Early reactions are beginning to trickle in for Warner Bros. and DC Films' The Batman, with the highest of praise being directed towards Robert Pattinson's Caped Crusader.
MTV UK shared a handful of reactions following the premiere in London on Feb. 23. "Matt Reeves delivers a nail-biting, gritty and fun Batman coming-of-age story," MTV Movies' Hanna Flint shared. Unilad went on to call The Batman "absolutely euphoric," with Total Filmcalling it "sensational," Empire declaring it "gripping" and Insider boldly claiming, "Robert Pattinson will be your new favourite Batman."
The Batman was originally envisioned as a DC Extended Universe film starring Ben Affleck, who would also direct, produce and co-write the project. After Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, however, Warner Bros.' plans began to change, and Affleck was slowly phased out, admittedly of his own volition. Reeves was eventually tapped to direct and co-write the film with Matson Tomlin, and Robert Pattinson was soon cast as the new Bruce Wayne in a movie that would no longer exist in the DCEU proper.
"Ben [Affleck] had been working on a version of the script," Reeves recently explained, "and I said, ‘Here’s the thing: I respect that the DC Universe has become an extended universe and all the movies were kind of connected. But another Batman film, it shouldn’t have to carry the weight of connecting the characters from all those other movies. I didn’t want them in there."
Rather than retell the Dark Knight's infamous origin story, The Batman brings fans right into his second year of crimefighting as he contends with foes like Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Edward Nashton/The Riddler (Paul Dano). The movie also explores Bruce's complicated relationship with the antihero Selina Kyle/Catwoman, played by Zöe Kravitz.
"The character is so well-developed in the script," Kravitz recently said. "I was really excited to explore her backstory, where she comes from, and the process she goes through to [become] Catwoman. "It was really lovely to be able to play Selena and not have to jump straight to Catwoman. I think with these iconic characters that we all love so much, it can be overwhelming in terms of, 'Okay, now here's the Catwoman.' I have this wonderful opportunity to slowly develop her and the audience gets to come on that journey with me. Obviously, learning all the combat, and the way she moves, and finding ways to kind of hint at who she will become was a really fun process."
The Batman arrives in theaters March 4.