.
Depending on how the spread of coronavirus cases in the U.K. play out, “The Batman” could wrap shooting by the end of the year. Back in April, Warner Bros. pushed the release of the film to Oct. 1, 2021, from its original June 25, 2021 release date.
Along with Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Dano as Edward Nashton/The Riddler, Wright as Commissioner Gordon and of course RPatz as A-Bats, John Turturro will play gangster Carmine Falcone. TheWrap previously reported that Andy Serkis will play Alfred Pennyworth and that Colin Farrell will portray as The Penguin. Peter Saarsgard will play Gotham City DA Gil Colson, while Jayme Lawson plays mayoral candidate Bella Real.