Director Matt Reeves (“War for the Planet of the Apes”) just premiered the trailer for his upcoming “The Batman” starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne aka Batman. It does look as though Reeves will be focusing on the detective side of Batman with this reboot, which is a fresh new perspective to tell, at least when compared to Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton’s excellent film versions of the superhero, which dealt more with the action-side of things.
Based on the trailer alone, Reeves’ direction looks like a direct visual sibling of David Fincher’s “Se7en,” especially with those darkly lit yellowish tints, and crisp digital frames. I dig it, although it gives ofd the vibe that there is nothing distinctive or unique about this latest Batman incarnation. Also, Pattinson as Batman is still a question mark, we don’t see very much “acting” from him here, but I’m inclined to think he’ll do just fine in the role.
Safe for Pattinson, “The Batman” cast also includes Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle aka The Catwoman, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton aka The Riddler, and Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin. I’m particularly impressed by Dano’s creepy Riddler, an ultra-realistic tackling of the manic character that was last played by Jim Carrey in 1995’s “Batman Forever.” Farrell’s Penguin does not look at all like the Irish actor, who is hidden in a heavy dosage of makeup in this trailer (he, oddly enough, looks a lot like character actor Richard Kind).
If you remember, production was abruptly halted on “The Batman” in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its writer-director Matt Reeves, speaking at ComicCon today, admitted that roughly 25-20% of the film has been already shot. “We’re not officially editing right now,” said Reeves. “We’ve actually shot a quarter of the movie and I have been pouring through dailies, looking at takes, and what’s to come.”
Regardless, Warner Bros. has “The Batman” slated for an October 1, 2021 release