By now, we’ve all heard how Robert Pattinson looks likely to play the lead in The Batman.
But what about the villains of the film, who have long been the most interesting part of the Batman universe?
From Heath Ledger’s iconic depiction of The Joker, to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gloriously OTT Mr. Freeze, Gotham’s myriad of baddies are among the most memorable in comicbook culture.
The dark forces awaiting Bruce Wayne will set the tone for the entire film, with the pressure on for director Matt Reeves to do justice to the dark underside of Gotham City. And we may have just gotten the first hint as to what to expect.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, The Batman will include at least two villains, rumoured to be the Penguin and Catwoman.
We have seen Catwoman in numerous cinematic incarnations over the years – from Halle Berry to Anne Hathaway. The character of Penguin has been less extensively explored on the big screen, although Robin Lord Taylor gave an interesting, sympathetic portrayal in TV series Gotham
This pairing will no doubt remind you of Tim Burton’s creepy Batman Returns, where Penguin (Danny DeVito) and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) both appear. However, it remains unclear as of yet how and why their paths will cross.
Bruce Wayne’s world has deviated sharply from director to director, with each generation bringing a fresh pair of eyes to the billionaire vigilante narrative.
For The Batman, Reeves will reportedly bring more of a focus to Wayne’s impressive skills of deduction, highlighting his status as ‘the world’s greatest detective’.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in January, Reeves said:
It’s very much a point-of-view-driven, noir Batman tale,
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. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films.
Regarding the villains Batman will be up against, Reeves added:
We’re starting to put together our battle plan,
The studio has a definite shape in mind for when they see us doing it, and I think it’s aligning pretty well with what we’re thinking, too.
The Batman is due for release in 2021.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.