The Batman set photos reveal an iconic comic book storyline

Halloween often comes early in Gotham City, and it looks like this year is no exception. Production is underway for the highly-anticipated new movie The Batman. While fans got an up-close look at Robert Pattinson’s Batman suit — including its ghoulish comic book Easter egg — in a very dramatic video reveal, details about the film’s plot have remained largely under wraps. However, leaked set photos tease that The Batman might draw inspiration from an iconic comic book story, and it could reveal a lot about where the story is headed.

While a previous set video hinted that the Penguin’s henchmen are up to no good in Gotham City, a couple of newly leaked set photos reveal that The Batman could borrow elements from one of Batman’s most famous comic book storylines, Batman: The Long Halloween. Take a look!

The set photos (via Twitter) don’t showcase much, but the fact that there are several pumpkins outside an ominous mansion might be the biggest clue that the film may be adapting parts of The Long Halloween. If that's the case, the comic book offers insight into the potentially pivotal role Carmine Falcone will play in the film.

First published as a 13-issue series in 1996 and 1997, Batman: The Long Halloween is set during the early years of Bruce Wayne’s stint as Batman and is a follow-up to the events of Batman: Year One. We know that The Batman will take place in the second year of Batman’s role as Gotham’s protector, so a possible adaptation of The Long Halloween tracks in terms of the film’s timeline.

The comic book series follows the story of the criminal Holiday who, as you can guess, kills people during the holidays. However, while Batman works to stop the murders, the Dark Knight is also attempting to thwart a mob war between big-wig crime boss Carmine Falcone and Salvatore Maroni. It’s unclear how big a role Falcone will play in The Batman (he's being portrayed by John Turturro), but if the film adapts elements of The Long Halloween, Falcone’s role becomes that much clearer as the mob boss is heavily involved in the plot.

What’s more, fans have speculated that Gil Colson, a district attorney and chief prosecutor created specifically for The Batman, is none other than Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face. With that in mind, it’s possible the film will serve as the origin story for the lawyer-turned-villain. After all, The Long Halloween’s storyline ties directly into Harvey’s transformation to one of Batman’s enemies.

Speaking of enemies, The Batman is chock-full of them. In addition to Falcone, The Riddler, The Penguin, and Catwoman (who's an enemy-turned-lover) have all been confirmed for the film. While The Penguin is not in The Long Halloween, no movie adaptation is exactly like its comic book counterpart.The Batman wouldn’t be the first to adapt The Long Halloween, as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight borrowed elements from the popular comic book storyline, right down to Harvey’s turn into Two-Face. It's possible the new solo film is headed down a similar path.

That said, it’s important to note that The Batman will probably be a combination of several Batman storylines woven into one and won't be a direct adaptation of the comic series. Either way, The Long Halloween would fit perfectly into The Batman’s focus on the detective and noir elements of the caped crusader that Matt Reeves has promised.

The Batman will arrive in theaters on June 25, 2021.