Perhaps the most anticipated event of DC FanDome was Matt Reeves' panel on "The Batman," starring Robert Pattinson as the brand-new Caped Crusader.
The panel kicked off with Pattinson speaking about the impact of COVID-19 on production. He said he is eager to get back to work, but also clarified that he is not allowed to say much about the movie. Instead, he tossed it over to Reeves, who would be able to spill the beans on some aspects of the film.
"I love Batman, and I loved Batman as a kid," Reeves said. "In particular, what excited me ... is that he's not a superhero in the traditional sense, but if he has a super power, it's the ability to endure. He's a very 'alive' character."
Reeves explained that this movie will not be about how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, but about his early years as the Dark Knight, so it will be a unique take on a character that has been around for over 80 years. The plot is confirmed to take place in Wayne's second year as a crime-fighter and will largely revolve around what happens as Bruce learns how to be Batman.
Additionally, Reeves said that "The Batman" will delve into the "epic history of corruption in Gotham" and the murders that run rampant, leading to Batman's rise to prominence.
Reeves was asked about the diversity of the film's tremendous cast. "Paul Dano plays a version of the Riddler that no one has seen before," he said. "What he's doing is going to blow people's minds." He also alluded to unique takes on Selina Kyle/Catwoman, who will be played by Zoe Kravitz; Alfred, played by Andy Serkis; the iconic Jim Gordon, portrayed by Jeffrey Wright; and John Turturro's spin on Gotham crime boss Carmine Falcone.
The panel addressed Reeves' involvement of the upcoming TV series about the Gotham police department, and how that may intersect the story told in "The Batman." The director said that the show will tell the tale of corrupt cops, overlaid on the foreboding myth building in the background. Reeves described his upcoming projects as "grounded, honest and character-based."
In response to a fan question, Reeves described his vision of Gotham City as "an American city that you've never been to." His goal is to present a version of the city that fans have never seen before, citing the previous iterations of Batman's hometown, as depicted by Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan.
When asked about the choice to cast Pattinson as Batman, Reeves called him a tremendous actor. "He's such a gifted actor, and he's been working on his craft in such an incredible way. [...] He looks like Batman, but he has the soul to be able to play Batman in a way that you've never seen before."
One of the exciting parts of this project for Reeves was the challenge of designing a new Batcave, Batsuit and Batmobile, which he described as a dream come true.
"It's not an origin tale," Reeves said. "A lot of the other stories are about how he had to master his fear and master himself to become Batman. In that Batman state, he's his best self." Instead, Reeves hopes to put the audience in the character's shoes and meet him in the middle of this criminological experiment going on in Gotham City. He also spoke about how this movie will focus more on Batman's detective skills than previous movies have.
Reeves talked about his admiration for previous actors who have donned the cape and cowl, from Adam West to Ben Affleck. "To be a part of history like that is an incredible thing," he said. With the upcoming film, he hopes to provide a new way for fans to look at characters that they love.
As the panel wrapped up, Reeves announced only 25-30% of the movie has been filmed so far, but he did bring the first tease of the movie, which can be seen below:
Watch #TheBatman DC FanDome Teaser Trailer Now https://t.co/hOAsEVxTYg
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) August 23, 2020
The trailer shows a lot of footage of Pattinson in the sleek new Batsuit, spending time with the Gotham PD. It also gave a good look at a Catwoman-in-training and provided a taste of the crime-thriller genre that the film will provide. As a knee-jerk reaction, this does feel like a fresh spin on the character, and it will be fun to see what happens moving forward!
That's a wrap from DC FanDome! It's been a great day, filled with lots of great panels, tons of new and exciting content, and a lot to look forward to! What did you think of our first look at "The Batman"? Let us know in the comments below, find me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter (here and here).
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