The Batman Second Trailer: Small Details You Might Have Missed
What's black and white and red all over?
The answer is Batman after a few fights in the latest trailer for "The Batman."
After the first trailer introduced us to the newest version of Bruce Wayne, who Robert Pattinson will portray, the second trailer has followed it up to give us an even better look at the upcoming superhero flick, which will release exclusively in theaters on March 4, 2022. The second trailer continues with the epic scope established by the first while diving more into the dark, seedy plot. The Riddler (Paul Dano) is on a serial killing spree, targeting the elite of Gotham, but it's clear from the way Bruce Wayne is targeted explicitly that there's more going on here than meets the eye.
It's easy to overlook certain details among all of the action and the budding romance between Bruce and Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz). Some of them may prove to be more important than others once the film finally comes out, but for now, here are some extra details you may want to give a second look during your trailer rewatch.
The Riddler seemingly knows Batman's secret identity
At one point in the trailer, the Riddler seemingly taunts Batman, assuring him that he plays an integral role in his reign of carnage. But when Batman asks what role it precisely is, Riddler responds, "Oh, you're really not as smart as I thought you were ... Bruce Wayne."
Granted, this could be a result of some clever audio editing, but it does sound as if Riddler knows Bruce Wayne is someone more than just part of Gotham's elite. It sounds like Riddler has learned of Wayne's alter-ego, which would be on par with the comics. In the storyline for "Hush," Riddler knows of Batman's secret identity after a dip in the Lazarus Pit, which he then divulges to the titular Hush.
Even without the Lazarus Pit likely playing a role in "The Batman," it would still make sense for Riddler to figure out who Batman really is. He's supposed to have a genius-level intellect, and figuring out who in Gotham has the resources to fly around in a Bat-suit shouldn't really be too difficult to ascertain.
Alfred has secrets of his own
"The Batman" trailer suggests Bruce Wayne will, indeed, have a dark night of the soul when revelations come to light. The trailer depicts Bruce confronting his loyal butler Alfred (Andy Serkis) with the line, "All these years ... you lied to me, Alfred." Alfred then appears to comfort Bruce by telling him, "We all have our scars, Bruce. You're still a Wayne."
Given how Riddler appears to be targeting Gotham's elite class, it would make the most sense for the secret to somehow factor into Bruce's parents. There's no shortage of clandestine organizations in the comics that seek to make the city a more profitable space, and the most likely culprit for the organization related to Mr. and Mrs. Wayne would be the Court of Owls. That agency was hinted at heavily in the first trailer, and there are definitely enough clues in the second to suggest they could factor into the plot somehow. Then again, it's always possible the Court of Owls will remain on the sidelines to be used for a sequel to "The Batman."
Bruce Wayne isn't a philanthropist
By night, Bruce Wayne gives back to Gotham as its dark protector — Batman. But by day, Bruce Wayne normally gives back to the city in other ways. From the comics to cartoons, Bruce Wayne has been a philanthropist, often hosting charity drives to give back to the city. Batman may be an immediate fix to clean up the streets, but Bruce Wayne aims to invest in long-term solutions to protect the city.
It's the latter identity that's seemingly fallen to the wayside, as evidenced in the latest trailer for "The Batman." In the beginning, Bruce Wayne meets with mayoral candidate Bella Reál (Jayme Lawson). She tells him, "You know, you really could be doing more for this city. Your family has a history of philanthropy, but as far as I can tell, you're not doing anything."
It's in stark contrast to the Bruce Wayne audiences usually know, but it could all be a set-up. This is still a young version of Bruce Wayne we're seeing who's only been Batman for a relatively short period of time. It makes sense, given the story will draw influence from "Batman: Year One," so Bruce is still obviously trying to get a handle on balancing his public and private personas.
We still haven't seen Riddler's face
The marketing materials for "The Batman" so far have given us good looks at Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, and Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell), but Paul Dano, who plays Riddler, hasn't been shown a great deal. There are ample shots of him unraveling a roll of duct tape and speaking ominously, but he's always shown with an obstruction over his face. Even the scene in the diner that (assumedly) features Riddler unmasked getting arrested, his face is blocked out of view.
It could simply be a matter of Matt Reeves not wanting to reveal the primary villain's face to casual audience members. Or is there something else going on here?
What if there's more to Riddler than meets the eye, or what if he's working with someone else to erase corruption from Gotham? Seeing how this version of the Riddler takes some obvious cues from real-life serial killer the Zodiac, whose real identity was never uncovered, perhaps it makes sense for Riddler to have an air of mystery around him, too.
There's still much we don't know about the upcoming "The Batman," and that's just the way many fans would like it. All will be revealed when the movie comes out on March 4, 2022.