Photo: @thebatman Instagram
Matt Reeves’s explosive film, “The Batman,” shocked audiences, introducing fans to a grittier, darker Gotham overwhelmed with the sadistic murders of The Riddler. Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman, is portrayed by Robert Pattinson. In this film, he must come to terms with his past, uncovering corruption and layers of chaos unparalleled to previous terrors.
Every few years, there is a new take on the Caped Crusader, bringing in a new director and actor to take up the mantle. Over the past 20 years, Hollywood has gone through three incarnations of Batman, beginning with Christian Bale, continuing to Ben Affleck, and now landing on Robert Pattinson. The latest film has earned a Certified Fresh review on Rotten Tomatoes with a whopping 85% on the Tomatometer. “The Batman” proved to be the darkest and longest film yet, lasting just shy of three hours.
The supporting cast of “The Batman” further established a gripping detective thriller in the dark alleys of Gotham. Zoë Kravitz (Catwoman), Colin Farrell (The Penguin) and Jeffrey Wright (Jim Gordon) instituted a complex platform upon which the Batman universe can expand upon in potential sequels or spinoffs. Warner Bros. and HBO Max have already announced that there will be two miniseries in connection with the film: one focused on The Penguin, who will continue to be portrayed by Farrell, and the other will examine the insides of the treacherous Arkham Asylum.
Writer and director Reeves has revealed that his vision for the Riddler stemmed from the real-life Zodiac killer, who terrorized the West Coast in the 1960s and 70s. Paul Dano, who heeded the call of the violent role, took extreme measures to enter the head space of the sadistic villain. Since wrapping production, Dano has stated that he has regretted certain costuming decisions during filming.
“The Batman” can remain a standalone superhero film, having a solid ending with a couple of easter eggs in the final moments. However, fans have already begun speculating that a trilogy is in the mix with Reeves and Pattinson to helm the next two movies. Pattinson has expressed his interest in having Reeves examine the Court of Owls as his next villain if they were to reunite for a second film. This idea would tie in nicely to the premise of “The Batman,” which incorporates superheroes, family histories, the media and the mob.
Lastly, the film earned a smashing $128.5 million opening weekend at the box office. Not only did it dominate the film industry, but Nirvana’s “Something In The Way” has also been widely streamed following the release of the film. The song has ascended into the top three songs currently being streamed in the United States.