Beware, scum of Gotham City: There's a new Batman rolling into town.
With Ben Affleck officially gone from his role as Batman in the DC Extended Universe, ex-teen heartthrob turned indie powerhouse Robert Pattinson is taking over the cowl in a new feature film: The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes).
The film is expected to "reboot" the character of Batman in the DC Extended Universe franchise. While the film will retain some continuity to movies like Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, and Justice League, Batman himself will be reimagined. Exactly how will this all work out remains to be seen.
For now, here's everything we know so far about the 2021 DC superhero film, The Batman.
When will The Batman release in theaters?
The Batman is expected to be released in theaters on June 21, 2021. However, the novel coronavirus pandemic has halted production on the film indefinitely, and it is unknown when the cameras will begin rolling again.
It is yet to be determined if a prolonged delay in shooting will push The Batman's release date past its June 2021 date. For now, you can still expect to see The Batman in June of next year.
Who is playing the new Batman?
On May 16, Variety reported Warner Bros. was considering Pattinson as the new Batman to take over from Ben Affleck, who played an older version of the character modeled after Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. The Wrap followed up with a report that the role was still up in the air and that Nicholas Hoult was in the running. Reeves chose Pattinson, as confirmed by Variety on May 31.
What does Robert Pattinson look like as Batman?
Here's a video of Pattinson's screen test as the Caped Crusader, released by Matt Reeves. It's spooky and eerie, reminiscent of a dark noir movie, which is a different tone than fans have seen before.
What does the Batmobile look like?
You're in luck: Matt Reeves recently released some stylish photos of the new Batmobile. In a departure from the "Lamborghini tank" aesthetic of previous cinematic Batmobiles, Pattinson's black steed looks like a modified American muscle car. Seems like Dominic Torretto has been working in the Wayne garage.
You can see pictures of the new Batmobile here.
Who else is starring in The Batman?
Matt Reeves spent most of 2019 revealing the cast of his DC movie via Twitter, through the tasteful art of GIFs. The film’s cast, a veritable murders row of talent, is as follows:
- Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) as Detective James Gordon. Wright replaces J.K. Simmons, who played the role in the 2017 film Justice League. On Instagram, Wright has updated fans on his research into the role, sharing photos of trade paperback collections of vintage Batman comics including the crime classic Batman: The Long Halloween.
- Zoë Kravitz (Big Little Lies) as Selena Kyle/Catwoman. Kravitz previously played Catwoman in the 2017 animated film The Lego Batman Movie.
- Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) as Edward Nashton/The Riddler.
- Andy Serkis (War for the Planet of the Apes) as Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s family butler. Serkis replaces Jeremy Irons, who played the role in the DCEU films.
- Colin Farrell (Minority Report) as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin.
- John Turturro (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) as Carmine Falcone, a prominent crime lord in Gotham City and from Batman’s comics.
- Peter Sarsgaard (Boys Don’t Cry) in an unknown role The Wrap identifies as "Wasserman."
Is there a trailer for The Batman?
Not yet. Filming was underway until it paused due to the coronavirus. It is unknown when a new look at the movie, including a trailer, will be made available to the public.
What’s the plot of The Batman?
The plot of The Batman isn’t yet known. However, Reeves has teased a movie that emphasizes Batman's abilities as a detective. He told The Hollywood Reporter in a 2019 interview:
It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”
Since then, we've also learned that the movie will take place early in Batman's career as a superhero. Specifically, it seems the movie will pick up in Bruce Wayne's second year of crime-fighting. This was previously rumored, but The Wrap seemingly confirmed this detail in a report on Thursday.
Several set leaks suggested that the movie will take place in the early 2000s, as evidenced by Gotham City news vans that advertise "HD" broadcasting.
Is it really called The Batman?
Maybe. According to Reeves, that’s the working title, but things could change.
“What it will be called ultimately, I don’t know,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Batman may still swoop into theaters on June 25, 2021.
