Here's every detail and news update concerning DC's forthcoming superhero effort, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton (again).
Nevertheless, The Batman promises a superhero experience like none of its predecessors. Brutal, grungy and tortured, The Batman pulls from the darkest, murkiest corners of DC's Batman spectrum. That unforgiving philosophy and noir aesthetic contribute greatly toward The Batman's hype, but so too does the stellar cast, intriguing premise, and riddle-fueled marketing campaign. With spinoffs already confirmed and sequels highly likely, Warner Bros. has plenty riding on The Batman's critical and commercial success.
As The Batman's pre-release promotional campaign hits top gear, details of Robert Pattinson's DC debut are coming at fans faster than the Batmobile chasing down Penguin. Here's a full timeline of every news update, confirmed detail, and information nugget we have thus far on The Batman.
Matt Reeves Replaces Ben Affleck As The Batman's Director
The Batman we're getting is a far cry from the film Warner Bros. originally announced under that title. At first, The Batman was intended as a DCEU entry starring and directed by Ben Affleck. In 2017, Affleck announced he was stepping down from directorial duties to focus solely on playing Bruce Wayne's pointy-eared alter ego, but would later it scripting struggles prompted his decision. Several months later, Matt Reeves was confirmed as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Robert Pattinson Replaces Ben Affleck As The Batman's Star
Having already removed himself from the director's chair, Ben Affleck quit playing Batman altogether in early 2019 due to numerous factors and difficulties. Affleck was struggling with addiction, and believed another experience similar to filming Justice League wouldn't be conducive to his health. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. was dithering over the direction of its DCEU and Matt Reeves reportedly wanted to tell a younger Batman story. By summer 2019, Robert Pattinson had been cast as The Batman's lead character, prompting predictable backlash from those who couldn't see beyond Edward Cullen.
The Batman Will NOT Be A DCEU Movie
Robert Pattinson replacing Ben Affleck more or less guaranteed The Batman would remain disconnected from Warner Bros.' wider DCEU franchise, and this assumption has subsequently been confirmed by Matt Reeves and others involved with the project. The most recent update comes from an Empire interview with The Batman producer Dylan Clark, who clarifies, "Warner Bros. has a multiverse where they're exploring different ways to use the character... We don't get involved in that." According to various reports yet to be verified by official sources, The Batman takes place on Earth-2, which is straight past Burton/Schumacher, then hang a right at the Snyder cut. If you see Christopher Nolan, you've gone too far.
Riddler Is The Batman's Main Villain - Played By Paul Dano
When Ben Affleck was still involved, Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke was slated as The Batman's main villain. Once Reeves and Pattinson were drafted in, those plans changed, and rumors of riddles began circulating. Sure enough, Paul Dano (Love & Mercy) officially ed The Batman as Riddler in October 2019. Under the real name Edward Nashton (as opposed to the traditional Edward Nigma), Dano's Riddler will embark upon an anti-corruption crusade around Gotham City, targeting murky officials and unscrupulous public figures, while taking a personal interest in Batman via his trademark crime scene word puzzles.
Zoë Kravitz Cast As Selina Kyle/Catwoman In The Batman
October 2019 was a busy month for The Batman, as not only did Paul Dano the cast as Riddler, but Zoë Kravitz (Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway. Rather than adding to The Batman's roster of villains, Kravitz's Catwoman will act as an on-off ally to Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight, as well as a love interest. She's confirmed to ride motorcycles and wield a lethal gun-and-whip combination.
Colin Farrell Plays The Batman's Penguin
November 2019 added one final Rogues Gallery member (that we know of) to The Batman's cast. Colin Farrell (Phone Booth, Fantastic Beasts) plays Oswald Cobblepot, better known as Penguin. According to the actor himself, Penguin will appear in The Batman for less than 10 minutes, but the villain is playing a key role in Warner Bros.' marketing campaign nonetheless. Slathered in prosthetics and makeup, Farrell is virtually unrecognizable as The Batman's Penguin, who is already a well-established mob boss when the story begins.
Jeffrey Wright Is The Batman's Jim Gordon
ing a prestigious lineage that includes Gary Oldman and J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Wright (Wright's Gordon and Pattinson's Batman is already established, along with a makeshift Bat-signal that's merely a bat-shaped chunk of metal hammered into a searchlight. Wright ed The Batman in October 2019.
Andy Serkis Cast As The Batman's Alfred Pennyworth
Rounding out Batman's usual suspects is Andy Serkis (Black Panther) as Bruce Wayne's ever-faithful butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Following Michael Gough, Michael Caine and Jeremy Irons, Andy Serkis portrays a younger Alfred who's deeply concerned about his young master's mental state. More than just serving tea and getting blood out of laundry, Alfred plays a central role in The Batman's plot when Riddler begins digging up Wayne family secrets.
The Batman's ing Cast Confirmed
Principle cast aside, The Batman boasts an impressive selection of actors occupying ing roles. John Turturro is Gotham City gangster Carmine Falcone, Barry Keoghan plays minor comic cop Stanley Merkel, rumored as a potential future Joker, and Peter Sarsgaard appears as Gotham's DA, Gil Colson. Jayme Lawson's Bella Reál features in The Batman trailer footage as an politician, Alex Ferns is current GD commissioner Pete Savage, and Rupert Penry-Jones plays what's left of Mayor Don Mitchell.
What Robert Pattinson's Batman Costume Looks Like
During February 2020 (so long ago...), Matt Reeves unveiled a first glimpse at Robert Pattinson's The Batman costume, bathed in eerie red light. Since then, the outfit has been showcased in numerous official images and trailers, giving an extensive look at Batman's latest movie getup. Compared to previous versions, The Batman's costume is considerably less advanced - a hallmark of Bruce being in his early crime-fighting career. The stitching is visible, the gadgets are basic, and the gauntlets jut out in rudimentary fashion. The logo on Pattinson's chest also appears to be constructed from parts of a firearm - very likely the gun that claimed his parents' lives.
