It’s been a few months since the release of the last Matt Reeves movie, and already the chatter about the next big movie adaptation is starting to build. While filming of The Batman was recently completed, director Matt Reeves’ already-planned sequel has been plagued by several issues, from script rewrites to cast changes, so fans are eagerly awaiting the next installment with baited breath.
The Franchise is Back
Let’s get one thing straight: The Batman is back. After eight years away from the screen, the blockbuster franchise that started with 2005’s Batman Begins returns with its latest installment, The Batman, which was released this past March.
Unlike many other popular film series, not only has The Batman franchise not died, it’s actually rejuvenated. Between the first and last films, which were directed by Christopher Nolan and released in 2015 and 2020, respectively, the series went from strength to strength, with every film earning at least $100 million at the box office. With an upcoming 2021 movie on the horizon, interest in the series is at an all-time high, and as with any mega-popular film franchise, several different styles of merchandise are available to fans, ranging from action figures to plush dolls and comic books. With so much talk of the upcoming sequel, it’s no wonder why.
The Many Different Theories About The Batman Next Movie
As with any big budget franchise film, there are several different theories surrounding the next installment of The Batman. While director Matt Reeves has confirmed that talks are currently underway for a sequel, no release date has been set, and the director also revealed that some of the ideas he had for the movie will not be in it. He also said that the movie will be darker than its predecessor, The Batman, even though the sequel is already shaping up to be a pretty somber affair.
One of the biggest questions fans have about the next chapter of the Batman saga is what will Bruce Wayne do after he sets Robin, the film’s main protagonist, onto his personal quest to bring down The Joker. After years of being a supporting character, now that Batman is a lead character in his ow movie, will the billionaire play a more substantial role? What will he be doing in the movie’s future?
What Exactly is the Batman/Rob Pattinson Figure?
In addition to being the owner of an amazing array of merchandise based on the Batman franchise, Hot Toys, the company behind many of the film’s highly-acclaimed action figures, have also made several collectible figures featuring key characters from the series. Amongst them are Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; the Joker from The Dark Knight; and of course, the Caped Crusader himself, painstakingly crafted in 1:1 scale based on Chris Pine’s portrayal of the iconic character in the most recent installment of the Batman franchise, The Batman. (We’ll get to that movie in a minute.)
The figures, which are available for purchase, are extremely detailed and feature incredible craftsmanship; they’re also fairly affordable, running around $120-140 each. If you’re a huge fan of The Batman and want to add a little bit of a collector’s item to your collection, these are ideal starter figures for you.
Is The Batman Next Movie Worth Seeing?
With The Batman now in theaters, fans can finally find out if the wait was all worth it. Despite some ups and downs, the most recent chapter in the Batman saga is an excellent follow-up to Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer’s Dark Knight trilogy; in other words, it’s definitely worth your time and money.
The Dark Knight
While The Batman could be considered a part of the same franchise, it’s actually a standalone movie, and holds its own as one of the greatest superhero movies of all time. As with any of the films in the Batman series, the story centers on Bruce Wayne, who once again faces a crisis when his family is threatened. This time, the people who have a beef with the Wayne family aren’t real big fans of Batman either, and vow to destroy his reputation as well as that of his family. To save them, Batman must set out on a journey, disguised as a homeless man, to find the key to defeating his archenemy, the Joker. The Dark Knight is the first film in the Batman trilogy to not feature Bob Kane’s iconic Robin character, instead, it focuses more on Batman and his fight against the Joker. It was also the last film in Nolan’s Batman trilogy; the director chose to end the saga on a somber note, and fans have interpreted that as a sign that he didn’t feel that Batman could ever truly be happy. The Dark Knight is also the only Batman film to receive a PG-13 rating from the MPAA, the first of its kind for a Batman movie. (The rating allows for more adult themes and language.)
Suicide Squad
The follow-up to The Dark Knight was much anticipated, especially since it was going to be released after the Christmas and New Year holidays. Although it should have been no surprise that Warner Bros. decided to move forward with another installment in the Batman franchise, speculation about what story line the movie would tackle was rampant, especially considering that it was going to be the studio’s first venture into the world of comics-based movies, and many expected that the movie would continue the gritty tone established by The Dark Knight, and the other two films in Nolan’s trilogy, The Bane and The Joker.
The Suicide Squad movie was released to critical acclaim and went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of all time, raking in $700 million at the box office. Since its release, the film’s popularity has only increased, and several different merchandise collaborations have been released, ranging from action figures to plush dolls and comic books. The movie also inspired several songs, the most famous being “Gumdrop Galaxy,” performed by Childish Gambino, featuring Chance the Rapper and Blue Lagoon. The song was a huge hit, and is still considered one of the best representations of the film’s funky, futuristic spirit.
The Avengers
Many fans were also eagerly anticipating the fourth installment of the Avengers series, which was released in May 2020, partly because it was going to be the culmination of ten years of build-up. Although the film did well at the box office, it didn’t live up to the expectations of many audiences and critics, who felt that it was a step down from the previous movies in the franchise. The film was also criticized for being over-stuffed, as it was deemed to be bloated with too many characters and subplots, taking up more than two and a half hours of screen time. The box office results didn’t help, as it only brought in $260 million, less than half of what the previous film, Avengers: Endgame, made in its first three days.
Iron Man
Although they haven’t made a comic book movie yet, the makers of Spider-Man: Far from Home are certainly hoping to tackle the world of superhero films with their latest project, The Avengers. The studio announced in October 2019 that they were aiming to release the film in May 2021, which would have made it the first Marvel comic book movie to be released in May; however, due to the pandemic, that window has been pushed back to September 2021.
Captain America
In August 2019, it was announced that the Captain America franchise would be heading back to the big screen, with the upcoming tenth installment, Captain America: Civil War, which would be the first in the series to be released in four-quadrant IMAX. Captain America: Civil War is also the first in the series to be released after the events of Avengers: Endgame, so the story will follow on directly from where the previous movie left off, with Steve Rogers, commonly referred to as Captain America, reluctantly leading the charge against his former allies, as he struggles to keep the peace in the wake of the fight that destroyed Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Black Widow
After a 10-year hiatus, it was announced in April 2018 that the highly-anticipated Black Widow movie would finally arrive in theaters in February 2021, with Academy Award winner Charlize Theron in the lead role. The film is based on the Marvel Comics character, who first appeared in 1974, and is the epitome of Hollywood’s beautiful, strong female protagonist, possessing extraordinary martial arts skills and powerful weapons at her disposal. Fans of Black Widow have plenty to look forward to, not only is she the only high-profile female character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but she also has a track record of making for one of the most popular and sought-after characters in all of film history.