12 February 2022

Batman is not only one of the most iconic superheroes in entertainment, but perhaps one of the most well-known and beloved characters of all time, with his story being told time and time again through comic books, TV shows and movies. 

The Batman returns… / Picture Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

As we all know, Batman’s secret identity is Bruce Waye, a millionaire orphan who generally has a love for the finer things in life; since his parents were murdered in the alley behind a theatre when he was a child, he began to seek vengeance when he grew older. 

Batman has been played by many actors in various films, from Adam West to George Clooney and Christian Bale; however, the most recent actor to take on the role of The Bat is Twilight actor Robert Pattinson. 

Many seem to be guessing at what Pattinson’s Batman will be like based on his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight series, but we know he is much more than that; the actor has also starred in films such as Remember Me (2010), Water for Elephants (2011), and Tenet (2020). 

Robert Pattinson is the Caped Crusader / Picture Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

The trailers we have seen so far for The Batman have almost everyone on the internet talking and asking questions out of interest in regard to casting, plot, villains, and everything in between. 

The Batman will see Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham’s Protector as well as Bruce Wayne, Zoë Kravitz is Selina Kyle aka Catwoman, Colin Farrell is The Penguin, Andy Serkis will be Wayne’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and Paul Dano has landed the role of The Riddler, the movie’s main villain. 

In the film, we join Batman in his earlier days, only two years into his vigilante role, aiming to scare the underworld of Gotham; the mystery hero has made a name for himself as the sole beacon of hope and justice throughout the City. 

Jeffrey Wright is James Gordon in The Batman / Picture Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

After a killer sets Gotham’s rich and wealthy as his next targets, a trail of clues lead the world’s best detective down to the underbelly of Gotham to stop the villain’s plans; to put an end to The Riddler’s schemes, Batman must work with others to bring justice to those who have been wronged. 

Trailers for The Batman show a dark, dismal version of Gotham; while this is usually how the City is portrayed, this time seems different. This time, a strong colour palette of red and black highlight that Gotham really is a City of evil… 

Based on clips we’ve seen, it appears as though The Batman will be a strong entry in the list of films releasing this year. Many are on the fence with their opinions, which is fair given that everyone has their favourite Batman actor and/or movie. 

Many fans may be used to a certain version of Batman/Bruce Wayne, making this film significant in becoming an important movie in regard to the iconic character that is Batman, and showing that change can be a good thing. 

The Bat and The Cat / Picture Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

The movie has of course made changes to aspects of the Capes Crusader, such as this is a younger version of Bruce Wayne that is essentially at the start of his solo vigilante journey. 

Pattinson’s Wayne will also be different in the sense that Wayne looks to be an outcast of some kind, someone who people know but do not wish to spend much time with. 

This is quite the difference from Christian Bale’s Wayne, for example, as he enjoyed lavish parties and wasn’t afraid to be in the spotlight or show off his wealth; Pattinson’s iteration of the character seems to be more of the type to hide in the shadows, day or night. 

As for Dano playing the Riddler, this is a very, very interesting concept. The Riddler hasn’t been in a live-action film since 1996’s Batman; however, he was in TV’s Gotham as a rather formidable character – will he be as troublesome in The Batman? 

The Riddler is set to cause chaos in Gotham… / Picture Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Expectations for this movie are rather high, as it is not part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), it has a little more freedom than recent Batman films. A new Batman actor has been a somewhat historical change in the past, with plenty of attention from fans and many people judging the film on that alone. 

However, the cinematography looks outstanding, the cast is brilliant, and Pattinson stands a good chance of being a very notable Batman; this feature is new, exciting, and has a great narrative that will no doubt challenge Wayne in ways never seen before. 

The Batman, despite some fans’ negative opinions, has great potential to do brilliantly; Pattinson seems to adore his role, which always translates on screen, we’re seeing a new plot, new villains and a different version of Gotham, so we can definitely expect great things from Matt Reeves’ upcoming film. 

The Batman will be in (UK) cinemas on March 4th, 2022. 

Watch the trailer for The Batman below:

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Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal

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