‘The Batman’ Revealed: Matt Reeves Shares New Footage from Robert Pattinson’s Spin on the Dark Knight

As part of Saturday’s expansive virtual DC FanDome event, Warner Bros. Pictures offered the first full glimpse yet at Matt Reeves’ upcoming “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson as the Dark Knight. Director Matt Reeves teased what audiences can expect from the tentpole, whose production in the UK shut down back in March due to the pandemic but will resume in September. “The Batman” is now set to open October 1, 2021. Take a look at the first footage, and photos, from the film below.

Pattinson assumes the role of Gotham’s Caped Crusader following Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s “Batman” movies, plus Christian Bale in Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy, and Ben Affleck in the DC Extended Universe films. (It was recently announced that Affleck will reprise the role in the upcoming Flash movie.) Starring opposite Pattinson is a starry ensemble cast that includes Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Colin Farrell as The Penguin, Paul Dano as The Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone.

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Reeves assured during the panel that “The Batman” is decidedly not an origin story. “The thing I related to in the Batman story is that he isn’t a superhero in the traditional sense,” Reeves said. “If he has a superpower, it’s the ability to endure. … He’s a very alive character, and to tell a version of Batman that wasn’t about how he became Batman, but the early days of being Batman…to see it in new ways, that was a way to do something that hasn’t been done.” Reeves also cited “Chinatown,” “The French Connection,” and “Taxi Driver” as cinematic influences.

This is Matt Reeves’ first directorial project since he helmed “War for the Planet of the Apes,” which released in 2017. With a script from Reeves and Mattson Tomlin, “The Batman” features cinematography from Oscar-nominated DP Greig Fraser, who also shot Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming “Dune,” plus “Lion” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

Other DC projects presented at FanDome included a new trailer highlighting footage from the upcoming Zack Snyder cut of “Justice League,” coming to HBO Max next year, as well as looks at James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” a brand new trailer for the ’80s-tastic “Wonder Woman 1984,” and a sneak peek at concept art for the upcoming Flash movie starring Ezra Miller.

DC FanDome will continue as a two-part event on September 12.

If you’re excited about these, wait till you see what we have for you in #TheBatman panel at #DCFanDome starting at 5:30 PST. pic.twitter.com/hzSm4zV7i0

— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) August 22, 2020

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