The Batman trailer is the most ruthless Dark Knight ever seen
“It’s a warning.” Robert Pattinson proves why his Batman is so different in the new trailer for The Batman.
When the Bat-signal is lit, you know it’s time to run.
The 2021 virtual DC FanDome ended with a bang, releasing the latest trailer to the highly anticipated 2022 movie The Batman, which stars Robert Pattinson as the new caped crusader.
While the trailer is light on plot details and surprises, it does reveal that Pattinson’s iteration is maybe one of the most ruthless versions of Batman ever put to screen. It’s incredible.
What Happened? — DC FanDome 2021 ended with the new trailer for The Batman, composed of almost entirely new footage.
The trailer played after a lengthy FanDome conversation between director Matt Reeves, Pattinson, and Zoë Kravitz, who co-stars as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. One of the most fascinating things revealed was that Pattinson wore Val Kilmer’s Batman costume for his screen test, just like Christian Bale did for his screen test for Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. Apparently, he wasn’t a huge fan of the fit.
You can watch the trailer in the embed below.
“I’m Vengeance” — What’s exhilarating about the trailer is just how badass Robert Pattinson looks. In the trailer, Pattinson’s Batman takes on multiple bad guys at once; he brushes off point-blank gunfire like it tickles and hunts for the Penguin — played by an unrecognizable Colin Farrell — with ferocity.
“You’re everything they say, ain’t ya?” says Farrell’s Penguin in voice-over.
The trailer even opens with a new thesis for Batman. Centered around Batman’s iconic Bat-signal, Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne says: “Fear is a tool. When that light hits the sky, it’s not just a call. It’s a warning.”
This idea is mirrored by the trailer ending, with Batman pursuing Penguin (in his American muscle Batmobile) and crashing into Penguin’s car, then walking out of a raging inferno, unscathed.
“What have you got?” The Batman shows an unrefined Batman who doesn’t have all the answers and certainly doesn’t know every way to get them.
Hype for Knight — There’s been a lot of appropriate buzz for The Batman, but this latest trailer takes the cake. It’s yet another gritty reboot for Batman, sure. But the film’s particular brand of aggression and grounded, textured vision for Gotham City is still unfamiliar to audiences.
The Batman doesn’t traffic in the sophisticated, pseudo-James Bond tech that characterized the Nolan films. Neither is this the gothic Batman envisioned by Zack Snyder. The Batman does something else, with garage-level equipment and patched-together costumes. You can almost see the stitching in Pattinson’s cowl.
See?
And Pattinson carries with him a sort of rage and moody recklessness his predecessors never had. When his Bruce Wayne tells Alfred (played by Andy Serkis), “I don’t care what happens to me,” his greasy hair, smudged eye makeup, and dirty hoodie help communicate just how jagged and unrefined this Bruce Wayne is meant to be.
The Inverse Analysis — Casual audiences may roll their eyes at hearing another Batman reboot is on the horizon. But for fans, The Batman is doing something way different, considering its premise of dark, gritty Batman is no longer novel but the default tone for this character.
Even if most people don’t “get it” right away, Robert Pattinson is ready to prove why he’ll be one of the most interesting actors ever to play Batman. He’ll do whatever it takes.
The Batman will open in theaters on March 4, 2022.
