Yesterday, director Matt Reeves sent out a tweet confirming that principal photography has begun on the next Batman film.
This marks not only the first official still from the production of the film, albeit one featuring what looks like a leather chair and a film clapperboard, but the first time that the title ‘The Batman’ has been used in any sort of official capacity.
Today, Warner Bros. Pictures released the following press release:
BURBANK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Batman.” Director Matt Reeves (the “Planet of the Apes” films) is at the helm, with Robert Pattinson (upcoming “Tenet,” “The Lighthouse,” “Good Time”) starring as Gotham City’s vigilante detective, Batman, and billionaire Bruce Wayne.
Starring alongside Pattinson as Gotham’s famous and infamous cast of characters are Zoë Kravitz (“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” “Mad Max: Fury Road”) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (“Love & Mercy,” “12 Years a Slave”) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (the “Hunger Games” films) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the “Transformers” films) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (“The Magnificent Seven,” “Black Mass”) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (“Farewell Amor”) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the “Planet of the Apes” films, “Black Panther”) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Dumbo”) as Oswald Cobblepot.
Reeves and Dylan Clark (the “Planet of the Apes” films) are producing the film, with Simon Emanuel, Michael E. Uslan, Walter Hamada and Chantal Nong Vo serving as executive producers. Reeves’ behind-the-scenes creative team includes Oscar-nominated director of photography Greig Fraser (“Lion,” upcoming “Dune”); his “Planet of the Apes” production designer, James Chinlund; editors William Hoy (the “Planet of the Apes” films) and Tyler Nelson (“Rememory”); Oscar-winning VFX supervisor Dan Lemmon (“The Jungle Book”); Oscar-nominated SFX supervisor Dominic Tuohy (“1917,” “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker”); Oscar-nominated sound mixer Stuart Wilson (“1917,” the “Star Wars” franchise); Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (“1917,” “Little Women,” “Anna Karenina”) and costume designers Glyn Dillon (the “Star Wars” franchise) and David Crossman (“1917,” the “Star Wars” franchise); hair designer Zoe Tahir (upcoming “No Time to Die,” “Spectre”); and Oscar-nominated makeup designer Naomi Donne (“1917”).
Batman was created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. Based on characters from DC, “The Batman” is set to open in theaters June 25, 2021 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Combined with the tweet, it is probably a sure bet that the film is in fact entitled “The Batman”, so we will continue to refer to it like that going forward.
Also of note is the reveal that actor Peter Sarsgaard will be playing an original character, D.A. Gil Colson and not Harvey Dent/Two-Face as had been speculated. With a roster of characters that includes the Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman, this is probably for the best. This is the first movie in what will be a new series of Batman films, and while it’s exciting that we appear to be getting a film where Batman’s world is more firmly established than what we’ve previously seen in films before, there is really no reason to crowd the movie with all the A-list villains in the first film.
With the announcement of principle photography having begun, it’s also very possible that the set photos that have been making rounds over the last few weeks were second unit coverage, maybe for quick shots and exteriors before the film locks down in the secrecy of Warner Bros. Studio Leavesden, where much of the film will be shot.
With anticipated shooting beginning soon in Glasgow, Scotland, which will be used for portions of the Gotham skyline according to Scottish media, rumors persist that we could be headed for our first look at Robert Pattinson as Batman or the new Batmobile soon. Given how most of the official information has been released, I would recommend keeping a close eye on Matt Reeves’ Twitter.
“The Batman” is set to release on June 25, 2021. We will be sure to bring all of the latest updates as they come in.
