It Looks Like The Epic Plot For The Batman Has Been Revealed
The Batman rumors just keep on coming.
According to We Got This Covered, sources familiar with the production are reporting that the forthcoming film's plot will focus on the efforts of the World's Greatest Detective to track down a serial killer on the loose in Gotham City. Writer/director Matt Reeves is said to be taking his cues from the iconic Batman arc The Long Halloween in crafting his story.
The report is a sort of culmination of a flurry of info that our friends at WGTC have reported on in recent days. Separate leaks reported on by the website — one of which allegedly involved a peek at a casting sheet — have indicated that the Robert Pattinson-starring flick will feature no fewer than six villains, with the Penguin and Catwoman being front and center. Also said to be be taking part in the villainous goings-on: the Riddler, Two-Face, Firefly, and the Mad Hatter.
As we noted in our previous report, the idea of assembling such an extensive rogues' gallery for the first film in what is expected to be a trilogy seemed, well, crazily ambitious on Reeves' part. In light of this latest leak, however, the notion actually makes a great deal of sense.
Reeves has previously stated that he'll be going for a much different version of the Dark Knight than any we've seen on film thus far, one which will highlight the Caped Crusader's legendary detective skills, which factored heavily into his early adventures in the comics. It'll be a more grounded, noir-ish take on the Batman mythos than has previously been explored in the character's multiple cinematic incarnations.
According to WGTC's sources, The Batman's plot will follow Bruce Wayne as he attempts to get to the bottom of a rash of mysterious murders plaguing Gotham. Presumably, this investigation will take him down multiple paths — and this is where the flick's large assortment of iconic baddies could come into play.
It should be pointed out that none of the leaked information has indicated whether any of these antagonists will appear as fully-formed supervillains, or whether some or all of them may in fact be earlier versions of their respective characters — perhaps even being introduced before they've fully turned to lives of crime. Coming under Batman's scrutiny in the course of a murder investigation seems like the kind of thing that could cause some of Gotham's less stable citizens to hold a grudge, and it could just be that Reeves is setting up some of these characters for more prominent appearances in future films.
This notion is lent credence by the fact that WGTC's insiders assert that, while Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler will be featured prominently, the remaining three villains will be relegated to comparatively minor roles. It seems likely that in his zeal to solve the case, Bats just might unwittingly make a few enemies — ones which could prove to be major thorns in his side in future installments of Reeves' presumed trilogy.
Taken in this context, the inclusion of such a wide array of villains in Reeves' first Bat-outing seems less like folly, and more like a masterstroke. The Batman could be laying the foundation for a series of movies whose antagonists will have fleshed-out backstories and well-established motivations — things which other superhero films afflicted with the dreaded Villain Bloat have neglected to provide. (We're looking at you, Spider-Man 3.)
At any rate, we've previously expressed our opinion that Reeves — a very capable filmmaker who knows his way around a good story — knows what he's doing in taking on the formidable task of rebooting Batman yet again. This latest leak, if accurate, only solidifies our conviction. For that matter, the internet may have gone batty (pun absolutely intended) when Pattinson was cast as Bruce Wayne, but there's every reason to believe that he'll absolutely crush it in the role. Reeves is a highly competent director of actors, and he knows just as well as anyone that Pattinson's filmography — which has featured amazing turns in smaller, lesser-known films such as 2017's Good Time and last year's High Life — has revealed him to be a much, much better actor than fans only familiar with the Twilight series would ever expect.
By the way, we know what you're thinking: who will ultimately be revealed as the culprit behind that rash of serial murders propelling the film's plot? Well, allow us to whisper in your ear, and keep in mind that — like the rest of this torrent of leaked info — this is in no way confirmed. WGTC claims to have spoken with two separate sources who say that the psychotic killer terrorizing Gotham may turn out to be none other than Thomas Elliot, the deadly villain known as Hush. However, neither of these sources were willing to go out on a limb to state this definitively.
At this point, though, we're going to go ahead and say that if you're not excited for The Batman yet, it's probably time to rethink your position. The flick doesn't hit screens until June 25, 2021, and we'll be keeping close tabs on every bit of information there is to report between now and then.