Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy (2005-2012) took a complete 180 from what had been seen before, opting for a militarized vehicle that had its design basis in Frank Miller’s iconic comic series, The Dark Knight Returns. More tank than car, the vehicle in Nolan’s films stripped away the comic book elements, with even the name The Tumblr replacing the more kitschy Batmobile. The last onscreen Batmobile, featured in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), perfectly blended the elements of Nolan and Burton’s Batmobile for a combat vehicle that felt both grounded and of a world of comic book characters. This version of the Batmobile, a personal favorite, is the vehicle of a man who has spent two decades perfecting it. It’s great for the film it’s in, but for a Batman early in his career like the one in Reeves’ movie, it’s obvious that a different direction was needed.
Reeves has gone back to the basics with a muscle car equipped with a mean-looking engine. Much like Batman’s costume, there’s a quality to this car that looks handmade, cobbled together from different parts. It’s easy to believe Bruce Wayne worked on this car himself, making alterations and tinkering with it, instead of relying on military tech from Wayne Industries. The realism of this car evokes Neal Adams’ Batmobile design from the ’70s and ’80s, and one designed by Irv Novick and Dick Giordano in 1992. In the comics, Batman is a skilled engineer, but we’ve yet to see his skills as a grease monkey onscreen. Hopefully we’ll get to see Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne working on the car and making it more efficient for his needs.
The fact that it’s a muscle car also continues the visual ties to George Miller’s Mad Max series, and the sense that this Batman will be something of a Road Warrior, with utilitarian equipment picked up on the go, rather than the uniform costume and gadgets of a more traditional superhero. While it’s hard to tell without seeing it in action, this latest version does appear to be smallest Batmobile we’ve seen onscreen, with Batman providing the size contrast. The smaller size, jet black color and subtle thematic design choices suggest a quiet vehicle that can sneak up in the dark and move through the streets of Gotham relatively undetected, should Batman choose that approach.
As for Gotham City, the little that we see of the metropolis in these photos does seem to share some aesthetic similarities with Batman Begins (2005) and yellow-tinted impoverished neighborhoods that made up The Narrows. No doubt a broader look at Reeves’ Gotham City will reveal its own unique traits. But the car suggests that Batman won’t need to do much off-road action, or use the vehicle itself as a weapon. There’s a notable lack of guns on the Batmobile, something previous iterations have incorporated, suggesting a ride built for speed and travel, rather than waging war. But, with Batman being Batman, there’s undoubtedly some unseen features of the Batmobile that we’ll just have to wait to see on film.
The Batman is set to open June 25, 2021.
