Robert Pattinson will portray Batman in the upcoming movie “Batman: The Movie 2022”. The actor has landed the role of the Dark Knight after Val Kilmer dropped out months ago. The film will be released on June 6, 2022.
There is no official word on who will play the role of Jim Gordon yet, but the “Dark Knight” moniker will be held by someone after all. According to Inverse‘s research department, Rotten Tomatoes, the first trailer for the movie dropped yesterday, April 23, and it already has a rating of 89% out of 100. This puts it in the top tier of trailers released in the last year. The article also states that the film has already amassed a massive social media following with over 16 million followers on Twitter and over 7 million subscribers on TikTok.
Other than Pattinson, the cast and crew for “Batman: The Movie 2022” are still to be announced. However, stars such as Robert Pattinson and Tom Hardy have teased that Michael Caine and Joseph Gordon-Levitt may return to play the roles of “Batman” and “The Joker”, respectively.
Why Are People Embracing “Batman: The Movie” So Much?
To begin with, Batman is one of the most popular superheroes of all time. Since the character first appeared in 1942, ComicBook.com‘s research department reports that there have been 3,374 separate incarnations of Batman. With a combined total of over 125 years in comic books and various other mediums (such as television, movies, and games), it is safe to say that the Dark Knight has not lost his luster. This popularity has extended beyond the comic book world, as fans of Batman have appreciated the many media adaptations of the character and continue to engage with him through social media.
Additionally, the “Dark Knight” moniker has become a cultural symbol synonymous with fictional and real-life crime fighters. To wit, the hashtag #darkknightmatters was used over 100 million times on TikTok in February 2021 alone. While the majority of these references are to the Batman character, there are also numerous references to Gordon-Levitt’s character in “The Joker”, which premiered the same year as “Batman: The Movie”.
“Batman: The Movie” in Development Since 1942
As mentioned, “Batman: The Movie” is a continuation of the Batman trio’s ongoing story. The first cinematic expression of Bruce Wayne’s (played by Douglas Graesse) crusade against crime, “Batman: The Movie” premiered in theaters on March 25, 2019. The article on Inverse states that the project began in earnest in 2014 and that Warner Bros. Pictures has kept a tight lipped on the film’s progress, only providing a single trailer to date.
Based on the popular 1940s radio drama “Batman,” which starred Dick Van Dyke and Milton Grailliard, the film tells the story of a retired detective named Jim Gordon (Marvin Harris) who teams up with an expert computer hacker (Laurence Fletcher) to combat rising superhero crime in Gotham City. When a brutal mastermind starts terrorizing Gotham’s wealthiest citizens, Batman and Gordon realize that they aren’t up against one villain but a legion, and they have to work together to stop the criminals’ plans. This trailer is a glimpse into Jim Gordon’s world as he investigates the crimes that plague Gotham, which the police believe are committed by one person: the mysterious Batman.
What Are the Challenges Ahead of Robert Pattinson as “Batman”?
Being the newest superhero to hit the big screen, “Batman” is certainly not lacking in terms of its already-existing difficulties. In fact, while preparing for the role, Pattinson said that he and his team had to work hard to ensure that they got the physicality of Batman just right. Even now, several months after the release of the trailer, he admits that he still isn’t comfortable with the way that he looks in the role. To quote Pattinson, “I’m still trying to find my Batman, you know? He’s a pretty hard character to portray. Not only is he not human, but he doesn’t really need to be — he’s Batman!”
Additionally, it’s been well-documented that Tom Hardy was selected for the role of “The Joker” partly due to his uncanny resemblance to the iconic villain. While Hardy’s performance as Joker was universally acclaimed, many fans are still troubled by the casting decision, as he doesn’t fit the “gentle giant” stereotype associated with the character. Similarly, director Joel Schmitt (“Transformers”, “The Mask”) said that he deliberately cast Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the role of Batman’s archnemesis The Joker because he wanted to avoid the pitfalls of Hollywood tradition.
TikTok’s “Batman” Has 16.7 Million Followers
If you’re a fan of “Batman” on TikTok, you might want to follow suit and get your own little corner of the platform, as the account currently has 16.7 million followers. This is slightly more than the account’s previous high of 15.9 million, which it reached in February 2021. The account is followed by many prominent figures in entertainment and media, including Robert Pattinson, who has 4.7 million, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who has 4.2 million. The account is also followed by a number of famous YouTubers, including Jack DeVos (“Creator of VeganzTV”), whose channel has 3.7 million followers, and Caspar Weinbach (“Creator of Reactoonz”), whose channel has 3.5 million followers. Several “Batman” fans have noted that the presence of so many high-profile creators and stars on TikTok can only mean that the platform is growing in importance, particularly in the realm of entertainment.
Will “Batman: The Movie” Be Affected by the Pandemic?
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on film has been devastating, with many theaters closing down and production stopping. However, as more people become aware of the sacrifices made by the heroes and heroines of the movies, many “Batman” fans are looking forward to seeing their favorite characters on the big screen again. While the pandemic has delayed the production of several major films, it has undoubtedly benefited smaller movies that relied on word of mouth to draw audiences. In this way, the pandemic has increased the significance of movies as a form of entertainment.
“Batman: The Movie” and the Comic Book World
While being the newest incarnation of the Batman family, “Batman: The Movie” will nevertheless have to endure the comic book world’s previous reactions to similar portrayals of the Dark Knight. To wit, the movie will be closely associated with comic book adaptations of Batman, particularly those that were released between 2009 and 2014, which are arguably the character’s most popular periods. Over these years, he has been played by actors such as Michael Caine, Christian Bale, and now, Robb Pattinson. In the near future, fans of the Dark Knight may find that being a part of “The Movie Family” means that they are automatically grouped together, as these are the names that the public has associated with Batman to this point.
Continuing the Story of Batman
“Batman: The Movie” is not the first time that the cinematic incarnation of the Dark Knight has continued the story begun in the comics. While it will be the largest production to date, with a budget of over 300 million USD, the movie will nonetheless be the fourth in a series of “mainstream” (i.e., non-comic book) films.