Is Matt Reeves' The Batman an actual thing that will happen, or just another DCEU film talked about that never becomes reality? If you felt the latter, nobody would blame you. Updates on it have been scarce since Reeves took over from then-director Ben Affleck in 2017, and we still don't know if Affleck's version of Batman will stick around. But now in a new sitdown with THR, Reeves opens up about the film and even gives an idea of when we may see it in theaters.
Reeves confirmed a couple of things that have been talked about before, such as his noir-driven take that will allow Batman's detective skills to shine...
“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”
We've yet to have a Batman film where his crime-solving ability is the focus, so let's see if that actually happens. I have my doubts, only because Reeves says there will also be multiple villains to contend with...
“There will be a Rogues Gallery. The casting process will begin shortly. We’re starting to put together our battle plan. I’m doing another pass on the script and we’ll begin some long-lead stuff to start developing conceptual things.”
Reeves doesn't say much about that casting process and whether it involves replacing Affleck, but he does give an idea about a future release date and it's not that far away...
“We haven’t been dated. I wouldn’t commit to this, but we’re thinking the movie would probably be for 2021, late spring or summer. Warner Bros. has been incredibly supportive and given me a lot of time and shared the same passion that I do for this story.”
Reeves' Batman could be here in a couple of years, and by then the DCEU landscape will be an entirely different place than the last time we saw the Caped Crusader.
