You'd think in a week when it was revealed Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck would reprise their roles as Batman that the news cycle was filled with more than enough news about the Dark Knight. Of course, one should never count out the Caped Crusader because the first trailer for The Batman arrived at DC Fandome, and rocked a lot of socks off.
Matt Reeves' DC feature looks really promising, as well as different than what we've seen from past live-action incarnations of the character, and the footage has generated a number questions that fans are hungry to see answered (or at least provided with some form of explanation). Let's get into these thoughts below, and kick things off with that beatdown that was so vicious I wanted to spit some teeth out just watching it!
Did Batman Kill That Guy?
We all know Batman can deliver a wicked beatdown, but holy shit did Robert Pattinson's Batman annihilate that gang member that stepped to him. It's really saying something considering that guy had a whole crew behind them, and they were all so shaken they didn't immediately jump in to help him. For real though, I'm kind of questioning whether or not he may have killed that guy, and with this only being "Year Two Batman" I'm not completely ruling it out. Even if we're not seeing a lethal attack, this is far from the first time it has looked like Batman kills someone on screen, so this is far from a check against The Batman for the act of violence.
Is The Killer We See The Riddler, And What's With The Mask?
It seems rather obvious that The Riddler plays a heavy hand in The Batman story, but is that him in the opening sequence? If so, the mask with the glasses over the top is new, and quite a departure from the original Riddler looks from the comics. It's not something to exactly get mad about, as a traditional Riddler get up wouldn't have fit the tone of The Batman. Unhinged works better than dapper in this case, so, again, if that is Riddler beneath the mask, I fully approve.
Does The Riddler Know Something About Batman?
It seems like there may be a reason to believe part of The Batman's plot revolves around a secret Riddler knows about the hero. The funeral scene that gets interrupted by someone with a note for the caped crusader may point to this, because why would The Riddler think Batman is present at this funeral? That alone would have to rattle Bruce more than a car blowing through the service. Riddler is smart, so I have to think he already at the very least suspects Batman would attend this funeral. The question is will Year Two Batman be wise enough not to take the bait, or be exposed?
Is The Batcave Low-Tech?
Obviously Batman is still getting the hang of the job, so one can forgive the Batcave not having the giant penny, dinosaur, multiple suits, and all the accouterments of a veteran Caped Crusader. Still, the dude is a billionaire, you'd think he'd have the money to blow on some high-grade electronics to line that bat cave with. This one almost gives off garage vibes and a sense that a lot of what's there was a DIY job. I get that, but still, I feel like he could do with just a few more monitors and maybe a supercomputer or two.
Is It Surprising Batman Already Has A Relationship With The GCPD?
It's a bit surprising to see Batman and the GCPD already having a solid relationship in the footage we saw, though it does look like things take a sour turn at some point. Given how early Batman is into his career, I kind of expected the near-exclusive vigilante status with a touch of good cops getting beat down by corrupt cops afraid their names will get to Batman. I'm very interested to see how this relationship plays out throughout The Batman, and where it ends up at the movie's end.
What Kind Of Relationship Will Catwoman And Batman Have?
Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle have had all sorts of relationships throughout DC comics history. They've been in love, been bitter enemies, and friends on a platonic level. There's no shortage of options here for Robert Pattinson's and Zoe Kravitz's versions, but The Batman trailer did little to show us which way these two are going to go with the two characters squarring off at one point. I'm not sure where I'm leaning on the whole thing because I can take or leave a Batman story with romance, but do you cast Pattinson as Batman if you're not giving the fans something to "ship?"
Who Is That Gang Affiliated With?
That gang wearing face makeup is really interesting because we know gangs in uniform in Gotham City typically mean they're affiliated with a major supervillain. Now, I know who we're all speculating, so I should take this time to say it's been said The Batman and Joker are set in different universes. I'm not sure who you'd link them too, and I think that's what makes these guys way more interesting than they might actually be. I'm really hoping for a surprise appearance from the Clown Prince Of Crime, even if it isn't the one played by Joaquin Phoenix.
How Is Colin Farrell's Transformation As Penguin So Good?
When I heard Colin Farrell would be playing Oswald Cobblepot, I figured this would be like a Robin Lord Taylor at the beginning of Gotham situation. That is to say, he looked only slightly like the Oswald Cobblepot we come to know in Batman. But boy was I wrong to the point that I hardly recognized Farrell with all the prosthetics. It's honestly amazing, and I'm hoping that now that he has the look he can justify that makeup work with an equally awesome performance.
What Is There Yet To See?
What we've seen of The Batman is so impressive that it's hard to remember this movie is only 25 percent of the way through production. We've already seen some really impressive stuff, and it's providing hope that the rest of this movie has a lot more fun and surprises on the way. It's hard not to be excited by the potential for more villains, more action, and of course, a mystery that has the audience on a ride alongside Batman figuring out what's happening.
The Batman is expected to release October 1st, 2021. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on the movie, what's happening with DC, and for the latest happening in movies and television.
