The Batman actor Jeffrey Wright says that the Gotham City in the movie is very different from all other versions of the setting. The next movie in the DCEU lineup, The Batman was originally meant to serve as a solo comeback vehicle for Ben Affleck after his turn as the caped crusader in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Affleck was even attached to direct and produce the film. But in 2017, he exited the project, paving the way for Cloverfield director Matt Reeves to take over at the helm. Once he was in charge, Reeves repurposed The Batman; he brought on board Twilight's Robert Pattinson as the new hero and shifted the focus of the narrative toward the early crime-fighting career of the eponymous vigilante. Now, Reeves' film will explore the detective side of Batman, hopefully accounting for a more intense and psychologically thrilling story.
Currently scheduled to release on March 4, 2022, The Batman's production had greatly suffered due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. But while the movie did encounter some roadblocks along the way, Reeves was still able to keep fans hooked to the film by offering various teases, such as early looks at Pattinson's Batsuit and Batmobile. He also indicated the inspiration for his film, which includes movies like Chinatown (1974), The French Connection (1971), Taxi Driver (1976), and the works of Alfred Hitchcock, as well as some fan-favorite comics like Year One, The Long Halloween, and Ego. Most recently, during a featurette screened at last month's CinemaCon, Reeves even promised that his upcoming film would certainly be the "most emotional Batman movie ever made." Now, another bit of detail has surfaced from the movie, which further elaborates on Reeves' vision for The Batman.
Recently, IndieWire published an interview with The Batman's James Gordon actor Jeffery Wright, where he revealed that the Gotham City in the new movie will be a far cry from all the other Gothams fans have seen before. He suggested that the depiction and aesthetic of the setting is far more realistic than in any of the previous films, and it helps the movie relate to several real-life locations and situations. Wright also commended the director for his skills to imbue a sense of gritty realism into his work, recounting how Reeves incorporated themes of corruption and class divide into The Batman. He added that the stuff that Reeves brought from "the outside world" aligns his movie with the contemporary era, thereby giving it a lot of "relevance." Read what Wright said below:
“I saw the themes around corruption and class tensions and all of the things that he wanted to bring from the outside into this world so it had some relevance. It’s bringing fiction into non-fiction in a way that’s balanced and really cool. Gotham City is unlike Gothams we’d seen before. It was a Gotham we could touch. The way the Batmobile was described, I understood the aesthetic we were going for was something really palpable. If you squint your eyes in some backstreet of New York, you could see it appear.”
As the first actor of color to step into the shoes of the Gotham City Police Department Commissioner, Wright is positioned for a very significant role in the upcoming superhero movie, which boasts an ensemble cast stacked with some of DC's most iconic characters. Besides Pattinson and Wright, The Batman features Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/ Catwoman, Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot / Penguin, and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. Newcomers actor Paul Dano is playing the main villain, Edward Nashton / Riddler, with Barry Keoghan, Peter Sarsgaard, and John Turturo also starring. So far, fans have seen only a few of these characters in action, courtesy of a teaser that was released during last year's DC FanDome. But now, fans can gear up to get a good look at the movie, as the newest trailer for The Batman will premiere at the forthcoming DC FanDome on October 16, 2021.
With continuing speculations of The Batman being rated PG-13, Wright's comments come as a breath of fresh air that reaffirms fans' trust in the quality and authenticity of the movie. Clearly, Reeves knows what he is doing with The Batman, and the same idea has been echoed by star Jeffrey Wright as well. From the get-go, Reeves has emphasized on making a "believable" Batman movie, so with Wright suggesting that the film's setting and ambiance are tangible and pertinent, it's evident that the helmer has successfully achieved his noir-driven vision. Of course, now the anticipation for The Batman is higher than ever, and hopefully, fans will be thoroughly entertained by this unique watching experience that Reeves has crafted from them.
Jeffrey Wright's Upcoming Batman Role Is A Big DC First
Source: IndieWire
