The Batman actor discusses playing a Black Jim Gordon in the movie. One of DC's most hotly-anticipated movies, The Batman will see Twilight alum Robert Pattinson suit up as a new version of the Caped Crusader. In the movie, Pattison's younger Batman will uncover corruption in Gotham City, manifesting his skills as the “The World’s Greatest Detective.” The Batman is set on Earth-2, and it doesn't share connections with the other films in the DC Extended Universe. It was originally supposed to premiere this year, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it has been delayed until March 4, 2022.
Besides Pattinson and Wright, The Batman stars Paul Dano as Edward Nashton / The Riddler, an emerging serial killer who is presumably the film's main antagonist. Colin Farrell is playing the DC villain Penguin. His role in the movie is somewhat brief, but WB has already ordered an HBO Max spin-off series for Penguin, which will explore his story more comprehensively. Zoë Kravitz is attached as Selina Kyle / Catwoman, while Andy Serkis is taking on the role of Alfred Pennyworth, Batman's butler and mentor. The Batman also features No Time To Die actor Jeffrey Wright as the Gotham City Police Department Commissioner James Gordon. Wright is the first actor of color to play the part, although he emphasizes that there is nothing unusual about his casting.
In a recent conversation with Haute Living, Wright reflected on playing a Black James Gordon in The Batman. He says that the buzz about him being the first person of color to step into the role is pointless, as the Batman lore is quite progressive. It doesn't hold on to the white supremacy of the past; rather "the characters within Gotham City are fluid, evolving creatures.” Read what Wright said below.
“If you give it a little bit of thought, Batman and the characters within Gotham City are fluid, evolving creatures. It would be doing a disservice, in fact, to these stories and to the history if we were actually beholden to the details of the original. When Shakespeare wrote female characters, they were written to be played by young boys. Are we to hold on to that tradition now in the 21st century because that was the limited lane that people were allowed at the time? It’s ridiculous. Beyond that, Gordon is many things. He’s relative to Gotham City, to the Gotham City police department, to Batman, to justice and to corruption — and none of those things require that he be white.
There have been some who I think have made more of it than they probably should, which I think reveals some deficiency [in our country]. In its first iteration in 1939, Gotham City was fashioned after an American metropolis much like New York City or Chicago. In 1939, New York was 90 percent white. The power structure in law enforcement in that city at that time would not have been inclusive of someone who looked like me; that’s the historical fact. But as these stories have continually evolved over these many decades, not only through the comics but also through the films, they’ve been reinterpreted through writers, directors and actors to be more contemporary to the times than they were made. Right now, if we were to imagine a Gotham City based on an American metropolis, to think of it as a place that’s only inhabited by white people is to be pretty idiotic. To be beholden to the demographic reality of 1939 urban America — what the f–k is the purpose of that?”
As he has indicated in past interviews, Wright is pretty enthusiastic about his turn as James Gordon in The Batman. He is quite fond of director Matt Reeves' vision, commending him for imbuing a sense of gritty reality with relevant themes like corruption and class divisions into his work. The actor also says that Gotham City in The Batman is unlike all other Gothams - it's decidedly "palpable" with a relatable aesthetic and setting. Wright has high hopes for the movie, although he isn't the only one confident about its success. Recently, both Pattinson and Serkis revealed that they were sure that the movie would be amazing.
Choosing a diverse set of actors was an important step that The Batman was always meant to take. Previously, DCEU movies have received flack for minimizing the roles played by actors of color, with the Justice League - Ray Fisher controversy being the most prominent case in point. To avoid that, it was important that The Batman made intelligent casting choices. Additionally, Wright is an extremely talented performer who is killing it on both TV and in films. His casting comes as a major upgrade to the Batman lore, which previously did not pay enough attention to representation. Hopefully, Wright's inclusion in The Batman will broaden the horizons for the franchise, allowing more opportunities to deserving professionals of color.
Source: Haute Living
