The Batman: First Look At Pattinson’s Batsuit

Courtesy of Matt Reeves’ Twitter account, we now have our very first look at Robert Pattinson donning the new Batsuit in a screen test for the upcoming film. You can check out the post and accompanying video in the embedded link below…

While this a very dimly lit view of the suit, this gives us a striking impression of what we can expect from this reboot, both in terms of tone and overall aesthetic.

Rumours have expressed Reeves’ desire to present a grittier and noir take on the Dark Knight, and this short glimpse gives us plenty of that. Illuminated with ominous red lighting, this seems to be a return to the illustrious darkness that has surrounded Batman films since Nolan’s trilogy.

There is little reminiscent of Affleck’s recent portrayal in the mostly unsuccessful DCEU. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is entirely down to opinion, but taking a step back to a fresh new palette can only service the director’s vision.

In terms of the appearance of the suit, there is clear inspiration derived from the Elseworlds tale Gotham By Gaslight, with a more sewn-together approach to the iconic design and sporting a prominent collar. The symbolic emblem on the chest also boasts a metallic look, with unconfirmed reports stating that it may be forged from the gun of his parent’s killer — yeah, Reeves wasn’t joking when he said it would be dark.

Gotham By Gaslight by Mike Mignola — Credit: DC Comics

There have been many complaints about Pattinson’s physical shape for the role, with critics deeming him too skinny. While he does cut a slender figure from what we can see here, there is no doubt that he has the facial features required. There is a lot of space around the mouth, so it’s a good thing he has that necessitated iconic jaw of the vigilante. Whether he will bulk up or not is questionable, but if the trilogy goes ahead as planned, we could witness this transition over time.

Accompanying all of this is our first impression of the soundtrack, created by Michael Giacchino. Following in the great footsteps of Hans Zimmer is hard to do, but so far I am impressed with level of tension accomplished in such a short shot.

As things begin to ramp up, expect to see more teases like this both for the leading man himself and the supporting cast.