Hollywood is a numbers game, no matter how you look at it. Sometimes, those numbers pertain to something a little less tangible, like the $128.5 million domestic opening for Matt Reeves’ The Batman. However, it’s a lot of other number-crunching that made that movie possible, like the time, effort and speed it took to make Robert Pattinson’s scenes driving the Batmobile as impressive as they were. But did Robert Pattinson really drive this souped-up vessel of vengeance at 100 miles per hour?
Apparently he absolutely did. At least, that’s what it sounds like production designer James Chinlund had said to Insider during a recent interview. Talking about how Pattinson familiarized himself with the Batmobile, Chinlund had the following to say:
Rob put it through its paces. He was out there working it out for sure. He got it to some top speeds, he was heavily involved in his stunt-driving work.
Supplementing James Chinlund’s story, special effects supervisor Dominic Tuohy mentioned that The Batman’s crown jewel of automotive glory could get up to 100 mph. The common practice of a roof mounted driver controlling the vehicle was used in scenes where Robert Pattinson is giving chase to various villains. That being said, having Pattinson actually get to familiarize himself with the feeling of speed and control over the driver’s seat definitely helped nail those moments.
Of course, there had to be something to set The Batman’s Batmobile apart from all of the others, which is exactly what director Matt Reeves had intended. With most other iterations of Bruce Wayne’s iconic wheels looking bulky and tricked out with gadgets, Reeves opted for something that was leaner and meaner. It’s still a car that lives up to its place in the Batman legacy, as James Chinlund extolled these design and performance virtues:
It can jump, go on two wheels, do burnouts. So for me as a Batman fan, to see a car that actually drives — and that was [director] Matt [Reeves]' initial goal from day one — the movie has one of the most visceral chases they've ever experienced in a 'Batman' movie.
The doors are obviously wide open for a sequel to The Batman, as the film’s triumphant conclusion had all sorts of intriguing loose threads to tie up. If there’s an official greenlight in the weeks ahead, you can be sure that the driving action will need to be kicked up a few notches. Which means that maybe Robert Pattinson can break his own Bat-land speed record, should the next adventure afford him the chance.
It’s probably a good thing then that the producers of The Batman have stated that we should potentially expect that film “in less than five years.” While waiting for The Batman 2, audiences will just have to enjoy that first film for the moment. It’s currently soaring high in a theater near you, with IMAX looking to be the format that Matt Reeves has talked up the most. Though if you’re looking for the entire landscape of 2022 movie releases, you can find that information easily enough, no riddles required.
