Robert Pattison’s take on the Caped Crusader in The Batman would be well-suited for the utility belt used in the 1966 Batman TV series and the comic books published at the time. There have been numerous versions of Batman’s iconic yellow belt in both the comics, the cartoons, and the movies. It’s been a key part of his design since his third comic appearance in 1939’s Detective Comics #29.
The belt is where Bruce Wayne stores a large portion of his arsenal of weapons and gear. Batman has weapons hidden in other places on his suit as well, but he has room for a large number of them in the belt alone, due to its impressive carrying capacity. It’s divided up into pouches (or cartridges) where he keeps various devices that aid him in combat and against other obstacles that get in his way. It’s in the belt that he keeps his Batarangs, grappling hook, and all sorts of other unique weapons.
What’s been seen of Robert Pattison’s character in The Batman so far confirms that he too will wear a utility belt. As for which version it will be most comparable with, that remains to be seen. Some may expect it to be similar to what Batman uses in modern comics. But in this case, it may be better for DC to go with a more retro feel and look back to the classic comics and the 1966 Batman TV show that saw Adam West portray the titular superhero. The old-school utility belt feels like a much better fit for his character.
The classic version does seem like it would be the right choice primarily because of the direction Matt Reeves is taking Bruce Wayne in the movie. This character is essentially a “Year Two” Batman, and not the veteran superhero and master detective most fans are familiar with. The Batman that’s in DC Comics is a character who has learned much from all his years of crime-fighting, whereas Pattison’s Batman is notably less experienced. While Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy started out with Batman coming onto the scene with a top-of-the-line arsenal, The Batman can take a different route by having Bruce Wayne grow into the hero from the comics.
The older utility belts from the comics and the show can help capture the feel of a vigilante who’s still improving. Rather than being packed with highly advanced gadgets, the classic belt was equipped with Batsleep gas, Batrope, and other considerably more low-tech devices and convenient supplies than what audiences typically expect from the Dark Knight. Of course, some of the campier elements of the belt, such as the shark repellent, don’t need to be included, but most of the ideas used during this time do work for Pattison’s Batman. They could help demonstrate this notion that Pattinson’s young Bruce Wayne is a bit unprepared for whatever threats await him in The Batman.
