From the Flying Fox to the souped-up Batwing, it’s fair to say Bruce Wayne brought the big guns to Justice League.
But it seems the Caped Crusader’s arsenal was actually trimmed prior to release, as production designer Patrick Tatopoulos (via ComicBook.com) has posted some never-before-seen concept art of the Batbike. And whereas the Batpod was the hulking beast of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, what with its front-mounted cannons and plane-sized tires, this so-called Batbike is much more angular in its design, which is arguably inspired by the wings of a bat more than anything else. How very fitting.
Sadly, it never made the cut, and that’s really been the story of Justice League ever since Warner’s big-budget ensemble piece fell flat on November 17th. Six days on, and fans are now petitioning Warner Bros. for a director’s cut – that online petition has so far garnered more than 100,000 signatures – while Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa, believes there is enough leftover footage to make a second movie.
Perhaps we’ll see Zack Snyder’s version on home video? It’s possible, but for now, here’s a close-up of Patrick Tatopoulos’ design:
Again, it’s a design that looks like it’s been ripped straight from the comics, and Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight would surely have enough room on the Flying Fox to squeeze in a Batbike or two.
According to the original Instagram caption, though, it doesn’t sound like we’ll see this Bat contraption anytime soon, with Patrick Tatopoulos noting, “Batbike? …I wish. Another quick doodle on the side of my dreams.”
Now gearing up for a crucial second weekend, Justice League faces stiff competition (see: Pixar’s Coco) if it’s to ever clear $700 million worldwide and make it into the black. One thing’s for sure: at $94 million, the film’s domestic opening is the lowest of any DCEU movie to date. Ouch.
