For decades, Batman has arguably stood the test of time as DC's most famous hero, and his silver screen adventures have become some of the most highly anticipated blockbusters of the modern era. Ben Affleck is the latest actor to don the cape and cowl, and the iconic, aging hero has handily become one of the strongest aspects of the entire DCEU. The character is set to appear in a wide variety of critical DC films over the course of the next few years, but arguably none is more vital than the main event: Matt Reeves' highly anticipated solo Batman movie.
Considering the fact that Batman truly represents the lynchpin of the entire DCEU right now, there are plenty of vital Batman-related plot threads that his solo film will need to address when it finally hits theaters. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of the six most important Batman questions that Matt Reeves (who is currently experiencing insane critical success with War for the Planet of the Apes) and Ben Affleck will need to answer. Let's kick this list off with one of the DCEU's largest mysteries: what exactly happened to Jason Todd before the events of Dawn of Justice?
How Exactly Did Jason Todd Die?
The seminal A Death in the Family storyline has been slowly but surely teased for the DCEU ever since Batfleck first gazed upon Jason Todd's tattered Robin uniform during the events of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Suicide Squad carried that torch even further by revealing that Harley Quinn was actually responsible for the death of the second Boy Wonder, but the solo Batman movie needs to finally clue us in on the key details surrounding Jason's death. Was Harley really responsible, or was she simply covering for her beloved Mr. J? Was Jason killed in an explosion like in the comics? Has he returned as Red Hood yet? These are all questions that absolutely demand answers from Reeves and Affleck.
What Caused Dick Grayson To Walk Away From Bruce?
While DC fans know Nightwing's backstory intimately, most mainstream audiences likely don't know that he's the first Robin who strikes out on his own after a falling out with Bruce Wayne. That's a fundamental concept that will likely play an enormous role in Chris McKay's upcoming Nightwing solo movie, and the seeds for that rift will need to show up in the DCEU before Nightwing debuts. While Batgirl or Gotham City Sirens could certainly include scenes to help set that up, the solo Batman movie still stands out as the best place to lay that narrative groundwork. What happened between these two heroes, and how has their relationship changed in the years since Jason Todd died?
How Is Street Level Crime A Challenge For Batman After Justice League?
With less than half a year to go until Zack Snyder's Justice League hits theaters, we're still in awe of the fact that we will finally get to see The Dark Knight stand side by side with the rest of DC's biggest heroes. Having said that, following the release of Justice League, Matt Reeves and Ben Affleck will find themselves faced with the distinct challenge of making a grounded Batman movie after the character has quite literally fought gods. This concept seems somewhat easier to convey in comics, but in live-action, it could prove difficult to sell human villains like Two-Face, Penguin or Deathstroke as legitimate threats after Steppenwolf (and potentially Darkseid) takes a shot at Earth.
Is Bruce Still Protecting Amanda Waller?
One of the weirdest Batman moments in the entire DCEU came at the end of Suicide Squad when Bruce Wayne offered to protect Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) in exchange for information on Earth's known metahumans. Although Bruce tells Waller to shut down her Task Force X operation, the scene still appears to end with the duo agreeing to take care of each other's secrets. Batman and Amanda Waller typically have a far more antagonistic relationship with one another in DC comics and animated properties, so the ending of Suicide Squad has truly felt like an oddity ever since the film debuted last August. Is Bruce Wayne still protecting the woman who sends criminals on suicide missions, or are they done with each other?
What Does Gotham City Think Of Batman?
We have gotten to know Ben Affleck's version of The Caped Crusader quite well over the course of the last year or so, but we still don't know what average citizens of Gotham City think of the brooding vigilante. In fact, despite the fact that he has operated in Gotham for over two decades, the DCEU's version of Batman seems to still be a myth amongst the majority of its citizens. With the solo Batman movie on the horizon, Affleck and Matt Reeves will need to dive deeper into the mythology of The Dark Knight and examine what the real people of Gotham City truly think of their protector. Remember, you can't have Batman without Gotham City, so the opinions of Gotham's citizens will matter.
How Is Bruce Coping With The Fact That He's A Killer?
We cannot deny it: Ben Affleck's Batman kills (or at the very least HAS killed) people, which fundamentally changes how we see Gotham's protector. Batman's refusal to take a life typically represents a core aspect of who he is as a character, which means the DCEU will need to address this idea at some point. While Justice League may potentially touch on these ideas, the fact that Bruce will be fighting Parademons instead of real humans means that it will be less of an issue. The solo Batman movie reportedly will bring him back down to street level with Gotham's average thugs, which means Matt Reeves' and Ben Affleck are going to need to address why he's not wasting criminals left and right. Because that would be strange.
