Joker is currently showing in theaters around the world, offering up a dark reimagining of the Clown Prince of Crime. Fast forward less than two years though, and we’ll have another reimagining of the villain’s nemesis coming our way, too, in the form of The Batman. But will Matt Reeves’ movie be as dark as Joker?Â
Fan artist Mizuriofficial has asked the question should The Batman be R-rated in order to be just as “gritty and mature” as the Joaquin Phoenix-starring film? To illustrate his point, the digital artist has created the following image of Pattinson in costume as the Dark Knight, looking particularly gloomy, even for a guy who hangs out in a dingy cave all day.
Here’s how Mizuriofficial lays out their argument:
“Should Batman be Rated R like Joker? After seeing the masterpiece that was Joker, it really showed a new and exciting look at comic book movies, and set the bar super high for future films. That being said, I’m really hyped for Batman specifically, and I’m hoping for it to be a really gritty and mature film much like Joker. What are your thoughts on this? Here’s a little artwork I did displaying this. Enjoy!”
Well, we know that The Batman won’t literally crossover with Joker, as director Todd Phillips has ruled that out, so don’t expect to see Pattinson face off against Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck. However, could Warner Bros. take note of the movie’s success and slap an R-rating on Reeves’ film? Given how popular Batman is, and the lucrative market of appealing to teens and kids, I think it’s unlikely to happen. But this isn’t a reason to despair, as Christopher Nolan proved that you can make mature, grounded, meaningful Batman movies on a PG-13 platform.
In any case, this artwork is terrific and enough to whet our appetite for more while we patiently wait for further news on The Batman. It doesn’t hit cinemas until June 25th, 2021, but production begins early next year.
