Why Robert Pattinson's Batman Might Use a Gun

It's almost unthinkable, but could Robert Pattinson's Caped Crusader wield a firearm in The Batman? Like any long-running fictional character, Batman possesses certainly inherent qualities that bleed into virtually every incarnation. The cool car, the gruff temperament, treating Robin so badly he either runs away or gets killed, and crucially, a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to using guns.

The aversion is simple enough to understand; Bruce Wayne's parents were shot to death in an alleyway right in front of him when Bruce was only a child. The traumatic experience drove the young new billionaire to pursue a double life as a vigilante, relying on non-lethal methods so as to maintain the moral high ground. Even the darker, angrier periods of Batman's Gotham City stewardship haven't seen the DC hero resort to firearms, so strong is his distaste for them. Nevertheless, a gun-toting Batman has happened.

The next incarnation of Batman to grace the big screen will be Robert Pattinson in The Batman. Directed by Matt Reeves and seemingly taking place outside of the DCEU's continuity, Pattinson will go up against a host of villains including Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman in his 2021 debut, and fans are eagerly awaiting what Batfleck's successor has in store. Every detail unveiled so far would suggest that The Batman will be a distinctly fresh take, but could that extend so far as Bruce Wayne using guns?

Pattinson's Costume Hints At Gun Use

The Batman Director Reveals First Look At Robert Pattinson's Batmobile

Matt Reeves has offered only brief glimpses of Pattinson's Batman costume so far, but the biggest clue regarding possible gun use comes from the updated outfit. On-location shots have revealed Pattinson's suit in its full glory, and one major point of interest is the utility belt, which includes at least two pouches for 9mm ammunition clips.

The belt alone doesn't prove Bruce will be arming up in The Batman. While most live-action Dark Knights have enjoyed custom utility belts, Pattinson's character has adopted a more DIY aesthetic. The Batmobile is a muscle car, there's stitching visible on the cowl, etc. It's possible that the utility belt is a generic military design that Bruce added to his ensemble because he doesn't have a direct line to Lucius Fox yet. Bruce may have a belt with clip holders, but who's to say he hasn't just packed them with business cards?

With that said, a utility belt designed to hold gun clips does at least open the door to Pattinson's Batman using a firearm. Even if he is a relative amateur in The Batman, Bruce is still a billionaire - if he wasn't planning on storing ammunition, he could afford a belt without clip holders. Another important caveat is the context of the Batsuit images, which remains largely unknown. The scene may take place during a brief period where Bruce contemplates using guns but ultimately decides against it, or might even be taken from a flashback to the very beginnings of Batman.

The Batman Year Two Comic Story

The utility belt alone doesn't prove The Batman will turn its title character into Gotham's Charlton Heston, but when considered alongside the Batman: Year Two comic arc, trigger-happy Bruce starts looking more plausible. Various depictions of Batman have used guns over the years, but these are mostly alternate or sideways versions rather than the real deal. However, the genuine article did start packing heat in one controversial DC storyline. In 1987's Batman: Year Two, Bruce resorts to using a gun (the same one that killed his parents, no less) to take down a criminal called The Reaper, and begins carrying Joe Chill's old weapon around with him. The storyline, and in particular Bruce breaking his own sacred code, didn't go down well with readers and the angle was soon scrapped, with Batman resolving never to stoop so low again.

Although it's highly unlikely The Batman will adapt this comic arc (The Long Halloween remains the strongest contender), Matt Reeves has revealed that Pattinson's Batman is approximately two years into his one-man crusade against crime. Again, this alone isn't enough to suggest the new live-action Batman might carry a gun, but the Year Two comic parallel combined with the 9mm clip holders on the utility belt does begin to build a case that Bruce Wayne's famous moral code may not be fully-formed when the vigilante debuts in The Batman.

Another (far less likely) possibility is that in an attempt to connect The Batman to the wider DCEU, the film will take place on an alternate Earth. This would allow some wiggle-room in Bruce Wayne's origin story that could lead to Batman shooting criminals instead of just throwing sharp objects at them.

The Batman Is The Most Grounded Movie Yet

Also worth considering is how The Batman promises a realistic and grounded portrayal of the DC world, perhaps even more so than Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. Once again, this is implied by the handmade quality of the costume and Batmobile, but also extends as far as renamed characters. The Riddler is widely known as the criminal alter ego of Edward Nigma, a name that creates a well-worn, very comic book-ish pun that would feel out of place in a gritty and violent movie. Reeves has opted to switch out Nigma for Nashton - a surname derived from (but rarely used in) the Batman comics. Stripping out those traces of humor serves to highlight how The Batman will lean into the more believable aspects of the superhero.

If Batman using a gun is going to happen anywhere, it'll happen in a story that doesn't shy away from the grim realities of fighting crime alone at night. DC fans are used to seeing the Caped Crusader be an urban ninja, effortlessly taking out goons and throwing projectiles with pin-point accuracy. Not only does this go against the notion of a less experienced, more fallible Batman, but the idea of Bruce becoming an invincible warrior after only 2 years on the job is counter to Reeves' grounded vision. In this setting, it makes sense that a younger Bruce might take a gun on patrol with him as an insurance policy in case things get nasty.

Pattinson's Batman Can Turn Away From Guns

Even if Robert Pattinson's Batman does pull up to his first movie outing gun in-hand, fans can be sure he'll be firearm-free when the end credits roll. Bruce Wayne's anti-gun stance is something most Batman stories take for granted. The Wayne murders put Bruce off guns so much he decides to become a one-man death machine that doesn't need one. That's quite a leap, and The Batman could strike upon an original storyline by exploring the formation of Bruce's non-lethal code. Other movies have touched upon this, but only in the briefest of terms. In Batman Begins, a pre-Batman Bruce Wayne looks to shoot Joe Chill after a sham trial, but one of Falcone's assassins gets there first. This shows a fleeting temptation to use firearms before Bruce transforms into Batman.

Pattinson's Bruce Wayne using guns while being Batman takes this idea further, but not inconceivably so. Just as Bale-Bruce initially felt that using a gun could be a means to an end if it brought justice, Battinson might be under the same impression. His early Batman might try to use non-lethal methods, but could also believe that shooting a criminal would be acceptable if it prevented another child losing their parents, thereby justifying carrying a gun into battle. Bruce's character arc in The Batman could revolve around discovering that the ends don't always justify the means.

Supporting this theory is the Bat symbol on Robert Pattinson's costume, which appears to be made out of Joe Chill's deconstructed pistol. This feature highlights Bruce's lingering bitterness over his parents' deaths and his revenge-motivated mindset. An angry young Bruce may not be above using a gun to fight crime, but by the end of The Batman, the pistol Bat logo could be replaced by a regular one, symbolizing Bruce's growth and newfound understanding. In place of that hatred and resentment would come Batman's trademark calm, collected rage, setting the character up nicely for The Batman's inevitable sequel.

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