The Batman reveals a new look at the Riddler on a Mountain Dew bottle, of all things. Matt Reeves' The Batman is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated DC movies on the current release schedule. Once planned as a vehicle for Ben Affleck's Batman, the flick will now take place within a continuity separate from the DCEU. It stars Robert Pattinson as a Bruce Wayne in his second year of being Gotham's vigilante, right as a string of gruesome murders rock the city. The Batman aims to kick off a new series centered on the iconic character, and it has already led to an HBO Max spin-off series.
In addition to featuring a new Bruce Wayne, The Batman will feature numerous fresh takes on some of the hero's most well-know adversaries. This includes the Penguin (Colin Farrell), not yet fully formed, and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). However, the villain who looks poised to be the main big bad of The Batman is Paul Dano's Riddler. Fans got a glimpse of the Riddler in The Batman's first trailer, which revealed his masked look. Now, a new peek at the Riddler has been unveiled.
In partnership with The Batman, Mountain Dew is reportedly releasing a new flavor titled "Riddler's Brew" (via Best Products). While the actual taste of the drink remains to be seen, the label on the bottle reveals a new shot of Dano's character. Don't expect to make out much of Dano's features, though: He's still wearing the unsettling mask seen in The Batman's trailer. Check it out below.
It might feel strange to have promotional materials like these leaked so far ahead of the movie, but it's likely The Batman's original date had a hand in this. The Batman was initially scheduled to premiere in June of this year, but due to various production complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic, it was moved multiple times. Currently, it's slated to debut in March 2022, and as The Batman intends to continue filming despite rising COVID cases in the UK, it just might stick to that date.
Nevertheless, this is a fun bit of marketing that can help increase some excitement in the project (though fans are already pretty hyped). There hasn't been an official Batman look since the trailer debuted last August, and while a leaked soda bottle can't compare to say, images or footage, it's still something. Reeves has teased his Riddler as being unlike any version of the character seen before, and his unusual appearance certainly stands apart from what has been done before. It'll be quite interesting to see his motivations be revealed in The Batman, and hopefully more teases will emerge soon.
Source: Best Products
