The Batman 2021: Matt Reeves And The Future Of The Dark Knight

With Matt Reeves' The Batman now moving full steam ahead to its release date in 2021, it’s safe to say I am excited. While many people are still warming up to Pattinson as Batman, I’ve been on board from day one. Affleck’s heart was no longer in the role and Pattinson, despite his infamous part in The Twilight Saga, is an excellent actor in his own right. Not to mention how long we’ve been waiting for this film; it was announced in 2015 after all, coinciding with the lead up to Batman Vs Superman.

Pattinson as Batman fan art - Credit: Datrinti (Twitter)

The Plot

There have been many rumours circulating around this film since its initial conception. Early reports had Joe Manganiello set to play the antagonist as Deathstroke, set up in an after-credit scene at the end of Snyder’s Justice League. Other rumours described an Arkham Asylum-based film, which would have seen Affleck’s Batman fighting off villains similarly to Rocksteady’s first Batman game.

Now, it seems Matt Reeves’ vision will be centred on the events of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s The Long Halloween. This rumour is supported by the extensive cast list of Batman’s rogues gallery, bringing in Catwoman, The Riddler, Penguin, and Two Face.

For those of you unfamiliar, the book follows Batman in his early career as he seeks to identify the culprit in a series of murders. With Pattinson reportedly set to play a young iteration of Bruce Wayne, this lines up perfectly. As well as introducing many of Gotham’s notorious villains, we will also witness the exploration of Batman’s detective side. Past films have often neglected this key aspect of the Caped Crusader, opting to show his more violent exploits.

I believe this is a brilliant set up to establish a new take on Batman, drifting away from the tried-and-tested models of past depictions. Reeves has the chance here to leave his mark on the character, hopefully matching or even surpassing that of Nolan. With a stellar cast and a proven director of The Planet Of The Apes franchise, we could be in for something special.

Characters And Casting

Batman — With Pattinson in full preparation mode, it’s safe to say the Bat is in competent hands. With his more niche work in smaller films, he has shown that he is more than the sparkly vampire from Twilight. We could be in for a deep dive into the psyche of Batman, with Pattinson himself saying that he doesn’t see Batman as a hero. These are controversial words to many, but I’d like to remind you of one very famous line from the comics: 'Deep down, Clark's essentially a good person... and deep down, I'm not.'

Robert Pattinson will play Batman

Catwoman — Zoe Kravitz was recently announced in the role of on-off anti-hero Selina Kyle. It’s clear to say that she has the looks, and this is the first appearance of the character since Anne Hathaway’s short stint in The Dark Knight Rises. Could this mean we will witness the blooming of a romance with Pattinson’s Batman? Even if the answer is no, Reeves is set to create a full trilogy of films, so there is plenty of time. Not to mention, we could still get to view some thrilling action scenes of the two. But will this be side by side or as adversaries? Only time will tell.

Zoe Kravitz will play Catwoman

Gordon — Before the casting of The Batman, many debated whether this would still follow on from the DCEU’s version of the characters. With the film exploring a younger Batman and Gotham, there was still a chance for this to lead into the events of the previous films. However, with the reveal of Jeffrey Wright as commissioner James Gordon, this seems increasingly unlikely.

But don’t be sad about this, Wright is a skilled actor with many credits to his name, including the lauded HBO show Westworld. If anyone can portray the steadfast determination of Gordon, it is him.

Jeffrey Wright will play James Gordon

Riddler — With rumours persisting about Jonah Hill’s negotiations with Warner Bros, it seemed set that he was going to play either the Riddler or Penguin. However, these negotiations broke down, resulting in smaller-name actor Paul Dano scoring the role.

For many this may be a bit of a let down, but having seen Dano’s previous work in films such as Twelve Years A Slave, I am confident he can pull this out the bag. He has a history of playing despicably twisted villains, and I’m sure this will be no different.

Paul Dano will play the Riddler

Penguin — Leading on from Dano’s casting as the Riddler, people were left wondering as to who would then take on the role of Oswald Cobblepot. Well, you need no longer wonder, as Colin Farrell of all people will be driving the helm.

Now, I will admit, I am cautiously optimistic about this casting. Farrell has a long history in cinema, and I’m afraid to say I have never been his number-one fan. Not to mention, he lacks practically all the defining physical traits associated with the character. Nevertheless, I will wait until we get an official look at the character before judging any further, as Reeves has thoroughly impressed me so far with his choices.

Colin Farrell will play Penguin

Alfred — Andy Serkis has reportedly been brought on to play beloved mentor to Bruce as Alfred Pennyworth. Given the actor’s lack of resemblance to the role, it does make me wonder which direction Reeves is taking the character. Could we be seeing a more Geoff Johns Earth One approach, wherein he embodies a teaching role to Batman? This would fit with Serkis’ track record, having played Klaw in Black Panther and, more notably, Caesar in Reeves' other franchise, Planet Of The Apes.

Andy Serkis will play Alfred

Two-Face — Last but not least, we have the unconfirmed casting of Two-Face. Little is known so far, so I’ll keep it brief. But Matthew McConaughey is currently leading the rumours as to who could play the role.

Given the film’s earlier time frame, I would expect the character to be pre-acid-attack Harvey Dent. Undoubtedly this would lead into a full Nolan-esque transformation later down the line.

Matthew McConaughey is rumoured to be playing Two-Face

The Future

With Reeves publicly announcing his plans to direct a full trilogy, this leaves open the opportunity to explore many iconic storylines. Hopefully he will present a more comic-accurate take on the films to contrast with Nolan’s real-life interpretation. However, I have faith that whatever he creates will be just as masterful as his dive into The Planet Of The Apes series.

Personally, I would love to see renditions of Under The Red Hood, Hush, and The Court Of Owls (my first TPB before starting my comic collection). These would be excellent catalysts to a larger scale Batman universe, bringing with it chances to establish other Bat-family members, such as Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin. With rumours prevailing that this could be the conduit for a self-contained Batman universe, one can only hope that we see this underutilised catalogue of characters brought to life on the big screen.

But what does this mean for the DCEU? Well for now, I would say expect nothing. Success will be the determiner as to whether Pattinson’s Batman will ever meet Jason Momoa’s Aquaman or Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. But even then, there seems to be no desire to risk such a manoeuvre after the astronomical failure of the previous attempt.

Further to this, questions are being raised as to where Todd Phillip’s Joker fits in — if at all. With a very clear age gap and seemingly contrasting visions, as Reeves pushes on with his own plans, there seems to be no room for a crossover. But again, never say never. Joker is storming ahead at the box office, and the multiverse exists after all, so the possibilities are endless.