The One Thing That Will Really Set The Batman Apart From Previous Versions
Matt Reeves' "The Batman" has been a long time coming. The standalone movie about Gotham City's titular caped crusader was originally announced in 2014 as a directing and starring vehicle for Ben Affleck. However, the prominent DCEU actor parted ways with the project not long after, and Reeves was brought in as his replacement to start over from scratch. Of course, having a filmmaker of Reeves' caliber and artistic vision behind the camera has only created more buzz for Batman's next live-action outing. Throw in Robert Pattinson as the latest live-action incarnation of the Dark Knight following Batfleck's departure, and the movie has the potential to be a certified banger.
While "The Batman" has experienced a few setbacks — especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic — the movie is currently scheduled to hit theaters in the not-too-distant future. As such, Matt Reeves has been making the rounds to promote the project, and he has shared some interesting information about the type of movie fans can expect to see.
The Batman will focus on the Dark Knight's early years
Most people should be familiar with Batman's origin story by this point, and it's not a happy one by any means. Furthermore, Matt Reeves knows that audiences don't want to see yet another retelling of a young Bruce Wayne watching his parents die then going on to become an unstoppable force. Those experiences will certainly inform the character's psyche in "The Batman," but this is a different type of emotionally charged origin tale for the iconic superhero.
According to Reeves, "The Batman" will take a more grounded approach to the proceedings. "I felt that we've seen lots of origin stories. It seems things go further and further into fantasy, and I thought, well, one place we haven't been is grounding it in the way that 'Year One' does, to come right in to a young Batman, not being an origin tale, but referring to his origins and shaking him to his core," Reeves said in a featurette (per Entertainment Weekly). "You can have it be very practical, but I also thought it could be the most emotional Batman movie ever made."
Reeves went on to say that "The Batman" will portray the character as flawed, as he learns to come to grips with his newfound responsibilities. The director also reaffirmed that "The Batman" will be a detective story, though he did promise plenty of action and excitement as well.