DC's live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, full of both peaks and valleys. But things appear to be on the upswing for Warner Bros.' shared universe, as it's currently surfing on the massive box office and critical success of James Wan's Aquaman. Fans are eager to see what's coming next, with a handful of movies being actively worked on by the studio, including Matt Reeves' Batman solo flick.
Matt Reeves' Batman movie, which is working under the title The Batman, has been long gestating over at Warner Bros. With Ben Affleck's character helping to kickstart the shared universe with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, the Dark Knight's fans are eager for the character to finally get his own solo flick. The director recently updated the public on the status of the movie, saying:
It's very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It's told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it's going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It's more Batman in his detective mode than we've seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He's supposed to be the world's greatest detective, and that's not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I'd love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it's going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.
Does anyone else have chills? It looks like Matt Reeves is breaking new ground with The Batman, bringing a more detective-heavy project to theaters. While Batman is known as the world's greatest detective, his movie appearances have usually been more action and adventure heavy.
Matt Reeves' new comments to will no doubt elicit a mix of emotions from movie fans. Perhaps the most obvious choice is relief, as Matt Reeves seems committed to making his Batman movie a reality. Tons of DC projects have been announced over the years, with many of them never coming to fruition. Considering how long The Batman was been in the writing stages, fans were nervous the project wouldn't happen. Add in Ben Affleck's unknown status as Batman in the shared universe, and things were looking very precarious for the developing blockbuster.
But it looks like The Batman is still happening, with Matt Reeves working hard at crafting the story and tone of the upcoming movie. What's more, he's hoping to bring something wholly unique to theaters, with a laser focus on Batman's psyche and the detective skills that are at the hear of his work as a vigilante. Sure, fighting and action will inevitably happen, but the solo flick will also break new ground for the Dark Knight.
In his same conversation with THR, Matt Reeves spoke to the upcoming casting process for The Batman. Furthermore, he's still hoping to bring a variety of Batman's villains into the narrative, as well. He elaborated, saying:
There will be a Rogues Gallery. The casting process will begin shortly. We're starting to put together our battle plan. I'm doing another pass on the script and we'll begin some long-lead stuff to start developing conceptual things.
There you have it. Batman will be battling a variety of baddies throughout the course of his solo movie, although Matt Reeves didn't tease exactly who those characters might be. Some of DC's biggest villains come from Batman's rogue gallery, so there's plenty of iconic characters to choose from-- many of which will delight the fandom ahead of the film's release.
With superhero movies being the most popular genre in filmmaking, tons of talented filmmakers and actors want to get in on the fun. Certain actors have already campaigned to play Batman villains for the DC Universe, so they're no doubt hoping to get a call from Matt Reeves during his upcoming casting process.
The most guilty offender of this type of campaigning is Beauty and the Beast actor Josh Gad. Gad has made his interest in playing Batman villain The Penguin abundantly clear over the past few years, and he's shown no signs of slowing down. Every few months, Gad will post a mysterious image of Penguin on his social media, sending the internet into a frenzy. While Penguin was originally rumored to appear in Birds of Prey, perhaps The Batman is the opportunity to bring Cobblepot to the silver screen.
It should be fascinating to see how Matt Reeves ultimately decides on his Batman villain. With The Batman reportedly much more noir-focused, he may want to choose the more dark and broody characters for Gotham's Protector to track down and bring to Arkham Asylum. That being said, Suicide Squad already introduced Killer Croc and Harley Quinn, while Cathy Yan's Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) will bring Black Mask and Victor Zsasz into live-action for the first time.
Aside from an official title or release date, the biggest mystery surrounding Matt Reeves' Batman movie is whether or not Ben Affleck will be playing the Caped Crusader. Matt Reeves didn't comment either way during his recent interview, Warner Bros. might not have settled on an official plan of action yet. Affleck has been heavily rumored to be approaching the door with his DC character, after his first three movies were critical failures. And with the actor focused on his substance abuse and mental health issues at the moment, his role as Batman feels all the more precarious.
Still, the newly clarified tone for Matt Reeves' movie is going to make generations of Batman fans very happy. With DC seemingly back on track with its shared universe, comic book fans are eager to see Batman finally get the spotlight. While Ben Affleck's characterization was arguably the best part of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it wasn't technically a Batman movie. Luckily things seem to be moving forward, and Matt Reeves appears to be committed to the developing blockbuster.
There is currently no release date for Matt Reeves' Batman movie. The next installment in the DCEU will be Shazam! on April 5th, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
