Filming the best blockbuster franchise films is challenging under the best circumstances, but shooting The Batman during the height of the pandemic? That was something else entirely. The cast and crew of Matt Reeves’ acclaimed film had to navigate strict protocols, multiple shutdowns, and, in some cases, complete isolation. And, if you ask Jeffrey Wright—the man who plays Jim Gordon—what that experience was like, he’ll tell you it was nothing short of surreal–even comparing it to living in the Hotel from one of the best horror movies of all time, The Shining.
Jeffrey Wright recently spoke with Men’s Health and reflected on what it was like filming the Robert Pattinson-led Batman flick in 2020. What he described sounded like a physically and mentally exhausting process that left him feeling trapped in a scary flick. Wright explained:
You have to be fluid and find your way. I mean, in that interrogation scene, I could not remember my lines. I’d stumbled around that scene take after take, because I had been in my hotel room for 10 days straight prior. I’d come back to London. It was in the middle of the pandemic. It was my third quarantine. And I ended up not leaving my hotel room for 10 days straight.
It’s one thing to prepare for an intense scene—it’s another to do so after spending nearly two weeks in complete isolation. The interrogation scene, one of the more crucial moments in The Batman, required the French Dispatch star to be sharp, methodical and completely dialed in. But, after that much time locked away, his mind wasn’t where it needed to be.
Even outside of the set, the filming process was eerie. With the world in lockdown, Jeffrey Wright stayed in a massive, near-empty hotel, adding to the surreal atmosphere. Based on his description, it's understandable why he compared the place to one of Stephen King’s most famous creations, The Overlook Hotel:
My head was in such a weird place. We were in a 200-person hotel, but there were only two other people staying there; it was like living inside the hotel from The Shining. When I finally went into work, I was just all over the place. So, I was tolerated, and we ultimately got it. But that was a scenario I had never experienced before. So, yeah, I should have had an ice bath.
Fair enough. 2020 was hard for everyone, so I can completely resonate with his sentiment. But, considering the circumstances, Wright’s performance in one of the best live-action Batman movies feels even more impressive in hindsight. His version of Jim Gordon is calm, collected. and unwavering in his pursuit of justice. That's basically the complete opposite of someone who just spent 10 days losing his mind in quarantine.
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The American Fiction star’s comments add even more insight into how uniquely difficult this superhero movie production was. Robert Pattinson famously shut down filming after testing positive for COVID, and the film itself faced multiple delays due to pandemic-related setbacks. But, despite all of that, the result was an atmospheric, detective-driven take on Gotham’s Caped Crusader that delivered a gripping mystery and a standout cast.
And, with the upcoming The Batman – Part II set to arrive in the latter half of 2027 as part of the schedule of upcoming DC movies, fans can look forward to seeing more of Jeffrey Wright’s Gordon in action. Hopefully, the filming process won’t feel like being trapped in a Stephen King nightmare this time.
For now, you can stream The Batman with a Max subscription or revisit all the Batman movies in order while waiting for the next big-screen flick set in Gotham.
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