We’re gradually getting more details on Matt Reeves’ The Batman, from teases of Robert Pattinson’s costume and Batmobile, to talk of which villains will survive into the final cut of the movie. The latest perspective on the Dark Knight’s return comes from actor Peter Sarsgaard though, who’s playing a so-far-unknown (at least officially) role in the pic.
Speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour, Sarsgaard gave some sense of what we can expect when The Batman hits theaters in 2021. The actor, who was promoting his CBS All Access show Interrogation, took the time to comment on the direction Matt Reeves is taking the material, saying:
“Matt directing this Batman [is exciting]. The cast is so awesome. It seems different from other Batman movies to me, just with the cast. There’s something about it that has an edge, it’s young. To me, just my perception of it, it reminds me of when I was in college, and I went to go see The Pixies play, and looking around and feeling the vibe at a Pixies concert. That’s what it felt like to me, a song like ‘I Bleed.’ That it has the energy and that sort of thing, and isn’t so specifically targeted to a very young audience, or a very old audience, but has that power of chaos in it…“
He then goes on to describe his connection to The Pixies as follows:
“The Pixies were my favorite group of all time. I went to like 20 concerts, and it was that feeling of all of us in this. And it’s very emotional. The Pixies were incredibly emotional band, and I think this Batman is very emotional in that way. I think it will be very powerful.”
OK, so it may be a slightly unusual comparison to make, but it’s certainly a new perspective on a picture that’s already building a lot of anticipation. At the moment, we don’t know how gritty Reeves will make Batman, although it does seem that the film will focus more on Bruce Wayne’s early days as a detective, rather than outsized spectacle. The Batman may also take its visual cues from Batman: The Animated Series, at least going by the behind-the-scenes glimpses we’ve had so far.
In terms of Sarsgaard’s role, our sources have told us he’s playing the corrupt cop Peter Grogan, the forerunner as Police Commissioner to Jim Gordon, played by Jeffrey Wright in Reeves’ movie. While nothing’s been confirmed just yet, we can certainly see Sarsgaard bringing depth to this supporting role.
In any case, The Batman will be with us on June 25th, 2021, so there’s still plenty of time for things to evolve, but from early reports, Reeves is putting his own distinctive spin on Gotham City and we can’t wait to see what he’s come up with.
