The Batman (2022 film)

The Batman is a 2022 superhero film based on the comic book character of the same name. It was directed and written by Matt Reeves and featured Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as the Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, Collin Farrell as Penguin, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone. It will have a spin-off show based on the GCPD on HBO Max. It is not part of the DC Extended Universe.

Two years into Bruce Wayne turning himself into the Batman, a mysterious masked man known only as the Riddler is attacking the elite of society in Gotham and dragging their names through the mud. As Batman races to stop the killings and solve the taunting puzzles left by the supervillain, secrets get unearthed that will force him to reconsider what it really means to help clean up his city.


 * Archnemesis Dad:
 * Big Bad: The Riddler.
 * Comic Book Movies Don't Use Codenames: Averted with Batman, Penguin and Riddler. Played straight with Catwoman as Selina is never called that, though several indirect allusions like "the Bat and the Cat" do come up.
 * Continuity Reboot: The second reboot of the 1989 Batman film series.
 * Darker and Edgier: The film itself is more gritty than previous live-action Batman films.
 * Evil Counterpart: Invoked by the Riddler, who tells Batman that he was inspired by the latter showing the power of fear and violence to make things happen. The two of them are eventually revealed to be Foils -
 * Fantastic Drug: "Drops". The shadow of Maroni's drug operation continues to loom in the present day,
 * The Ghost: Maroni is never shown onscreen or even heard in sound only, but the takedown of his drug operation years ago and the repercussions thereof continue to reverberate in the present day.
 * He Who Fights Monsters: Whatever the Riddler might have been claiming about striking blows against the corrupt system with its Dirty Cops and Sleazy Politicians, by the time of his final plot - - it's clear that he's doing at least as much as if not more harm to the common folk than his victims.
 * Homage: An implacable Black Knight strides down a dark hallway, curb stomping unfortunate underlings. Rogue One, is that you?
 * Ironic Echo: A Riddler supporter says "I'm vengeance" when the police ask who he is, echoing how Batman introduced himself at the start of the film.
 * My Greatest Failure: Alfred is still haunted by his failure to protect Thomas and Martha even 20 years later.
 * Non-Action Big Bad: While the Riddler gets the jump on his victims with the aid of surprise and a weapon, he ultimately doesn't get a big fight with Batman. He even lampshades how his strength lies in his head.
 * Private Eye Monologue: Batman does this a few times, in line with the more noir direction of this film.
 * Race Lift: Both Catwoman and James Gordon are black people in this film compared to the comics.
 * Riddle for the Ages: When recounting the circumstances of Thomas and Martha's deaths, Alfred wonders aloud if it was a mob hit or just a random mugging gone wrong.
 * Sequel Hook:
 * In Batman's final monologue, he talks about people taking advantage of Gotham's situation while the camera focuses on the Penguin.
 * In the Riddler's last scene, he talks with a man who
 * When talking about future plans, Selina mentions Bludhaven.
 * Shotguns Are Just Better: Rifles do little more than slow Batman, but a double-barreled shotgun knocks him down.
 * Suddenly Shouting: The Riddler has a tendency to suddenly raise his voice at times.
 * Suspiciously Similar Song: Batman's leitmotif sounds a lot like the Imperial March, something that has not escaped the notice of fan composers.
 * Terror Hero: Deconstructed. The first time Batman appears onscreen to save a guy from a gang, the person he's rescuing begs to not be hurt.
 * They Look Just Like Everyone Else: The unmasked Riddler turns out to look just like any bespectacled nerd you might find in the neighborhood or office.