Everything We Know About 'The Batman' (So Far)

After what could generously be described as a torturous lead-up, The Batman is finally in production. The DC Extended Universe could use a win. Beginning with 2013's Man of Steel, the media franchise has been marked by inconsistency (the most recent entry, Birds of Prey, underperformed at the box office).

And it's led DC, in the last several years, to emphasize artistry over interconnectivity. The Batman is reportedly a noir film, with a hard-boiled approach to its characters and setting. It is also the first in what is being envisioned as a film trilogy, with a single, overarching narrative.

Here is everything we know so far about The Batman.

What's the release date?

The Batman—which will be the tenth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU)—hits theaters on June 25, 2021 October 1, 2021 (due to COVID19). It is a production of DC Films and is distributed by Warner Bros.

Who's the director?

Matt Reeves, who's had a very successful career as an action/horror filmmaker, will be directing The Batman. He first came to prominence with the found-footage monster film Cloverfield (2008). He's best known for directing CGI blockbusters Rise of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes.

Ben Affleck was originally the director for The Batman. He stepped down from the chair to focus all of his attention on playing the Bruce Wayne / Batman character.

"Performing [Batman] demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give," Affleck said in a statement. "It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require."

Who wrote the screenplay?

Matt Reeves wrote the screenplay along with co-writer Mattson Tomlin. Reeves has screenwriting credits on War for the Planet of the Apes and horror film Let Me In (which he also directed). This is Tomlin's first major screenwriting credit, and he is currently writing a video-game-to-film adaptation of Mega Man.

Originally, Ben Affleck was the screenwriter for The Batman; in fact, he had a completed script. However, when he stepped down from directorial duties, the script also fell by the wayside.

According to cinematographer Robert Richardson, who was slated to work on the film when it was still an Affleck project, the script dealt with Batman's sanity (or lack thereof) and would have included a trip to Arkham Asylum.

Who's composing the score?

Michael Giacchino will be composing music for The Batman. A longtime Reeves collaborator, Giacchino also composed for both Planet of the Apes films that Reeves directed. Giacchino also composed for the last three Star Trek films, and most recently, for Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Who's Batman?

The main character Bruce Wayne / Batman will be played by Robert Pattinson, best known for his role as vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise. Since then, however, Pattinson has starred in a number of independent films—most notably the Safdie brothers' Good Time and The Lighthouse, both released by A24—and is critically acclaimed for his acting ability. Bat-fans who are wary of this casting choice should give the actor a second look. Pattinson has been training hard for the role; he studied Brazilian jiu-jitsu under instructor Rigan Machado, who also trained Keanu Reeves for the John Wick films.

Who's Catwoman?

The role of Selina Kyle / Catwoman will be performed by Zoe Kravitz. Kravitz has been a strong presence in other superhero and fantasy films, performing supporting roles in the Divergent trilogy (2014-2016), X-Men: First Class (2011), and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). She was also featured in HBO's Big Little Lies, one of Reese Witherspoon's many wins in Hollywood as of late. The first season of the series took home eight of the 16 Primetime Emmy nominations it received back in 2018.

Kravitz joins a proud tradition. Across television and film, seven different actresses have played Catwoman: Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry, Anne Hathaway, and Camren Bicondova. Come 2021, Kravitz will be the eighth.

Who's The Penguin?

The role of Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin will be performed by Colin Farrell. Farrell has some experience in superhero films, and was considered a bright spot as villain Bullseye in Daredevil (2003).

Farrell will be the fourth live actor to portray The Penguin. The first three were Burgess Meredith, Danny DeVito, and Robin Lord Taylor, who was critically acclaimed for the role in television drama Gotham.

Who's The Riddler?

The role of Edward Nashton / The Riddler will be performed by Paul Dano, who grabbed attention for his roles in Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and There Will Be Blood (2007). More recently, he had a supporting role in 12 Years a Slave (2012) and portrayed a young Brian Wilson in the Beach Boys biopic Love & Mercy (2014).

Dano will be the fourth live actor to portray the Riddler. The first three were Frank Gorshin, Jim Carrey, and Cory Michael Smith.

Who's The Roman?

John Turturro will play Carmine "The Roman" Falcone, a powerful Mafia crime boss in Gotham City. Falcone's most enduring Batman comic storyline is in "The Long Halloween," during which Falcone hires Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, Riddler, and Scarecrow to kill Batman.

Until supervillains largely took their place, the mob was the biggest threat that Batman contended within Gotham City. Mob bosses like Falcone would attempt to use homicidal Arkham inmates to their own ends, only to discover, to their horror, that they were in too deep. Falcone's involvement in this film, along with the presence of Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman (who are less supernatural and fantastical than, say, Solomon Grundy or Clayface), suggests that we may see a more grounded version of Gotham City in The Batman, before things went completely haywire.

Who are the other main supporting players?

Jeffrey Wright will play Commissioner James Gordon, Batman's most trusted ally in the Gotham Police Department. He is the first person of color to play the role. Wright is a critically acclaimed, stage actor who played Beetee in the Hunger Games trilogy and currently stars as Bernard / Arnold in HBO's Westworld.

Andy Serkis will play Bruce Wayne's longtime Butler and confidante Alfred. Serkis (who is directing Sony's Venom 2) is a Reeves mainstay, and he performed the role of Caesar the Ape in the recent Planet of the Apes prequels.

What do we know about the film's style?

Expect to feel a noir vibe in this film. Noir is a type of detective fiction known for long, dramatic shadows, morally ambiguous heroes and villains, and a special type of cynical, flowery prose that's heavy on metaphors.

You've probably seen parodies of noir. Have you ever seen a stock depiction of a depressed detective drinking bourbon and nodding off in his chair when a sexy "dame" walks through the door? That's noir. The original Max Payne video game? Noir. Sin City? Noir again. Comic legend Frank Miller is often credited with popularizing noir as a recent comic book trend, especially in the Batman franchise.

What are the rumors of the film's plot?

Based on what's leaked from the set, fans speculate that "The Long Halloween" storyline will be a massive influence on the film; there was a casting call for both a Halloween Party and a funeral scene (speculated to be for Gotham's mayor) that's crashed by The Riddler.

In keeping with noir, Reeves says that the movie will feature Batman doing real detective work—looking for clues and investigating crimes instead of simply flying around and punching people.

Is there any available footage of the movie?

In January, The Batman was shooting in London. Bystanders photographed Gotham Action News trucks which touted "HD" resolution on their sides. That suggests that The Batman might take place in the late '90s to early '00s, when HD was still something remarkable enough to advertise and promote.

On February 13, Reeves uploaded screen test footage to Vimeo, featuring Pattinson in his Batsuit. It's difficult to see a lot of detail with the bright-red lighting, but one thing's for sure: the actor definitely has the right chin for the role.

Eight days later, high-resolution photos and video of a stuntman, dressed in a Batsuit, leaked. He's riding on a lightly modified Batcycle, alongside another cyclist who is speculated to be Catwoman. The footage was captured on location in Glasgow Necropolis Cemetery in Scotland.

Ed note: This article will be regularly updated when new details emerge.