First Images Shown of BATMOBILE for Matt Reeves’ “THE BATMAN”

This month, the director of “The Batman,” an upcoming new Warner Bros. Pictures film about DC Comic’s most popular superhero character, began sharing on his personal social media channels some sneak peeks into the development going into the movie. First it was the tease of a screen test by lead star Robert Pattinson, trying out the new Batman costume under atmospheric red lighting. The footage earned both excitement and criticism from fans. Now, filmmaker Matt Reeves has released the next preview on how “The Batman” will look on cinema screens, with the first images of Batman’s signature ride, the Batmobile.

As The Hollywood Reporter tells it, “The Batman” director Matt Reeves has shared some photos showcasing the newest live-action iteration of the Batmobile for the Dark Knight of Gotham City. These images, posted on Reeves’ Twitter account, becomes something of a culture shock for fans of Batman who have primarily only seen him depicted in the movies. Where the Batmobile of the films directed by Tim Burton (and those immediately following him) were heavily-stylized supercars, and the ride of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is a monster-wheeled military vehicle, this new Batmobile looks like it came from the “Fast and Furious” franchise.

🦇🏎 #TheBatman pic.twitter.com/qJFNprk1ut

— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) March 4, 2020

Initial reactions to the Batmobile to be ridden by Robert Pattinson’s Batman were to be expected, from fans that are turned off by how the Dark Knight’s personal vehicle looks more like a repurposed muscle car with red light fixtures all over. More dedicated Batman fans however can dig back through old comic-book issues and point out that the Batmobile for Reeve’s take on the DC superhero is similar design-wise to the one by artist Neal Adams when he drew “Batman” comics in the 1970s. Said Batmobile looked like a contemporary sports car with bat motifs drawn all over it.

Anyway, the latest Batmobile does pay tribute to its other live-action variants, with the rear fenders evoking bat wings and an exposed rear engine similar to the campy 1960s TV show. Fans will have to wait until some trailers at minimum to get a better handle on how “The Batman” will treat the Dark Knight’s “buggy.” The movie stars Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, Collin Farrell, Zoe Kravitz and John Turturro, and is expected to premiere next year on June 25.

Images: The Verge and batmobilehistory.com