Welcome back to another week of fan-fiction. i.e. What I as a fan want to see from Matt Reeves’ The Batman movie. I should probably point out up front that I’m definitely more of an MCU than a DCEU fan, so far. I think that bias is purely down to the quality of the DCEU movies not quite living up to my expectations so far. But this is Batman, and Batman remains my favorite comic book character of them all.

I’ll also point out than unlike many DCEU fans, including some of my colleagues here at LRM, I did not like Ben Affleck’s Batman. Though, to be more specific, I guess I should say I didn’t like Zack Snyder’s Batman, as Affleck was never the issue for me. Affleck was cast well as an older Bruce Wayne/Batman, but I didn’t care for the role he was asked to play. I know Affleck’s version of Batman was supposed to be one broken down by years of crime-fighting and some dark moments. However, I also feel the general audience was supposed to understand this version of Batman without much set-up in the movies.

Now it’s Robert Pattinson’s turn under the cowl, and a new writer/director in Matt Reeves. So let me explore what I’d like to see from Matt Reeves’ The Batman, with a little bit of speculation thrown in for good measure.

World-Building

I’m a big fan of world building in general and I think the technique is one that draws in the geek squad (like me). It was world building in Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones which creates the obsession fans crave. I.e. every geek franchise needs good world building to survive in my opinion. One of the issues I had with Snyder’s DCEU was the lack of world-building, compounded by introducing characters for the first time in a team-up movie.

I feel like in the Nolan Dark Knight trilogy, he chose to world build from the ground up. My one disappointment in the Nolan trilogy was that there simply wasn’t enough. We had only one movie with Batman in his prime, and as such, The Dark Knight feels the most like a Batman movie from that trilogy. Batman Begins was the set-up, the origin of Batman. The Dark Knight Rises was the end of Batman, and a suggested passing of the torch.

One of the details we have heard about The Batman is that it will be set in a Gotham already populated with villains. If The Batman is loosely following the story of ‘The Long Halloween’ then I’ll guess that some of the villains such as The Riddler, The Penguin, and others may only play minor roles in this movie. You know what that is? Good world-building. Gotham is going to feel real to the audience because Batman isn’t living in a vacuum with one new villain each film.

Crafting a Trilogy?

If Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the start of a  trilogy, as rumored, then I love his approach to the first movie. Start from a point where Gotham is already in the pits with various supervillains that require a hero like Batman. Unlike Nolan, this Batman is going to be starting around the same period in which The Dark Knight was set. This will be from what we know, early Batman, but not origin (Year One) Batman.

It seems as if Matt Reeves is creating a Gotham sandbox, and the possibilities for sequels are endless once this world-building has been established in the first movie. Will Penguin show up in the next one, will Riddler? Will the second movie bring in a new villain to upset the status quo? These questions will remain mysteries outside of Matt Reeves’ brain for a while longer. But I love the idea that Reeves can literally go anywhere next due to the world-building here.

What I want is for Reeves to have a plan for how this trilogy is going to develop as a whole. That means new threats, and brings me to me next point, Joker. There have been rumblings this week that Reeves will create a new Joker for his The Batman movies. A Joker that likely won’t be Jared Leto or Joaquin Phoenix. Fans have pondered whether it’s too soon to have a new Joker? As far as I am concerned though, for Reeves trilogy to work, Joker has to come back.

The Joker in the Pack

Some fans probably think we have seen too much Joker in Batman movies, but is that true? In each iteration of Batman at the movies, Joker has only appeared in one movie. Apparently Nolan had plans to bring back Legder’s Joker in The Dark Knight Rises, but we all know why that sadly couldn’t happen. But Nicholson’s Joker was a one and done, Leto’s Joker was practically cut out of Suicide Squad and likely won’t be seen again.

I think to have a Batman trilogy without a Joker is just disappointing. I’m not saying I want to see Joker in The Batman. In fact, I think Joker works better with having Batman as a catalyst for his insanity. However, Joker is the only character that I want to see evolve as a result of Batman. Most of the other criminals I prefer to be created in spite of Batman, or before Batman arrived. So, I’d quite happily see some references or seed sowing for Joker within The Batman movie. Just as long as it’s a tease only for now.

Batman needs Joker, that’s just this fan’s opinion. I just don’t want to see Joker until perhaps the second or even third movie. Hell, I don’t even think DC should be limiting themselves by developing a trilogy as such.

In or Out the DCEU?

The truth is a true trilogy usually works as one story told over three parts. Therefore, although each movie has to have a beginning, a middle, and an end, so does a trilogy in terms of larger themes. If Matt Reeves is adamant he will only write and direct three The Batman movies, I’d agree to that three-movie deal under the stipulation he doesn’t “end” the character in his third movie. Robert Pattinson is young, so why not sign him up to four or five Batman movies? If Reeves has his limit set at three, then someone else could be brought in with a new pitch for how to carry that story forwards.

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I’d rather see five or six Batman movies set in the same Universe before we get to the inevitable reboot. Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy still feels super recent to me, and yet here we are again. If The Dark Knight Rises had been a different film, there was plenty of room for another couple of Bale starring Dark Knight movies. Again, it goes back to world-building, and pay off. There are themes that Reeves can choose to begin in The Batman and pay off within The Batman 3, but Reeves doesn’t own Batman. I feel like WB needs to make sure they can run with Battinson for the next 10-12 years. Maybe then, after a few years’ break, we would be ready for a completely new vision?

As for the DCEU as a whole, is The Batman part of it, or a separate universe in itself? One would guess The Batman is not in the larger DCEU. The obvious reason being Ben Affleck’s Batman having a relationship with Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Both Wonder Woman and Aquaman franchises are definitely still set within that overall DCEU. If The Batman was set within the DCEU, somehow, then I’d be more relaxed about only having three solo movies. I just don’t think that’s the case right now though, could be wrong?

Wrap it Up, Fanboy

I’ve concentrated on where I want to see Batman franchise developed. Not the plot I want to see within Matt Reeves’ The Batman. However, the first movie is always the first step, and my worry is that WB doesn’t have a plan outside of giving Reeves three movies to make.

Eventually, I want to see both Batman’s character and his universe evolve. I want to see that basic Batmobile improved as the movies go on, as well as Batman’s tech. One aspect I loved in Nolan’s trilogy was the constant evolution of Batman as a character. In other words, I want to see Robert Pattinson become a better Batman as each movie goes on. That requires a plan, not just for three movies, but for multiple movies. Batman movies set in a living, breathing, and ever-changing Gotham City.

What do you want to see from Matt Reeves’ The Batman? Are you interested in the world-building and legacy of this movie as much as I am? Do you not care as long as you enjoy The Batman itself? Share your own thoughts below as always.

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