Jeffrey Wright’s recent comments suggest The Batman risks repeating other movies’ mistake in their depiction of Gotham City. After delays due to COVID-19, director Matt Reeves’ new take on the Dark Knight will be released March 4th, 2022. Originally developed as a solo project for Ben Affleck, the film has since moved away from the DCEU’s continuity to make room for Robert Pattinson’s younger hero.
Set during his second year of crimefighting, Pattinson’s vigilante and his ally James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) will tackle corruption in Gotham City while pursuing serial killer The Riddler (Paul Dano). The Batman will juggle multiple villains, revealing new interpretations of Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) and Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). Additionally, the Penguin (Colin Farrell) will appear in a smaller role.
With filming having taken place in various locations around the UK, many hoped to see a return to a Gothic representation of Gotham City instead of the more grounded approach seen in previous movies. However, Jeffrey Wright’s comments to IndieWire about The Batman boasting the most realistic version of the city imply the latter, which could harm Gotham. What realism means can vary greatly from one filmmaker to another, but it would be a mistake not to fully establish a unique Gotham that feels properly inhabited by its famous characters.
Wright’s claim that The Batman’s “Gotham City is unlike Gothams we’d seen before” feels strange given DC’s recent film history. Joker, which might as well just have been New York.
The DCEU’s Gotham has ittedly not yet been properly explored, and Zack Snyder’s portrayal did not evoke an Batman: The Animated Series echoed this iconography, blending its 1940s art deco designs with modern technology to depict a truly unique and timeless setting. Considering The Batman filmed around the eerie, foreboding architecture of Glasgow’s cemetery and Liverpool, one would hope Reeves’ noir story would embrace a more intimidating interpretation of Gotham. However, The Batman’s realism could always refer more to the downtrodden people, examining Gotham from a ground level that hasn’t been fully explored in any previous film. Reeves’ landscape could still offer a unique contribution, but the realistic approach may impact individual locales.
Birds of Prey deserves credit for the Black Mask Club and abandoned funhouse. The 1989-1997 Batman series made Gotham feel lived in, matching distinct locales with villains' personalities. Making Batman too realistic, as Nolan did, can result in a simplistic imagining of elitist offices and grotty dwellings. To stand out, The Batman must ensure Gotham is a primary character once more, not just a standard backdrop.
