The Batman, which will see its release on March 4, 2022, will star Robert Pattinson as the masked and caped vigilante. Not only is Pattinson going to play a younger version of Bruce Wayne that hasn't been seen too much on-screen, but he will also be playing the character in his early years in a noir-detective fashion. Director and writer Matt Reeves says that The Batman will be set in around the second year of Batman's vigilante career. This opens the story up to the possibility of giving audiences a Batman who has not been polished or trained by years of crime-fighting. It would be interesting and endearing to see a Batman coming-of-age story where he is learning what to do and what not to do. It would also make The Batman stand out from previous adaptations.
The development of The Batman began all the way back in 2014. It had an entirely different story, cast, and crew than it does now. With the new release date set, fans of both DC’s iconic Batman character and Robert Pattinson are getting excited to see the long-anticipated final product. The Batman already has two sequels planned with Robert Pattinson taking on the leading role for the entirety of the trilogy. HBO Max also announced its plan to make a prequel series. There are even some rumors that Robert Pattinson's The Batman will eventually see a Joaquin Phoenix's Joker crossover. Though both Todd Phillips and Phoenix initially denied any Joker sequels and even said how they weren't sure if they would be a part of it if there were any, there is a rumor for two sequels to be made within the next four years.
If the rumors of a Joker crossover are true, it would make sense for a similar origin story for The Batman that shows audiences a more sympathy-inducing side of Batman. In Joker, Joaquin Phoenix's character Arthur is shown getting beat up and shot down at every turn, inspiring empathy from the audience. If these two worlds are to collide somewhere down the line, then The Batman will need to do a good job of gaining audience support for a showdown later on. To see a young Bruce Wayne not have his footing quite right yet would allow the audience to relate to the character more. Usually, Batman is always prepared for any event with his strength, gadgets, or techniques polished to the T. To see him get beat up or knocked down would be a much more interesting take on the established character.
Robert Pattinson's The Batman will need to show the vigilante in a light that exposes Batman's early years properly. Batman needs to make mistakes and not be entirely sure of what it is he is up against. As Batman becomes aware of the power and number of his enemies, so will the audience. Because of his youth and inexperience, Bruce Wayne won't have an answer for every problem yet. The trailer for The Batman already has a very down-to-earth and grungy feel. It looks like audiences actually will be getting a Batman who will get down and dirty. Though we won't get to see the exact beginning of Batman's timeline, this will still be an origin story of sorts where Batman will meet all of the villains he is up against.
It is important for a filmmaker to show any hero or villain in a way that makes them believable. If a hero or villain is constantly able to snap their fingers and make any situation go the way they want it to like Thanos magic, it can bring up a lot of questions in a viewer's mind. Movies that allow for a transition period for a character to undergo substantial growth always make more immersive stories because the audience gets to see how far the character has come. The recent John Wick-style action thriller—Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk—does a good job of showing a hero that has some weaknesses, at least in their beginning. They aren't some robot that hopped off the superhero assembly line ready for action. Those big victory moments aren't as sweet unless the character has shown the audience that they have made progress.
When audiences are finally able to sit down with their popcorn in theaters in the spring of 2022, no matter how the story is presented, The Batman will definitely be offering an incredible ride filled with talented actors. But it would certainly be quite a memorable introduction of Batman into the new trilogy if audiences got to see a more real and damaged version of the character.
Seeing Batman struggle to understand the world he lives in would be an immersive experience especially for those viewers who may not be as familiar with other adaptations or comic book entries. And if every fan's dream comes true with a Joker crossover, a beaten and broken Batman origin story will fit right in with the tone of the new Batman cinematic world.