As hype for the film hits a peak, get up-to-date with all the newest info about the latest feature film focused on Bob Kane’s Caped Crusader. Here’s everything we know about The Batman.
When is The Batman coming out?
The Batman opens Friday, March 4, 2022. Like the latest James Bond movie, No Time to Die, The Batman’s release date has moved a lot. It was originally slated for a summer 2021 release, then moved to fall before the spring 2022 rescheduling was announced.
Is there a trailer for The Batman?
Yes, Warner Bros. dropped the new trailer back on Oct. 16, 2021. It’s dark, it’s brutal, there’s no humor or lightness in the new footage… it basically looks like a horror movie with scope and scale.
Who is the new Batman?
After months of speculation and internet opinion-sharing, in early June 2019 Warner Bros. officially announcedRobert Pattinson would be the next Bruce Wayne, donning the iconic cape and cowl. R-Patz represents the next Caped Crusader casting pivot after Ben Affleck’s recent portrayal (Affleck was mostly well-received in the role, but he appeared in critically reviled films Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice). For all the talk of Pattinson being a younger Batman, at 35 he’s actually four years older than Christian Bale was in Batman Begins.
Who’s in the cast of The Batman?
For The Batman, Warner Bros. has recast some of the most famous faces of D.C. lore.
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/The Riddler
Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin
Jeffrey Wright as Gordon
Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth
Have any The Batman spoilers leaked?
(Spoiler alert, obviously!) Rumors have circled for a long time about The Batman’s allegedly shocking ending, that apparently borrows a storyline from the comics: Riddler wins and he floods Gotham City, submerging Bruce Wayne’s cityscape in water. This is rumored to set up Mr. Freeze as villain of the next film. Now that the movie is out, we can tell you that those rumors are pretty accurate. The other big The Batman spoiler? The ending also sets up the villain of The Batman 2 (or whatever the next installment ends up being called): a new Joker played by actor BarryKeoghan, who recently portrayed Druig in The Eternals.
Who wrote The Batman?
Matt Reeves co-wrote The Batman with Peter Craig (Top Gun: Maverick and Bad Boys for Life). Affleck originally penned Warner Bros.’ impending solo Batman film, with a relatively low-key focus on re-establishing the Dark Knight as “the world’s greatest detective.” Following the critical failure of both Batman v. Superman and Justice League, and the box-office disappointment of the latter, Warner sought to clean the slate within a DCEU that’s already wonky in terms of cohesiveness. Reeves re-wrote Affleck’s script. Affleck, originally slated to direct and star in the new Batman feature, doesn’t have a writing credit on the film.
Who directed The Batman?
Matt Reeves follows Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher and immediate predecessor Nolan as the latest multiplex auteur to helm a Batman picture. It’s important to note Reeves has made incredible genre pictures, over and over. From legitimately scary Cloverfield to shockingly good remake Let Me In to internationally lauded Planet of the Apes movies, he’s made great film after great film. It’s easy to see why Warner Bros. gave him the reins to one of their most prominent properties.
Is The Batman in the DCEU?
No. This is a standalone movie outside the DCEU, like Joker. Batman’s history in MCU’s rival series is wonky, historically. With bona fide hits like Shazam!, Aquaman and the Wonder Woman series, the extended universe appears to be back on track. We’ve yet to see how The Batman could impact the ongoing series and its spinoffs.
Is The Batman an origin story?
No. Batman will already be on his booted feet fighting crime in Gotham in The Batman. This is a wise move; it’s hard to imagine a stronger Batman origin film than Nolan’s hugely influential Batman Begins.
How much did The Batman cost to make?
Warner Bros. has yet to release budgetary figures for The Batman, but early reports put the film at roughly $100 million—extremely modest for a Batman picture. For reference, that would be the lowest production cost for a Batman film since Batman Returns (which cost $80 million in 1992).
Who is the main villain in The Batman?
Paul Dano plays a darker version of DC’s The Riddler. The acclaimed actor (who also directed the impressive, underrated Wildlife in 2018) appears to be playing The Riddler as a terrifying homicidal psychopath. This is a far cry from Jim Carrey’s hilarious, brilliantly campy turn that upstaged everyone else in the cast of 1995’s Batman Forever.
What’s the plot of The Batman?
Seeing as this is one of the biggest movie releases on the horizon, plot specifics are mostly under lock and key. What we do know from the trailer is Dano’s Riddler is a “serial killer” terrorizing a younger Batman than we’re used to seeing, who’s aided in his efforts to protect Gotham by allies Gordon and Catwoman.
So… Is The Batman going to be good?
The movie hasn’t screened for audiences or critics, so there’s no way to officially confirm anything right now. There are heavily circulated internet rumors of troubled early insider screenings, however. Reshoots are common for mammoth franchise films, but it’s worth noting that there were heavy reshoots here in a shoot that spanned over a year. And it’s worth asking: Is the joyless take on the iconic superhero this trailer promises something everyone wants right now? Especially in our pandemic world, fun seems to be in high demand, understandably. There’s no way to prove this, but could the downbeat—mopey, frankly—ending of No Time to Die have something to do with that film’s disappointing stateside box office (it’s otherwise an excellent Bond film)? It’s been a rough couple years. Who can blame audiences for flocking to entertainment that makes them feel upbeat? For what it’s worth, Zoë Kravitz is rumored to be a highlight of The Batman, and her slinky, unapologetic Catwoman is a bright spot in the downbeat (dour?) trailer.
How do I watch Batman movies in order?
We recommend you watch the Batman films in order of release. The first four films are in the original series jumpstarted with Tim Burton’s wildly successful summer blockbuster starring Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton, followed by Nolan’s groundbreaking Dark Knight trilogy: Batman (1989) Batman Returns (1992) Batman Forever (1995) Batman & Robin (1997) Batman Begins (2005) The Dark Knight (2008) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) You can watch notoriously, gleefully campy 1966 Batman: The Movie starring Adam West, too. Just prepare yourself beforehand. It’s different from these other films. Ka-Pow!
Will The Batman be on HBO Max?
The Batman opens only in theaters on Friday, March 4, 2022. Next, check out the best superhero movies of all time, ranked.
