'The Batman' may be an even darker take on the Gotham superhero, suggest film's working title and first look

The Waynes' murder in Crime Alley might be the one crime that Matt Reeves' upcoming film might just be revolving around
(Greig Fraser/Warner Bros)
(Greig Fraser/Warner Bros)

With another Batman movie on the horizon, it's time for the Waynes to be shot dead, once again. What is one of the most familiar scenes in superhero history will likely be played out once again, as every new Batman needs their trauma.

It seems, however, that this film might be giving that traumatic moment a lot more weight than any film before it. The Waynes' murder in Crime Alley might be the one crime that Matt Reeves' upcoming film might just be revolving around.

A working title for 'The Batman' film has been confirmed: 'Vengeance.' While Bruce Wayne's trauma has certainly been the driving force of his war against crime, it's rarely been portrayed as a vendetta. The Batman identity is adopted as a way to honor his parents, and a way of preventing his dark fate from ever happening to anyone else.

This film, from what little we've seen of it, seems to be going down a darker, more violent take. Yes, that's right, even darker and more violent than the henchman murdering Batman we saw in 'Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.'

The first look sees Pattinson's Batman bathed in bright led light. The close-up of his costume reveals a segmented Bat-symbol, one that many fans have speculated, is made of parts from the gun that killed his parents. The closer you look at the symbol, the more it does appear to have been made from the handle of a gun.

The symbology of Batman's symbol being literally comprised of the gun that killed his parents is the kind of on-the-nose symbology that is very, very comics, but not very Batman.

We may be about to see a Batman whose dark, aloof exterior may be hiding greater rage than we've ever seen before. This looks to be a Batman who relishes the violence he unleashes against criminals to an extent that the Punisher would have been proud of. 

Of course, the working title could be a misdirect, as many working titles often are, but it does feel like a darker, and more violent tone is what the movie is going for. It seems that every new 'Batman' reboot is seeking to outdo its predecessors in terms of how dark things can get, and in this film, we may just be seeing how far Hollywood is willing to push the bounds of credulity. 

'The Batman' is set to release in cinemas on June 25, 2021.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

‘A Dog’s Perfect Christmas’ captures Michigan’s Christmas vibes in another country
2026-11-10T11:25:54.000Z
One decision from Hunter and a surprise in the closing moments wrap up the Goss family story
2026-11-10T10:17:31.000Z
James Gunn is stepping down as DC Studios co-CEO but has another project in development for the franchise, raising questions about his future as a director
2026-11-10T09:23:55.000Z
Cole Hauser’s next project follows FBI undercover agent Scott Payne’s two decades of dangerous missions, including infiltrating a neo-Nazi group.
2026-11-10T06:13:30.000Z
The film adapts a memoir about a grieving New York writer and the famed neurologist he fell in love with
2026-11-10T04:01:27.000Z
Pattinson and Washington lead Netflix’s 'The Take,' a heist thriller about a bank robbery filled with deception and double crosses.
2026-11-09T20:31:44.000Z
Suburbia meets dinosaur territory in Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor’s ‘The End of Oak Street,’ arriving soon on HBO Max.
2026-11-07T19:01:32.000Z
The search for Daniel Craig’s James Bond successor takes another turn as two familiar faces reportedly enter the race for 007.
2026-11-07T13:45:19.000Z
Paramount slots the Hasbro reimagining just ahead of Halloween, with McBride directing his first feature
2026-11-07T10:09:36.000Z
‘Heated Rivalry’ will be showcased in a special event from November 6 to November 30
2026-11-07T08:42:14.000Z