Despite it seeming like Matt Reeves has been toiling away at “The Batman” for what feels like a decade, the film is very much still on its way. He’s just taking his sweet time with it, making it just right. And as revealed in a new interview, what the director has up his sleeve is very different than what fans have seen before.
Speaking to THR, the director talked all things ‘Batman,’ including which villains to expect, a release date, and what separates his version of the Caped Crusader from previous film versions that have been hugely successful.
“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale,” says Reeves. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional.”
READ MORE: Ben Affleck Was Interested In Returning For ‘The Batman’ But Matt Reeves Vetoed The Idea
He continues, “It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”
When asked the big question about what villain will be featured, Reeves hints that there is probably going to be more than one. “There will be a Rogues Gallery. The casting process will begin shortly. We’re starting to put together our battle plan. I’m doing another pass on the script and we’ll begin some long-lead stuff to start developing conceptual things,” Reeves says.
Now, the big question (other than the title, which he says is still “The Batman,” but will probably change) is when fans will finally get to see the film. It’s been seven years since the world has experienced a standalone ‘Batman’ film (2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises”), and after the failed Ben Affleck attempts, fans are dying to see what Reeves has in store. And it appears they’ll be waiting a little while longer.
READ MORE: Netflix Agrees To Bring ‘Animal Farm’ To Life With Andy Serkis And Matt Reeves
“We haven’t been dated. I wouldn’t commit to this, but we’re thinking the movie would probably be for 2021, late spring or summer,” reveals the filmmaker. “Warner Bros. has been incredibly supportive and given me a lot of time and shared the same passion that I do for this story.”
And for those hoping that the ‘Apes’ mastermind is going to oversee the entire slate of DCEU films coming up, that’s sadly not the case. He reveals that WB has something else up its sleeve, and is less interested in working on a giant slate of interconnected films, a la the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Reeves explains, “Warners believes they don’t have to try to develop a giant slate that has to have all the plans for how it’s going to connect. What they need to try and do is make good movies with these characters.”
In the post-”Justice League” era, it would appear that WB has already hit one home run with “Aquaman.” We’ll just have to see if the studio can keep that momentum steady for two more years when Reeves’ ‘Batman’ film can take off.