One of the intriguing things about Matt Reeves' The Batman is how the director approached this film, not just as a grounded entry into Bruce Wayne's second year of fighting crime, but as a character portrait where his mind is torn.

The Bat came off rather violent in trailers so far, pushed to his limit by Paul Dano's Ridder, with telling frames of Alfred, Commissioner Gordon and Catwoman hinting he'll cross the line. As such, this descent into darkness may well be why this Dark Knight will be killed off, with his thirst for vengeance poisoning his soul.

RELATED: The Batman Movie Prequel Pays Tribute to Bruce Wayne's Most Sinister Identity

robert pattinson as the batman

In the past, actor Robert Pattinson told Total Film it's difficult to see how the story could continue into potential sequels. "It’s a really, really unusual Batman story, and it almost seems harder for me to imagine it being a series afterwards," Pattinson elaborated. "I mean, they always have that little bit at the end, that’s like: '...and coming up!' But other than that, it feels strangely personal. I think people will be quite shocked at how different it is."

Now, that doesn't mean Bruce won't live on, as Pattison has also spoken about doing follow-ups as the Bat. But the vigilante "dying" in the interim could be part of Reeves' plans to expand the Batverse while Bruce heals. He's already overseeing planned TV projects regarding the Penguin and Gotham PD, while Catwoman was also rumored to be a possible project with HBO Max. Thus, Reeves does have an idea of how self-contained stories, before and after the Bat, can be told.

RELATED: The Batman Prequel Reveals the Batmobile's Fast & Furious Origin

The Bat being placed on ice for now would connect to Riddler's taunts how Bruce was part of a broken system, which the prequel novel expanded on by making the Waynes a bit more arrogant and disconnected from society. It'd also tie into Reeves' love for the Nirvana song "Something in the Way," which was used in trailers. The director admitted he was fascinated with Kurt Cobain's tragedy, which helped influence how his Bruce is introverted and reclusive. Thus, it's easy to envision him opting for a grim end for the Caped Crusader, which could result in his demons dying with him. Another hint to the Bat dying could lie in Michael Giacchino's "The Batman," a score he admitted was influenced by Darth Vader's "The Imperial March." Vader got lost in the darkness, trying to bring peace and order to the galaxy, and it's only when he was ready to die that he saw the light and yearned for redemption. With both themes so similar, it may be the Bat needs to be reborn from the tyrant he was becoming.

He can fake his death or simply let Gotham think he passed on, which is something the Bat has done in so many comics, cartoons and even the movies. It'll allow time to rebuild the symbol in an even more grounded arc from scratch, transforming into a Batman who understands his purpose and who has properly dealt with his grief, anger and trauma. This organically opens space for Nightwing, Red Hood, the Batgirls, Spoiler and even the Robins, moving away from the teen sidekick arc.

As the power vacuum explodes, this absence would temper Bruce's journey, allow him to traverse the world and level up, while fostering a path for villains such as Mr. Freeze and the Court of Owls -- both enemies Pattinson would like to face -- to sink their teeth into Gotham. Thus, Reeves would be creating supply and demand, with a city begging for a hero and a Batman finally ready to step up.

To see if the Dark Knight lives or dies, check out The Batman when it hits theaters on March 4 before making its way to HBO Max on April 19.

KEEP READING: The Batman Movie Prequel Revealed Bruce Had a Catwoman Before Selina Kyle