THERE HAS BEEN NO SUPERHERO WITH MORE

big screen iterations than Batman. First worn cinematically by Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s 1989 film and its 1992 sequel Batman Returns, the cape and cowl have been donned by the likes of Val Kilmer (Batman Forever), George Clooney (Batman & Robin), Christian Bale (the Christopher Nolan trilogy), and Ben Affleck (the Zack Snyder-verse) over the years. But now, in one of the most anticipated films of 2022, Robert Pattinson will carry the Dark Knight torch in The Batman, out March 4.

Taking inspiration from iconic Caped Crusader comics such as The Long Halloween, Ego, the “Year One” arc, and the “Zero Year” crossover event, director and screenwriter Matt Reeves and his co-writer Peter Craig (The Town, Top Gun: Maverick) wanted to focus on a younger version of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego with their upcoming reboot, which follows the superhero during only his second year trying to clean up the streets of Gotham City.

Getting in his way are the Riddler (Paul Dano), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and a fledgling Penguin (Colin Farrell), as well as femme fatale Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), aka Catwoman. Jeffrey Wright portrays robert pattinson catch-up list:

Lieutenant Gordon, who hasn’t yet been promoted to commissioner, and Andy Serkis gets a turn as Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth, who, unlike the more fatherly role he’s taken on in past renditions, is more at odds with the young crime fighter entrusted to him. While Riddler’s villainy is fully formed this time around, other characters will evolve much more in subsequent installments, with plans for a trilogy underway, as well as a spin-off series following Gotham

City Police Department and another focusing on the Scarface-rise of Penguin.

Featuring references to past Batman iterations, the Batsuit was designed by Jacqueline Durran and her team to look homemade by Wayne himself. Veteran DP Greig Fraser (Lion, Rogue One, The Mandalorian) assisted Reeves in establishing a more somber tone amidst the visually grounded world, albeit one infused with these heightened elements, such as a muscle car Batmobile inspired by Stephen King’s haunted automobile story, Christine, and aforementioned rogues’ gallery of over-the-top villains.

Known for his deceptively minimalist films Cloverfield and Let Me In, prior to venturing into the Planet of the Apes universe with his categorically incredible installments in 2014 and 2017, Reeves is likely the perfect man for the job. Proving his ability to work both within and without the realm of ultra-effects— whether it be the incisive character work in both Apes films or doing well to imply impending doom in an alien invasion flick that had very few scenes of actual aliens—the director has always found a way to compensate on both sides of the coin.

He referred to The Batman as “the most intricate narrative I have ever, ever tried to tackle,” which may as well herald just where this newest installment is headed. Bruce Wayne—and Batman—has always been a character noteworthy for emotional containment buried underneath a complex outer shell. Add in all these moving parts inhabiting this rich playground and it’s bound to be intricate. Reeves hasn’t failed us yet, even in his most ambitious projects.

For fans of Pattinson, this new sojourn into the world of superheroes is an exciting one. Watching the actor go from brooding vampire to indie phenom has been fun to watch, but also not without criticisms from the more casual moviegoers who haven’t yet seen his talents on full display in films like Cosmopolis, Good Time, or The Lighthouse. An actor known for embodying his characters outright and always going the extra four miles to bring something unexpected to the table, Pattinson should provide a new spin on the Caped Crusader as one of the best actors to ever portray him.

Dingy and brimming with noir, The Batman might just be the titular character’s darkest rendition yet. And with a highly talented team behind it, the DC movie is arguably the most promising of the year.

To celebrate the character, we’ve looked at a couple of interesting aspects of the superhero’s mythology over time. Batman fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming months, but this handful of features spotlights Gotham’s favorite son in a way that only the experts at SPO!LER can.