Confronting the events that turned her into “The Hangman” – and led to a decade-long fight to survive in Arkham State Hospital – Sofia makes plans for a more hopeful future.

Episode Four of The Penguin, ‘Cent’Anni’, takes a pause on Oz Cobb’s ambitious rise to the top, and instead, audiences are taken back in time as the story of Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone takes centre stage, and the tale of ‘The Hangman’ is brought to life. And the result is a scary, savage and sorrowful tale of a daughter lost to madness and the horrors that result from family legacy. Showrunner Lauren LeFranc puts it all on the line in Episode Four. It’s a pure opera of the depths of family hell, and its twists, turns, and surprises will leave you in shock as Sofia’s harrowing origin is brought to life! LeFranc has been open about how she was inspired in part by the dark history of the Kennedys, and especially the horrendous fate of Rosemary Kennedy in developing her backstory for Sofia Falcone, and it adds to the pure horror of the narrative in every possible way.

The origin of Sofia Falcone goes completely from A to Z in Episode Four, ‘Cent’Anni’, and we see Sofia go from an intelligent, brilliant young woman, who her father possibly sees as a worthy successor, to having her thrown into the pit of hell and emerging as something entirely else. And it makes for jaw-dropping television. Actress Cristin Milioti brings incredible range to her performance, and the harrowing transformation she undergoes in ‘Cent’Anni’ as her father’s true character comes to the forefront, and the base evil of her family’s power almost swallows her. After being made aware of a string of brutal murders, and making the connection to her mother’s own untimely ‘suicide’ as a child, Sofia encores the wrath of her father and his ‘family’ and finds herself thrown into a hell that completely re-shapes her into a terrifying new force.

Making his debut in The Penguin in ‘Cent’Anni’ is the undeniably talented Mark Strong as Carmine Falcone, who inherits the role from the great John Turturro, and Strong brings a new shade of sophistication and danger to the role of this formidable force of Gotham’s Crime Underworld. Strong portrays Falcone as a pure shark who’s not above going to any lengths to protect his empire, including sacrificing those closest to him to do it, and you feel his ultimate control and presence at every turn. Strong is an actor of tremendous range and presence, and it’s fantastic to see him working next to Milioti. You completely buy into their history as father and daughter and the dangers that shadow. While Falcone’s actions are deplorable and mark him out as a villain worthy of the deepest layer of hell, you can’t help but praise his incredible performance as this very dangerous man, and the level of complexity that he brings to the role.

Betrayed by her father, Sofia Falcone finds herself sentenced to the worst place in all of Gotham City, Arkham Asylum, and it’s here that ‘Cent’Anni’ takes a savage turn. While Matt Reeves only hinted at the madness of the infamous institution in The Batman, ‘Cent’Anni’ explores it to the fullest, and Sofia’s indoctrination into its brutish corridors makes for the stuff of the scariest horror films. Utter madness follows, and we watch her lose her sanity and self to this place. A new persona is born, that of ‘The Hangman’, and Sofia is thrown to monsters and emerges as one herself. Director Helen Shaver brings a female perspective to the horror that Sofia suffers through in this episode, and there’s plenty of violence, both physical and psychological, that will throw the audience around. Milioti throws herself into the madness, and it’s damn horrifying watching Sofia lose herself to this new persona, and the woman who emerges is someone entirely different.

‘Cent’Anni’ is utter madness captured on film, and with her origin established, the resulting third act leads to a dangerous confrontation and Sofia Falcone grabbing for her birthright in a move that brings her past and present together. And it’s a brutal end to the episode that none of us saw coming. Oz had better be careful because there’s a new boss in town, and she won’t suffer anyone who gets in her way.

The Penguin is now streaming on Neon and SKY TV.

Image: SKY TV

The post ‘The Penguin’ – ‘Cent’Anni’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

For those who have yet to see The Batman, turn away now, because what we have here is a closer look at The Joker, as played by Barry Keoghan. Initially teased at the climax of The Batman when Paul Dano’s Edward Nashton/The Riddler is locked away in Arkham Asylum, the presence of a new Joker sent shivers down the spines of audience members and in this newly released deleted scene we get an all-new insight into the demonic presence of this crazed psychopathic villain.

Set out as an interrogation with Pattinson’s Batman seeking an insight into the mind and behaviour of The Riddler, this scene between the future arch-enemies suggests an initial run in between the two in Batman’s first year as a crime fighter and the scene as a sinister Silence of the Lambs quality with Keoghan’s Joker doing everything he can to get under Batman’s skin. While we don’t get a full picture of this Joker, it’s clear that he’s a horrifically scarred and burned freak and his madness and psychopathy is clearly on display.

Watch the full clip below:

How Keoghan will grow into the role of the Joker is still to be seen, but judging from this first look it’s clear that his version of the Joker in the Matt Reeves’ Batman narrative is going to be one hell of a freak.

The Batman is in cinemas NOW.

The post Take a look at The Joker in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.

During his second year of fighting crime, Batman pursues the Riddler, a serial killer who targets elite Gotham City citizens. He uncovers corruption that connects to his own family during the investigation and is forced to make new allies to catch the Riddler and bring the corrupt to justice.

When it comes to iconic pop-culture heroes there is one who stands above all the rest. A dark crusader of the night’s skies who strikes fear into the souls of the criminals that prowl the streets beneath him, Batman is one of the most beloved, cherished and impactful superheroes ever to be created and his story and fight for justice continues to resonate with audiences. Created in 1939 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Batman’s unique character, story, Rogues Gallery, gadgets and straight-up badassery continues to make an impact on audiences the world over and every time he returns to the big screen it’s a time for much excitement and intrigue. For any filmmaker, the promise of finding a new way into the Batman mythos can be a daunting challenge but rest assured because the visually gifted Matt Reeves is here to bring you a Batman that you have longed dreamed of seeing on screen and The Batman is an utter masterwork to behold.

As a filmmaker, Reeves finds a new way into the Batman mythos by taking a radically different approach to the narrative and worldbuilding of The Batman, and this is a Batman film unlike any you’ve seen before. By-passing the standard origin tale, Reeves’ The Batman is a ‘Year Two’ story and this is its point-of-difference. Neither a beginning crime fighter, nor an established veteran, this Batman is a bold and brutal nighttime vigilante who has had an effect on the scum of Gotham City, but who is still continuing to find his feet as he confronts the Gotham underworld. This ‘Year Two’ narrative is blended with the lived-in, hyper-realism style that Reeves fosters not only in the character and actions of Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne/Batman but also in the landscape and existence of Gotham City and its inhabitants. Shot through the lens of film noir, Reeves’s The Batman presents a murky, grungey, crowded, rain-soaked and corrupt Gotham City that is on its last legs, where citizens live in constant fear and which is in dire need of a saviour and protector. This is where Reeves sets his story and he certainly works his magic.

Reeves’s approach to The Batman leads him into the realm of film noir and detective fiction and the resulting picture speaks for itself on-screen. With cinematographer Greig Fraser, production designer James Chinlund, art director Grant Armstrong, costumers Jacqueline Durran, Dave Crossman and Glyn Dillon and hair and make-up artist Mike Marino, Reeves crafts The Batman into an incredibly unique vision. Looking to influences such as The Godfather, Chinatown and Se7en, Reeves builds out a dark, brooding detective-noir narrative and his attention to detail will have you wide-eyed with excitement. He also finds the right balance between the practical and the fantastical and his portrait of Batman and Gotham City is the stuff that long time fans could only dream of. Greig Fraser’s dark-shadowed, almost sepia-like imagery also adds to the effect and impact of the story and the result is a murky, dark portrait that moves between scintillating glamour and nightmarish horror at the same time.

Donning the cape and cowl is Bristish thespian Robert Pattinson and this young actor makes for an incredibly impressive Batman. Seeking a new angle, Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne/Batman is not the glamourous playboy and stalwart avenger of Gotham City, but instead, a haunted insomniac and wrathful creature of the night possessed by an obsession that borders on the sheer edge of madness as he wages his one-man war on crime from the shadows and takes back the city of Gotham one block at a time. Part of what makes Pattinson’s portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman so intriguing is that Reeves takes us into the character’s internal monologue, and for the first time we get to hear his inner thoughts as he narrates the actions and consequences of his quest for vengeance. This is a massive point of difference in the portrayal of the Batman character from what we’ve seen before and Pattinson digs deep and transforms himself into this obsessive loner whose fight for the city of Gotham, and need for vengeance is becoming all-consuming.

Pattinson, under Reeves’s direction, also keenly plays up Batman’s role as the ‘world’s greatest detective’ and much of the story follows his investigation into the actions of the brutal serial killer called The Riddler. We see Pattinson’s Batman working the case, and employing his unique mind, technology and inquisitive detective skills to piece together a growing and dangerous conspiracy. And it’s fascinating to watch. Of interest for audiences in this portrayal is that Pattinson throws himself into the form of Batman over that of Bruce Wayne and this has a seriously dramatic effect on the narrative. What this shows is a character who lives in his shadow persona, forsaking the person who lives in the light and it’s a point-of-difference from other portrayals. Themes of identity and history factor into Pattinson’s performance and long time fans will be very happy with how Pattinson’s interpretation of Bruce Wayne/Batman plays into the grand mythos of the character and the connections to the Wayne family, Arkham Asylum and other core tenants of the Batman story.

Pattinson’s Batman isn’t just a mere detective either and we get to see him let his physical side out as Batman, and when he’s encased in his armour and takes to the night’s skies looking for a fight, he transforms into an utter monster. Favouring a bone-breaking, smash-bash, street fighting style that focuses more on effective brutality than flamboyant style, Pattinson’s Batman goes to work on the streets of Gotham and he’s a particularly dangerous creature to cross. There’s nothing pretty about the combat here. It’s brutal, nasty, violent, and directly to the point. In short, it’s real. Pattinson’s Batman isn’t flashy or showy, he’s not fighting to impress, he’s fighting to win and to cause as much terror to his combatants as possible. The film’s fight scenes are bone-snapping in their presentation and Pattinson proves that he has a real talent for action cinema as he jumps headfirst into the fray. Special note is also made to Pattinson’s Batman being very much a human figure. He’s not immune to pain or getting smashed up and he certainly takes a few punches. But he sure does throw them back a hell of a lot harder.

While Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne/Batman may serve as the film’s primary protagonist, Reeves also introduces audiences to a fresh-faced and edgy young woman named Selina Kyle, played with extraordinary grace and red-hot sex appeal by Zoë Kravitz, and she’s a femme fatale in the making. As a young woman who is entrenched in Gotham City’s criminal underworld, and who possesses her own unique skills and is nursing a need for vengeance, Kravitz brings a fire and energy to a Catwoman for a new generation and she’s a great partner for Pattinson’s Batman on screen. Where Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne/Batman carries a real masculine edge, Kravitz’s Selina Kyle brings her own feminine power to bear and there’s is a great ying/yang confrontation throughout The Batman’s narrative. Kravitz has incredible sex appeal as Kyle and holds the attention of the screen, and this girl can seriously throw a kick and her presence takes the action and intrigue of The Batman to a new level.

Batman’s mythology is filled with a list of dangerous members of the Rogues Gallery and Matt Reeves reinvents many of them in this, his new telling of the Batman story. The film’s central villain is The Riddler, played by an unhinged and skittishly psychopathic Paul Dano, who is re-introduced to audiences as a calculating and vicious serial killer who is willing to burn Gotham City to the ground. The Riddler engages Batman in a chilling game of cat and mouse and Dano commits fully to this terrifying character, and his presence and actions are sure to unnerve audiences as he attacks Gotham’s elite with a twisted zeal in his quest for ‘justice’. This new portrait of The Riddler marks out The Batman from any other Batman film and Reeves creativity and quest to push the envelope shows through in this character and his appearance is sure to send a chill down your spine.

While The Riddler serves as the film’s primary antagonist, Reeves also builds out the Rogues Gallery, and the underworld of Gotham City, with several other key villains including money-minded gangster Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) and mafia don Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). Both Farrell and Turturro make dramatic changes as they morph into their respective characters, and they bring a grand gangster presence that is key to The Batman’s success. Like Pattinson’s Batman, we are only in the early stages of seeing these characters come to life and this is clear when it comes to Farrell’s Cobblepot. Not yet a crime-lord of Gotham, but rather an ambitious mob lieutenant with expensive tastes, Farrell’s Cobblepot is a scarred and disfigured thug who is mockingly referred to as ‘The Penguin’ by those around him, and who is only beginning to make his mark on Gotham. But the mark will be made.

As a cinematic experience, The Batman is a film that gripped me from beginning to end and I found myself completely enamoured by the narrative that Matt Reeves brought to the big screen. Of particular enjoyment was watching Reeves and Pattinson exploring the internal side to Batman and seeing Batman’s internal monologue brought before us in the film’s gripping opening scenes. This introduction to the character and the establishment of a new Gotham City was one of the most exciting and electrifying parts of the entire film that I witnessed and I felt in these moments like this was the Batman film I had been longing for my entire life. Set against the moody music and vocals of Nirvana’s ‘Something in the Way’, this opening scene and narration set the atmosphere for the noir-laced epic that we were to witness and it was a hell of a new introduction for such a legendary character.

Alongside this exploration of the internal workings of Bruce Wayne/Batman’s mind and interior monologue another of my favourite parts of The Batman was the presence of an all-new Batmobile. And this is one grunty metal beast. Seeking something new, Reeves and his team turned to the classic American muscle car stylings of a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda to mould their Dark Knight’s chariot from and it’s a pure demonic presence on screen. This Batmobile screams power, ferocity, speed and intimidation and watching Pattinson let loose in it made for one hell of a rush! Reeves again pushes for reality with his film’s signature car chase and there’s nothing pretty about it as Pattinson’s Batman charges after Farrell’s Cobblepot. With its brutalism design aesthetic and sheer engine ferocity, this Batmobile is built to do one and thing, and one thing only: run the bad guys off the road. And that’s exactly what it does. Throw in Michael Giacchino’s adrenaline charging score and you’ve got a seriously badass car chase.

The success of The Batman as a cinematic experience goes back to its director’s desire to stay true to the source material and to present a film-noir detective tale that is rich in detail and epic in scale. Reeves truly builds a living breathing Gotham City and there’s so much to take in with The Batman. It’s a film that is contemporary and practical, but also stylistic and fantastical. It tells a complete story from beginning to end and resurrects a beloved hero and his frightening rogues, along with teasing the appearance of the mania and chaos that could soon sweep the streets of Gotham City and which awaits laughing in the shadows. The Batman is a film that is truly made for the fans and audiences who are seeking a definitive Batman story will be very pleased with what Matt Reeves brings to the big screen with this dark and brooding narrative.

Characters don’t get more heroic or inspiring than Batman and that’s exactly what Matt Reeves has given us in The Batman. Richly detailed, exciting to watch and getting to the very soul of the Dark Knight, The Batman is an utter masterwork to behold and audiences will be clenching their seats from an outpouring of adrenaline as they witness this piece of cinema unfold before their eyes. Movies simply don’t get any better than this.

Image: Warner Brothers Pictures

The post ‘The Batman’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Listen to the brand new ‘The Riddler’ track here:

With a sharp and dangerous sound that feels like a razor blade being dragged across a guitar before erupting into an operatic and haunting musical piece, ‘The Riddler’ winds its way into your mind and suggests a haunting and dangerous new villain who is haunting the streets of Gotham and striking a sense of murderous fear into its citizens.

While we’ve seen little of The Riddler in much of the latest trailer  for The Batman, it’s clear that he’s a dangerous and sadistic opponent for Bruce Wayne/The Batman (Robert Pattinson) and actor Paul Dano is certainly dialling up the creep factor in his performance. Taking inspiration from the infamous 1970s serial killer, The Zodiac Killer, Dano has crafted a villain who is sure to get under your skin and his intelligence and sadism is sure to mark out The Batman as an all-together different kind of superhero movie.

Here’s the official synopsis:

During his second year of fighting crime, Batman pursues the Riddler, a serial killer who targets elite Gotham City citizens. He uncovers corruption that connects to his own family during the investigation, and is forced to make new allies to catch the Riddler and bring the corrupt to justice.

The Batman is sure to be an extremely unique and different kind of superhero watch and fans of the genre should expect the unexpected here.

Brace yourself for the hunt of the night when The Batman arrives in cinemas on March 3.

Image: Warner Brothers Pictures

The post Get your first taste of the menace of The Riddler in ‘The Batman’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Watch the brand new clip for The Batman below:

Dubbed ‘The Funeral Scene’ audiences see a disconnected and reclusive Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) who in a rear public appearance makes an outing to pay his respects to a murdered city official. While in the church, Wayne sees the dead man’s son and experiences a moment of pain and past remorse at his parents own passing. We also see him eavesdrop on a conversation between Detective Luitenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and the chief of the Gotham City Police before a frantic and crazed assault is brought on the church by The Riddler and Wayne jumps into action.

It’s a hell of a scene and illustrates the grandeur of Reeves storytelling and his attention to detail. Watching the action unfold I felt as if I was watching a scene from The Godfather, and this ties directly back to Reeves desire to craft a story that feels very different from the typical comic book narrative.

Alongside this new first look clip from The Batman, we also have the first official taste of composer Michael Giacchino’s score for The Batman. The aptly named title track will serve as the chief motive and score for the film’;s central character and it is a score that packs together ideas of haunting sorrow and pain, alongside rousing heroism and epicness. It’s a perfect touch for the film and crafts a mood for something completely different and audiences will be ready for something wild here.

Here’s the official synopsis:

During his second year of fighting crime, Batman pursues the Riddler, a serial killer who targets elite Gotham City citizens. He uncovers corruption that connects to his own family during the investigation, and is forced to make new allies to catch the Riddler and bring the corrupt to justice.

The Batman is far and away my most anticipated film of 2021 and I’m extremely excited to see it unfold here. The action looks intense, the drama haunting and star Robert Pattinson is ready to make the Dark Knight his own when The Batman arrives in cinemas on March 3.

The post Take a new look at ‘The Batman’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Check out the brand new trailer NOW:

Here’s the official synopsis:

During his second year of fighting crime, Batman pursues the Riddler, a serial killer who targets elite Gotham City citizens. He uncovers corruption that connects to his own family during the investigation, and is forced to make new allies to catch the Riddler and bring the corrupt to justice.

This new trailer is entirely EPIC and gives audiences a terrific new insight into the story of The Batman. and we are presented with an extremely haunted Bruce Wayne courtesy of Robert Pattinson. This is a Bruce Wayne who is blindly obsessive to his nightly quest for vengeance and who seems to have lost sight of his status as a member of the Wayne family. He’s also discovering that the serial killer known as The Riddler has a bone to pick with the Wayne family, and that he’s willing to do anything to bring Gotham City to its knees.

Knowing that two against one are better odds, Pattinson’s Wayne also enlists the help of Selina Kylie; a nightclub worker and cat burglar who is guarding her own secrets and who sees something more in the Batman. There’s a great sexual tension and chemistry between Pattinson and Kravitz and this certainly plays into the action and intensity of The Batman.

This new trailer truly amps everything up and in terms of the narrative of The Batman, this is the most amount of narrative footage that we’ve seen to date. With its twisting story, The Batman is truly going to take audiences into the heart of the Dark Knight and director Matt Reeves is using this to his advantage to give Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne a true test that sees him take on the psychopathic force of The Riddler and his gang of zealot followers.

Prepare for 2022’s biggest blockbuster when The Batman arrives in cinemas on March 3, 2022.

The post The Bat and the Cat take centre stage in ‘The Batman’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Watch the full trailer below:

Check out my full reaction for The Batman trailer below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

In his second year of fighting crime, Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler.

Building off of an intense feeling of film noir, and heighten crime film thrills, Matt reeves’s The Batman is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, and this edgy new story is sure to get audiences pumped with its serious narrative and a committed performance on the part of Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Director Matt Reeves takes audiences into the dark underbelly of Gotham City, where the vigilante detective known as The Batman is in his second year prowling the streets of Gotham and soon has to contend not only with the scum of Gotham’s criminal mob, which includes upstart ganster Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell), but also an elusive, calculating and sadistic serial killer The Riddler (Paul Dano).

Reeves’ direction marks this Batman film out as an incredibly haunting and intense cinematic experience, and in watching the trailer you feel like you’re witnessing a film that feels more like a Martin Scorsese crime film than a mere comic book superhero film. Audiences who are looking for intense action and characterization will be extremely pleased with what’s on offer here, and Pattinson brings a dark and haunting intensity to his character that borders on a maddening obsession.

In addition to Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne, audiences are also allowed a look at Zoe Kravitz’s Selina Kyle/Catwoman, an enigmatic career criminal and femme fatale who catches the eye of both Bruce Wayne and Batman, and Kravitz certainly brings a sultry feminity to the role, that makes her an equal match to Pattinson’s Batman.

The Batman has the feeling of those classic 1970s crime dramas such as Chinatown and Taxi Driver, and Reeves has focused in on the gritty nature of Gotham City and its power to motivate the unstoppable Bruce Wayne. Pattinson has also gone to town here in the role, and he transforms into a literal beast when he jumps into the fight. Those looking for some serious ground and pound action will be very pleased with how savage he is in his performance.

This is a Batman film unlike any that we’ve witnessed before and it is far and away shaping up to be my most anticipated film of 2022.

The Batman will arrive IN CINEMAS on March 3, 2022.

The post A Dark Knight returns in ‘The Batman’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Watch the full teaser trailer for The Batman below:

Watch my full reaction video for The Batman below, and leave a comment on our YouTube channel about what you’re most excited to see about this new take on Batman:

While no official synopsis for The Batman currently exists, director Matt Reeves has confirmed that this version of The Batman is not an origin film, but rather that we will find Bruce Wayne in Year Two of his mission being Batman and having to deal with a series of deranged murders that tie back into Gotham City’s current state of police corruption, along with the history of Gotham City itself.

Talking on the casting and characters involved in The Batman, Reeves said:

“They’re amazing, I mean we have Paul Dano who plays a version of The Riddler that no one has ever seen before, and it’s really something, he’s such an incredibly creative actor and so what he’s doing I think is going to blow people’s minds. And then to have Zoe Kravitz, her iteration of Selina Kyle, like to me that’s incredibly exciting, you have an iteration that you’ve never seen of what she’s doing, but it touches on all of these iconic sort of things that people know from the comic. So it’s always about trying to square what you sort of know, with what also is new and that is really part of I think what the exciting sort of process is about making a Batman movie, which is to find a way to make it your own, and to find a way for the actors to make it their own, and yet still connect to all these things that people also go ‘of that’s my Selina, I know who that is’, and I guess the one thing about the Rogues Gallery is that it actually in a weird way actually is the origins of our Rogues Gallery characters so like Selina isn’t Catwoman yet. That’s actually a part of the journey, Oz is not yet the Kingpin that he’s going to become, he’s the Penguin, and he actually doesn’t like being called The Penguin. And the Riddler is just emerging for the first time, so that’s all incredibly exciting, and then we have like Andy Serkis, who is one of the most beautiful actors, and he is playing an iteration of Alfred that I feel like people have never seen before, which is really exciting to share with people. And then we have an incredible, like for me I just think that Jeffrey Wright is just one of the great actors to be able to work with him in a totally new iteration of Gordon, and then we have the amazing John Turturro who’s going to be a Carmine Falcone who in this iteration you’ve never seen that version before, and how all these characters connect I think for me was one of the challenges, but also exciting things about the creation of the story in going on this sort desire to solve, or the urge or compulsion to solve these series of crimes you touch on all of these iterations of the beginnings of these characters, so that the whole movie is like a snowball roll that you can just feel the momentum building and building, and that’s the attempt.”

Alongside The Batman, Reeves is also working on a new Gotham PD television series for Warner Brothers with acclaimed writer, and Boardwalk Empire creator Terrance Winter, which will dovetail the movie and explore Batman’s impact on Gotham in his first year of vigilante crime fighting.

Along with discussing the narrative and character details of The Batman, Reeves also took some time out to discuss the design of the film, specifically regarding the Bat Suit, and how Robert Pattinson had some very specific things that he wanted included in it.

“We of course have an incredible costume designer in Jacquline Durrand, and the bat suit was designed by Glen Dillion, and they’re geniuses and it’s great to work with them, but one of the things that’s really important being able work with the actors. Like Rob had a very important part in designing the suit in that he had to be able to wear it and be able to fight in it. And one of the things about this bat suit is that it is, it’s very practical, the whole idea is that he’s made it himself, and so we needed to be able to sort of see how it would fit on him in these ways that he could move and also look like it was something that was still evolving and even the idea in the story is that he’s in year two, and wearing it so like he goes out every night looking for trouble so yuou look at his cowl and you actually see that there are gashes in it, and all of that detail was an incredibly exciting dialogue between me and the costume designers, and then having Rob involved. So yeah, the actors have a lot to do, because you always want to have a dialogue with everyone so we can arrive at the thing that feels the most grounded, the most honest and the most character based. One of the big things Rob actually talked to Christian Bale, and Christina Bale was like “just make sure you’re going to be able to releave yourself’, so that was also incredibly important too.”

Reeves also commented on the importance that Gotham City will play in the upcoming Batman film saying “It’s just as is important as the Rogues Gallery, and the nature of this place, and the history of it is critically important to our story, and one of the things I really wanted to do, because it is the center of this story, especially the history of corruption in the city is that I wanted to present it as a way that was really fleshed out. I wanted to present it as an American city that you’d never been too. I mean other versions, y’know obviously the Burton one had very theatrical, beautiful, beautiful sets and Nolan had the version that he created in Batman Begins, and that was a particular thing with parts of Chicago and parts of Pittsburgh, and what we’re trying to do is create a version of ti that you haven’t seen before. So some of the locations that were chosen, the idea was to take there’s like, like we have a Gotham Square, so that’s like Times Square right. But if we shot it in Times Square you’d be like well I guess Gotham is New York, but in our case it’s actually going to be Liverpool. And the ideas to go to Liverpool where there’s all the sort of the foundation of the Gothic Architecture, and add all the more modern structures through CGI, but in a way that when you see the movie you’ll be like ‘hey, where’s that city, where did they shoot’. So the aspect of Gotham and realizing it for me has been one of the great pleasures of getting to mount the movie.”

Reeves also commented on the perception of Batman from the citizens of Gotham as well, and this provided a key insight into the focus of the film, in that Pattinson’s Batman is very much a vigilante and is not seen as a beacon of hope for the people of Gotham, but is rather seen as a symbol of fear by many who are afraid of him, and that he’s very much a growing legend within the city.

In relation to the casting Robert Pattinson in the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, Reeves was incredibly open about his reasons for casting the 34-year-old actor in the role, and explained in depth how Pattinson’s acting ability defined his vision for The Batman.

“I mean the thing about Robert Pattinson is that he is an incredible actor. I feel like the work that he’s done in the last, I don’t know six years has been incredible. Like a friend of mine made a movie called Lost City of Z and Rob appeared in that movie and I was like who is that guy? He just had such charisma, and Rob in the movie has this incredible beard, and you’re like who is that, and it’s Rob. And Rob in The Rover. And Rob in Good Time. He’s like a chameleon, he’s just such a gifted actor, and he’s been working on his craft in this really incredible way, and he also happens to be a tremendous, passionate sort of fan of Batman the way that I am, so it was an incredible thing to be able too connect with him and to share excitement about the character and to work with him. I mean he looks like Batman,m but more than anything he has the soul of someone I think that can play a Batman like you’ve never seen before.”

On how Reeves will define his vision for the movie over previous Batman films, the director said:

“I think as we said it’s not an origin tale, and you’re meeting him in the early days and for me what’s really important about this iteration is that y’know a lot of the other stories are very much about how he had to master his fear and master himself to become Batman, and in that Batman state he’s sort of in his best self. And I think for me what was exciting was not doing that, not doing the origin, not doing what we’d seen done so beautifully in other movies, but instead to meet him in the middle of his crimological experiment to see him in the becoming of Batman. And to see him make mistakes as Batman to see him grow, and fail be heroic and do all the things we associate with Batman but in a way that felt very human, and very flawed. The biggest fantasy of course as a kid would of course to be Batman, and so the idea of putting the audience in the shoes of that character and make the audience feel the way that he feels, I think that to me, I hope is what’s different about what we’re doing to try and do it in exactly that sort of manner. And the of course the other things that are from the earlier history of the comics, like him being the world’s greatest detective and how he got there. Y’know those things have been touched on, but I don’t know that they’ve been essential to the plot as they are in this particular Batman. So there’s a lot of things that I hope will be totally different.”

Finally Reeves also discussed the cinematic influences that were present on his vision of The Batman, and from his choices Reeves clearly has a very key vision for how he wants to bring this film to life.

“Well because the movie is a detective story, because it is y’know a thriller in the sort of cop world and because it’s about corruption. We’re treating this Batman story as if this could have happened, and the ideas that, as I said Batman doesn’t have the sort of ability to have super heroic powers, he just has super heroic focus and super heroic drive, and so for me, like a lot of movies, like Chinatown was a key one because Chinatown, Jake Gitties, in investigating that series of crimes that were a part of that story he discovers the depths of corruption that lie at the heart of Los Angeles, and so in that way it’s like a classic noir.  And so that’s very much inspired our story, with the series of murders that Batman is investigating are very much in that mode. So Chinatown was a really big one, and that idea, that kind of gritty, flawed, the humanity of it, that was very much inspired by those kinds of movies by like French Connection and other cop movies like that. I’d even say a movie like Taxi Driver, that kind of a place, in very much getting inside of somebody’s head. I guess a lot of really sort-of 1970s street, grounded stories.”

Looking over the teaser trailer it comes across as an incredibly dark, and noir-drenched watch and Reeves is really playing into the underlying darkness of the Batman comic mythos and has really pulled together a hard-edged thriller. There’s a hyper-realism mixed in here, and with the creepy rendition of Nirvana’s ‘Something In The Way’ attached to the trailer it adds a considerable edge to the trailer.

Pattinson, whom I must admit I was initially concerned about, puts in a terrific performance here as Bruce Wayne/Batman and has a fanatical obsession about him to go out and fight crime on the streets of Gotham. This of course leads us to the presence of The Riddler, who has a psychotic serial killer vibe to him, and who with Paul Dano’s performance will likely leave audiences on edge. The savage combat that we get to see in the film is also a stark reminder of just how serious Reeves and Pattinson are taking this movie and I believe we’ll be in for something incredibly different that will give audiences a solid rush.

The Batman will arrive in cinemas on October 1, 2021.

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Immortal worlds that introduced a legend back in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. And now after months of speculation and plenty of discussion the world over, audiences were introduced to a brand new Dark Knight as director Matt Reeves offered up our first look at Robert Pattinson in his full Batman costume for The Batman.

Reeves released this camera test footage on his Vimeo channel which shows Pattinson kitted out in a bold new Batman costume and bathed in red light with a thumping, gothic soundtrack going on full blast as Reeves announced his new Batman to the world.

Check out the new footage below:

The Batman – Camera Test from Matt Reeves on Vimeo.

This camera test showcases a Batman suit that appears to have a real basis in tactical design, with a focus on functionality and the possibility of modification. Designed with an almost brutalist style to it, Pattinson’s first costume is an ultra-militaristic concept, and has the makings of a piece of equipment that looks to be designed with a focus on engineering and performance, rather than mere aesthetics.

It’s a rugged piece of kit and displays an edgy approach to the character, and Reeves test showcases both the characters coveted cowl as well as an all-new Bat Symbol.

While we’re still yet to see the suits exact colour scheme, it’s highly likely that it will be a solid black, although their have been rumours that Reeves might incorporate the classic blue/grey colouring from the comic books into the look.

With its conception based around principles of engineering and performance I feel that it’s likely that we’ll see some pretty impressive modifications to this suit, and that we may also see a whole range of different suits utilized by Pattinson’s Batman throughout the film.

This is just the latest look that we’ve gotten for The Batman, which started filming on January 28, and features a cast that includes Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/The Riddler, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin.

We’ve recently seen that Pattinson has been putting some time in the gym for the role, and in costume he certainly cuts an impressive figure as the Dark Knight.

Reeves camera test footage is very similar to what Cathy Yan did with Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), when she released a first look piece of footage back in January 2019 to highlight her principle characters.

Fans have been reacting with intense interest with The Batman, and with our first look at The Batman here I can tell you that I’m well excited to see more from here.

The Batman will arrive in cinemas on June 24, 2020.

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In reviewing War for the Planet of the Apes one can simply not overlook the phenomenal performance from lead actor Andy Serkis. Whether portraying Caesar as a young orphan in Rise or as a world-wearied leader in War, Serkis has been able to express a broad spectrum of emotions and behaviours that have made Caesar one of the most compelling characters in modern science fiction.

Without going into spoiler territory, Caesar faces some tough challenges between doing what is right as a leader versus what he feels he needs to accomplish on a personal level. At all times this interior battle plagues him and directs his decisions which makes for some great moments on the big screen.

While it’s difficult to upstage a performer like Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson comes pretty damn close.

His portrayal of the nameless military Colonel is filled with brutal efficiency, and his words and actions carry with them a chilling sense of belief that they are ordained by a higher power. The Colonel is an absolute zealot who fears for the end of days, and Harrelson’s trademark crazed wild-eyed stare certainly helped to convey this.

I would, however, caution fans to be prepared for the unexpected and the way that Reeves uses the Colonel narratively in the third act really took me by surprise. With all my time spent watching films I’m pretty adept at picking where a movie is going, but here I was definitely caught off guard.

While War for the Planet of the Apes packed plenty of big action set pieces, what made it appealing for me as a viewer was the importance that Reeves placed on his narrative. As a director, he was never overzealous to just use action for the sake of it, or to get a reaction from his audience. Instead, every pulse-pounding set piece leads further into the film’s dramatic narrative, which placed great attention to themes of family, belonging and home.

To see such attention given to ideas over action in a blockbuster of this size is certainly refreshing, and one hopes that we’ll see more of it in the future.

Another thing that informed War was Reeves well-known position as a pop-culture fanatic. To put it bluntly, his knowledge of this cinematic franchise really shows with plenty of easter eggs that long time fans will pick up on.

From the terrifying ‘scarecrows’ to the introduction of characters including Nova and Cornelius, who were a part of the original 1968 classic, these little details make War that much more special.

Packed with breathtaking CGI, a gripping narrative and asking some important questions, War for the Planet of the Apes was a thrill-ride that went beyond my own expectations. If you want to know who the real dominant species is on this planet, then I highly recommend you buy a ticket for this movie pronto.

Image: 20th Century Fox

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