Caffeinated Clint
Hot on the wings of confirmed reports Warners has shifted it’s release date from June to October 2021, more details have surfaced on “The Batman”- markedly, in regards to the plot.
Director Matt Reeves had said previously that the film would focus more on Bruce Wayne, the detective, more than Bruce Wayne, superhero…
“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.“
… and Fandomwire has reportedly received a breakdown of the storyline, confirming the ‘detective movie’ statement.
** Spoilers Follow **
It’s election year in Gotham, and someone is killing off Mayoral candidates one by one, leaving riddles behind each murder. These riddles won’t make it hard for Batman fans to deduce who’s behind them, since we know Paul Dano has been cast as The Riddler.
While many have assumed or hoped that the film is Batman vs a Rogues gallery of villains a la The Long Halloween, this is not the case. While they do borrow some themes from that story, they take several departures from it. In fact, The Riddler is the main villain we follow in this story, with The Batman on a mission to find out who this rogue is.
It is indeed has a very Noir theme. This Batman borrows much more from Sherlock Holmes than any other movie version, and this Batman’s Watson is Captain James Gordon, played by Jeffery Wright. The two are out to solve the case of the Riddler.
The mission allows Reeves to introduce us to a new Gotham City, with crime syndicates including John Turturro’s Falcone, as well as Zoe Kravitz’s Selina Kyle / Catwoman. Kravitz plays another anti-hero version of the character, helping Batman in the film, but in true Selina Kyle fashion, still always looking out for herself.
Colin Farrell plays a character named Os, likely short for Oswald Cobblepot as he’s already been confirmed as The Penguin. However, he’s actually written as a good guy, who’s also in the running for Mayor, and trying to avoid being murdered.
Interestingly enough, Harvey Dent was almost in the film, but removed from the script at the last minute. Both Batgirl & Penguin were also originally in the Birds of Prey script, but similarly pulled last minute.
Colin Farrell’s ‘Os’ character won’t – understandably, if you know the comic book character – look his usual, good-looking self.
During a recent Q&A (via Comic Book Movie), “Mrs. Doubtfire” star Rob McClure mentioned the process of getting fitted for the prosthetics needed to help him play his stage role, and the company responsible for creating those FX also happened to work on “The Batman”.
McClure says Farrell is donning prosthetic in the movie, suggesting his ‘Os’ will likely look less Sony Crockett and more ‘Penguin’.
Director Reeves (the “Planet of the Apes” films) is at the helm of the highly-anticipated superhero jaunt, with Robert Pattinson (upcoming “Tenet,” “The Lighthouse,” “Good Time”) starring as Gotham City’s vigilante detective, Batman, and billionaire Bruce Wayne. Starring alongside Pattinson as Gotham’s famous and infamous cast of characters are Zoë Kravitz (“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” “Mad Max: Fury Road”) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (“Love & Mercy,” “12 Years a Slave”) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (the “Hunger Games” films) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the “Transformers” films) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (“The Magnificent Seven,” “Black Mass”) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (“Farewell Amor”) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the “Planet of the Apes” films, “Black Panther”) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Dumbo”) as Oswald Cobblepot.
“The Batman” opens October 1, 2021.
