Matt Reeves’ take on the iconic character of Batman is headed to theaters in just a few months. As its impending release inches closer, Reeves joined Esquire for an interview about the big screen’s latest version of the caped crusader. In the interview, Reeves teased that far more is yet to come as he and his team look to what’s ahead.
The upcoming film will star Robert Pattinson in the titular role, abandoning the character’s overdone backstory in favor of a more original direction. Instead, The Batman will draw much of its inspiration from Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Batman: Year One. The comic book, published in 1987, follows a young Bruce Wayne as he struggles to adjust and assert himself as Gotham’s shrouded protector.
Reeves leaned on some of the tones in the original comic, noting his hope that they carried over into his film. The comic is more gritty than many iterations of Batman we’ve seen — excepting Christian Bale’s take on the character — leaning into noir vibes with an emphasis on Batman’s role as a detective. Many of the more modern takes on the character have leaned more into his role as a hero — kicking ass and taking names — than his abilities as a sleuth. Reeves is looking to change that.
He is also looking forward toward the next steps in the franchise. His take on Batman won’t link directly back into the DCEU — so don’t expect to see the Flash or Wonder Woman appear in the upcoming release — but, assuming the film does well, it may end up spawning a connected universe all its own.
“I’m very proud of it,” Reeves said of The Batman. “I felt it was the best version of the story that we could possibly do to justify having another Batman. You always have to have a reason, and from the beginning that was the mission for me.”
Assuming the film does well, Reeves is already looking ahead to sequels and spin-offs set in the Bat’s own Gotham City. While they likely won’t feature any of the DCEU faces we’ve come to recognize, spin-offs may introduce a new lineup of popular DC villains and heroes. This could include The Batman’s own Catwoman, played by Zoë Kravitz, or Andy Serkis’s take on Alfred Pennyworth.
“It will obviously have a lot to do with how people receive this film,” Reeves told Esquire. “But a lot of things are in the works.”
