The introduction of an older Bruce Wayne in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice wasn't what anyone expected for the burgeoning DC Extended Universe, a cinematic reality that was only barely starting to take shape. Instead of having an inexperienced Batman take to the streets and rooftops of Gotham City, we had one who was a 20-year veteran, someone who had gone up against all of his biggest foes over the years, and who had lost so much even before we met him.
While a bold and interesting choice, this also meant that fans of the character had no idea how this version of Batman had started his superhero career. Therefore, when news came that War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves was hard at work on a solo untitled Batman film, one that was set inside the DCEU, many assumed that an origin story was in order. After all, the character's first appearance in Dawn of Justice pictured the Dark Knight at the end of his career -- it would then only seem logical to have the solo film capture his beginnings.
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With such a highly-anticipated project, it didn't take long for all sorts of rumors to surface. Of course, there are some that occasionally tackle the eternal question of whether Ben Affleck will star in the film, while others have tried to figure out what the story will involve. In late July, a popular theory gained traction when a rumor seemed to confirm that Reeves' film would adapt Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's 1987 classic Batman: Year One.
However, Reeves quickly spoke up to set the record straight, unambiguously stating that his film isn't based on Year One at all. In fact, it's not even an origin story, but a dark affair meant to explore the Dark Knight in his prime as the world's greatest detective. And, frankly, that is a decidedly good thing. While many were hoping for a Year One adaption, it's something that we simply don't need to see -- again.
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While seeing the origin of the DCEU's Batman sounds intriguing in theory, it's not something that we need to see. After all, we already saw the broad strokes in the opening of Dawn of Justice, when Bruce Wayne lost his parents. We know this is the loss driving his crusade -- showing us (again) how he trained to become Batman is simply unnecessary; Batman's origin isn't needed, because the audience already knows it.
What's more, Batman: Year One is a story that has already been adapted. It served as inspiration for Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, and it also got the animated movie treatment in 2011. Yes, the story itself, by Miller and Mazzucchelli, is a quintessential Batman graphic novel. It redefined the modern interpretation of the character, it gave us a definitive post-Crisis origin story, and it showed the character's potential as a dark and gritty persona following years of colorful, goofy adventures in the comics and on television. Given that Reeves has also confirmed that Year One is one of his favorite Batman stories, its influence will more than likely be felt in the film, but these influences will be in theme and style, not in plot.
Reeves promises fans a dark Batman film that focuses on the character's skills as a detective -- in short, the film fans have been waiting for. In live-action portrayals of the character, very rarely have we seen Bruce Wayne portrayed as the world's greatest detective. We've glimpsed hints here and there, but it's never been the sole point of focus of a film. Now is the perfect time to give us something new, something that hasn't been done with the character before.
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Take the Batman: Arkham Asylum video game, for example. This was the first in a series of popular games, one that introduced many players to the dark and twisted world of Batman. The premise of the game saw Batman spending a single night in the criminal asylum, fighting his most classic foes in new and inventive ways. There was no origin -- he was presented as an established hero, and fans happily went along with it. The general audience knows the character, and how he came to be; now, they just want to see him do what he does best.
Matt Reeves’ Batman solo film does not have a production start date, nor does it have an official cast or release date. The film is expected to arrive sometime in 2020 at the earliest. Next up on the DCEU docket is James Wan’s Aquaman, which is slated for release Dec. 21, David F. Sandberg’s Shazam!, which hits theaters April 5, 2019 and Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984, which drops Nov. 1, 2019.