'The Batman': What Robert Pattinson's Batmobile says about the tone of upcoming Matt Reeves film
The Batmobile can set the tone of a Batman franchise even more than the design of the Batsuit itself. The Batsuit has a certain look to adhere to and movies have played with minor variations over the years (including the infamous latex nipples), but the Batmobile has had more room for variation.
You have the posh, almost limousine-like Batmobile from 'Batman: The Animated Series', that showed off Batman's class and wealth, through a dark gothic lends. It was for a show that focused almost as much on Bruce Wayne as it did on Batman, and it was a car designed for a Wayne. The Batmobile of the live-action 1989 movie starring Michael Keaton was very much a product of its time, straddling the line between radical coolness and utter absurdity and managing to lean towards the latter and also emphasizing Batman's intimidating nature with a style that was hard to ignore.
Flash forward to the more recent movies. With 'Batman Begins' and 'Batman v Superman', we see a more tank-like Batmobile, trying to portray a more "realistic" version of Batman with all militaristic power, a Batman who didn't just go up against muggers in the back-alleys of Gotham but costumed terrorists and alien gods.
Earlier today, Matt Reeves revealed the first look at the newest Batmobile, to appear on 'The Batman'.
It's a definite step away from the one-man-army versions of the Batmobile seen in recent years. It is sleeker, more compact, and from the wrong angle might even look like an ordinary car — albeit an incredibly stylish one. A look at the back of the vehicle reveals its engine, the guts of the machine out on display.
Combined with the first official reveals of Robert Pattinson in the Batsuit, it all suggests a younger Batman than we are used to, a Batman closer to his early 20s. It suggests a certain sleek stylishness, a movie that prioritizes looking cool over practicality or intimidation. Fans have pointed out that the car looks like it belongs in a 'Fast & Furious' movie and given the popularity of the franchise, there are worse ways to go.
It's a car that's meant to look good in a high-speed chase that's also stylish during stunts, and if the Batmobile is any indication of the film's style of action, we can expect much of the same from Pattinson as well.
'The Batman' is set to release in cinemas on June 25, 2021.