Newly unveiled The Batman action figures offer audiences their first detailed look at the costumes of Catwoman and The Riddler. First being announced in October 2014 as a standalone film for Ben Affleck's interpretation of the character, The Batman has undergone an immensely rocky development process, from changing its lead actor to switching between many directors and eventually undergoing a complete rewrite. Ultimately, the film went to director Matt Reeves, who cast Robert Pattinson in the lead role as a younger Batman much earlier in his vigilante career.
Joining Pattinson's Batman are Zoë Kravitz as the mysterious Catwoman, Paul Dano as The Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as Lieutenant James Gordon, Andy Serkis as the loyal Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell as an up-and-coming crime lord, The Penguin. The plot itself is said to take inspiration from the Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween comic book runs of the character and is set in Batman's second year of crimefighting. While facing a newly established and puzzling serial killer, the vigilante also uncovers a sense of corruption within his city that connects to his own family and must fight to put it to an end.
Upon the airing of DC FanDome 2021, online retailer Entertainment Earth unveiled brand new action figures from the film, including Batman himself, and brand new looks at Kravitz's Catwoman, and Dano's Riddler. The figures are designed by toy manufacturer McFarlane, who has previously designed a plethora of comic book characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Harley Quinn. The figures are set to be released in January 2022, closer to the film's release, at $19.99 each.
Despite previous teasers, set photos, and trailers, these figures are the first real, full-body looks at the designs of both Riddler and Catwoman that audiences have seen thus far. At last year's DC FanDome experience, previews of the two that were showcased were immensely hidden, with Catwoman only being seen in a dimly lit fight scene with Batman. The Riddler was shown in a much more stylistically lit scene with a victim, but only his head shoulders shown within the teaser. Previous set photos showcasing Batman and Catwoman's motorcycle chase have briefly shown Catwoman's suit in daylight. However, with the use of a motorcycle helmet, her mask was nowhere to be seen, making the character seem almost unrecognizable in a simple leather-clad appearance.
With the reveal of these figures, not only do audiences get their first look at these iconic characters' new live-action interpretations, but they are also shown Reeves' extremely grounded and realistic vision of Gotham's villains and aesthetic overall. While similar to Christopher Nolan's realistic take on the source material, Reeves' version appears to be much more stylistic, with Catwoman's mask still sporting her iconic cat ears, albeit subtly, and Riddler's recognizable question mark logo still appearing on his green-covered coat while sporting a green-tinged and haunting mask. Audiences will now have to wait to truly see these designs in action on the big screen on March 4, once The Batman hits theatres.
Source: Entertainment Earth
