‘The Batman’: 7 Things We Learned From the New Trailer

We got a new trailer for “The Batman” today, and there’s a lot to process. While director Matt Reeves’ reboot doesn’t hit theaters for another five months, this new trailer gave fans plenty to chew on while also unveiling a bit more of the story for this new Batman movie. Robert Pattinson stars as the Dark Knight in a grounded tale that involves The Riddler, played by Paul Dano.

The trailer gave us some exciting reveals but also posed some curious questions, so let’s break down what we learned.

The Riddler Is Maybe Behind It All… But He’s Also Behind Bars

The opening scene of the trailer finds Paul Dano’s The Riddler being arrested at a diner by a group of Gotham City cops, including Jeffrey Wright’s James Gordon. He leaves behind a coffee cup with a question mark in it (The Riddler’s signature logo, naturally), but the trailer seems to suggest The Riddler is behind bars for a not-insignificant portion of the film. What did he do? Well, a news report calls him a serial killer, so there’s likely a trail of bodies in his wake.

We see Batman visiting The Riddler in prison and getting upset at Dano’s obstinance, which suggests there may be something of a ticking clock as Batman is trying to solve The Riddler’s riddles before it’s too late, whatever “it” ends up being. And being The Riddler, this villain is all too happy to stay mum and watch Batman play his game. Whatever the case, this whole thing unmistakably vibes David Fincher’s 1995 classic serial killer thriller “Seven.”

Batman Is in Trouble

There are multiple references to Batman being in harm’s way in this trailer. “If this continues, it won’t be long before you have nothing left,” warns Andy Serkis’ Alfred. Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman later adds, “It’s only gonna get worse for you.” We see lots of imagery of Batman getting beaten down and covered in bruises (and mud?), so it sure looks like the Dark Knight is going to have a rough go of it as the story progresses. Clearly they’re not going to kill Batman in this first movie, but Batman’s condition is likely an indicator of how seriously Reeves is taking this grounded and gritty approach to the character. When he gets hit, it hurts – and leaves a mark.

Batman and Catwoman Are a Little Horny for Each Other

There’s always been some sexual tension between Batman and Catwoman in the comics, and in the films it was most potent between Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer in Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns,” so it’s nice to see that aspect of their relationship looks to carry over into “The Batman.” There’s quite a bit of flirting between the two, with Catwoman at one point saying, “Maybe we’re not so different.” Although the trailer does make clear that Catwoman does not know Batman’s true identity, as she asks who he is under the mask.

Bullets Have Nothing on the Batsuit

The action in the trailer drills down just how durable Pattinson’s Batsuit really is, as we see him flooded with bullets at multiple points, only to bounce right back. The Batsuit has been bulletproof in the past, but this is a solid indicator that while there’s a grounded approach to the story here, Batman’s gadgets are still incredibly effective. Speaking of…

The Batmobile Is Both Fast, and Furious

Warner Bros. previously revealed the redesign for the Batmobile, but we get a look at the car in action here and to be honest it’s pretty incredible. It appears as though there’s some sort of chase sequence between Batman and Penguin, and we watch the Batmobile get put through the wringer and come out on top – even soaring through a mountain of flames. We loved the art deco hot rod Batmobile of Tim Burton’s movies, and the APC-inspired “tumbler” of Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy. But an armored muscle car that looks like it belongs with the #Family feels like a genuinely new idea.

Yes, That’s Really Colin Farrell

One of the big takeaways from the first trailer for the film was Colin Farrell looking absolutely unrecognizable as Penguin. We get more of Farrell in this trailer, including a preview of the character’s voice, and it continues to be a stunning marriage of performance and makeup. Reports surfaced earlier this year that HBO Max is developing a spinoff series revolving around Farrell’s Penguin, so we could see much more of the character in the future.

There May Be a Connection to Thomas Wayne

There’s one shot in the trailer that shows what appears to be a shirtless Bruce Wayne standing in the middle of a crime scene left behind by The Riddler where the words “The Sins of My Father??” are circled. When the first trailer was released, fans speculated the film would be getting into the Court of Owls – a secret society dating back centuries that manipulated the city’s politics and kept the wealthy class in power. It’s possible the mystery that Batman is trying to solve has ties to his past, and if the Court of Owls is indeed a plot point, the wealthy Thomas Wayne could be fingered as a member.

At last year’s Fandome, Reeves said the film would be tackling the corruption of Gotham City and hinted towards ties to Bruce’s past. “You see [Batman’s] not having any of the effect that he that wants to have yet,” said Reeves. “And that is when the murders start to happen. The murders begin to describe the sort of history of Gotham in a way that only reinforces what he knows about Gotham but it opens up a whole new world of corruption that went much farther. But as that story starts to come out, without being an origin tale for him, touches on his origins.”

“The Batman” will be released exclusively in theaters and in IMAX on March 4, 2022.