Matt Reeves takes a big risk with Batman 2

The expectation of Batman 2 has reached unexpected levels following the success of the HBO crime series, The penguin. Although the public has largely been kept in the dark about what's going on or who's showing up Batman sequel director Matt Reeves recently shared a tidbit of information that risks criticism that can be avoided: Bruce Wayne would find it 'very difficult to be Batman' presumably blaming himself for the devastating flood caused by the Riddler.




Extensively explored in The Dark Knight Rises, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight Returns, and non-Batman IPs such as Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man 3, the audience has been busy “tired of being a superhero” trope. Feeding the Batman faithful a Bruce Wayne wallowing in guilt is likely to be distasteful. With Robert Pattinson's Batman still in his prime, it would be an unwise choice to make him doubt himself at this stage, especially when the clamor for an active Batman with his rogues gallery is at an all-time high. Instead, Batman 2 should double Batman honing his detective and combat skills, cleaning Gotham's streets and perfecting Batman's image as Gotham's true protector.

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Batman 2 needs to focus on this aspect of its star

Batman spent most of its time establishing the Robert Pattinson version of the Dark Knight, now it needs to show more Bruce Wayne.

Batman was noticeably absent from The Penguin

Batman Penguin Colin Farrell Robert Pattinson


The first hint that something was up with the Dark Knight was in The penguin. Even though the series did everything right, viewers couldn't help but notice a notable absence. Neither Batman nor Bruce Wayne appear in the series, even when the time most demanded it.

IN The penguinColin Farrell's Oswald “Oz” Cobb tries to fill the void in Gotham City's criminal underworld after the death of Carmine Falcone. After a series of murders, he successfully establishes himself as the top dog among the city's gangs. During the eight-episode ordeal, not only is Batman absent, but mentions of him are scarce. The bat signal piercing the silhouette in the final shot of the final episode was all fans got. Given that Batman was hot on Oz's heels in the first film, it's doubtful that he was unaware of his misdeeds.


While it's tempting to link this to Reeves' recent comments, the truth about Batman's absence is in The penguin is quite simple. He and showrunner Lauren LeFranc didn't want to pull a Marvel act of fan service by injecting unnecessary cameos. A Penguin series with Batman lurking around the screen could take the spotlight from Oz. Even a small taste of Batman's presence would deepen fans' disappointment if they didn't get more of it; it was one of those cases where nobody trumps a little.

A guilt-ridden Batman is getting tiresome

Another sad Batman story runs the risk of getting too repetitive

If a Batman going through an identity and guilt crisis only to be juggled by a challenging villain sounds familiar, that's because it is. Since the beginning of Batman: The Animated Seriesa deeply introspective Batman—one who either struggles to balance his nightly duties with his personal life, or broods over losses incurred from his confrontations with villains—has been the setting for many Batman films. Some of them, such as The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and even Batman: Arkham games, are still fresh in the mind in theaters for how brilliantly, or poorly, they tackled the concept. The idea isn't limited to dear old Bruce either. A similar – but not identical – dynamic played out in Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man 3.


Batman is more than just a burdened hero

Although Batman's character is imbued with a moral dilemma, constantly pitting him against his conscience risks becoming tiresome. What makes Batman an interesting character is not emotional trauma, but complexity, discipline, skill, and most importantly, resilience and commitment. He's not a man to lay down when the pressures of living in one of the most dangerous cities on the planet and the losses associated with trying to save it come knocking. If anything, he depends on the cape and cowl, with Bruce Wayne as his real mask.

Most fans would prefer to see Batman in his prime, in Gotham in his prime, dealing with villains in his prime, rather than one who spends half the movie brooding as the streets of Gotham boil. DC's latest attempt at a larger character unwilling to embrace his identity resulted in significant backlash and a spectacular box office failure, despite some nuance.


Batman 2 should double down on Rage, Not Regret

Matt Reeves Robert Pattinson Batman

IN BatmanBruce is eager to save the city; thus, there is less Bruce and more Batman. The wake of being outed by the Riddler, who failed to prevent the ensuing mayhem, and Oswald Cobb's rise to power should fuel Batman's rage to pursue justice. Having him switch from that to an individual trapped in a cycle of debt, without facing any significant threat or loss, would be a hard sell, even for Matt Reeves. It's not hard to imagine a Batman-starved audience from The penguin comes to Batman 2 and leaves unsatisfied after undergoing yet another of the Caped Crusader's overplayed moral struggles when the stakes in Gotham are at their highest. There was already displeasure among some fans when they heard the news, and more may join them as details emerge.


Regardless, the success of Batman and The penguin means fans will have little reason to doubt Reeves and his vision. The director's proven skill at writing a character right means that an even more emotional Batman than the first film could be just as well received. But that doesn't invalidate the point that audiences have had enough of the cliche and deserve something refreshing. Given that the script of Batman 2 is still unfinished (according to James Gunn on Threads), there is time for Reeves to rethink the direction and choose a more compelling story from the great Batman mythos.

Batman - Part II

Batman Part II

Director
Matt Reeves

Author
Matt Reeves

Studio(s)
DC Studios

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