The frenzy centered around The Batman continues to build, with released footage showcasing a world encased within an atmosphere of dark realism. Warner Bros. Pictures dispatched a surprising treat at the tail end of the holiday season in the form of a new trailer to help further promote the upcoming Matt Reeves film. The new footage focuses on Batman (Robert Pattinson) and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), forming a union to stand up and defend Gotham from the heinous actions committed by the film's main antagonist, The Riddler. In addition, the trailer for The Batman unearths new questions while simultaneously revealing more behind the mysterious plot.
Unlike the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy, this film is not the origin story of the Cape Crusader. Instead, it focuses on the man behind the mask after two years as the embodiment of vengeance within Gotham. The Riddler (Paul Dano) plays a significant demonic presence plaguing the city, but the essence of his motivation has been relativity unclear. Each footage provides breadcrumbs to a desirable answer, but the destination has been a somewhat unreachable mark. Likewise, the relationship between Batman and Catwoman has also been a muddled mystery, but this new look at the two iconic characters pulls back the curtain just a bit to appease the appetites of those hungry for discovery.
Zoe Kravitz's Catwoman Will Have Her Own Origin Story In The Batman
The trailer begins with the shaming of Bruce Wayne for not doing enough for Gotham, juxtaposed with images of him doing the very thing he accused of not being committed to for the city. Images then move towards The Riddler, whose criminal actions continue to send chills down the spine, but what's assumed to be the first interaction between him and Batman is officially revealed. Selina Kyle then enters the screen expressing the need to stand up together to Batman. "If we don't stand up, no one will," were the words she spoke before noting the nice ring attached to The Bat and The Cat relationship. A team-up between the two seems apparent, but audiences won't know until the film finally arrives.
While the relationship between Batman and Catwoman takes center stage, the most intriguing aspect of this new footage is the insight it provides into The Riddler's motives. "I trust you to unmask the truth about this cesspool we call a city. You're part of this too," articulates the nefarious character as familiar images of his arrest flash across the screen. Confusion regarding the statement seems to riddle Batman as he seeks to understand his part in the corruption. "Oh, you're really not as smart as I thought you were… Bruce Wayne," expresses the character once more as he reveals the Cape Crusaders' true identity. Bruce then confronts Alfred about a hidden secret, indicating that he had been lying to him for years. As the trailer progresses, audiences receive hints that Wayne may be involved, but the extent of his involvement is unclear.
"We all have our scars, Bruce. You're still a Wayne," were the words disclosed by Alfred, which appear to align with the mission of the film. Matt Reeves noted that this would be Year Two for the Cape Crusader. Thus the focus of the narrative centers around a connection with Bruce on a mental and physical level. How will Batman and Catwoman's relationship work to help rid the city of The Riddler's madness? It's ambiguous at the moment, but what audiences can expect is an excellent amount of engaging action and visual sequences. Along with the trailer, audiences were given a new look at the Empire magazine split cover feature two characters.
The Batman is set to arrive in theaters March 4, 2022.
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Source: Warner Bros. Picture|YouTube