#The Batman Footage Breakdown: 15 Things We Learned About the Movie

The long-awaited The Batman trailer was finally unveiled during the DC FanDome event. Since then, fans have been going over every second of the two and a half minute footage in minute detail to unearth as many clues as possible. Here is a breakdown of everything the trailer tells us about Reeves’ new take on the world of Gotham and the Dark Knight.

Corruption in Gotham at The Highest Level

The trailer begins with a masked assailant applying tape over the face of a prone figure. The words ‘No more lies’ are scribbled across the tape, and newspaper clippings reveal the dead body belongs to Gotham mayor Don Mitchell Jr., who judging from the ‘No more lies’ line, was engaged in some form of corruption. This bears out with Reeves’ remarks during his DC FanDome panel that The Batman will examine the vast amount of corruption that is plaguing Gotham at every level.

The Wayne Family Is Part Of The Problem

At one point, Batman is told by the villain in voiceover that he is a part of the problem. This, coupled with Reeves’ previous statement that Bruce Wayne’s parents had a part in the corruption of Gotham, leads to the possibility that Riddler knows Batman’s secret identity, and blames Bruce in part for the city’s problems.

The Dark Knight Reference

In one scene, we see a newspaper framed in the background with the headline saying crime boss Salvatore Maroni’s operations have been busted. Maroni was a prominent gangster in both The Dark Knight films and Batman: The Long Halloween comic.

A Psychotic New Take On Riddler

Traditionally, the Riddler is depicted as among the zaniest of Batman villains, dressing up in bright green spandex and creating elaborate riddles to mess with the Dark Knight. But the Riddler in this movie is far more psychotic, a serial killer who commits gruesome crimes and leaves behind clues and symbols to taunt Batman.

Batman Is Friendly with the Police

We see Robert Pattinson as Batman walking through a crime scene and interacting with Commissioner Jim Gordon. This means Pattinson’s Batman works closely with the police, unlike past iterations of the characters who were seen as unlawful vigilantes. Reeves has said his take on Batman is considered a useful ally by the people of Gotham but is also feared due to his unpredictable nature. In another scene, we see Batman almost start a prison riot before being stopped by Gotham PD, further indicating an uneasy relationship between cops and Batman.

Batman’s Homemade Armor

We get a proper look at the new Batsuit in action. It has a rough, homemade feel to it, and appears worn down a bit from overuse. This is borne out by Reeves, who stated that Batman made the costume himself, and has been using it a great deal in the two years he has been in operation.

Riddler’s Secret Language

Gordon gives Batman a message left at the crime scene which carries a special message for the Caped Crusader from the Riddler. The message is shown to have a secret language printed at the bottom, and that language will likely have to be decoded in order for Batman to decipher the Riddler’s plans.

An Obsessive Batman

Previous versions of Batman have been shown to have a clear demarcation between their lives as a vigilante and as a wealthy socialite. Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne, however, seems to have devoted his whole life to being Batman. In some scenes, he is shown to be wearing the black eyeliner makeup he puts on underneath the cowl, even when he is not in costume. This indicates Pattinson’s Batman has little time for anything other than crime-fighting, as he is shown following a suspicious vehicle in broad daylight on a bike without his crime-fighting costume.

A Ferocious Batman

In one scene, we see Batman respond extremely violently to a criminal demanding to know his identity. Batman’s response consists of brutally punching the criminal and continuing to punch him after he has fallen. This makes the rest of the criminals back down without ever trying to fight the Dark Knight. Clearly, this Batman has no problem taking an ultra-violent route to fighting crime.

Selina Kyle is not Catwoman yet

We get a look at Selina Kyle breaking into a safe before being interrupted by Batman. While Selina’s fighting and thieving skills are as good as previous versions of the character, she is not yet wearing her iconic Catwoman costume.

Oswald Cobblepot is not Penguin yet

Colin Farrell also shows up for a few seconds as the Penguin, but is hard to spot as his famous character, since he is not wearing the iconic tux or top hat. Reeves has said that Oswald Cobblepot has not yet become the supervillain mob boss Penguin, and in fact hates being referred to by that name.

Joker’s gang or Riddler’s Gang?

Batman fights a group of thugs who wear white makeup that could be said to resemble either skeletons or jokers. The thugs are either in the employ of the Riddler or the Joker, who is rumored to appear in the franchise in the sequel to The Batman.

Unfinished Batcave

Fans are used to seeing a Batcave that uniquely represents each Batman’s unique aesthetic. In the case of Pattinson’s Batman, however, the cave appears to simply be a large room with various crime-fighting equipment littered around it, and staircases leading up to the rest of Wayne Manor.

Rocket-powered Batmobile

We also see the Batmobile being powered by a blue flame shooting out of its back in one scene. Other than the flame, the car seems to be similar to regular cars, instead of the giant tank that we got to see in Christopher Nolan’s films.

Mystery Villain

While the numerous riddles scattered across the trailer might make it seem as though the Riddler is the main villain of the story, the person who is in charge of all the killings cannot be definitely confirmed as the famous supervillain. Aside from the green coat and glasses, the mystery villain has no costume indicators that he is, in fact, the Riddler. Considering The Batman is being hyped as a mystery movie, it would be too predictable to have the final villain turn out to be the Riddler. Fans have noted the look of the villain resembles that of the Batman villain Hush, who just might turn out to be the surprise package of the whole storyline.

Topics: The Batman, Batman, DC FanDome