What's the deal with The Batman? Honestly, we don't know. It feels like it's been forever since we got a solid update on the movie which Ben Affleck once promised he was going to write, direct, and star in. It's clear now that two of the three won't be happening and even the third seems highly unlikely. Still, the Dark Knight is in good hands with Matt Reeves and some new details may have surfaced today.
These come our way via Reddit and should thereby be taken with a pinch of salt. However, the boards have often been a reliable source of DCEU intel in the past so we should at least consider them.
We have possible details here on changes which are being made to Batman villains like The Joker and The Penguin, which ones might end up making an appearance in the movie, and even some fresh intel on a...female Robin?! Needless to say, you'll want to hit the "View List" button to check these out.
Changes Start With Suicide Squad 2
As Warner Bros. looks to dump Zack Snyder's aesthetic for the DC Films Universe, it sounds like Suicide Squad 2 will go a long way in "redeeming" some familiar faces. While the studio won't recast characters like The Joker, Killer Croc, and Deadshot, pretty much every member of Task Force X is reportedly getting a makeover so that the fan-favourite villains resemble their comic book counterparts.
In the case of The Joker, that reportedly means that he'll lose the "Damaged" tattoo and jewellery but will keep the teeth (which makes sense if the studio finally addresses the fact that Batman attempted to destroy his smile). Of course, with Suicide Squad 2 still in development, who knows how much this will change. It is, however, worth noting that Geoff Johns will be closely involved with the sequel.
The Batman Won't Be A Prequel
Apparently, The Batman is being envisioned as a one-off movie rather than a prequel or the sort of superhero movie which sets the stage for a new trilogy or anything like that. Instead, it seems Warner Bros. is taking a very careful approach to the movie as the studio has started cooling on what they originally thought would be a "Gothamverse" of sorts made up of everyone from Batman to Nightwing and Batgirl. While this movie will be in the DCEU, it sounds like it will be standalone in nature.
Bye Bye Ben Affleck?
Apparently, no one is really talking about Ben Affleck being involved with The Batman as Matt Reeves is looking to recast the Caped Crusader and has written the screenplay with someone else in mind. It's said that the filmmaker wants someone who is "younger, slimmer, more agile, and more intense."
Jake Gyllenhaal was being discussed at one point but he's no longer in the running because of the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel and this supposed leaker knows nothing about who else could be on the director's shortlist. Either way, things aren't currently looking that good for fans of Batfleck.
Matt Reeves's Inspiration
We know that Matt Reeves decided not to use Ben Affleck and Geoff Johns's screenplay for The Batman and instead went back to the drawing board for his take on the Dark Knight. So, what does he have in store for the character? Well, it's said that the filmmaker is looking to keep the story grounded but will introduce at least some slight fantastical elements which fans of the hero will be familiar with.
Directors like Christopher Nolan, David Lynch, and Michael Mann are said to be among his inspirations and that could give us at least a vague idea of what his take on Batman's world will end up looking like.
Which Villains Will We See?
It's said that concept art for a number of characters has been created and that includes villains like Two-Face, The Penguin, The Riddler, and Victor Zsasz. There's nothing to say any of them will appear, of course, but all of them are said to be fairly comic accurate in appearance which is bound to make fans happy. Before anyone cries about there being too many baddies, some could just be minor cameos!
Interestingly, it's claimed that The Batman's Penguin is being based on the Emperor Penguin version of the villain and that he's been modelled after a very dapper looking Richard Armitage in concept art. This leak is actually a few weeks old but The Penguin was named as the possible big bad in this movie just days ago. Reeves is said to be creating a Penguin every bit as imposing as The Batman himself.
A Female Robin
Among the concept art which is said to be doing the rounds at Warner Bros. is a design for a female Robin. Now, there's precedent for that in the comic books and if Dick Grayson is Nightwing and Jason Todd is dead, why couldn't the Dark Knight have recruited Stephanie Brown instead of Tim Drake?
It's been a very long time since we saw Robin on the big screen anyway and this would shake things up in an interesting way. Still, I can't help but wonder whether or not this female Robin (who could also be Carrie Kelly thinking about it) could be Barbara Gordon who later becomes Batgirl instead. We'll see!
Another Armoured Batsuit
The final piece of intel from the rumoured concept art is said to be a heavily armoured new Batsuit. How this will differ from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice remains to be seen but it's described as being "militarised." It's possible that Matt Reeves has just envisioned a totally new look for the character and this could be his permanent look or the hero will need it for a specific reason. I guess time will tell on that front but it would be cool to see more alternate suits for the Caped Crusader!
Where Things Currently Stand With The Movie
The script has apparently been completed and Matt Reeves is now going through and editing it. He's said to be involved in every stage of the creative process so will obviously be very hands on here.
Here's hoping that remains the case as Warner Bros. has lost a lot of filmmakers in recent years due to "creative differences" and The Batman losing another director would probably end it once and for all. Bear in mind that it was initially rumoured to be released last year at the latest and the clock is ticking!
Should We Believe This Leak?
Honestly, it's hard to say. As is so often the case, there's no way of knowing for sure but a lot of what's here is definitely more believable than a full-on plot leak and things you can actually imagine Warner Bros. doing over the next few years as development on The Batman continues. With any luck, Comic-Con - which is right around the corner - will finally shed some light on what's really happening.
What do you guys think of this possible leak for The Batman? Do you believe it or is it all just too good to be true? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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