#batfleck needs his own movie

[whocaresaboutyourlonleysoul]

batfleck in batman vs superman is a version that desperately needs a robin.

[stairset]

All the upcoming DC movies are gonna be such fuckin a mess like ZSJL was the last one worth giving a shit about to me cause now they’re clearly just throwing darts at a board like I don’t care about Kinda-Flashpoint-But-Not co-starring geriatric Michael Keaton Batman I don’t care about yet another fucking young Batman reboot I don’t care about new Suicide Squad starring a bunch of characters no one gives a fuck about and one of them getting a spin-off show greenlit before the movie’s even out I don’t fucking CARE just give me the ZSJL sequels or a Batfleck Under the Red Hood movie or a Man of Steel sequel with Kara or fucking Cyborg or Green Lantern or a Flash movie that’s actually about Flash and not just an excuse to do multiverse shit give me SOMETHING I’m literally begging

[plasticnightmaredoll]

So, the "Justice League" finally got its own movie, eh? Oh, that thing from 2017 was just trash. It's gone. We don't need to look at it anymore.

But in all seriousness, it's great people called out for the Zack Snyder cut of the movie and actually got it! And, yes, it is a vast improvement over the Joss Whedon cut.

Now, my feelings about the DCEU have been pretty divided:

I actually did enjoy "Man of Steel" and found Superman to be relatable and likable for once (I'm not a Superman fan and don't come for me)

"Wonder Woman" was very entertaining and easily the best entry for me in the movie series so far.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was a hot mess. Lots of good ideas but it was executed poorly. It felt kind of cheesy at times, especially that whole "Save Martha" thing. Jesse Eisenburg is not a convincing Lex Luthor. Ben Affleck is not a good actor and is a terrible Batman/Bruce Wayne. He's not as bad as George Clooney, but he's not much better either.

"Wonder Woman 1984" was a massive glow-down. Poor quality writing, Maxwell Lord was a weak villain, Cheetah was laughable, and the ending was so goddamn corny! Not to mention, it took ages for anything interesting to happen, and what was the deal with Steve Trevor possessing another dude's body? I mean...what?

Haven't seen "Suicide Squad" in its entirety but I do know and have seen enough to decide that it's a huge misstep. Haven't seen "Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)" either but I have some interest in it so perhaps someday.

Haven't watched "Aquaman" but probably will eventually but I'm just not very motivated to see it. I like Jason Mamoa as Aquaman/Arthur Curry, but...I don't know. The trailers didn't really grab my attention.

The 2017 Joss Whedon version of "Justice League" was terrible -- worse than "Batman v Superman," worse than "Wonder Woman 1984." I thought the movie moved too quickly, lacked proper character development, and had some bad CGI (I mean, Mustache Gate, am I right?)

Onto the Synder Cut for "Justice League!" Spoilers ahead, of course:

These are really a collection of thoughts, opinions, and observations I had while watching the movie. I have only seen the 2017 film once and honestly don't want to watch it ever again, not even to "refresh my memory" of some details.

Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf was such a pitiful villain in the Whedon Cut. The CGI for him was terrible, and he looked like some weird dude in armor. His personality and motives were paper thin as well. He was a throw-away, token villain, and the only things memorable about him was his name and voice.

In the Snyder Cut, not only was Steppenwolf's CGI much more refined, his character design was imposing. His armor seemed to be alive, too, always shifting slightly, this way and that, which was an impressive sight. His motives, while nothing too deep or extraordinary, gave him a little more depth: he pissed off Darkseid and had to make up for it, and was clearly afraid of what could happen to him if he failed.

The name and voice obviously were still memorable but combined with the other improvements to his character, they were icing on the cake.

That being said, I don't think Steppenwolf is as intriguing or even remotely sympathetic as Loki and Thanos in the MCU.

Darkseid

Was Darkseid even mentioned in the Whedon cut? I can't remember and I don't want to watch that shitty movie again just to find out. However, I don't recall Darkseid making an appearance or even being spoken of in the 2017 version. Now, I haven't read DC (or Marvel) comics, so I don't know a lot about the guy, but he is supposedly one of the more iconic villains.

His motives are pretty simple, though: command and conquer. There isn't a lot of depth so far in the movies but he does pose a much larger threat than Steppenwolf did. You could tell Steppenwolf was intimidated by Darkseid, who was about as cold and menacing as they come. He's a complete villain in that regard, having no emotions and only seeking power for himself.

He looked great in the Snyder Cut. He was actually really fucking scary-looking. He made the beefcake Steppenwolf look like a puppy.

I'm glad that Darkseid made an appearance, even if he didn't fight the Justice League. It alludes to a much broader story, as well as foreshadows an epic boss fight down the line -- assuming the Snyder Cut is popular enough to convince the studios to make a direct sequel and not just abandon things in favor of some sort of soft reboot.

Superman/Clark Kent/Henry Cavill/Mustache Gate

Let's get this out of the way: Henry Cavill is hot af.

Ok, now that we got that out of the way, hooray for Snyder for getting rid of those nasty reshoot scenes involving Henry's CGI'd mouth! Can't say I missed them, you know? I mean, in the 2017 Whedon Cut, you could always spot reshoot scenes based on whether or not Henry's mouth looked normal and totally strange.

I think the 2017 movie had Superman grab Batman by the neck and ask, "Tell me: Do you bleed?" I'm relieved that was removed from the Synder Cut because it added too much of an evil tone to Superman, and we could clearly tell he was most upset with Batman upon being revived.

One massive problem with the 2017 movie was that it made every member of the Justice League look like bumbling idiots without Superman's help. It was downright embarrassing and unrealistic. I mean, you're telling me that Wonder Woman, a goddess, can't take on Steppenwolf? Or Victor Stone, a cyborg with incredible abilities? Making Superman key to winning isn't the problem, it's how it was done in the 2017 movie. He's already OP but that shouldn't mean his comrades have to be useless in comparison.

Superman was allowed to be OP in the Snyder Cut without making his team look incompetent. Like in the Avengers movies, everyone in the Justice League had a purpose and all of them worked together to defeat Steppenwolf. Superman obviously was key to winning, but, again, it wasn't like he was the only capable one during the battle.

I did like the black suit. It's kind of ominous but also very cool at the same time. But is it also foreshadowing something? I don't know...I haven't read the comics so I really don't have any idea lol.

Batman/Bruce Wayne/Batfleck

One glaring issue I still have is Ben Affleck is a mediocre actor at best and he's a terrible Bruce Wayne/Batman. I mean, they couldn't have found anyone else? Someone with, like, good acting abilities?

Martian Manhunter

This whole time -- THIS WHOLE GOTDAMM TIME -- Martian Manhunter was hiding in plain sight! General Swanwick, who I remember from "Man of Steel," IS Martian Manhunter. I didn't see that coming. I mean, I knew Martian Manhunter would appear in the Snyder Cut but I didn't know he'd have an alternate identity, let alone that of an existing character in the DCEU.

As much as I did like seeing him, I am glad he didn't play a big part because the movie already has plenty of characters as is, and introducing yet another one could have slowed things down and taken away from developing the plot.

The Runtime/Pacing

I mentioned already that the Whedon Cut felt rushed and needed much more time to develop its characters and plot. While I had doubts about whether or not making "Justice League" four hours long would be a good idea, it turns out that it was just what the story needed.

Character development was actually existent, and Cyborg/Victor Stone received a detailed backstory, and Flash/Barry Allen got some extra tidbits added to his character's story/background as well.

I actually thought Victor was a fascinating (if a bit tragic) character in the Whedon cut and was disappointed that he just sort of, like, popped up and fought alongside the other Justice League members with the tiniest amount of depth.

Despite an epic 4-hour runtime, it didn't feel slow, nor did it feel like any scenes were "filler." Every scene had a purpose and kept the story moving at a steady, comprehensible pace. It felt more like a 2.5-3 hour movie, honestly, which is a feat since pacing can often be one of a film's biggest issues ("Avengers: Endgame" also accomplished this feat with its 3-hour runtime feeling more like 2-2.5 hours but with no negative side effects of that). Breaking the movie into chapters, including an epilogue was a tad strange because it's not a very common thing, but I think it helped break up the epic 4 hours into separate, manageable but still cohesive pieces. Also, they helped easily transition from one portion to the next smoothly without any awkward cuts.

The Flash/Barry Allen/Ezra Miller

Barry still amused me in the Whedon Cut. He brought some good-natured humor and charm to the movie, preventing it from being too brooding and intense.

I think Ezra is a talented actor and does well in the Barry Allen role but he is, unfortunately, a problematic person. I mean, if he gets recast, he gets recast but hopefully, they pick someone else who has some acting abilities worth noting (i.e. Not a Ben Affleck type of actor)

The Final Battle

It was a huge improvement over the 2017 cut, as everyone was key to winning the final battle, not just Superman. It is meant to be a team of costumed heroes defeating a villain, not just one OP member of the team outdoing everyone else.

That being said, I felt that the final battle was a little bit anti-climatic. I don't know what it was but I just thought that it would be longer? I expected more to happen? More fighting? Not sure how to describe it, but I do feel like it wasn't as impressive as it could have been.

The Epilogue

A dystopian future involving an evil Superman and Joker somehow working WITH Batman was just...crazy. I mean, evil Superman, I can believe, but Joker and Batman working together (even reluctantly) is quite a sight.

Based on what I've been reading, this nightmare Bruce has could be setting up not one but two sequels for "Justice League." I would like to see how things will play out even if things get kind of dark. I'm getting the impression that Darkseid will kill Lois Lane, thus breaking Superman emotionally and making him compliant. That is unless Bruce intervenes in this timeline and prevents that from happening...but at the expense of his own life. Oh dear...

I definitely enjoyed the Zack Snyder version of "Justice League," and would definitely watch it again and again and again. I already have forgotten the majority of the Whedon Cut, and after seeing Synder's version, I think the 2017 movie will be rendered null and void. I hope it is just expelled from the DCEU canon entirely. That, and we get the "Justice League" sequels, preferably from Zack Snyder (Say what you want but I think he is a pretty good director for the most part and seems to really care about this work).

I honestly want to see a fight between the Justice League and Darkseid because I think that's what we're trying to build up to, and seeing as how Darkseid is one of the legendary villains in the DC comics, I would be extremely disappointed if this doesn't come to pass.

Also, as much as I like Batman/Bruce Wayne, seeing him sacrifice himself to save the team, including Lois and thus Superman's sanity, would be something else. It would bring everyone even closer together, for one, and I think that the negativity shared between Batman and Superman in the past would be completely forgiven. I'm not saying there isn't forgiveness now, but dying to save Superman's wife would change everything....if that makes sense? Does it make sense? I'm terrible at explaining my thoughts sometimes.

[bargainmatinee]

The Batman

2022.7

Let's get this out of the way first...Robert Pattinson is fucking awesome. While Michael Keaton will always hold a special place in the hearts of fans everywhere, I still maintain he was a much more effective Bruce Wayne than he was Batman. Probably mostly because he always looked so awkward in that unforgiving, immobile suit. Val Kilmer was just fine, but we don't have enough to judge him on. And we won't even mention George Clooney (although technically I guess I just did). Then there's Christian Bale. No doubt, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is the high watermark by which all Batman flicks will be judged. But fuck, man....I don't know about you, but despite the brilliance of those films, that fucking ridiculous growling voice that Bale put on still bugs the shit out of me. Oh, and then we had Batfleck. Poor Ben never got his own solo movie, which is fine with me. Batman v Superman sucked a fat dick.

Which brings me back to Pattinson. Like most, the announcement of his casting took me by surprise. Isn't he the sparkly vampire from those Twilight flicks? Man, this sounds like a bad idea. Then I saw "The Lighthouse" and realized...oh! This guy can fucking ACT. That movie was dark and disturbing, and I was no longer worried about "The Batman." And now that I've seen it, I'm prepared to say that Pattinson is the best Batman we've had. I need to clarify, I don't think he was a great Bruce Wayne, but to be honest there wasn't really much of him out of costume in this flick anyway. He doesn't growl like an idiot, he's menacing as hell, and I just loved the shit out of the costume. It seemed like the most practical version of the batsuit we've ever seen. Badass boots, body armor, lack of rubber and nipples...fuck yeah.

As for the movie itself...um, yes please. This felt more like a detective serial killer drama like "Se7en" than it did a superhero flick, which is fine with me. The three hour runtime never felt bloated or dragged, and flew by pretty quickly for me. Zoe Kravitz was a perfect Catwoman, an unrecognizable Colin Farrell has some great bits as the Penguin, and the Riddler....oh my. This is where the serial killer part comes in. Forget everything you ever knew about the Riddler. Well, don't forget about the riddles, because that's still a thing. But no longer a goof in a green suit parading around like a moron, Paul Dano puts on a gimp mask and just goes full on terrifying creep. Outstanding.

I also want to note that a lot of reviews have pointed out that this version of Batman FINALLY plays up the fact that the comic book version is the "World's Greatest Detective" and we get to see much more of that in this one. While this is true...well, I don't want to spoil too much, but while I agree we get much more of that this time, I want to see it pushed further in the next one. Him playing detective makes so much sense in the context of this script but he still comes up a bit short in the end. I can't say more without spoiling things, but I definitely have feelings about just how effective his detective work was here.

That minor shortcoming aside, I can unequivocally (thank you predictive text for handling the spelling there) say that this is pretty close to the best version of Batman you can get. I loved it to pieces and I want more. And even though I earlier pronounced R-Pats as the best version of the Bat yet, I'm not quite ready to say this is the best movie of the bunch. Recency bias makes it easy to say this is better than "The Dark Knight," but is it really? Or are you just high on it because it's so new? I really don't think I'd be able to answer that one without the benefit of more time. But no matter what, it's at least definitely in the conversation to decide what the best Bat flick ultimately is.

[frasier-crane-style]

Watching Snyder League

-Diana literally vaporizes a guy armed with nothing but an assault rifle.

-Also, these have gotta be like the dumbest terrorists. Their plan:

A. Send multiple armed gunmen to take hostages.

B. Stall for time

C. Set off a suitcase bomb on a one minute countdown (why not just set it off immediately? It's In The Script)

You have a suitcase bomb--just park a car somewhere, set the timer, leave it in the trunk, and walk away. You can kill as many people as you want without losing any of your own guys.

-Superman's scream sends out five separate shockwaves. Which makes me think the guy's milking it, personally.

- I'm amused that both SOP for the Amazons is having, like, fifty people standing around guarding the Mother Box. AND that they don't ramp up security after it wakes up.

- And there's this system of burying the Mother Box.  Which 1. seems like the only way to get there in the first place is to teleport in. What good is this system against a teleporter?

2. It takes six guards to suicide themselves by knocking down pillars, which seems like--in five thousand years, you couldn't come up with something where you just pull a level from twenty feet away?

This is the problem with the Amazons. They're all women, so none of them go into STEM fields.

- It's also real weird that this Bruce Wayne doesn't even try to hide that he's Batman. He just walks right up to Aquaman and goes "hey, Bruce Wayne, I'm also Batman." And remember, he's getting the Justice League together entirely based on a hunch. At least in Josstice League, there were Parademons all up in Gotham.

- And should I even bother to ask why Darkseid's people can't just bring three new Mother Boxes to Earth? Are those the only three? If so, you'd think they'd try to get them back sooner. Like, A LOT sooner.

- Okay, this was supposed to come out one year before Infinity War, but still, it was pretty obvious what Marvel was doing with Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet. They had to know they were inviting comparisons.

-I love the implication, tho, that Darkseid just lost track of the Mother Boxes and just... no one realized they were back on Earth. And they have Parademons that can specifically sniff out the Mother Boxes. 

-And if Superman dying was such a momentous occasion that it woke up a Mother Box, why not the Old Gods dying? Why not Ares dying? Wouldn't that have left Earth just as undefended?

-I have no idea why any of this is happening a couple years after Superman debuted and then died and not in, like, 1446.

-Are the Mother Boxes like finicky computers? Do you need to turn them off and on again? When Superman showed up, did they shut down for real, and then he died, so they came back on for real? Is it like a Windows 95 thing, where you can't JUST turn the computer off, you have to go to the start menu and press Shutdown and then wait for it to close up shop?

-It’s so weird that this is supposed to be a Dark, Mature Adaptation For Adults! And it doesn’t have the same basic logic you’d get from an episode of Power Rangers. 

-So. Much. Daddy issues.

-Please stop letting Ezra Miller improv.

-They cast like the gayest man in America to play the one guy with a love interest.

-Diana: "I lost someone I loved once." Well, twice, but who's counting?

-All those reshoots and they couldn't get Amber Heard to knock off the British accent?

-Why is Desaad, of all people, Darkseid’s dragon? Is it just because they were rifling through all the Fourth World saga to find the few guys with scary names instead of Granny Goodness or Virman Vundabar?

- And they really play up Darkseid appearing to Steppenwolf, but we've not only already seen him in the big flashback, we saw him get his ass kicked by Zeus of all people.

- And the whole thing where Steppenwolf is part of Darkseid's 'family' really isn't helping the Thanos-Nebula-Gamora comparison.

-It's weird to introduce Darkseid as the guy who was already beaten once. Wouldn't it make more sense that Steppenwulf was the guy who lost, and that allowed Darkseid to take over, and now he's trying to redeem himself for his defeat? Or that Darkseid was never defeated at all, but someone stole the Anti-Life Equation from him and hid it on Earth? Something. Instead, it’s literally just randomly burnt into the crust of the Earth, Darkseid discovers it, then forgets all about it for reasons the movie doesn’t get into despite being four damn hours long.

-It’s only the central plot, whatever, forget about it.

- Pretty sure Kal eye-lasered a couple Army guys to death after he was resurrected, not that he ever gives a shit.

-Third big reveal of Darkseid. Come on, you've shown him three times now. We've heard him talk.

-And this does the same thing as Josstice League with Superman being more powerful than the rest of the JLA put together. Here, he even no-sells Steppenwolf's axe. He just lets it hit him and it doesn’t do shit. So Doomsday could kill him, but Steppenwolf can't even scratch him. And yet Wonder Woman seems pretty evenly matched with both, if not outclassed by Steppenwolf.

-Barry Allen spends the whole climax running in a circle. And he fails at it! Dude's really retarded when he doesn't have Team STAR Labs cheering him on.

-He also casually travels back in time to undo his side getting a Game Over, which makes you wonder how any conflict in this universe can ever have any stakes. Say what you will about Endgame, but at least they explain why time travel can’t solve every problem they ever have.

-Hell, the Mother Boxes can bring people back to life. The example used is literally “it can turn smoke back into a house.” Why not bring Joe Morton back to life? He did a good job in T2, c’mon.

-Speaking of, according to TV Tropes, Ray Fisher got to come up with his own backstory for Cyborg (”I don't praise Chris Terrio and Zack Snyder for simply putting me in Justice League. I praise them for EMPOWERING me (a black man with no film credits to his name) with a seat at the creative table and input on the framing of the Stones before there was even a script!”), which makes it kinda hilarious that this movie’s characterization of Cyborg is that he’s a genius sports hero who also loves helping out the underprivileged.

-AND his big conflict with his dad is that Silas Stone was never there for him, as literally represented by there being an empty seat next to his mom at Vic’s big sportsball game. So apparently the black experience is indistinguishable from Austin Powers In Goldmember. Who knew?

-What else? It's weird that the narrative tries to put some importance in Martha Kent, but then in her big scene with Lois, she's really Martian Manhunter (not kidding) and when Superman is resurrected, he hears encouraging words ONLY from Jor-El and Jonathan. All she really contributes to the story is hugging Superman after he comes back.

-Also, Batman spends a lot of time in the climax shooting people with a rifle. They're bug people and it's, like, a Halo rifle, but still. You can tell Snyder's just chomping at the bit to have Batman carry around a Colt Commando.

-They give no shits about secret identities in this, so why do they still bother with putting a shitty distortion effect on Batfleck's voice? He has a pretty good Batman voice outside the suit, but once he puts it on, he starts sounding like he's giving a blowjob to Daft Punk.

-One of the movie’s, like, four cliffhangers is Lex Luthor telling Deathstroke about Batman’s secret identity, because Deathstroke has a private vendetta against Batman and is out to get him. Of all the Bat rogues who are solely motivated by taking out Batman--why choose Deathstroke, the guy that’s just a mercenary for hire, to characterize as simply hating Batman? (They also imply Batman took out Deathstroke’s eye and THAT’S the big feud between him and--guys. C’mon. This was really supposed to be a whole movie of Deathstroke getting revenge for his eye?)

- The movie ends with them making Wayne Manor the JLA headquarters--God, just tell me if secret identities matter or not.

-Did we really need two ‘beyond the impossible’ scenes back to back, one for Cyborg and one for the Flash?

-Oh, it’s not Arkham Asylum, it’s ‘Arkham Home For The Emotionally Troubled.’ Was this supposed to be one of those Arrowverse things where they call it Starling City for a while, only to rebrand it Star City because that’s somehow better than just calling it Star City in the first place?

- "[Snyder] also said that the reason Darkseid lost track of which world the Mother Boxes were left on was because he was gravely injured and their forces sent limping away, and upon returning to Apokolips had to fight a civil war for the throne (possibly the event hinted where Steppenwolf betrayed him), wherein their records were lost." Imagine having a movie four hours long and not explaining the fucking backstory.

[marvelvsmarvel]

Thoughts on future DC films

Growing up I was definitely a DC fan and did not jump ship until the MCU came to life. The future of the DCEU is shaky but James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad was amazing and held a completely different tone from the rest of the cinematic universe giving hope for future projects like Matt Reeve’s The Batman. Simple answer is to put “The” at the beginning of all the future films. This is not to say that the previous and primarily Justice League heroes’ films have been bad because they haven’t! But with that said the Snyder Cut was a lot better in my opinion and that gives hope that the Ayers Cut would be as well. The main thing is that continuity is OVERRATED and TSS from the Ayers counterpart spoke to that to some degree in that while it could have been a sequel it also could have been in a completely different universe given that the tone and feel sure made it seem that way. The Batman is also not necessarily set up to be a prequel to the Batfleck version seen in Batman vs Superman. Then Black Adam boasts to have a completely different tone as well following the assumed narrative of an antihero origin story.

All I am saying is committing to the right director and story is all that matters whether it comes with connective tissue or not. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight franchise is still a remarkably high standard for all hero films and we could care less if that Batman ever meets another JL member. Wonder Woman has been a showstopper since her BvS debut and does not ever need to work alongside anyone else again. Aquaman literally has his own different world below the surface for us to explore that does not require coming back up for air to succeed. And while all of this implies that in order to do another Justice League movie requires world building and continuity I am actually advocating the opposite! The DCEU has been great at casting but it just needs to continue to give its directors that freedom from the need of continued storytelling and to simply tell a great story. So if the next Justice League film is say directed by Matt Reeves and features Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Rob Pattinson as The Batman, Grant Gustin as The Flash, David Harewood as Martian Manhunter, and ole what’s his face as Green Lantern and brings them back together as if they’ve been a team before (like TSS without needing to reference the original) and pits them against this “new” mega threat Darkseid and his forces for one badass world saving battle I think THAT would be a win for everyone! ...except Darkseid clearly.

[aion-rsa]

Does Ben Affleck’s Batman Have the Best Movie Batcycle?

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

We finally got our first look at Ben Affleck’s Batman in The Flash movie, thanks to photos taken the film’s Glasgow, Scotland set, where the Dark Knight could be seen zooming through George Square and the surrounding streets on a brand new set of wheels. The scene in question, which actually featured stunt double Rick English in the new Batsuit and not Affleck, seemed to be a daytime chase through the streets of Gotham City, with a humvee shooting back at Batfleck’s heavily armored ride.

English, who was also a stunt double for Robert Pattinson in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, can be seen riding the new Batcycle (the official name of the vehicle hasn’t been announced yet) in the set photo below:

New close-up shot of Ben Affleck's #Batman stunt double riding the Batcycle on the set of #TheFlash pic.twitter.com/t5f4HosX7G

— Big Screen Leaks (@bigscreenleaks) July 26, 2021

In short, the new Batcycle is an absolute stunner, a bit more tank-like than past live-action versions of Batbikes, as seems to be the overall DCEU aesthetic since the Zack Snyder days, but still sleek and modern. It also boasts forward shields that lift up when Batman is being shot at (as another series of set photos show) and what look like machine gun cannons on either side — presumably armed with non-lethal rounds…

Despite the bulkier design, the bike seems built for speed and maneuverability, not just battle, as it cuts tight corners through the streets of Gotham/Glasgow. Why the Caped Crusader has chosen his Batcycle over his much more heavily equipped Batmobile, a staple of Affleck’s tenure, is a mystery. Perhaps the Batcycle is just the faster pursuit vehicle…or since The Flash is a multiverse-spanning adventure, maybe he just doesn’t have access to his trademark car at the moment because he’s in the Burtonverse’s version of Gotham (I’m just speculating here).

Interestingly enough, Warner Bros. has been trying to introduce a new Batcycle (likely for toy reasons) since Justice League. In an interview with Film Sketchr, concept artist Ed Natividad revealed that he’d designed a new Batcycle for Affleck’s Batman to use in the superhero team-up movie but Snyder chose the massive Knightcrawler in its place.

“The Batcycle was proposed as a new form of transport for Batman,” Natividad said. “However it was superseded in favor of the Knightcrawler. Zack Snyder felt the cycle did not reflect the ‘team’ dynamic and needed something that would carry at least three of the members.”

It sounds like WB finally has its new Batcycle, but it’s only the latest in a long series of bikes introduced in Batman movies. In fact, Batfleck’s chopper isn’t even the only Batcycle being introduced in an upcoming DC movie.

The Batman: Robert Pattinson's Stunt Double Rides the Bat Bike in New Photo pic.twitter.com/kM9diNfJK2

— AG MEDIA NEWS (@AGMEDIANEWS) October 15, 2020

First spotted while The Batman was filming last year, the more pared down Batcycle ridden by Pattinson very much matches the aesthetic Reeves is going for with his take on the Bat mythos. Unlike Affleck or Bale, Pattinson doesn’t seem to own any vehicles or equipment he didn’t modify or design in-house, all while looking super unhappy. His suit looks very DIY, with its shoulder pads and heavily stiched and dented cowl, as does his minimalist take on a Batbike — a simple number with bat ears over the headlight.

Pattison’s Dark Knight seems like a bit of a grease monkey who’s less concerned looks than performance and efficiency. Even the movie’s Batmobile looks like a cool muscle car Battinson bought and modified with an insane engine he found on the black market and a matte paint job. The custom body work also makes the car look more Bat-like.

He clearly took the same approach with the bike, and it’s nice to see a Batman who prefers “simpler” and more “sensible” vehicles over the massive tanks driven by Affleck and Bale before him. Pattinson’s rides are much closer to reality than what’s usually on tap in a Batman movie. And unlike the things driven by most of his predecessors, his bike doesn’t seem to have any guns on it.

Meanwhile, the Batpod screams “billionare superhero who owns his own R&D division.” Wayne Enterprises has military contracts to develop tech the U.S. Department of Defense never adopted on the battlefield, and Bale’s Batman gets to reap all the rewards.

Despite being part of a much larger whole, having been jettisoned from the totaled Tumbler before it self-destructed in The Dark Knight, the Batpod has its own identity. It’s kind of ugly and doesn’t look very practical, but it becomes Batman’s main mode of transportation for much of the back half of the trilogy until Lucius Fox gifts him the Bat in The Dark Knight Rises. It also has the best maneuverability of all the bikes on this list due to the sideways rotating wheels that allows it to turn tight corners without skidding off the road. Lateral movement comes in very handy when in a high-speed chase, and it seems only Christopher Nolan figured that out.

The Batpod’s biggest crime is looking kind of like those tumbling RC cars you played with when you were a kid. This is all by design, of course, since these movies are all made so WB can sell toys and bedroom sets to children. At least this one has cannons Batman (and later Catwoman) can use to remove obstacles from his path. And if you’re someone walking through that mall Batman zooms through while chasing the Joker, you would be intimidated. But if your favorite kind of bike is the bulky kind, you’re better off with the Batfleck cycle.

Finally, we come to the Batblade, the bike George Clooney just happened to have sitting in his Batcave in case of an icy situation. Apparently designed to speed through Gotham City streets that are frozen solid, it’s best not to try to decipher the logic behind wheels with such excellent traction. This is Batman & Robin, and we don’t do logic there.

Driven by Alicia Silverstone’s underrated Batgirl, the Batblade pretty much looks like a normal bike except for the Bat symbol and LED lighting that adorn the front. Its big feature is that it is equipped with “Ice Armor,” so even Mr. Freeze’s ice beams can’t slow it down. Which is pretty cool. And the bike totally fits within Joel Schumacher’s vision of a neon-drenched Gotham.

It’s hard to believe that almost 25 years after the release of Batman & Robin, a movie that at the time seemed to be the final nail in the Dark Knight’s coffin, we’re still talking about big-screen Batmen and their cool toys. As far as the latter goes, the newest addition to the Caped Crusader’s toybox delivers plenty of style.

I can’t wait to see the new Batcycle in action when The Flash opens in theaters on Nov. 4, 2022.

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The post Does Ben Affleck’s Batman Have the Best Movie Batcycle? appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3xi0jK1

[itzagothamcitysiren]

Welcome to the Family

So this is just a little one shot I wrote like a month ago but never posted. I wanted to write something about Bruce and Alfred and how they saw Halley and Jay’s relationship early on and I think it came out pretty cute :)

Also, do I picture my Batman as Batfleck? Not exactly. I wish I could’ve seen more than what we got, (not even going to talk about Justice League here). I like how Affleck looks because he looks a lot like the Batman Animated Bruce,  WHICH is MY Batman. Kevin Conroy is my ideal Batman. Is voice is just perfect and that version of Batman is my all time favorite. 

Also I love Jeremy Irons and hope we get more of him as Alfie. 

Watchful Eyes

           People didn’t call Batman a master detective for nothing. His track record alone for turning clues that at first and even second glance, looked like nothing into something attested to that fact. Batman didn’t just beat up bad guys in the dead of night or lock away crazed psychos day in and day out. Batman was hands down one of the sharpest minds out there; Bruce Wayne, in Alfred’s opinion, was on the other hand was another story entirely.  Granted, Bruce Wayne and Batman were technically one in the same, Alfred would argue. Alfred Pennyworth knew Bruce had a one of the greatest minds but god willing, he could be so oblivious that the butler would sometimes question where he went wrong when raising him.

           Alfred wasn’t surprised that he had picked up on it first, Bruce being so consumed with his nightlife and keeping up the image and lie that was the one the public thought he had, along with running a billion dollar company, the poor man would probably forget how to properly dress himself in the morning if Alfred hadn’t already laid his clothes out for him. So when Alfred started noticing the two youngest of the household sneaking around and spending the night locked up in either’s room, it came to no surprise to him that when he mentioned it to Bruce that the man looked up to him clueless.

           Alfred tried to give him some sort of break for being so late on the pickup though. Jason wasn’t like Dick in the slightest. The former Boy Wonder had been so open about his emotions and life, where it was a miracle if Alfred got an answer to a simple question, such as, how was school today? Alfred still remembered when Dick had come rushing out of school one day after asking this nice girl in his class out on a date. He remembered the boy barely able to stop gushing about while he served him and Bruce dinner that night.  

           That had also been another factor that caused Alfred not to be surprised. Bruce busied himself a lot more than he did back then. Alfred often found himself chastising him over that fact, not excusing such behavior, but understanding why. Alfred hated nagging but he made sure it was known to him that he wasn’t just Jason’s and now Halley’s mentor, but their father figure and he should start acting as such. He made it mandatory recently that Bruce at least show up to three dinners a week.

           He was pleased when Bruce had started taking the initiative to spend more time with them. Bruce began showing more of an interest in their lives, taking part in Jason’s love of film and having occasional movie nights with him. He also took Jason to his first baseball game, overhearing how the boy had always wanted to go.  He also made it known how proud he was that Halley had decided to take part in her school’s journalism club after doing well in the class. There had been more than a handful of times where Alfred caught him reading one of her articles that were in the school paper. But even with taking more care in their lives, Bruce Wayne still hadn’t picked up on what had been so clear for the past couple of months.

           “Together?” Bruce muttered, staring at the couple in question that stood off on the training mat, sparring.

           “Yes, Master Bruce, together; as in a couple.” Alfred’s dry voice repeated, still quiet enough so the two couldn’t hear him but loud enough for Bruce to hear him clearly. “Like you and Miss Kyle, but more consistent and not as turbulent.” He compared, never failing to show up his own brand of humor.

           Bruce slowly raised his head to look up at the man, clearly not amused by his jab but not daring to defend himself; his statement was true after all. Trying not to think of his own mess of relationships, he turned his attention back to the pair, the detective in him now getting to work.

           It’d been nearly a year since Halley had officially joined the family and the change she brought to the manor had been apparent to him. After everything settled, getting back to their normal, he did note a shift in his ward. He wasn’t as aggressive, he listened more and didn’t go out of his way to test Bruce. He still had his moments, but Bruce knew he was still learning and like how Bruce was still getting over his own childhood, so was Jason. But as he already observed, he was getting better.

           Even Halley was getting better, Bruce noted. She never had the issue’s Jason had, molding into the nightlife of a Gotham vigilante quite seamlessly. Bruce meant more so that she started acting more like a normal teenager. She began hanging out with a group of friends, Jason of course joining her eventually. The change of her wardrobe was noticeable as well, Bruce seeing her no longer trying to drown herself in baggy sweaters.

           Bruce knew the changes in them were mostly influenced by the other but he didn’t think it was because of some secret relationship. He just thought it was because of having someone the same age, with the same life experiences; something like that was really rare to find and of course having someone like that would affect the way you act. He felt himself falling back into the chair, as he thought, now picking up on the fight laid out before him.

           He wouldn’t even call it a fight anymore.

           Between Jason’s lingering touches after deflecting a blow and Halley’s light jabs and prodding, Bruce deduced that they weren’t even seriously trying to train; they were playing, just like how Batman and Catwoman did. Like always, Alfred was right and Bruce could only feel himself ponder even more as Halley easily flipped Jason over her shoulder, giggling as he hit the mat with a grunt and a pout.

           Why hadn’t they felt like they couldn’t talk to him about it? He wasn’t mad, maybe a little concerned, not wanting anything to affect them in the field but he wouldn’t not allow it. He would of course set restrictions, knowing that they were still in fact teenagers who lived in very close proximities of each other and just knowing how Dick had been with girls around their age, he just wanted to make sure they were being smart.

           “Why are you just now bringing this to my attention, Alfred?”  Bruce looked back up at him.

           “I was giving time for them to come to us themselves or for you to at least notice. I may be a patient man but there are far too many secrets under this roof.” The older man shrugged his shoulders, giving Bruce a look.  

           Taking another look at them, Bruce hummed in agreement. It never did hurt to be too cautious, as Alfred hinted. But it also never hurt to put a little trust in people as well and coming from Bruce, that meant a lot. He wasn’t one to easily trust and was always over analyzing people’s motives and making contingency plan after contingency plan. He felt his mind instantly going into the motion of making one for this exact situation but seeing the smile that Jason gave Halley as he was the one to flip her to the ground made him stop all thought.

           They didn’t trust him enough to talk to him about this and Bruce couldn’t help but feel dejected. In their line of work they needed trust, they’d be left in the battle blinded if they couldn’t trust each other. And the fact that they didn’t trust him didn’t sit all that well in his stomach. Would he be watchful? Yes. Would he still plan in the case of something between them goes wrong? Yes. But would he wait until they came to him when they felt ready? Of course, because not only was he Batman, he was also Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne cared about his kids.

[ultrahpfan5blog]

Thoughts on the casting news of the Flash movie

The Flash movie new casting news is definitely fascinating. I am both surprised and not regarding the whole Ben Affleck situation. I am surprised that he agreed to come back after how he described his experience to have been, but since things have changed at WB and he obviously seems to be a lot healthier these days, it may have changed his mind. Way it doesn’t surprise me is that I’m assuming they are probably trying to straighten out the Batman continuity in the DCEU going forward and give Batfleck a better goodbye. With Keaton also being cast and being reported to being a possible future mentor figure in the DCEU, I assume that the point is to give Batfleck a more continuity specific exit and bring in Keaton as his replacement. With Battinson being almost certainly in its own separate continuity, I figure they need to have some version of Batman in the DCEU. That may be Keaton, though maybe not as an active Batman but as a retired Batman who is funding and helping everyone else. Basically continuity and history will be rewritten so Keaton is part of the DCEU and Batfleck with get written out. That’s my theory anyways. I just can’t imagine them keeping Batfleck around just for cameos and I also can’t imagine them going forward with Batman movies being made in two separate continuities. I wouldn’t mind it but I don’t see it happening. Not to mention, even if Ben Affleck is in a better headspace and in a better relationship with WB than before, he seems to have stuff lined up both as an actor and director so I don’t see him being interested in diving back into this full time.

On a different note, Muschietti should be concerned that people are more interested in the situation with Batman in the Flash movie than with the actual Flash. I am a huge fan of Batman but as someone who has loved the Flash tv show, they need to do a much better job with the movie version.

[dottie-wan-kenobi]

They're sort of a fandom but Batfam!

thanks guys!!! this got so long omg, I’m so sorry dsjkfhdskajh

my favorite female character: CASSANDRA MFING CAIN. She is simultaneously one of the most badass characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing about, while also being just……….so adorable. Like, I love that she can be the scariest and most competent Bat (she is absolutely 100000% the next Batman I do not take criticism) but also, she’s such a sweetheart. She really loves people (Steph and Duke especially so), she’s an amazing friend and sister, and she is just so authentically herself and does what she wants when she wants, and she works so hard for everything, and I just. Oh my god I love her so much.

my favorite male character: this is so difficult but I have to say Dick Grayson. I Must. He’s basically what started all of this!!! I mean yeah okay Bruce was first, but Robin/Dick is what made Batman interesting and was the first member of the batfam, the one that made it a real family. In addition to that, Dick is just??? So interesting?????? He was the first kid sidekick, he lead the Teen Titans teams, he’s always kind of existed in this place of being the lighthearted one with the Batfam, but the serious one in most other contexts. HE REBELLED FIRST. Nightwing is a fuck you to his dad!!!! I love that! Plus he’s beautiful and has some of the best love interests (I’m talking about Kory and Roy here folks). He’s imperfect and has such depth and I love him kdsjfhjkdshfah

my favorite book/season/etc: I actually really like all the stuff that comes after Bruce “dies”? Seeing them all struggle and fight with each other and everything is really interesting. I love Tim here especially, just bc he’s so fucked up and such a teenager. When characters seem to be having two totally different conversations are SO INTERESTING and that’s what was kind of happening here with Tim and Dick – Tim feels betrayed and hurt, Dick feels stressed and like Tim is ready to move on. And Damian is just an adorable little asshole ksdjfshkjhakjh

my favorite episode (if its a tv show) issue: look I’m a sucker for Dick & Jason feels and I really enjoyed their moments (however few there are) in NTT/Tales of The Teen Titans/etc. They’re pretty small but so cute – it’s really nice to see them trying to figure out how to be brothers!!

my favorite cast member: David Mazouz!!!! Perfect perfect perfect Bruce. I also did like Batfleck, more for the look of exhausted 40 year old man than the story/characterization, but David takes the cake. He does all the different facets of Bruce – traumatized child, obsessive teenager, Brucie the party animal, etc – so well, PLUS THEY HAVE THE SAME BIRTHDAY. It’s meant to be yall

my favorite ship: most of my Batfam ships are one batfam member/one non member (like Dickkory/Dickroy, Dinahbabs, Timkon, etc). the only one fully in the fam would be Bruce/Talia. When written correctly, they are so sweet and so tragic. The star crossed lovers trope has never looked so good as it does when its them. 

a character I’d die defending: Damian!!!! Admittedly I do get annoyed by him,,,, a lot,,,,,, but really. He’s a child who’s been abused and manipulated and lied to. He was raised in such a dangerous, traumatic environment, and I fucking hate when people act like he’s always going to be the annoying, murderous brat he was when he was first taken away from that environment. He has to heal, and he IS healing. He loves animals so much, he learns to love Dick (and at least get along with the others), he makes friends, he doesn’t kill anymore. He is doing better. There’s no fucking way he ends up as cruel and cold-hearted as some people insist he will. If you don’t like him, just shut the fuck up

a character I just can’t sympathize with: Babs. It’s not that I can’t sympathize with her, it’s more that I just don’t like her lol. I find Batgirl!Babs really boring and regressive for literally everyone involved. The way Babs became Oracle was gross but it gave her such GROWTH and she got to be her own character as Oracle (and also tell people off for pitying her bc she’s in a wheelchair). Batgirl was passed on to Cass, who is both Asian and disabled rep, then to Steph, in a way that was much healthier for the Batgirls than how Robin was passed down. Babs being Oracle gives even more rep to disabled children/girls in wheelchairs, and she isn’t stuck in Gotham! She isn’t part of the Batfam, she’s a Bird of Prey!!!! So much more interesting!!!! Plus D*ckB*bs is boring as fuck and does a disservice to both of them. Let them grow and be their own people and stop making me see Batgirl!Babs alongside Robin!Damian. DC, that’s illegal!!!

a character I grew to love: Talia. I was sadly infected with the Grant Morrison bullshit when I first joined the fandom and I hated Talia. But I’ve read more comics and metas about her and I just. I LOVE HER. She is such a badass and I find her motives (when well written) to be really interesting!!! She’s loyal to her dad but wants the best for Damian, and does have genuine affection for Bruce and Jason. She’s not the heartless woman some people/writers make her out to be, she has compassion and drive. She doesn’t care what people think about her. I want to marry her sdkjhfjksah

my anti otp: Jason/Roy. In any context other than RHaTO, it makes no sense and does a disservice to both characters. Jason and Roy would not want to be together in most reboots of DC, because of the connection with Dick. Would you want to date your asshole older brother’s ex/best friend? Would you want to date your ex/best friend’s little brother? Would you like to date a man with that history who is also struggling with severe trauma/addiction issues (respectively) and doesn’t get help for it because of bad writing? Imagine Roy looking Dick in the face and saying “yeah, I’m fucking your little brother, who I sort of knew as a pre-teen”. In RHaTO, this is mostly fine bc Roy and Dick have no relationship at all, and Jason needs someone to take care of, and Roy is so incompetent that he fits that bill. But ANYWAYYYYY point is, I refuse to read fics with this ship in it thank you goodnight

send me a show/movie/fandom and I’ll answer these questions!!

[maychorian]

What’s your favourite on-screen Batman/Batman-adjacent thing? Young Justice? Batfleck? Lego Batman? Something else?

Oh, Lego Batman, hands down. Just talking about it makes me want to go watch it again. I bought it on Amazon at pretty much full price (there might have been a sale, I don’t remember) just because I want to be able to watch it in glorious HD whenever I want. (I don’t own a Blu-Ray player. Maybe someday.)

Young Justice would probably be my favorite if Tim was a more central character. But he’s tertiary at best. They really just need to make an animated show in the style of Young Justice that’s about the Batfam and Batfam-adjacent heroes. I would buy everything even remotely related to that show, if it existed.

I know the animated Batman series exists and is good. But I want all the Batboys and Batgirls together in one show, interacting constantly, and I want Tim to be acknowledged for the important and wonderful character he is, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

Heck, I watched the first season of the live-action Titans show, and Dick was using a bo staff! WHY? That’s TIM’S THING. He’s the only Robin to use a staff, because he’s not quite as strong and/or hands-on as the other Robins in his fighting style, and they keeping appropriating that staff when there’s a Robin onscreen now because it’s become such an iconic Robin weapon. And yet they ignore Tim himself! 

Sorry, that got out of hand.

ANyway, Lego Batman captures exactly what I like about Batman as a whole, especially toward the end of the movie, and it’s funny and fun and a joy to watch. And I’m gonna go put it on right now just to listen to while I keep working around the house. 

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #389

Top Ten Things I Want from The Batman

So last week I celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of Tim Burton’s Batman by listing the things I thought he got “right” about the character (“right” being, I acknowledge, arbitrary). This time around, sticking with a similar theme, I’m going to flip the switch and look to the future. Matt Reeves’ long-gestating Bat-pic The Batman is finally gearing up, having recently cast its Dark Knight in the shape of erstwhile vampire Robert Pattinson. The saga of The Batman, its Affleck-ness and its connectedness with the DCEU as-was, is almost worth a movie on its own (I really hope there’s a book written about it at some point, or at least a long-form essay; the ins and outs of what became of the DCEU and the de-Snyder-fication of their film slate is potentially fascinating). At any rate, we’re going to get another Batman film and that’s quite exciting. Especially as it is – potentially – a chance to course-correct issues that I had over the previous incarnation of the Caped Crusader. Ben Affleck was very good, but he looked a bit sad and hefty in the suit (the silly cowl essentially removed his neck), and he killed a lot of people. Like, tons. What’s up with that?

So with all that in mind, and given everything that’s come before, here’s a list of places where I hope Reeves and Pattinson go with their Bat-epic. Or even don’t go! You’ll see what I mean, as we get into a list of things I want from the new Batman, The Batman.

No Guns, No Killing: this is a big one for me. The Batman I love in the comics – most of the incarnations, anyway – is very strict about this. For him, murder is the worst crime, and his whole deal is being Anti-Crime. Therefore he would never, ever kill. Also he views guns as, literally, the “weapon of the enemy”. Even Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy – which is probably the closest to the comics in terms of his “one rule” – had him bedecking his equipment with guns and “not saving” people. Here, I’d like a very strict code.

White Eyes: okay, I’m not asking for an MCU Spider-Man here; I know comics characters have whited-out eyes in costume and that doesn’t usually translate to live-action. But Batman would/could/should wear some kind of eye-piece. Even if it’s goggles that he removes/retract into his cowl. What I want to avoid is the blacked-out “panda eyes” look of seeing his real eyes within his cowl. I just find it a bit daft for Batman.

A Working Batsuit: whilst I’m on the subject of Batman’s Bat-duds, one thing that I loved about the Nolan-verse was that his outfit was sensible. Obviously not too sensible, as he’s, y’know, dressed as a bat, but it looked like a suit designed to fight crime in. The Burton/Schumacher suits looked like sculpted pieces of rubber, no good for movement; the Snyder suit looked like fancy dress with “cosmetic damage” and rubbery wrinkles. The MCU, on the other hand, is great at making superhero suits that look iconic and super-y but also workable; Captain America wears some kind of oversuit with, presumably, armour on the inside, and also a cowl of sorts, but one which allows him to move his head and which looks functional despite also having a dirty great “A” on it.

Sweet Wheels: similarly, I’d like a Batmobile that’s more “car” than “tank”. The Burton/Schumacher films, as was their want, gave Bats a car that was more form than function; going the other way, Nolan and Snyder had heavily-armoured war machines that owed a big debt to The Dark Knight Returns. I’d rather lean towards the former, but really, can’t he just have some souped-up Knight Rider thing that’s fast and stealthy? He’s more Black Widow than War Machine don’t forget.

Heh: Batman has, by his own admission, “a sense of humour that nobody gets”. I don’t want a relentlessly dour grimdark Batman. Give me a Batman who can crack a wry smile or a sardonic one-liner, even if he’s being bitterly ironic. To be fair most screen incarnations of Batman have had some sense of humour, but Batman v Superman in particular was almost relentless in its miserableness so I’m hoping The Batman has a funny bone, pitch black as it may be.

A Real Gotham: although I praised to the heavens last week the Anton Furst-ified Gotham of Batman and Batman Returns, I’d like it if the new film hewed closer to Nolan’s vision of the city as a “real” place. Sure, give it stylised embellishments; make it “New York at night” or some twisted version of New Jersey or Chicago or whatever. But I don’t think we need the ridiculous mile-high statues of the Schumacher films, and the less said about the frankly terrible CGI cityscape from the opening minutes of Justice League the better. Shoot on location, or use really good CGI. Make it 10% weirder than normal and I think we’re onto a winner.

Make Batman John Wick: I love how John Wick fights. He’s all business. Boom, boom, the guy’s down, blam, blam, he’s dead. It’s all about minimalising risk, fighting as efficiently as possible. He gets the guys down because, well, the longer they’re up the more chance that they’ll kill him. Batman should fight like that. As few moves as possible, but target them precisely; nothing flashy or extravagant, just get the guys down. Obviously he doesn’t kill or use a gun (see point number 1) but I want a Batman who looks cool when fighting, looks like he trained with monks and ninjas and assassins and wizards. Basically, let’s have some genuinely impressive-looking fight scenes for once.

Make Batman Sherlock: I have high hopes for this one, as the word round the internet campfire is The Batman will be much more detective-focused than previous films (to this date, the two Batmen who are the most sleuth-y are Adam West and Kevin Conroy). But Batman is supposed to be the World’s Greatest Detective so, y’know, let’s see him detect. Greatly. Er, around the world. Make it a proper crime film, a whodunnit. That’d be good.

Make Batman Weird: not necessarily “Tim Burton weird”, but just give us a sense that this is a Batman who has a sci-fi closet. A Batman who, maybe, has fought Monster Men, Killer Crocs, sentient mud and murderous flora. Nolan’s Batman was super-serious and Snyder’s Batman was super-miserable so whilst I applaud a more street-level focus and a noir-ish tone, I hope the possibility exists for a world full of Man-Bats, immortal warlords, dollotrons, and more.

A Wider World: I really hope this one is viable. The plan was for the Justice League-centred movies to form a spine, telling a story arc over multiple films, with the stand-alone tales functioning as spin-offs. As it turned out, the “spin-offs” were the successful ones, and with Batman being rebooted from Batfleck to Battinson, it looks like the “Extended” part of “DC Extended Universe” is up in the air (so is the “Universe” part too, I guess). I don’t know if Justice League or the preceding films are still in continuity even, or if continuity is still a thing, but all the same what I want from a DC Comics adaptation is a shared universe. I’m not a big fan of Zack Snyder’s incarnation of that universe (too dark, miserable, and po-faced), but I still want to see Bruce hanging out with Clark, teaming up with Diana, arguing with Arthur… I want that feeling you get from the MCU (and the comics, for that matter), that Wakanda going public or SHIELD being disbanded or Tony Stark dying is going to have repercussions in other films. I think The Batman is going to be pretty much self-contained in the same way as Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam, but all the same, I hope the potential is still there. In much the same way as I’m very happy for the film to be a street-level noir with the potential to one day have a sequel featuring Batman and Robin fighting off Mister Freeze in a Bat-UFO, I hope it focuses on Bruce and Gotham with the potential to segue into a Justice League movie or have a sequel set in Themyscira or something. Don’t close off the universe, is what I’m saying.

So there we are. I’m aware that this is, essentially, a fanboy wishlist of My Ideal Batman, coming from a straight white bloke in his thirties who graduated from Year One through Knightfall then “New Gotham” and found his Batman apogee in the works of Grant Morrison. Matt Reeves has his vision and it’s good that he sticks to that (for better or worse, I still would have liked to have seen how Snyder’s proposed Justice League arc had played out – although I am emphatically not a “Snyder Cut” devotee). But I feel there’s a sweet spot between stylised and realistic, between comics-accurate and designed-for-film, that hasn’t quite been reached with Batman yet (The Animated Series came closest). Nolan’s films are obviously the best, but I do think that the more realistic you make Batman’s world, the less realistic he himself becomes, and you make the central conceit (trust fund orphan did a lot of push-ups then dressed as a Dracula to Fight Crime) all the more silly. I’m still a bit sad that we lost Affleck, but I’m very excited by where we’re going to go. I just hope it doesn’t preclude a World’s Finest, Justice League Unlimited, or – heck – even a Robin movie somewhere down the line.

[countessrivers]

All I want from the new Robert Pattinson Batman film is tired bat-dad trying to stop Tim and Damian from murdering each other over a game of Monopoly

I have a number of feelings about the Batman solo film due to how much I love Batfleck, and how shitty it is that WB brought in a new director after Ben stepped back who essentially wrote him out of his own movie, and how much I wanted to see Deathstroke, and how much I wanted a film that continued with the characters and actors and relationships the DCEU has already built up…

BUT

if it gives me decent Batfam content, I will be thrilled, because we need that. God do we need that. My hopes for getting an Under the Red Hood adaption have fizzled away with the recast, there’s been no new news on the Nightwing movie, and what we’ve seen of BoP Cass so far bears little resemblance to my beautiful angelic bat-daughter (if Bruce doesn’t show up at the end of that movie to adopt Cass, then really what’s the point? Of anything?), and if it is set in the DCEU then it’s probably a prequel, so we’d probably only get Dick, maybe Jason, but god do I want that. I want tired Batdad. I want the kids interacting. I want them being a team

(and honestly, even if it made no sense to include him, the movie would get points for just mentioning Tim, given that the animated movies seem bent on pretending he doesn’t exist)

[adventseven]

The Batman REVIEW

           This film works hard to be both a piece of art and a superhero movie. What the film succeeds at the most is being a film that is quintessentially Batman.

           The Batman stars Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader, Paul Dano as The Riddler, and Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle. The film also stars Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, Colin Farrell as Oz/Penguin, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth.

           I got the chance to see this film twice in theaters before writing this review. I loved it both times, moreso the second time. It's a very damn good movie.

           If I were to rank this film among the Dark Knight trilogy I'd say it's better than Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises. I would say it’s at least on the same level of quality as The Dark Knight.

           I found myself comparing those two films a lot as I watched The Batman, because they are both so similar. They both have great Batmen, compelling stories, and phenomenal villains. I also think both films have plot points, characters, and aspects that are better than the other. I do enjoy thinking about high quality films.

           Before I continue with more of my thoughts, I have to talk about specific reviews of this movie. Moreso the ones that are mad that The Batman quote “forgets to be fun (Cinemalogue Batman Review),” is “yet another lugubrious, laboriously grim slog masquerading as a fun comic book movie (Washington Post Batman Review),” and find that “176 minutes is a long time to go without laughs (Firstpost Batman Review).”

           The Batman was never going to be a "Marvel" movie. It wasn't going to be joke heavy, it wasn't going to be upbeat, it was going to be a dark crime drama from the very beginning. If you expect anything otherwise you are only going to be disappointed. Also there are a few funny moments in there, my favorite being the “thumb drive” one IYKYK. Also, remember the last time Batman films tried to be funny? I think you all definitely know what I’m talking about.

           It's good to have superhero movies that are different, stylistically and thematically. If every superhero movie was the same then everybody would get bored of them. It'd be like eating vanilla ice cream all the time. Sometimes it's good to eat some rocky road or cookie dough. Okay, now I'm going to try and finish this review while dealing with a new craving for ice cream.

           The Batman is driven forward by awesome performances from all of the cast. Robert Pattinson is the best Batman since Christian Bale. He's better than Batfleck, he just is[1] [2] . His costume is cooler, he doesn’t have a stupid voice changer, and he doesn’t out right murder people. He's got the physical presence and is able to show a great depth of emotion. He grows over the course of the movie, slowly learning what it takes to be a better Batman. He really embodies what Batman should be, a fighter and a thinker.

           Batman had a lot of allies in this movie. I really liked Wright's James Gordon. He had moments of deep sadness and heroic bravery. He always had Batman's back, much to the frustration of the GCPD. It really seemed like he'd take a bullet for Bruce.

           I thought Andy Serkis was a fine Alfred. He hit all the Alfred beats you'd want, helping Batman solve his crimes and being a father figure. Hopefully he has a chance to be a badass in the next movie.

            It would be criminal if I didn't mention Kravit's Catwoman. She's all I'd hoped Catwoman would be. A cunning antihero who is essential to Batman. She helps him but she has her own mission too. Her relationship with Batman is complicated, but what else is new. Even still, they both care about each other and want to stop the worst people in Gotham.

           If there's anything I've learned, it is that a Batman movie is only as good as its villain. Thankfully this film has three villains that are all great, dare I say terrifying.

           Gotham needs a good dark side, an underlying criminal element that permeates from the alleyways. Farrell's Penguin and John Turturro's Carmine Falcone are great Gotham gangsters. Falcone is a soft spoken menace who will kill anyone who gets in his way. He's deeply connected to figures in Gotham, including Bruce's father Thomas. The Penguin works under Falcone, running The Iceberg Lounge and peddling drugs. He wishes he could be Falcone, hoping to be the next head of organized crime in Gotham. His car chase scene was one of my favorite parts of the movie. My favorite moment being the part where Penguin thinks he killed Batman, but his joy turns to terror as soon as he sees the batmobile rockets out of the flames.

           While Falcone and Penguin were perfect for the gangster side of Gotham, The Riddler was an even better showing of its supervillain side. Paul Dano's performance as the vengeful serial killer is the polar opposite of Jim Carrey's Riddler. Dano's Riddler is a dark web menace who won't rest until he sees Gotham burn. He knows all of the city's secrets and will crusade until those who went unpunished are pushing daisies. To Riddler, vengeance means blood and fire, and Batman is part of his master plan.

           I'm glad this reboot happened. Batman is a character that has the ability to change, adapt with the times, and remain relevant. All the best Batman performances remain timely because they're similar but different. They stay true to who Batman is, while also being who Batman can be. If the next two films in The Batman trilogy are good, then I think Pattinson will be remembered fondly like Keaton and Bale are.

           The Batman has kept DC's 2022 winning streak going. I'm excited for its sequels, and I'm excited for the HBO MAX shows that will take place in this new Gotham. I do recommend watching the film for a second time. You get to enjoy the film more and you get another chance to catch all the little details. You should also see it again because it's an awesome movie, one that I'm very glad exists.

By Julian Hayden

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[shattteredvisage]

Justice League Cons

Just the worst special effects

Absolutely shitty dialogue ("My toes hurt!!! I don't even understand the physics of how my toes hurt!!!" Ughhhhhhhh)

Heavy and boring exposition because DC was so desperate catch up with Marvel that they didn't do their world-building well enough before the movie.

Unremarkable and ridiculous villain.

Same solution as Rise of the Guardians where they make the nightmare horses smell fear on their own master to get rid of him???

Inaccurate characterization of the heroes. (Batman smiled??? In his fucking cowl?? What??? There is no excuse. Also superman making "I want to die" jokes right after saving the world like some kind of teenager??? I am baffled.)

No mention of any of the Robins???

Some of the best moments from.Justice League cartoons is when Bruce, the man with no powers, is able to intimidate the entire league. I wanted to see THAT. Not this frustrated, desperate and thoroughly unintimidating version of Batman who's getting people sandwiches and has no idea how to level with Arthur. Seriously, in what universe is Aquaman more intimidating than Batman? Yikes.

None of Bruce's guilt and desperation to bring Clark back made any sense because they were friends for maybe two or three hours?? It would have meant so much more if their relationship had been more developed. Now, the whole thing seems pretty insane. I know that Bruce has issues and need friends but honestly? I can't get behind the fact that he got that emotionally attached to Supes in such a short period of time.

Weird and incomplete explanation of Arthur's whole conflict with the Atlantians. Like, did he have some kind of coronation off-screen and then came back with his "pitchfork" just in time to save his new friends?

Focusing on one pointless little Russian girl and her family instead of developing the actually important characters in this movie.

Basic overall message is "The Justice league is great and all, but we really don't need them as long as Superman is here. Especially Bruce because haha he has no powers what a loser. Praise to Superman our Lord and savior!"

Why the hell is Bruce telling everyone what his secret identity is right away? If not killing is his first rule (which he's already broken in these movies) then telling people his identity has to be his second rule right? Why is he telling people before they even agree to be on the team but he still won't tell Gordon, a man whose proven his loyalty time and time again, after 20 years?

So much more. I could go on forever but those are the main ones and this is already too long.

Justice League Pros

Confirmed Bruce Wayne as a RAGING bisexual who wants to be in a god sandwich between Diana and Clark

Bruce legitimately compared him losing Clark to Diana losing Steve. I just... wow. Wow.

My man Slade Wilson is about to kick everyone's ass!!! Hype!!!

Diana's fight scene with those terrorist guys was fucking badass.

Steve Trevor was not forgotten, bless his heart <3

Victor Stone and Barry Allen bonding while digging up Superman's corpse

???? Pretty sure that's it ????

Oh uhhh Bruce looked really fucking hot the whole movie 11/10. Whether you like Batfleck or not can we all please at least agree that he looks the part of Bruce Wayne?? Bc damn.

[aion-rsa]

The Batman vs. Zack Snyder’s Batman: How Are They Different?

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This article contains spoilers of The Batman and the DCEU.

It’s been nearly a decade since the release of a solo Batman movie, 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, and as we approach the 10-year anniversary of the much-debated conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, a new standalone film about the Caped Crusader, Matt Reeves’ The Batman, is now in theaters.

But meanwhile, in the interregnum between the end of Nolan’s mostly brilliant triptych and what we hope is the beginning of a new series of Batfilms under Reeves’ watch, a different variation of Gotham’s protector showed up in two (or three, or even four, depending on how you look at it) movies between 2016 and 2021. Zack Snyder’s version of Batman, played by Ben Affleck, debuted in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, cameo’d in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, then starred in the 2017 iteration of Justice League and Snyder’s restored, expanded, and revamped 2021 edition.

Affleck and Snyder’s Batman may not quite be the Timothy Dalton of the long line of actors who have played the Dark Knight, but there are some parallels to that Welsh actor’s two-film run as James Bond. For one, despite what we said above, Affleck’s reign technically only lasted for two full motion pictures. Like Dalton’s 007, Affleck’s Bat was supposed to be more ruthless and obsessive, in contrast to Christian Bale’s version in the Nolan movies, who saw his role as a civic duty but still yearned to quit the job.

Affleck’s Batman/Bruce Wayne was long past quitting, even if he had to build even heavier armor to protect his aging physique. But we’re not here to compare and contrast Bale’s Caped Crusader with Affleck’s; we’re ready to put Affleck side by side with his successor, The Batman’s Robert Pattinson, and see where and how the two are similar and where and how they diverge. It’s R-Battz vs. the Batfleck: how do they compare?

Warner Bros. Pictures

Bruce Wayne and the Batman

The Bruce Wayne/Batman of Matt Reeves’ movie is young and still coming into his own as Gotham’s Dark Knight. He’s been on the job vof two years (although strangely that’s probably less time than Bale’s version, who worked the streets for probably 12-18 months before going into retirement for eight years), and while he’s brutally efficient and effective at fighting crime on the ground, he’s not sure at the onset of The Batman if he’s having any kind of impact on his city.

He’s also physically more vulnerable and capable of mistakes. A direct blast from a shotgun doesn’t pierce his suit but it does incapacitate him, and a heroic flight over the streets of Gotham in a wingsuit ends with him crashing to the ground when his parachute gets stuck on an overpass.

The most important aspect of Reeves and Pattinson’s take on the Dark Knight is that he’s even more vulnerable mentally than physically. This Bruce Wayne, somewhere in his mid-20s, has not resolved his trauma over the death of his parents, and becoming Batman is of course the way he does it. But he’s not doing it necessarily for the good of Gotham; he’s working out his own rage and grief and acting out of a need for revenge — famously, his mantra for most of the film is “I am vengeance.”

This Bruce Wayne is not the playboy of years past either, and he does not interact with Gotham society as both Bale and Affleck’s Bruce Waynes do: he’s reclusive, almost nihilistic, not interested in his own life, his standing in the city, his vast fortune, or the well-being of his company. Calling him a “cross between Kurt Cobain and Howard Hughes,” Reeves says in the film’s production notes, “I wanted him to have almost a recluse rock-and-roll vibe…Bruce has retreated from being a Wayne and if you see him, it’s like seeing a rock star, but instead of going out and playing gigs at night, his gig is to be Batman.”

Pattinson’s Batman fights out of a place of pure emotion — even though he’s an excellent detective (although also capable of error) and methodical thinker, he has a “level of rage” which fuels the way he does battle and makes him a terrifying opponent. But yet, most importantly and in line with the classic mythology, he does not kill. That puts him closer to the Bale Batman than the Affleck one, who kills and maims his victims without a second thought.

In some ways, the Bruce/Bat we meet in The Batman could actually evolve into the Caped Crusader of the Snyder movies, should his worst tendencies dominate.

Affleck’s Wayne moves around the daytime world, but at night he is almost a force of nature, his massive armor and weaponry far more destructive and powerful than any of the hand-crafted gear that Pattinson’s Batman is wielding, driving, or wearing. Pattinson operates out of a dark, dilapidated tower in the middle of Gotham, with the cluttered, unkempt, dusty Batcave below carved out of an abandoned subway tunnel. Affleck has left his Wayne Manor to rot, operating instead out of a modern glass abode on the edge of a lake, far outside the city limits, with the Batcave as sleek and high-tech as possible.

Affleck’s Batman murders and mutilates, as we’ve said, and his cynical, world-weary “hero” is very much in line with the quasi-fascist view of superheroes that permeates the entire Snyderverse. In his view, the world is his responsibility alone, might makes right, and justice needs to be doled out by any means necessary. He’s not concerned with questions of morality. Yet his dark view of the world and homicidal impulses cloud his thinking as well — he’s easily manipulated by Lex Luthor into seeing Superman as an enemy instead of an ally.

By the end of Affleck’s stint as Batman, his Caped Crusader is somewhat more open to being part of a team and trusting the intentions of his teammates. By the end of The Batman, Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne realizes that he can step out into the light and perhaps have a greater influence on the citizens of Gotham by helping and not just terrorizing. But the way both men get to these slightly better places is very different.

Gotham City

Gotham City is very much a character in The Batman, perhaps more so than in any other Batman movie (although the Gothic fantasy land of the Tim Burton movies comes close). Whereas Joel Schumacher twisted Burton’s vision into a neon-lit psychedelic mix of circus and ancient Greek temples, and Nolan presented his “realistic” Gotham as more or less a modern American city (albeit one with a free, multi-level public transportation system), Reeves has something else in mind.

Despite the “grounded” nature of The Batman, Reeves’ Gotham City is an island unto itself, almost existing apart from the rest of the outside world (of which we hear almost nothing). The city is both overdeveloped and bustling, yet also labyrinthine, sick with shadows and rot, and full of abandoned, forgotten corners and places.

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It’s a city perpetually shrouded in darkness, gray, or rain, with nary a ray of sunlight seen throughout the entire three hours of The Batman, and it’s also a city for whom its crumbling seawalls (which the Riddler shatters with some well-placed explosives to flood the streets) are a metaphor for the social and criminal pressures threatening to cause Gotham to collapse.

Production designer James Chinlund says in the film’s production notes, “Gotham had had a very powerful heyday, and over the years, corruption had led to this massive decay. As if time had stopped, much of the growth of the city was frozen in the past.”

As for the Gotham of the Snyderverse, it’s safe to say that it’s a relative non-entity in those movies. Most of Batman v Superman takes place in Metropolis — located just across the river from Gotham — and we see basically just a few rooftops in Justice League. The latter film is more globetrotting in nature, going to the ancient world, Russia, Themyscira, Norway, Central City, and space.

Warner Bros. Pictures

The Support Staff

One of the genuinely enjoyable aspects of Affleck’s two outings in the cape was his relationship with loyal manservant, mechanic, and technical genius Alfred, played with a prickly snarkiness by the great Jeremy Irons. This Alfred is super-competent and seemingly quite capable of working on anything that Batman needs him to, whether it’s the Batplane or a computer program.

There is a sarcastic affection between Alfred and Bruce — with Alfred always muttering something in exasperation under his breath — but a subtle respect as well, perhaps due to Bruce Wayne having made it 20 years in the cowl without getting himself killed. Yet Alfred is also quite aware of the mental state of the man he dutifully serves, and tries to make him as aware of that as possible.

“He has an interesting history,” Irons told Indiewire about his Alfred back in 2014. “He’s a very competent man…He can sort of do everything: change light bulbs, blow up bridges if he has to.”

Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, has a very different relationship with his Alfred, played by Andy Serkis. The two do not speak as much, and this younger Bruce Wayne tends to shrug off the advice that Alfred gives him. Like the Irons version, the Serkis take on the character hints at a widely experienced background in the military, with a cane and some facial scars as mementos of his service.

He’s far less comfortable serving as a surrogate parent for Bruce, an aspect of the character that is important to the plot of The Batman — with Alfred carrying a heavy amount of guilt over his inability to be a true father figure to the young orphan. But Alfred is also fiercely protective of both Bruce and his late father, attempting to explain and justify the Wayne family’s somewhat more sordid history.

“Being a military man, he is used to rules and regulations, structure and precision,” Serkis told the Hollywood Reporter about his Alfred Pennyworth. “I wanted him to have that military solidity in the way he dressed and carried himself, which is ruffled with Bruce’s nihilism and refusal to listen to him anymore. It’s a relationship built on shifting sands.”

Both Batmen, Affleck and Pattinson, tend to work alone or with Alfred on their vehicles, wardrobe, and gadgetry (until of course, in the case of the former, he gets together with his Super-Friends). In other words, there’s no Lucius Fox in either of these universes.

One of the absolute best elements of The Batman is the relationship between the Bat and GCPD lieutenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). The movie opens with Gordon and Batman already having a bond of respect and trust, with each recognizing the other’s strengths, and that bond is only deepened as they work together as a true team for the better part of The Batman’s runtime.

Wright is fantastic in the role — perhaps the definitive screen Gordon, all due respect to the terrific Gary Oldman — and he projects decency and humanity, providing a welcome counterpoint to both the corruption of just about every other official in Gotham and a sense of normality opposite Pattinson’s haunted, perhaps unstable Batman.

As for the Gordon glimpsed in the Snyderverse…while the idea of J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon on paper sounds like ideal casting, we barely see enough of him in either version of Justice League. Simmons does what he can but has almost nothing to work with. The relationship between him and Batman is also strangely undefined, despite the Batman in these movies having been on the job for two decades. Perhaps he’ll have better luck when he shows up again in HBO’s upcoming Batgirl movie.

And finally, a word on Batman’s longtime and (in the movies) mostly invisible sidekick and ward, Robin: he’s doesn’t exist in The Batman and he’s already dead in Batman v Superman, killed at some point in the past by the Joker. So the idea of a partner in crimefighting isn’t even on Pattinson’s radar, while the murderous rage of Affleck’s Batman seems at least partially driven by Robin’s murder.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Heroes and Villains

Zack Snyder’s version of Batman backed into a jury-rigged DC film universe that was assembled on the fly once Warner Bros. Pictures saw how incredibly well Marvel had succeeded with The Avengers. But Marvel laid each piece carefully in place before unleashing the big team-up on the world. DC made exactly one movie, Man of Steel, before introducing us in haphazard fashion to the rest of what would become the Justice League.

So when Batman entered the scene in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, he immediately found himself in a world that had been invaded by godlike beings from another planet — one of which had apparently been living and operating here for years.

We never got any indication of what Batman’s world was like before this — or what his version of Gotham was like. Did he fight fantastical villains like Man-Bat and Mr. Freeze, or did he stick to common gangsters and a few freakish psychopaths like Joker and Scarecrow? Either way, the Batman of the Snyderverse finds himself in a whole new world in Batman v Superman and Justice League.

Strangely, he and Alfred almost take it as a matter of fact — it’s Bruce, after all, who begins the quest to assemble the Justice League after Superman’s temporary death. Perhaps seeing Superman and Zod fight in the skies above Metropolis prepares him for meeting beings like Wonder Woman and Aquaman who are clearly also quite god-like in their abilities, if not quite on the level of Superman.

Then of course there are the enemies that Batman and his allies must face: first Lex Luthor himself (the only strictly human villain in either movie, but larger than life) and the Luthor-created Doomsday in Batman v Superman, then hordes of parademons, Steppenwolf, and the minions of Darkseid in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In just his second outing in this universe, this version of the Caped Crusader is literally battling an army of outer space monsters. Reality be damned!

The Batman of the Reeves/Pattinson universe is working on an entirely different level. As The Batman begins (sorry), he is going after all the street-level criminals he can find and beat the shit out of, with nary a gadget or kryptonite spear in sight.

There’s no time for mythology about the gods of ancient Earth or space invaders or mother boxes or Amazons in the world of The Batman. Bruce Wayne and his city have enough problems.

The rest of the movie finds the Batman mixing it up with some of Gotham’s most powerful mobsters, including classic criminals like the Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), as well as a vicious serial killer who turns out to be (as they always are) a pathetic little man with a plan in the end.

Even the Riddler’s “army” — which is relatively small despite the damage they cause to Gotham Square Garden — are all human beings, albeit mentally twisted ones, under their green masks. Sure, Riddler floods the city and stages a terrorist attack, but that’s small potatoes compared to the flexing Batman has to do to stop the Earth from being destroyed.

Batman even strikes up an alliance — and a possible romance — with a burglar and mob hangout waitress called Selina Kyle, showing an empathetic side that can see the good in some people of questionable morality. We don’t get any sense of that being possible with the Snyder/Affleck Batman. He does have the usual affection for Alfred, and there’s a hint of flirtation with Wonder Woman, but the Affleck version of the Dark Knight is all cold-hearted business. He has a world to save, not just a city.

The Batman is in theaters now.

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