15 notable moments we spotted in 'The Batman' trailer (original) (raw)

It's almost time to meet Robert Pattinson's version of Batman.

On Saturday, Warner Bros. unveiled a new trailer for The Batman, directing by Matt Reeves. Set in the Dark Knight's second year as a crime-fighter, the movie follows the hero as he pursues the Riddler (Paul Dano) and uncovers his family's connection to Gotham City's corruption. It also stars Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle, Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblebot, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Jim Gordon, and Andy Serkis as Alfred.

The latest trailer offers even more information about the new film than the teaser released at DC FanDome last year. Below are the 15 most interesting and important things that jumped out to us when we watched the new trailer.

? marks the spot

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The first scene of the trailer is of Commissioner Jim Gordon and the Gotham City Police Department arresting a bespectacled man, whose face we never see, at a diner. Is this our first look at Paul Dano's the Riddler, or a pawn in his riddle-filled game he's playing with the police. Either way, we know this individual is connected to the Riddler because the camera reveals the foam question mark in his coffee cup as the police cart him away.

Light up the sky with a "warning"

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As we already know, this movie takes place in Bruce Wayne's second year as Gotham City's caped crusader, a detail that's further confirmed given the existence of the Bat-signal. The shot of Gordon standing beside the illuminate Bat-signal implies that Batman has been doing this long enough that he has at least gained the commissioner's trust.

Bulletproof Bat

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According to Reeves at last year's DC FanDome, Pattinson's Batsuit is supposed to be practical and look like Wayne made it, meaning it won't be as fancy as other iterations and you'll be able to see the wear and tear it has from him going out every night. Just because it's homemade, though, doesn't mean it's flimsy. As you can see in the trailer, it's not only very bulletproof, but Batman can use his gauntlets to electrocute baddies. (We wonder how it fares against knives, though, which is an issue Christian Bale's Batman didn't initially account for.)

Visitation rights

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It wouldn't be a Batman story if he didn't visit someone in prison. Again, we can't see this man's face, but it might not be wrong to assume this is the Riddler, who is terrorizing Gotham with a serial killer plot. Did the Riddler pull a Joker and purposefully allow himself to be imprisoned? Also is Pattinson yelling, "What have you done?!" the new "Where is she?!"

Rooftops

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If there's one thing we know about Batman and Catwoman from the comics (especially Tom King's Batman run), it's that they love spending time together on rooftops. So, it's far from surprising that we see Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) and Batman sharing a tender moment next to what appears to be the Bat-signal. While Selina hasn't gone full Catwoman in this movie yet, it does appear as though she has her own special suit for her nightly activities.

Who watches the watchman?

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If Batman takes care of the city, who is taking care of Batman? Well, as always, it's Alfred Pennyworth, played by Andy Serkis. Like every incarnation before him, Serkis' butler is worried the toll of Master Bruce's extracurricular activities. Furthermore, it's worth noting the scar on Alfred's cheek. Is that from his past, or something he gained while helping Batman?

The world's greatest detective

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Unlike previous live action adaptations, The Batman reportedly highlights the titular hero's detective side. Here, we see that traditional murder boards aren't enough for Batman as he has taken up an entire floor to examine evidence. "The sins of the father" might point to the fact that Bruce's pursuit of the Riddler also forces him to confront how his family is tied to Gotham City's corruption.

The mission above all else

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At one point in the trailer, Pattinson's hero declares, "it doesn't matter what happens to me," which provides some insight into how dedicated he is to his his mission. It's likely this is a reference to how Bruce vowed to avenge his parents' "deaths by spending the rest of my life warring on criminals." If that means his death, then so be it because Bruce doesn't really matter anymore.

"He doesn't have much control over his personality," said Pattinson during DC FanDome. "The delineation between when he's Batman and when he's Bruce is not so clear. In other iterations, he really knows what he's doing when he's putting on the cowl. I kind of like this idea of it's a little bit out of control. He hasn't quite defined what Batman is. He gets lost in it."

A Penguin party

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Where is this confrontation between Batman and Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) taking place? Given the tuxedo he's wearing, it's not a leap to assume we might visit the Iceberg Lounge, which is the Penguin's club in the comics. That said, this could just take place at a generic Gotham party, because the city does love to throw fancy events that get crashed by either villains, Batman, or both.

Armed and ready

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While Batman has a very strong no guns rule, it appears as though Selina doesn't. Furthermore, this shot coupled with the determined look on her face as she moves through a party space in a wig suggests that she's on a mission of her own. Is she also out for vengeance?

"I obviously understand the gravity of a character like this and what she means to so many people, but what felt really important was to focus on the story that we're telling in this moment and try and create a real human being," Kravitz said during DC FanDome. "I don't want her to be an idea. I want her to be a real human being in a real situation, in a real city trying to survive and reacting to her own pain and her history. I really, really focused on this particular story and this particular moment in this woman's life."

The Bat and the Cat

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"Maybe we're not so different," Selina says to Batman. In the pages of DC Comics, Batman and Catwoman are bonded by their painful childhoods. Like Bruce, Selina lost her parents at a young age; however, she didn't have his privilege and eventually turned to burglary to survive. Catwoman's origin story has changed slightly over the years, so it'll be interesting to what the movie's take is. Either way, this moment and the one that came before indicate that The Batman isn't wasting any time in establishing a strong connection between these two characters, who are currently married in the comics.

"Catwoman really wants to fight for those who don't really have someone to fight for them, and that's where she and Batman connect," said Kravitz during the virtual fan event.

Reeves added: "There was something special and magical about the way you played off each other from the beginning."

The Batmobile

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This Batmobile may be the most conservative one the character has had on screen. It's not as intricately detailed as the ones from the Batman movies of '80s and '90s, or as militaristic as the recent ones in The Dark Knight Trilogy or Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The production designer likely went with this minimalist, low tech muscle car look because, again, it's supposed to look like something Bruce made himself; however, we know it can definitely take a hit or many because the final shot of the trailer shows it bursting through a sea of flames after an explosion while chasing the Penguin. (Does anyone else think it's somewhat reminiscent of the Batmobile from Adam West Batman show?)

Bat-friend or enemy?

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There's a quick shot of Gotham police chasing someone on the roof of a clocktower. Are they after Batman or Catwoman? If the former, does Batman do something to turn the police against him, or is this an indication of the extent of Gotham's corruption? (Don't forget that there's a GCPD-centric prequel series in the works at HBO Max.)

Put on a show

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Like the Joker, the Riddler loves an audience. So, it's no surprise that this serial killer is live-streaming his crimes, likely to taunt both Batman and the GCPD, and, more importantly, show off how much smarter he (believes he) is than them.

It's all in the details

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The stitching around the cowl's nose further highlights that this Batsuit is homemade.