The Matt Reeves-directed DC movie, The Batman, was one of the darkest, both literally and thematically, movies ever shot for the comic universe. With Robert Pattinson, the caped crusader racked up points for being gritty to its core and for not pulling back on the punches.
Moreover, the newest Batman version came with a lot of changes, in terms of plot and technology. In a recent interview, the film’s production designer James Chinlund talks about how the character was given a look that signified that he was starting from the ground up and as such didn’t recognize himself with the highly sophisticated menageries of wealth, gadgets, and style that came with Nolan’s Batman.
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How Is Reeves’ Batman Different From Nolan’s Dark Knight?
Batman is known for his dark past, tragic origin story, and for being one of the only superheroes in the comic world without any actual superpowers. And yet, that has not stopped him from being one of the most feared crime-fighting vigilantes to have ever existed. His powers do not come from anywhere else but his intelligence, training, and a little bit of support from Alfred Pennyworth.
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The ancestral wealth that belongs to Bruce Wayne helps him employ technological geniuses and build him gadgets that have enabled him to boast of some of the coolest transports. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight liberally uses the wealth at Wayne’s disposal to build military-grade Batmobile, Batpod, and a highly seductive, mysterious hovercraft called simply ‘The Bat’.
Although equally wealthy, Reeves’ Batman doesn’t employ Lucius Fox or make use of his wealth to build bikes, cars, and planes for his crime-fighting vendetta. Pattinson’s role was greatly influenced by the darkness underlying Nolan’s cinematic creation. But with one slight tweak — he was built from the ground up. Batman was beginning to wage vengeance on the streets of Gotham with rooftop binocular spying and cruising on his Harley from one part of the town to another.
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The Batman Designer Talks About DIY Gadgets
The infancy of Reeves’ Batman asked for a specific take on the gadgets that define Batman’s identity. The gritty crime noir film that was the 2022 movie looked at building the Bat’s bike and car by enmeshing parts from various vehicles to give it a custom-made DIY look.
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Production designer James Chinlund revealed:
“Bruce is early in his development. He does it all himself. He’s not connected to Wayne Industries in the same way. This is a Bruce Wayne being built from the ground up. We approached everything we did in the same way. We had that in mind for the car and for the suit. We had that ethos. If Bruce couldn’t do it himself, it had no place.”
“The car was a real pinch-point for our anxiety. We had to create a Batmobile that was impactful and exciting for the fans, but was also very grounded. We weren’t going to blow people away with amazing shapes and rockets shooting out. It’s a car, not a military machine.”
Director Matt Reeves himself added while speaking to GQ how important the new Batmobile was in reflecting the young crusader’s persona:
“This was a Batman in year two who doesn’t have a Lucius Fox figure helping him. I wanted him to be a gearhead in his garage, working on a kind of bashed-up kit car. I wanted the car to look somehow retro and familiar, like a Dodge Charger or Challenger, but also unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.”
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As such the Batmobile turned out to be a combination of a modified second-generation 1968-70 Dodge Charger with the nose of a Camaro and the fenders of a Stingray. Also combined with a battering ram at the front and a muscle car look, Chinlund emphasized how the jet engine and vents at the front lend a feel as if the car is actually breathing.
Source: TechRadar
