Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Batman

  • Christian Bale Open to Return as Batman Under One Condition

    Christian Bale Open to Return as Batman Under One Condition

    Christian Bale has been very busy doing the press tour for his latest entry into the superhero genre with Thor: Love and Thunder. The former The Dark Knight Trilogy actor was asked if he’d be open to returning as Batman in a new entry even as the DC Extended Universe has been going into a new direction and recently added Robert Pattinson as its new Batman.

    In an interview with ScreenRant, he opened up on a potential return while highlighting that “no one’s ever mentioned it to me” about potentially returning to the role. He said he’s open to it but there’s one condition that needs to be met, he’d only return if Christopher Nolan approached him to do so.

    I had a pact with Chris Nolan. We said, “Hey, look. Let’s make three films, if we’re lucky enough to get to do that. And then let’s walk away. Let’s not linger too long.” In my mind, it would be something if Chris Nolan ever said to himself, “You know what, I’ve got another story to tell.” And if he wished to tell that story with me, I’d be in.

    Christian Bale

    So, there is the issue that Nolan has seemingly moved away from his work with Warner Bros. after the chaos surrounding Tenet‘s theatrical release during the pandemic. Yet, with the multiverse storyline making the rounds as of late, who knows if they may find a way to convince him he’s interested in joining a DC Comics project after all. Still, it seems that he has made up his mind on when he may return to the role if at all.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • HBO Max Latin America Orders New ‘Batman Azteca’ Animated Film

    HBO Max Latin America Orders New ‘Batman Azteca’ Animated Film

    Here’s an interesting but exciting surprise, it looks like Batman is heading to Mexico in a new animated feature titled Batman Azteca: Choque De Imperios, which translates to Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires. It was a surprising reveal during the Guadalajara International Film Festival, as DC and Warner Bros. animation partner up with Anma and Chatrone. That’s not all, as we also got a first look at the new take on Batman featured in this HBO Max Original film.

    The animated film will explore a young boy named Yohualli Coatl. When his father, Toltecatzin, is killed by Spanish Conquistadors, his life is thrown into turmoil as he escapes to warn King Moctezuma of the incoming threat. Within the bat god’s temple, he trains alongside his mentor Acatzin and develops weaponry to take on the Spanish invasion to protect the Moctezuma temple and take vengeance for his father’s death.

    Harley Quinn‘s Juan Meza-León will direct the feature that’ll see José C. García de Letona Carina Schulze, Aaron D. Berger, and Fernando De Fuentes joining the project as producers. It’ll be produced in Mexico with a local team working on the project to also reflect the local art. They have also added Alejandro Díaz Barriga, who specializes in Mesoamerican studies and the ethnic history of Mexico and the Andean region. It’s a great idea and it would be fun to potentially see multiple different takes of Batman that are inspired by cultures from across the world.

    Source: Deadline

  • Tim Burton Reflects On His Time on ‘Batman’ and ‘Batman Returns’

    Tim Burton Reflects On His Time on ‘Batman’ and ‘Batman Returns’

    Tim Burton is an icon in the film industry for his very distinctive visual language that harkens back to gothic roots. After his success on Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Beetlejuice, he was given the opportunity to direct the Warner Bros. live-action adaptation of Batman. He cast Michael Keaton in the leading role and laid the first steps for the modern superhero genre. Yet, after his work on Batman Returns in 1992, the third entry was passed on Joel Schumacher with Batman Forever.

    In a new interview with Empire, the director got a chance to reflect on his work and even how surprised he was when he saw the direction they went with the third entry; even making fun of the infamous Batnipples.

    [Back then] they went the other way. That’s the funny thing about it. But then I was like, ‘Wait a minute. Okay. Hold on a second here. You complain about me, I’m too weird, I’m too dark, and then you put nipples on the costume? Go fuck yourself.’ Seriously. So yeah, I think that’s why I didn’t end up [doing a third film]…

    Tim Burton

    He also goes on to highlight looking back that his take on the iconic franchise is more than just “dark” but he has positive memories of getting the chance to experiment with these iconic characters.

    I’m not just overly dark. That represents me in the sense that… that’s how I see things. It’s not meant as pure darkness. There’s a mixture. “I feel really fondly about it because of the weird experiment that it felt like.

    Tim Burton

    It’s great that he’s reflecting back on it positively and it’s always interesting to see how feelings change about a project over time. Batman and Batman Returns have become cult favorites, as well as defined the landscape that would eventually evolve with future entries like X-Men, Blade, and Spider-Man. Who knows if it might inspire him to lend his unique visual style to another superhero entry at some point in the future, as he’s currently busy with his Netflix The Addams Family spinoff series, Wednesday.

    Source: Empire

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Producers Talks the Show’s Approach to Mental Health and Batman Comparisons

    ‘Moon Knight’ Producers Talks the Show’s Approach to Mental Health and Batman Comparisons

    Marvel Studios’ Phase 4 is already known for dipping into mental health struggles, notably Wanda’s grief in WandaVision and Bucky’s PTSD in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The MCU is about to tackle mental illness directly with the upcoming Disney+ series Moon Knight.

    In the comics, Marc Spector is a mercenary who is seemingly revived by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu and becomes the vigilante Moon Knight to serve as his avatar. While that duality alone is enough to create an interesting conversation about identity. Marc Spector, however, is much more complex than the average vigilante. He suffers from dissociative identity disorder (DID). While the series is likely to explore more personalities, we know that Moon Knight will feature Marc Spector’s alter Steven Grant, the Moon Knight himself, and the lesser-known Mr. Knight. Executive producer Grant Curtis discussed how the character’s DID impacts Moon Knight:

    It’s a story about identity and finding one’s true self…The journey that Marc Spector is on during our whole show is: Who am I? And how do I reconcile portions of my past, present and potential future that I don’t necessarily agree with? Coming to terms with our baggage and learning to live with ourselves is what we all deal with on a day-to-day basis.

    Grant Curtis

    The character of Moon Knight has often been compared to Batman, a fellow caped crusader that roams the city at night and often uses similar gadgets. But Curtis makes it clear that viewers should not expect to see a Batman copy:

    [Marc Spector is] someone longing for connection, and in a way, could be a counterpoint to the classic, tortured, dark vigilante guy we’ve seen a lot.

    Grant Curtis

    Writer and executive producer Jeremy Slater agrees, and notes:

    [Moon Knight’s DID] makes him much more than just sort of a palette-swapped Batman clone. A lot of superheroes are defined by their villains [but] Moon Knight is his own greatest enemy in a lot of ways.

    Jeremy Slater

    It is yet to be seen how exactly Moon Knight tackles Spector’s DID, and how mental illness is portrayed in entertainment can be tricky. We also do not know if other personalities of Spector’s will be featured in the series–in particular, his alter Jake Lockley has been noticeably absent from promotional materials. In any event, Moon Knight looks to be a unique entry in the MCU and his inner struggles should distinguish him from other popular heroes and caped crusaders.

    Source: USA Today

  • ‘The Batman’ Concept Art Offers Closer Look at Gotham City

    ‘The Batman’ Concept Art Offers Closer Look at Gotham City

    The Batman has finally been released in theaters, and it may have given us the most atmospheric take of Batman and Gotham City on the silver screen. Luckily, it seems that artist Jaime Jones has shared some of his work that helped set the design for Matt Reeves‘ take on the iconic city alongside designer James Chinlund. The designs are great, and you can see a lot of the influences that would find their way into the final product. I do wish we got a shot of Batman hanging above a misty Gotham like the first image, but there’s always the potential sequel to further explore different corners of the city.

    This new take on the iconic Caped Crusader has opened up many new avenues to explore, especially with its unique take on the character and its world. Here’s hoping that we get many more atmospheric shots as we explore more of Gotham City in potential sequels and the spinoffs. While we got a good look at the city, it does feel like we’ve only scratched the surface, especially with the tease of an Arkham Asylum spinoff in development.

    Source: Twitter

  • UPDATE: ‘The Batman’ Eyeing a $120M+ Domestic Opening Weekend

    UPDATE: ‘The Batman’ Eyeing a $120M+ Domestic Opening Weekend

    UPDATE: It looks like there’s been an update on the numbers, as the final cume for Friday has arrived with $57M. While it’s only $2M higher than the previously reported number, it does bump The Batman to a potential $120M.

    Source: THR

    Just yesterday, we learned that The Batman took in around $21.6M in its Thursday previews. In total, the film has now made $55M if you include Friday’s box office numbers in the domestic market. As such, it’s definitely on its way to passing $110M over the weekend, but it’s still possible that it could go higher. As such, the film is now the sixth highest opener for March, just behind Alice in Wonderland‘s $116.1M. It’s a strong start for the 2022 box office and is now on its way to becoming the biggest performer for Warner Bros. with a theatrical release since 2019’s Joker, which opened with $96.2M.

    In the pandemic, the film will still fall short of Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s $121.9M but it’ll still take the second-best spot. As pointed out by Deadline, even with non-pandemic times it’s an incredible opening and worthy of praise especially given that the film is also one of the longest releases during these times. At this rate, it’s safe to say that Matt Reeves‘ first foray into Batman may already be on its way to join the $1 billion club by the end of its runtime. It’s only unclear how the 45-day theatrical window might hurt it in the long run.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘The Batman’s Matt Reeves Confirms The Identity of [SPOILER]

    ‘The Batman’s Matt Reeves Confirms The Identity of [SPOILER]

    The Batman has finally found its way into theaters, as we get introduced to a very different cinematic take of the iconic character. Director Matt Reeves took a grounded take on the franchise to offer a refreshing direction for the characters, which also included quite a few curious teases for the future of the new franchise. Robert Pattinson has teased his interest in tackling a trilogy in this new take on the Dark Knight, but Reeves has confirmed one major addition.

    The rest of the article tackles a big spoiler from the film’s final moments. So, only continue at your own risk if you haven’t seen The Batman yet.

    In the closing moments, Edward Nashton realizes that his original intention to break down Gotham has failed with Batman coming out on top. During this scene in Arkham, we are introduced to a fellow cellmate that has a very recognizable voice belonging to Barry Keoghan. We never get a good look at his design, but a familiar laugh hinted that this might be The Batman’s take on the Joker. Luckily, IGN shared a video interview where director Matt Reeves not only confirms it but also hints at his take of the character.

    You know because the movie is not an origin tale of Batman, but it’s his early days. It really is an origin tale for the rogue’s gallery characters. The scene is not meant to be there to say: “Here’s an Easter egg, the next film is X.” I don’t know that the Joker will be in the next movie, but I can tell you here is what you’re seeing is an early days version of the character, trouble is, as always, brewing in Gotham.

    Matt Reeves

    The most interesting addition is that he declares that this is a version of the character that he’s “a Joker that is not yet a Joker” and the design was molded after the character’s original inspiration, the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs. So, while it doesn’t mean we’ll definitely see the character appear. He also hints that the take of the character is a man with a disease that constantly is stuck smiling and the way this character would be shaped by it. “Life has been a cruel joke on him” was his biggest tease on Keoghan‘s character and we’ll see when he might make his appearance in a future entry.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘The Batman’ Sequel Will Be Released In Less Than Five Years

    ‘The Batman’ Sequel Will Be Released In Less Than Five Years

    The highly anticipated The Batman arrives in theaters this week, and is already set to dominate the weekend box office. The film has generally been met with critical acclaim as well, which is great news to all of the fans who has eagerly awaited Robert Pattison’s turn as the caped crusader.

    Even though The Batman has yet to officially release, a sequel to director Matt Reeves’ is apparently already in the early stages of development. Now, we finally have some information as to when a sequel can be expected. Producer Dylan Clark told Comicbook:

    I will go on record and say it will be less than five years.

    Dylan Clark

    While five years is no short time to wait for The Batman 2, Clark gave a broad window that could mean anything up to a 2027 release. Only time will tell when exactly the sequel will hit theaters, but for now fans can look forward to The Batman‘s release on March 4.

    Source: Comicbook via The Direct

  • REVIEW: ‘The Dark Knight’ is the Batman Film We Deserved

    REVIEW: ‘The Dark Knight’ is the Batman Film We Deserved

    Much like the spoken lines of the film, The Dark Knight is the film we deserve, but without the “not the one we need right now“. It is without a doubt that the Batman franchise has seen better days. What was once one of the front runners in superhero films with Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale‘s take on the character, has mostly gone down in quality since one of the greatest superhero trilogies wrapped up with The Dark Knight Rises. His next two appearances, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the Justice League were panned by critics. Not only was The Dark Knight the movie we deserved from the franchise, but also an inspiration for the movie we need right now. One to restore Batman as one of the best superhero properties in media.

    The Dark Knight is largely considered one of the best Batman movies of all time. Thinking back to watching the trilogy for the first time, I remember watching The Dark Knight most out of the films. The dynamic between the Joker and Batman is a match made in heaven. Not only does Heath Ledger remain as my favorite iteration of the infamous villain – even if not comically accurate – but his ability to so easily bounce off of Christian Bale‘s Batman is one of those dream pairings in modern media. The two actors act out the relationship between these opposites amazingly. Batman is portrayed as the morally aligned superhero that does not care about fame and only cares about the people of Gotham. Joker, on the other hand, is the perfect portrayal of “some men just want to watch the world burn”.

    This dynamic between the hero and villain carries this movie. Not to say the rest of the film is bad, the movie basically perfected the modern superhero genre. However, when you have such a standout part of a movie, it’s hard not to accidentally overlook the rest of the film’s strengths. That being said, not all of the movie has aged well 14 years later. The plot still stands firm, the cinematography is still amazing, yet the combat, however, stood out to me in my recent rewatch. Once again, I do not think this is a fault of the movie, the combat was definitely ahead of its time and nothing in the film is going to be considered qualified for eternity. It was a tad jarring going back to one of the most beautifully shot superhero films and going back to stiff action scenes compared to the fanfare we see in today’s films in the genre.

    Superhero films today are flashy, from acrobatic magical martial artists to colorful guns with a mix of explosion and beauty. Modern technology has progressed the abilities for moviemakers to put us into the colorful and flashy pages of a comic book. While this does make the combat of the film feel stiff nowadays, I can’t help but feel this departure from the common superhero tropes of the modern-day really makes The Dark Knight stand firm as one of the most unique superhero films. And in a good way, opposed to the unique but odd Batman Forever.

    The Dark Knight is gritty, dark, and violent. The Joker in this form just couldn’t be done without this atmosphere. The man with no morals is sinister, manipulative, and even worse, fearless. This excellent villain to the already serious Batman really puts the character on his toes, I don’t think I have quite seen a hero so powerless since this film. Not even mind control in Jessica Jones and Avengers: Age of Ultron can quite compare. When powers or physical control are involved, there is a thing to break, a thing to fix.

    The thing with Joker is that none of that is involved. This is a man with no powers or high-tech machines, just a desire to take down the heroes of the world and prove humanity’s flaws. This desire and his cunning makes him powerful. His insanity and his unpredictability, that is what give him power. That power makes him real, a man that could exist, one that would terrify even the best of us in the real world. That is what makes the Joker easily one of the best villains in modern media.

    I didn’t have a definitive ranking of my favorite Batman films, but upon rewatching many of them leading up to The Batman releasing next month, I think it’s safe to say The Dark Knight easily tops my list. The Nolan trilogy of movies is easily the highest quality in my eyes, and this is the movie that makes the trilogy. From a perfect atmosphere to an amazing villain and hero, the film is almost perfect. Now looking back, not only is this easily my favorite DC film, but one of my favorites of all time, and that is coming from a die-hard Marvel fan. The Batman is looking like a snapback to this amazing quality, and I truly hope it leads Batman back to being in the spotlight like when The Dark Knight launched to critical and financial success more than a decade ago.

  • First ‘The Batman’ Reviews Are Overwhelmingly Positive

    First ‘The Batman’ Reviews Are Overwhelmingly Positive

    The Batman reviews have finally arrived as the Warner Bros. embargo lifts. It looks like it left quite an impression with critics and viewers, who highlight that it might be the most definite take on the character. Some have pointed out that the length is working against it a bit, but it’s a Batman story that takes a lot of inspiration from its comic roots while offering something even more grounded than The Dark Knight. There’s also a lot of praise going to the film’s score, which adds to the darker take on Gotham and its protector.

    Check out the various online reactions here: