The DC Extended Universe might get flak for the failures of much hyped films like Suicide Squad and Justice League, but it has been on a roll with standalone movies for some time now. The Batman looks set to continue this streak, although it’s not all smooth sailing.
While we’re excited to see the Caped Crusader enter this new era in the DCEU, we’d be lying if we said it all looks peachy going forward. There are still a few points that make The Batman’s release a little worrisome, but here’s hoping the things we’re excited for shine through. Here are five of each of these points.
Excited: A Good Selection Of Batman Villains
The DCEU has been severely lacking in Batman material even though the character has had three appearances so far. That would be because we haven’t seen him interact with his famed list of villains, something that will be rectified in a big way in this film.
The Batman will be featuring a wide host of the hero’s greatest foes, with the obvious indication of a romance with Catwoman thrown in the mix too. With guys like Penguin and The Riddler also present, we’re looking for Batman to overcome the odds in a big way here.
Worried: It Might Make The Previous Batman Appearances Immaterial
We understand that Batman needs something of a revamp, but that doesn’t mean Ben Affleck’s version should be undermined. However, with such a large gap between the character’s age in this film, there’s a chance it might stray too far from Batman’s appearances, starting from Dawn of Justice.
This would make the DCEU out to be far too confusing, since the expectation is that, no matter what happens in The Batman, the chronology will end up where we saw Affleck’s version at. Moving away from that would mean everything we’ve seen so far with the character was a waste of time.
Excited: Having A DCEU Film Completely Dedicated To Batman
If you’re wondering why the DC Animated Universe Batman is far better than the DCEU one, it would be because we got to sink our teeth into the character’s vast material. Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited carved an entire background out for him.
With The Batman, we can consider this to be a similar turn for the character, since whatever happens here will be centered around the Dark Knight. The DCEU has also shined better in individual films like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, which is an indication to expect great things from The Batman.
Worried: Villains Might Have Too Much Focus
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy had its secret to success attributed to how the series had the focus squarely on Batman, and the villains challenged him to change. The Burton-Schumacher quadrilogy, on the other hand, largely failed for having villains in the center frame.
With so many villains set to be in The Batman, there’s a chance the director might choose to have the bulk of the movie setting up the backstories of these antagonists. This would be a terrible decision, though, as fans deserve to have Batman’s present-day exploits as the framing device.
Excited: New Blood In Robert Pattinson
It’s always exciting to have young blood in any venture, as these individuals bring in a renewed sense of energy. Since Ben Affleck portrayed Batman as a hardened superhero, we now get to have Robert Pattinson show his side as a younger incarnation.
Since we don’t know what to expect from the actor, we’re optimistic he’ll turn out to be a refreshing iteration of the character, one who brings in nuances never before seen from Batman. In any case, having a different perspective is always something that tends to excite the fans as it represents a clean slate.
Worried: A Potential Appearance By The Joker
There’s no denying that the DCEU Joker has been more of a joke than anything else, with his appearance in Suicide Squad remaining a much-maligned turn from the character. However, given that Joker is Batman’s main enemy, we won’t be surprised if he does make an appearance.
In no way does this excite us, though, as this would not only steal focus, but also be too much of a change of pace. The DCEU Joker is simply too flamboyant to fit in this film, and any appearance on his part would make the film out to be a muddled venture.
Excited: Getting A Feel Of Gotham City
The one good thing that the Burton-Schumacher series did was create a Gothic-style city for Batman, and something of this sort would be great to see. Having a Batman film without Gotham as the main backdrop is hard to fathom, so the movie is likely to have the city in focus.
What little we’ve seen of it in Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey did set it up nicely to be steeped in crime, which is a place that Batman would thrive in; it’s especially intriguing to have a Batman not fully experienced here.
Worried: Chance Of Wasting Time On Flashbacks
Sure, we do want Batman to dominate the scenes in the movie, but that doesn’t mean yet another trip down memory lane where we see Thomas and Martha Wayne’s influence. This has been prevalent in every live-action series, making it something that no longer excites us.
However, there’s a big chance the film does indulge in these flashback sequences, since Bruce Wayne’s backstory is an area directors tend to use as an easy way to gain sympathy for the character. We’re hoping that’s not the case here, as constant flashbacks usually confuse rather than entertain.
Excited: Having A Truly Dark-Themed DCEU Film
If you were to ask fans why Justice League didn’t work so well, a majority would agree that Batman being made out to be a funny character was one of the reasons why the film had a mixed reception. As the director has promised this movie will be noir-like, there’s a positive outlook in this aspect.
Batman is a character who thrives in a dark setting, and the DCEU should just leave the positivity to Superman. A bleak outlook is perfect for Batman to showcase how he can rise up in the worst of circumstances. and the DCEU needs to illustrate how he uses fear as a weapon.
Worried: Chance Of A Long Gap Between Sequels
This is something that doesn’t have to do with things within the film, but the overall DCEU experience. So far, fans have had long waits between sequels, such as the three-year gap for Wonder Woman and four-year gap between Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey.
Ultimately, The Batman might not have a large impact if we have to wait half a decade for a sequel, seeing as this is supposed to be a younger Batman; having him disappear for years will take away from his youthful appeal. The film could have a jump in story by the end to make up for a potential gap in real lifetime between sequels, but we’ll have to nervously wait to see just how long it will be.