‘The Batman’ Trailer Reveals a Conspiracy in Gotham
DC’s Fandome event gave us our first The Batman trailer, giving fans a look at the legendary hero, his enemies, and the city of Gotham.
Riddlers and Penguins and Cats, oh my! The Batman trailer was definitely the main event of DC Fandome this year. With close-up looks of Robert Pattinson’s Batsuit and a preview of his performance, fans also got a more thorough look at Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman, Collin Farrell’s Penguin, and Paul Dano’s Riddler. And the Batmobile. Can we talk about the friggin’ Batmobile?!
First, in case you missed it:
The Batman trailer gives us a fuller look at the caped crusader’s new universe and the conflicts within it. The Riddler will be the story’s central villain, but it looks like the Penguin will be giving Bats a run for his money as well. And while it looks like the Gotham underworld is a cruel, cold place, Selena and Bruce are giving off some major on-screen heat.
Bats & His Gadgets
We’ve already seen photos of Robert Pattison’s Batman look. Now, The Batman trailer gave us a closer look at the outfit in action. The suit bears evidence of previous scuffles and looks more like upcycled gear than the sleek, crafted suits we’ve seen in the past. The character also sports black makeup around the eyes and gauntlets that appear to hold some kind of projectile– and he’s pointing it right in Oswald Cobblepot’s face.
It’s no surprise that Alfred’s line in the trailer is a warning to Bruce. This film, like any quality Batman tale, will feature the butler-turned-guardian appealing to Bruce’s conscience as he defends the city of Gotham. Actor Andy Serkis is the newest in a long line of stand-in father figures, and interviews about the film indicate that his relationship with Bruce will play an important role in the story.
Selena Kyle, Catwoman
Another character whose relationship with Bruce will be kind of a big deal – the infamous Selena Kyle. The Batman peek gave fans a look at some of her acrobatics, and the hot hot heat emanating from her apparent team-up with the Batman. Me-ow! She’s also shown wearing a few wigs, so perhaps she’ll be disguising herself or doing some undercover kind of work– burglary or otherwise.
There are a few different stills of the pair chit-chatting in awfully close quarters, but it’s one Bruce and Selena moment that stands out. As Batman really lays into an unknown criminal, Selena looks on with a stunned expression on her face. Is she shocked that Batman is taking things too far?
Selena had another subtle moment in The Batman trailer when she pulls a gun out of her bag and loads it. Catwoman’s mythology doesn’t typically include guns. A whip? Sure. A fashionably black version of Freddie Kruger’s stabby-gloves? Okay, sometimes. Her own cunning and physical capabilities? Always. Things are either getting pretty intense for the anti-heroine or this Selena is packing heat we’ve never seen before.
Oswald Cobblepot, the Peng– Oh. He Hates That Name.
If you didn’t already know Collin Farrell was under all of those prosthetics, you’d never recognize him. Sure, we’ve seen photos of the character, but even the actor’s voice and body language make him unrecognizable. Though it’s not expected for the character to enjoy a ton of screen time in the new movie, the trailer featured plenty of Bats vs. Penguin action– including a fiery car chase sequence that is sure to thrill audiences. Jeez, I’m talking about the car again!
Edward Nashton, The Riddler
Of course, the big star of The Batman trailer was Paul Dano’s Riddler character. The villain is seen in the trailer live-streaming, likely proselytizing to the citizens of Gotham, and possibly going live with a murder.
In fact, the trailer practically kicks off with the Edward Nashton being arrested in a coffee house. It’s likely he’ll be doing some of his schemings from behind bars, where Batman visits him.
The best part about previewing this scene? Pattinson’s angry Batman voice makes us thankful that the franchise won’t include another stupid Batman voice.
Courtesy of giphy
The Riddler’s puzzles also make an appearance in the trailer. We can see below Bruce’s feet, there’s a symbol of some sort, and it leads out to a sort of mind-map with serious Zodiac Killer vibes. The phrase ‘The sins of my father??’ could highlight a theme of Bruce’s journey in this film, but it’s unknown if it’s intended for Bruce or if it’s a piece in Nashton’s own puzzle.
The clip shows some names written on the ground, too, including that of District Attorney Gil Colson. ‘Mitchell’ is a film-original character who appeared in the teaser trailer, albeit posthumously and with the word ‘LIES’ written across the duct tape covering his face. And lastly, ‘Savage’ is also an original character– and the head of the GCPD, and Jim Gordon’s boss.
But y’all know that when I first saw ‘Savage’ written into a big conspiracy map, the first thing that went through my head was this guy:
That’s likely a reach– or is it? Are you a Batman fan? What did you think of the new trailer for The Batman?
‘The Batman’ will premiere in theaters March 4th, 2022.
