DC released the trailer for the upcoming Matt Reeves film, The Batman, last week and we have been extremely excited about the new take on the character. Yet one overlooked detail in the development of the film is the announcement of a new series that will premiere on HBO MAX set in the same universe. The show comes from Reeves and Sopranos writer Terence Winter and will serve as a prequel to the upcoming film- set during Batman’s first year in Gotham while the film is set during his second year.
One of the main reasons we’re excited for the series and the direction Reeves seems to be taking with the film, is the focus on corruption in Gotham City. It seems to be a major point towards the plot of the film and Reeves stated at DC’s recent Fan-dome experience that the series will specifically center on a corrupt cop. Reeves stated that the story for the series is “actually a battle for his soul.” This is something the comics have touched on many times, but it’s not a topic that has been thoroughly explored within television and films based on Batman and Gotham City.
The biggest reason we’re excited about it is the fact that it brings out an aspect of the Batman mythology that is greatly needed right now. Some of the greatest stories relating to the Dark Knight deal with him fighting corruption in Gotham City and specifically dealing with a corrupt police force. That type of story is something we should see in superhero films, as it is something we are dealing with on a daily basis in the United States. It’s also a fundamental part of the whole point of Batman.
Batman exists because the police in Gotham City are too corrupt to actually deal with true criminals, and they have let the city decay to a point where no one is truly safe. We currently live in a country where the majority of our police force is doing exactly that, as black men and women are killed in the street for no justifiable reason. The connections between our real world and Gotham City grow more prevalent each day, and seeing a story set in Gotham City that explores that is incredibly overdue. The Dark Knight trilogy touched on it ever so lightly, but it’s something that should be explored in depth today.
We’re also excited at the idea of potentially seeing more of Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon. We know that he’s not Commissioner yet in The Batman, and there’s no word yet on if he will in fact be involved in the series, but anything with Jeffrey Wright is always a plus. Wright is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors to ever grace the screen;he shows a depth and complexity that is unparalleled. He is everything you could possibly want for Jim Gordon, and we hope that even if we don’t see him in the television series, that we get to see him in numerous films that take place within Gotham City.
The Batman is set to hit theaters on October 1st 2021 as of now. (Production was shut down this week due to reports of a member of the production testing positive for Covid-19, however WB has yet to change the release date of the film. Per Vanity Fair, star Robert Pattinson may have been the one to test positive.)
Keep following Poor Man’s Spoiler for more on The Batman, and the upcoming HBO MAX series. You can watch the trailer for the new film below.
Written by Alex Lancaster
(Alex is a life long film fan, and has dedicated his life to watching, making and obsessing over films. His favorite film is Big Fish, and he despises Avatar. He has a 6 year old son. And a bad habit of saying more than he needs to. Follow @alex5348 on Twitter)
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