Breaking DownThe Batman‘s FirstTrailer: Haunting Secrets and Enigmatic Clues

At DC Fandome this past weekend , Matt Reevesstunned us allwith a first facial expression at Robert Pattinson in action as the previous Dark Knight inThe Batman . It did n’t just give us agood look at RBatzthough : it was our first , proper look into the latest cinematic incarnation of Gotham City , and its many mystic knave . Here ’s what you may have miss .

The preview open , as most nighttime in Gotham City do , with some murder . A cloak human beings is busy bandage up a cadaver with duct tape recording . Also a very Gotham City thing to do .

This appear to be our very first coup d’oeil at The Batman ’s main adversary : Paul Dano as Edward Nigma(or sometimes Edward Nashton , depending on the take ) , better known to comics fans as the Riddler . Although the green coat is resonant of Eddie ’s choose coloration palette in DC ’s comics , this is quite unlike any other rendering we ’ve seen of the character in live - action Batman material before .

A new Dark Knight rises.

A new Dark Knight rises.Gif: Warner Bros.

But just because it ’s a new timbre for the Riddler does n’t intend we ’re not getting the same sort of mysterious clues being allow behind . fount in point : his handiwork done , the Riddler ’s victim has a new message on his brass : “ No More Lies . ”

The Gotham City Police Department is on the panorama — as is another conversant squash racket - face : Jim Gordon ( Jeffrey Wright ) , make his fashion into a room filled with officer . But no one ’s actually looking at Gordon here , for reason that will become very obvious momently .

“ From your secret friend , ” Gordon recites , as we see him and other detectives enquire the picture — one pick up a letter , which is presumably what Gordon is reading from . “ Who ? ” someone asks , only for Gordon to reply that he ’s not sure .

Gif: Warner Bros.

Gif: Warner Bros.

What Gordon is scramble his torch on is another set of clue to assure us who this dupe is : Don Mitchell Jr. , Gotham ’s mayor , who according to these newspaper covers that the Riddler has painted the word “ Lies ” over , was in his “ historical ” third condition in office . One cover also has an interesting name that paint a picture Gotham politics ( and perhaps putrescence in said politics ) will play an significant office in The Batman : Bella Reál , being make for by Jayme Lawson in the movie . When io9broke the newsof her case , she was described as “ a grassroots political prospect running for post in Gotham . ”

https://gizmodo.com/the-batman-just-added-an-intriguing-new-character-1839784497

“ allow ’s play a game , just me and you , ” Gordon keep , now having enter the vocation card the Riddler left — an actual greeting card . at heart there ’s a cryptographic computer code , the answer to a question need on the other side of the posting : What does a prevaricator do when he ’s dead ? Because it ’s 2020 and we exist on the internet , the solvent has already been cracked by eager - eyed fans :

Image: Warner Bros.

Image: Warner Bros.

So hyped for Matt Reeve ’s Batman Movie , I decide to solve The Riddler ’s code.#TheBatmanpic.twitter.com / vsxVxucedv

— Andrew ( @TheMasterD101)August 23 , 2020

Though it ’s a utterly o.k. riddle on its own : He lies still . Good one , Eddie .

Image: Warner Bros.

Image: Warner Bros.

Interestingly , the card about unavowed friends has an Owl on the front , asking , of course , “ Whoo ? ” If The Batman really is investigating the corruption of Gotham City , is it too much of a stretch to consider that this might be a hint to thesinister Court of Owls , a secret reprehensible organization ( that Bruce once thought might have connections to his parent ’ decease ) lead underneath Gotham and take out the strings from behind the scenes ? It ’s probably just a nice carte . The Court is appearing inGotham Knights though , the new Bat - family game also revealed this retiring weekend at Fandome .

GCPD forensics tech crack a blood - stained icon of another paper cover , this one with news of Mayor Mitchell Jr. ’s bust of the Maroni law-breaking family . The Maroni syndicate playeda suitably ridiculous partin the Gotham TV show , but in the comics , the Maronis , headed by Luigi “ Big Lou ” Maroni , were bitter rivals of another major crime family in Gotham , the Falcones — the boss of whom , Carmine Falcone , will be played by John Turturroin this movie .

Also , fun fact : Sal Maroni , Lou ’s son and another major hirer in the household , is the gangster responsible for turning Harvey Dent into Two - Face , throwing Zen at the attorney during a trial . A fun piddling reference , but credibly not a real vamper for Dent ’s appearance in The Batman .

Gif: Warner Bros.

Gif: Warner Bros.

“ Any of this mean anything to you ? ” Gordon asks , reverse the card ’s envelope to reveal its addressee is none other than the Batman …

And Gordon ’s in reality hold it up to the Batman ( Robert Pattinson ) , who we now get to see in allhis costumed glory . That ’s why everyone was asterisk earlier .

Just as rapidly as we met him though , we ’re whisk away to a injection of the GCPD Commissioner : Pete Savage , toy by Alex Ferns . The Batman is set in “ Year Two ” of Bruce ’s career as a crimefighter , so Jim Gordon isnot quite yetthe Commissioner Gordon we know him to be . That also mean Bruce Wayne himself is not quite in his origin story , but still inexperienced and ata pivotal momentin his journey .

Gif: Warner Bros.

Gif: Warner Bros.

presumptively learn Commissioner Fern ’s conference from afar ( also , presumably , about Mayor Mitchell Jr. ’s dying ) is Bruce , garb in oculus physical composition and a scarf covering his face — before he dons a bike helmet and rides aside from the panorama . Not full Bat - costume , because it ’s day , but presumptively also because note Rich Guy Bruce Wayne does n’t need to be seen hanging around police insistency league for no honorable reason .

“ You ’re becoming quite the celebrity ” a new vocalism say , as Bruce perpetrate up in what is clearly a very former iteration of the Batcave . Still pretty low - rent , not much tech : once again , this is very clearly a Batman still in the nascent stop of his heroism . That voice seem to be , by the way , Andy Serkis ’ Alfred Pennyworth , one of Bruce ’s most trust confidante — presumably , he ’s referring to the Batman rather than Bruce here .

talk of Bruce rather than his alter ego , we now get to actually see him out of the suit for the first fourth dimension , attending Mayor Mitchell Jr. ’s funeral just as everything depart , in suitable Gotham fashion , completely batshit . A cable car plows into the church the Mayor ’s funeral is carry place in , station Bruce and the gather mourners scattering .

Image: Warner Bros.

Image: Warner Bros.

The culprit is an unwilling one , as a stressed man steps out of the doss down car to give away explosive taped to his body , a speech sound intercept to his hand , and another riddle for the Batman . “ Why ’s he writing to you ? ” Alfred asks .

Before we get a chance to think over , we get our first looking at another iconic strip character hook into action : ZoëKravitz ’ Selina Kyle , better know as Catwoman ! She ’s break into the crime scene of Mayor Mitchell Jr. ’s expiry — what could mayhap be in the good Selina ’s drilling into ? Cute cat ears , though .

A abbreviated dead reckoning of a mysterious dockside meeting pay us what is likely another major appendage of Batman ’s scallywag , as a rain - soaked Bats watches over it . This isn’tbeloved character actor Richard Kindhere , but allegedly Colin Farrell asthe Penguinin some serious prosthetic makeup . accord to Reeves , utter during The Batman ’s Fandome panel , this interpretation of Oswald Cobblepot has yet to endear himself to that special soubriquet , going by Oz or else .

Gif: Warner Bros.

Gif: Warner Bros.

“ If you are justice , please do not lie , ” a hard modulated vocalisation demand — presumably Dano ’s Riddler , perhaps speaking over that phone tap to the funeral crasher ’s hired man earlier ? Under that voice over , we get a speedy - fire sequence of shots : red - soaked snip of the Batsuit , similar to ourvery first teaseof the costume , a crowd of thugs ( who we ’ll meet by and by ) , and Batman having a very peevish merging in an inquiry room filled with Gordon and a bunch of GCPD officers .

Like we tell , this is still early on in Batman ’s career in Gotham , so his relationship with both Gordon and the GCPD is likely still an awkward one . Maybe we ’ll learn more as to why in thatHBO Max Gotham PD show , which act as a prequel to The Batman ? That ’s stand for to be set a year before this film use up place .

That rainy meeting from early returns , this clip with Catwoman zooming away on a cycle as , on the face of it , Cobblepot and some goons open up blast at her . Was Selina meant to be working with them — recover something from the Mayor ’s safe?—and something necessarily locomote wrong ? Or are they firing on Batman , who we reckon catch over the meeting before ?

Image: Warner Bros.

Image: Warner Bros.

Meanwhile , back in the city manager ’s place / home , Selina find herself confronted with Batman , get in a fight after he ’s riposte to the scene to lead an probe without the watch out heart of Gotham PD .

“ What is the price for your blind optic ? ” the regulate voice continues , rhyming in a agency that emphatically makes this look to be the Riddler , who loves himself a couplet or two . Under it , Batman is throw away back by a monolithic explosion during the aftermath of the crash at the Mayor ’s funeral . It ’s not yet been cover but the mental image of the mayor there come out to be The Strain / Black Sails worker Rupert Penry - Jones .

If you look close , you ’ll also see there ’s someone else in that explosion . Maybe the number one wood ? There ’s no gang so presumptively the lamenter were all evacuated and Bruce uses that chance to swap into his batsuit in parliamentary procedure to give and negotiate with the Riddler .

Image: Warner Bros.

Image: Warner Bros.

We cut back to the thugs we briefly experience to begin with , and yes , much will be made of the fact they ’re all on the face of it jade messy clown nerve key . In basically any text about the Batman , this would indicate that these thugs have a connection to none other than theClown Prince of Crimethat is the Joker . But could The Batman really have this many icons of the Rogue ’s Gallery in it ? perchance it ’s just a little touch that , somewhere in this early humanity of Bruce ’s caped crusade , the Joker is out there waiting in the wings . Maybe the Joker did n’t cook up vicious merry andrew as the blistering fall look in Gotham City . Who can say ? Anyway , the thugs enquire as to the identity element of someone off - screen , who ’s very quick disclose to be … payback .

presumptively also , the Night . Presumably also also , Batman . Youknow how it is .

But yes , Batman : The Animated Series quotes apart , this is a very , very messed up bit , as Batman just completely wreck one of the hood before delivering his little bon mot . It’s … okay , it ’s cool , but also , it ’s not nerveless ? It ’s scary and feels less like an deterrence tactic and more like a stillincredibly raw Batmanjust giving in to a dark impulse .

Gif: Warner Bros.

Gif: Warner Bros.

Things that are unequivocally nerveless though?The raw Batmobile . Here , it ’s not an armored armoured combat vehicle like we got with the Tumbler in the Nolan movies , or theslick , gadget - packed roadsterwe’d usually expect out of a Batmobile . It ’s a converted fun automobile with one hell of a turbo - boost .

https://jalopnik.com/the-new-batmobile-looks-like-an-old-barracuda-with-an-r-1842093754

A few more action succession are cut together as the Batmobile bursts into natural process — one is more of that fight sequence with the clown - thugs , admit a moment Batman lead a stop - blank gunfire like it ’s nothing . The other , more Batmobile relate , is the car bursting through cargo ships pallets as it give chase forth Cobblepot ’s gang from earlier . “ Whoa , this guy wire ’s brainsick ! ” Cobblepot cries as he ’s pursued .

Gif: Warner Bros.

Gif: Warner Bros.

Interestingly between all this , we also get a very agile shot of Batman grappling his agency up a Brobdingnagian staircase … and he ’s being shoot at by GCPD ship’s officer . Considering Batman was welcome at the city manager ’s crime scene , this elaborated flight of step is presumptively not there . Is this GCPD HQ itself , and Bruce his making his overhasty issue from that hurly burly earlier ?

As the very cool title card for the picture fade forth , we cut back to the Batcave , as Bruce remove his cowl . The creepy-crawly articulation of what is presumably the Riddler — this meter much less modulated — returns to bemock him . “ You ’re a part of this , too , ” it jab , as Bruce watches a news report in the Batcave , as , in voiceover , he asks how .

It seems like The Batman may be lay out up the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne as part of a much grander confederacy — if the tease here is n’t just that Batman ’s part of it because , as has been a paper throughout his comics history , his mere front in Gotham give the existence of his messed up Rogue ’s Gallery . It would n’t be the first time the Waynes have been re - entrap as a much larger part of the criminal netherworld Bruce vituperate against after their decease — Telltale ’s excellent Batman adventure video game serial publication did something similarto expectant effect .

Gif: Warner Bros.

Gif: Warner Bros.

“ … you ’ll see , ” the mysterious voice vamp , as Bruce glare off into the camera lens . Yes , yes , we ’ve all been quote “ Welcome to the Black Parade ” and produce Emo Batman joke , but after literally decades of Batman movies obliterate the fact that their Batmen very clearly put on a blaze of a smokey optic while wear their cowls , it ’s nice to actually see this underlying part of bat - mode as part of the text .

While it was shocking we scram to see this much of The Batman already , Reeves estimated that only a quarter of the film had been shot before production buy the farm on hiatus due to theongoing refreshing coronavirus pandemic . Nonetheless , our first flavour give us a compelling vision of what Reeves has design for Gotham and its habitant . Getting to in reality spend an lengthy amount of time with an inexperient , younger version of Batman in a means we really have n’t on the big screen door yet is inherently fascinating , even aside from what looks like a vast tease for what this particular cut of theDC cinematic multiversewill offer us .

We ’ve fuck off plenty of time to speculate , because when incisively The Batman will hit dramatic art — and how safe it ’ll be to not have our own Riddler - esque facial protection to see it — is unknown , beyond avague 2021 windowpane .

Gif: Warner Bros.