It seems that no matter which version of Batman you sell, he is always popular. From feature films and animated films to all sorts of animated series and comics, The Dark Knight is, without a doubt, DC Comics’ best-seller - and, by extension, Warner Bros. Batman, Matt ReevesThe latest directorial effort has especially impressed audiences around the world, and fans are hungry for more. With a breathtaking story, incredible performances (especially from Robert Pattisonwhich confuses him as Batman), and a thought-provoking personal journey for our protagonist, Batman goes to some familiar places, and to others not so familiar. No doubt the sequel is already in some stage of development and Reeves is also an executive producer on the upcoming movie. Batman: Caped Crusader animated series - next JJ Abrams and DCAU legend Bruce Timm - it’s clear that his job with Gotham’s guardian isn’t over.
Throughout the history of The Batman Movie, the Dark Knight has faced gangsters, underground crime empires, murderous clowns, angry district attorneys, terrorists, assassins, and supervillains with superpowers. He has fought criminals such as the Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, Scarecrow, and Bane on numerous occasions and fought them both alone and with allies. And that’s not to mention the extraterrestrial threats that Ben AffleckDCEU Batman had to fight alongside Superman (whom he also fought), Wonder Woman and the Justice League! Whether Tim Burton, Christopher Nolanor Zack Snyder at the helm, almost every threat Batman has faced in the comics, he has faced on the big screen. Well, all kinds except one… paranormal.
The possibility of the supernatural is the only thing a modern living Batman has yet to face, which is a shame considering there are so many obvious possibilities worth exploring. Of course everyone loves Se7en- inspired by crime dramas about serial killers (right?), and Batman this is certainly true, but in the same way that Nolan’s Batman went from being a standalone blockbuster superhero to Batman Begins to its thoughtful and revolutionary climax in Rise of the dark knight (which honestly doesn’t even feel like a superhero movie) so Reeves’ next installment may start to explore uncharted waters. Ironically, Nolan The Dark Knight Trilogy could have easily done it himself, especially given that one of Batman’s most supernatural foes is Ra’s al Ghul (played by Liam Neeson in the Nolan trilogy), a warlord who first appeared as Bruce’s mentor in Batman Begins. In the comics, Ra’s, who appeared during Denis O’Neill as well as Neil Adamsiconic 1970s Batman - Uses supernaturally charged Lazarus Pits to sustain his life for centuries, actively dabbling in Eastern mystical arts.
But you can go back much further than 1971 to read supernatural-filled Batman stories, in fact, some of the Dark Knight’s earliest adventures involve him hunting and killing vampires to save his fiancee from being turned into a werewolf! Seriously, go back and watch the original Detective comics #31-32, the first two-part Batman story, you won’t regret it. They even re-told the story in 2006. Batman and the Mad Monk, it’s so good. In fact, there are plenty of other supernatural Batman villains just waiting to make their live debut, including the likes of the zombie Solomon Grundy, the thieving Gentleman Ghost, the cultist Deacon Blackfire, the terrorist leader Kobra, and even the famous vampire Count Dracula himself! While we’re not in favor of Dracula being Batman’s next big villain (although Batman vs Dracula proved that it would actually be very cool), it’s worth noting that one of the most popular Batman stories outside of continuity is Batman & Dracula: Red Rain trilogy in which the Caped Crusader confronts Bram Stokeran infamous villain only to turn into a vampire himself. Pretty creepy.
While some of these characters mentioned earlier may be literal zombies or ghosts, we don’t have to immediately throw Batman too far into the paranormal depths. Starting with villains like Dr. Simon Hurt or the Court of Owls, there are simple and practical ways in which the Caped Crusader could slowly begin to accept the existence of the supernatural world. Dr. Hurt is a great example because he bridges the gap between science (well, pseudoscience) and reality, using a variety of strange practices that seem more paranormal than normal. But the best example would be the Court of Owls, which would allow for the introduction of their undead Talon assassins. These Claws are only kept alive (though technically dead) by an elixir called electrum, which sounds far more supernatural (like the Lazarus Pits) than scientific. Owls would be especially interesting given their deep and direct connections to Gotham’s pre-established underworld (something like Batman already explored), as well as the conspiracy behind their existence, giving Batman a Robert Pattinson room to still use his growing detective skills.
Not only in this, but also in Scott Snyder as well as Greg Capullo the infamous New 52 Batman run, which first introduced the shady organization, it is revealed that a wealthy Gotham socialite named Lincoln March is actually Talon, and is quite possibly Bruce Wayne’s deceased brother (he definitely believes he is). Whether Reeves and co decide to go down that path or not (although after the direction they took with Martha Wayne, it certainly seems possible), there’s no doubt that many Batman fans, including this one, would love to see Court of Owls in Batman Live (they were on Gothambut it doesn’t count). The trial will also open the door for other Batman villains, namely fan favorite Mr. Freeze, whom the group has contracted to have Reeves and company revive them as part of an overarching conspiracy. Come on, Matt Reeves, do it!
But still, the supernatural has to be considered at some point in the live-action Batman filmography, or at least hinted at. Why? Because it’s an element of the DC Universe that Batman himself has always been uncomfortable with, and that makes for a compelling storytelling experience. Whether he teams up with Zatanna, John Constantine, Doctor Fate, or the Demon Etrigan, Batman finds it hard to believe and understand the supernatural. Despite the fact that his own father, Thomas Wayne, adhered to the traditional Christian faith before his death, the paranormal still bothers Batman, who is more likely to believe in what he can physically see with his own eyes. The supernatural has always eluded the Dark Knight detective, and this is one of the reasons why he was unwilling to explore it further than necessary. The introduction of Ra’s al Ghul forced Batman to acknowledge the existence of the supernatural in DC’s modern continuity, although he remains concerned about the effects of the Lazarus Pit being used to resurrect his nemesis. With the paranormal, all rules and even reality itself can be broken, and what was once one can quickly become another; Batman hates this uncertainty, and that is why it should be fought.
Animated film last year Batman: Dragon Sword propelled Batman on a mystical journey alongside the likes of Lady Shiva, Bronze Tiger, and Richard the Dragon as they confront Cobra, who craved power from another demonic realm. The film not only skillfully balanced these characters, but pushed Batman to his limits, ending with the Dark Knight sacrificing himself to the demonic realm to stop these creatures from taking over the world. We’re not saying that the next live-action Batman movie should copy this in any way, and we’re not saying that Batman himself should fight demons on screen (we’ve already seen him fight a lot of parademons in Justice League Zack Snyder), but rather we are trying to emphasize: Batman shouldn’t be limited to petty crime or even the mafia, but should be able to discover things that aren’t always quantifiable..
Without a doubt, some of the very best Batman stories such as Batman: Year One as well as Long Halloween, revolve around Bruce Wayne fighting organized crime in Gotham. To be honest, we’ve seen parts of all the best Batman stories adapted for the big screen in the last two decades, be it Knight’s fall or The Dark Knight Returns, so we can only take the same. But Batman’s story never stops there, not even with costumed criminals emerging from the chaos. Rather, Batman - before he even became Batman - will end up being exposed to otherworldly forces he doesn’t understand, and that’s part of what makes his story fresh and exciting.
Matt Reeves Batman does a great job of thematically bringing our hero back to his original Bob Kane as well as Bill Finger roots, while also updating Gotham for a modern audience. There’s no doubt that Pattinson’s Batman is eerily similar to the pre-Robin Batman of the early 1940s, but why stop there? A huge part of many of these early Batman stories was a fascination with things Batman didn’t know or understand yet. He often worked hard to uncover the truth about criminals who used supernatural means to achieve their dastardly ends, and that was before all the weird and bizarre things he experienced in the Silver Age! Even many of Batman’s close friends and allies are of a supernatural nature, including Zatanna, Wonder Woman, former Batman Azrael, and his teammate Looker, who even turned into a vampire - and there are many more when you count the other groups Batman has worked with. for many years.
While Batman prides himself on being a superhero without superpowers and eschews the use of magic, sorcery, or fascination with the supernatural for said power, that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have to deal with it. We’ve seen Batman fight the usual thugs and the same ever-changing gallery of rogues who are always back on screen, and now we’ve even seen him fight serial killers and organized crime (and aliens again, we can’t mention Justice League enough), but we’ve yet to see the Dark Knight in action against dark otherworldly forces he’d rather pretend don’t exist. If Batman wants to continue surviving without becoming obsolete on the big screen, then it might take some cues from the Nolan and Snyder playbooks to freshen things up, which is to do something different that makes Reeves’ version of the Bruce Wayne story a little more interesting.
Nolan’s Batman has finally found a happy ending to his crusade, something most incarnations of the Dark Knight tragically never find; while Snyder has gone from an angry and broken vigilante to a hopeful leader of a group of superheroes helping to save Earth from alien invaders with a smile on his face. Whatever amazing twists Matt Reeves’ Batman is taking us, we’re obviously ready for the ride and excited about what he and Robert Pattinson have to offer. But if they really wanted to put our hero to the test by slowly introducing the supernatural into the live-action mythology - or even just hinting at the possibility by causing a crisis of faith in Bruce’s life - that might just be the spark that will bring him back. -to-basics Batman needs to keep him interesting for a long time. Well, that and another exciting puzzle!
Source: Collider
