Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a shining light in the darkness that the DCEU has become. Amid flops like The Flash, Shazam 2, Black Adam, and more, it has struck gold for its mother franchise. The film made on a $185 million budget grossed $771 million and took home a profit of about $586 million.
It was also critically beloved and fans even today can’t believe that the film didn’t take home at least the Oscar for Best Cinematography. However, they think the sub-DC franchise has a chance at winning the golden statue when The Batman 2 gets released. However, the director himself isn’t too comfortable making only IP films.
Matt Reeves Revealed His Thoughts On Superhero Films And Cinema
Superhero films have created quite a divide in Hollywood. Stalwarts like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino don’t favor it while up-and-coming directors like Greta Gerwig are excited to direct a superhero film. But what about someone like Matt Reeves who is a veteran of the film industry? He said in the Team Deakins podcast that:
“I love cinema. The idea of making a Batman film, like making another one now and digging deeper into that character and making other projects some that I hope will not have to be even connected to IP.”
So it looks like Reeves doesn’t outright hate superhero films but is instead interested in also directing projects which aren’t part of any IP. But why is that? After all, if Robert Pattinson‘s The Batman becomes a trilogy, there’s a possibility that it can rival even Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. So why is Matt Reeves seemingly hesitant to continue with superhero films?
Why Is Matt Reeves Scared Of Superhero Films Even After The Batman’s Success?
Matt Reeves could be cautious about moving forward with only superhero films or IP because he won’t have any ownership of the film even though his Batman film is different from Nolan’s or Tim Burton’s Batman movies. After all, these films fall under DC and WBD’s umbrella.
As such, even though he will get the fame associated with making a successful Batman franchise, he probably won’t be able to use that tagline- ‘Director of The Batman‘ in every one of his original non-IP projects. This is because there are a lot of legal issues behind making such statements.
Also, sometimes studios can forbid directors from using such taglines to sell their original films or shows. This happens if the directors get on the studios’ wrong side or if they get ousted mid-franchise. But it’s true that the success of his DC film will open more career doors for him. As a result, Reeves will be able to direct any original project he wants.
Also, even if his working relationship with DC and WBD sours, he will forever be known as the director of The Batman to the public. That in itself will help Matt Reeves garner positive momentum for any original project of his. However, it’s highly likely that he made his comment because just like any other director he also wants to direct his own work apart from superhero stuff.
The Batman is available on HBO Max.
Source: Team Deakins
