Matt Reeves' upcoming film The Batman is laying the foundation for a Bat-Verse.
Speaking to Esquire, Reeves detailed his approach to building a new universe from the ground up in The Batman. Though the director has made it clear that he had no interest in connecting The Batman to the DC Extended Universe, he's already started working with Warner Bros. on potential projects that spin out of his vision of Gotham City. Still, while plans are already in the works, Reeves says nothing is guaranteed yet. "It will obviously have a lot to do with how people receive this film."
This statement isn't the first time Reeves has talked about expanding the world of The Batman. In 2020, HBO Max announced an original series set in the world of Matt Reeves' film, centered around the Gotham City police department. At the time, HBO Max's press release hinted that this series would lead to a "Batman universe across platforms." Reeves later confirmed that this tentatively titled Gotham PD series would be a prequel to The Batman.
In response to COVID-19, Warner Bros. pushed back numerous projects, including The Batman. As such, the development of the film's potential spinoffs has been slow. Last summer, reports began circulating that HBO Max's series would instead be titled Arkham, teasing a connection to Gotham's infamous Arkham Asylum, which houses the city's most dangerous villains. Furthermore, rumors now suggest the series will feature both Batman and Joker in prominent roles, potentially bringing the Clown Prince of Crime to the world of Reeves' film.
The Batman stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, who is currently in his second year as a costumed crime-fighter. The film's plot revolves around Paul Dano's Riddler, who has launched a series of attacks on Gotham City over perceived issues with the Wayne Family legacy. The film will also feature Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Jeffrey Wright as a GCPD officer and Colin Farrell as the Penguin, the latter of whom is getting his own HBO Max spinoff.
While fans wait for news on The Batman's live-action spinoffs, Reeves is part of the creative team for the hero's next animated series, Batman: Caped Crusader. HBO Max and Cartoon Network are developing the show and recently brought on comic scribe Ed Brubaker as head writer, with Reeves, Bruce Timm and J.J. Abrams attached as executive producers. The official description for the series calls it a "reimagining of the Batman mythology" that takes the character back to his noir roots.
The Batman hits theaters on March 4.
Source: Esquire