With the much anticipated theatrical adaptation of the iconic comic book character, ‘The Batman’ coming out this week, fans of the caped crusader are in for a treat. The movie based on the Dark Knight features an ensemble cast, including Robert Pattinson in the titular role as Bruce Wayne and Ben Affleck as his adult counterpart, billionaire playboy and philanthropist, Batman. While Affleck and Pattinson have both been a part of the blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as each other’s solo films, ‘The Batman’ marks their biggest project yet together.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how ‘The Batman’ brought these Hollywood stars together and what the upcoming 2019 movie has in store for fans of the Dark Knight.
A Batgirl For All Seasons
While ‘The Batman’ is unquestionably the biggest project to feature these A-listers, it’s far from their only venture into the world of comics. Affleck, in particular, has been a prominent figure in superhero cinema, having played a key role in the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his portrayal of the caped crusader in the 2011 film, ‘The Avengers’. As the world’s most popular superhero, it’s no wonder that fans have been clamoring for a glimpse of Bruce Wayne and Batman’s adventures for the last several years.
The pair’s first onscreen collaboration, 2016’s critically-acclaimed ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’, served as a fantastic prequel to the ‘The Batman’ series, delving deeper into Batman’s backstory and helping fans get to know the characters better. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to catch it in theaters this week.
A Brave New World
While ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ was hailed as a defining film for both men, it was actually the first time that fans had seen the entire Justice League in action. Since then, the group has continued to grow in popularity, seeing more and more people identify with or wish to emulate the superheroes’ feats of strength and courage.
In ‘The Batman’, Batman teams up with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and the rest of the League to take on the terrorist organization, Scarecrow (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). It’s a fantastic team-up that results in one of the most memorable battles between good and evil.
While these big-name stars have been acting together for years, ‘The Batman’ marks the first time that they’ve been given a script that allows them to showcase their full array of skills. As a solo film, Gadot’s Wonder Woman was incredibly popular, having gained a massive following internationally. With so much exposure in blockbuster movies, it’s no wonder that she’d be given a leading role in the DC Extended Universe.
While ‘The Batman’ isn’t necessarily a box office behemoth, it has performed well with audiences, currently sitting at a 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. According to Variety, its worldwide gross is currently at $743 million. Combined with its $700 million-plus budget, it’s one of the higher-budgeted films of all time. Its box office performance should serve as a testament to not only its quality, but also to the strength of its ensemble cast and an unexpected boost for comic book movies in general.
It’s been a while since the world saw an equally impressive display of teamwork from the DC Extended Universe, with each of the studio’s films boasting memorable character moments. Whether it was Gal Gadot’s rendition of the Amazonian Princess, or Henry Cavill’s iconic performance as the Superman, the DCEU has consistently delivered high-quality films.
Given that his solo outing, ‘Justice League,’ was a blockbuster hit, people expected more from Ben Affleck when it came to acting alongside a group of superheroes in an ensemble cast. While his first collaboration with Gadot, 2016’s ‘Arrow’, wasn’t quite to the same standard as the rest of the ensemble cast, ‘The Batman’ shows that with the right material and a little time to themselves, these A-listers can still impress us with their impressive on-screen chemistry.
From the sublime to the ridiculous, these A-listers bring their A-game to ‘The Batman’, infusing it with humor and adding an extra layer of characterization. There are several laugh-out-loud moments, particularly between Gadot and Caine (the late, great, and extremely talented Alan Arkin), as well as Affleck and Gadot, which helped make the film more memorable.
An Ensemble Cast You Will Not Forget
As previously stated, ‘The Batman’ is a bit of a coming-of-age story, following a young Bruce Wayne as he learns to be a true crimefighter and joins the League of Shadows, whose leader, Selina Kyle (Kelly Macdonald), becomes his mentor.
While it would be easy for this to be yet another expensive vanity project for these A-listers, it is actually quite the opposite. While it’s been a while since we’ve seen such an impressive display of teamwork from the big-name actors in a box office blockbuster, this is in fact the result of their dedication to the craft. They put in the hours, relentlessly learning their roles, and going above and beyond what was necessary to make the characters live in the fiction.
‘The Batman’ is by no means perfect, but it’s a testament to both its entertainment value and the acting skills of its cast that it is so memorable. From Gadot’s Wonder Woman to Affleck’s Batman, this is an ensemble cast that you will not forget.