It’s no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. And given the popularity of DC’s Batman, he’s been adapted for film a number of times throughout the years. Most recently Gotham’s Protector appeared on the big screen in The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson in the title role. And director Matt Reeves explains one sequel mistake he doesn’t want to make with his burgeoning franchise.
While the main DCEU timeline is going through a ton of changes thanks to new leadership, The Batman is set in its own universe entirely. Matt Reeves is expanding that world with the Penguin show on HBO Max, as well as an eventual sequel. He recently spoke to Collider about his plans for The Batman 2, and revealed one misstep he’s hoping to avoid. As he put it,
To me, the thing that I really feel is that I also believe that Rob [Pattinson] is so special in the role. My goal has always been to do these point-of-view stories that allow the character to always be the emotional center of the story. Because a lot of times what happens is, after you do the first one, then suddenly other Rogues Gallery characters come in, and they kind of take over, and then Batman takes a backseat sort of character-wise, or emotionally.
Some serious points were made. With many of the Batman franchises, sequels have brought on more and more villains. Sometimes that comes by sacrificing screen time/shifting focus away from the Dark Knight himself. But smart money says Matt Reeves won’t let that happen for The Batman 2. We’ll just have to wait and see when that developing project actually begins principal photography.
Matt Reeves’ comments show how methodically the Planet of the Apes filmmaker has approached his work on The Batman and its growing franchise. His DC debut was a long time coming, but he was able to bring a bold new vision to his version of Gotham City. And as it expands, he’s going to remain focused on Robert Pattinson’s role as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Hardcore Batman fans out there will know that Matt Reeves’ comments make a great deal of sense given the character’s history on screen. Case in point: Tim Burton’s beloved sequel Batman Returns is arguably moreso a story about Catwoman and Penguin than it is about Michael Keaton’s title character. That’s seemingly a trap that Reeves is being careful not to fall into.
It should be fascinating to see what the DCEU ultimately does with Batman, especially given its new leadership. Andy Muschietti’s The Flash is expected to feature both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, and it should be interesting to see which one of them sticks around.
The next DC movie hitting theaters is Shazam! Fury of the Gods on March 17th. In he meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
