It’s hasn’t even been four full years since The Dark Knight Rises was in theaters, but Batman is already getting rebooted later this month in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Early talk from insiders who have supposedly seen the movie indicate that Ben Affleck’s Batman might be one of the highlights, but other fans still have Christian Bale’s Batman on the mind. Falling into the latter category is Morgan Freeman, a.k.a. Lucius Fox in the Dark Knight Trilogy, who thinks that Affleck’s iteration of the Caped Crusader is fighting an uphill battle.
Morgan Freeman made it clear to ET Online that while he’s supportive of Ben Affleck as the new batman, he has trouble seeing how Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will measure up to the previous Batman films. As he put it:
You know, I'm happy for Ben, but I don't know how that's gonna work. Because the Dark Knight was almost 'it.' Pretty much 'it. "Did you see Batman Begins? I don't think you can beat that.
During the Dark Knight Trilogy, Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox supplied Batman with the tools he used to wage war against Gotham City’s underworld, including the Batsuit and The Tumbler. That made him an integral part of the series, so it’s understandable he feels that the Dark Knight movies can’t be topped, especially since they’ve largely received critical acclaim. However, it’s important to remember that the Dark Knight Trilogy was set in world rooted in realism, whereas Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is set in the DC Extended Universe, a world that’s more fantastic. So the goal isn’t necessarily to "beat" the last movies, but to tell a good story that feels different, while at the same time honoring the Batman lore. While Christian Bale himself took a more diplomatic approach when chatting about Ben Affleck’s Batman with ET, he did appreciate Freeman’s support. Hey, Batman costars gotta stick together.
As far as cinematic origin stories go, Morgan Freeman is correct in that Batman Begins can’t be beat (yet). While Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie dropped Bruce Wayne right into his role as Gotham City’s protector, and only touched on his past in a flashback, Batman Begins explored Bruce’s motivations to fight crime, where he trained, how he got his gadgets, and more. However, having been around for over 75 years, basically everyone attuned to pop culture knows the event that led Bruce Wayne to become Batman. So rather than retread the origin story again, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is giving audiences a Batman who’s been in the crimefighting game for 20 years. Now we get to watch an experienced Batman who’s navigating a world that’s seeing the mergence of Kryptonians, Amazons, Atlanteans, and other kinds of unusual figures. It’s a new chapter in the Caped Crusader’s big screen endeavors.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25.
