If there’s one thing in the movies that a lot of people might agree about, and there’s not a lot really, it’s that an origin story is great when it’s nailed in a way that works for just about everyone. But when it comes to telling the same origin story over and over and over, things can get tiring and more than a little dull since at some point the audience says “We get it, move on.” This is kind of what’s happened with Batman over the years since throughout each version that’s been given, people have almost always been given his origin story, and while it’s changed a bit here and there as far as the actors, the actions, and visuals that are given, the moment is essentially the same. Bruce Wayne watches as his parents are murdered in front of him, and as a result, he pledges his life to fighting crime and punishing the wicked. While it’s important to remember the origin story of many characters, Batman’s is ingrained in the consciousness of just about every fan that’s ever watched the dark knight in one form or another.
That’s why it’s refreshing to hear Matt Reeves, the man directing the upcoming Batman movie with Robert Pattinson, saying that there will be no origin story in his movie. It’s the kind of spoiler that one might think would have been best left alone until the movie finally releases, but at the same time, it might help people with their expectations of this movie when they head into the theater. It sounds as though this version of Batman will be well beyond the conceptualization period and will be making his way forward in an attempt to become the dark knight. But it won’t see Pattinson as being well-established just yet, as he appears to be an angry young man that’s still learning the ropes and making the enemies that he’ll have for a while to come.
So far there’s a lot of support for Pattinson’s turn as Batman, and it’s a big hope that these voices won’t be proven wrong when the movie comes out, especially since in the history of Batman movies there have been a couple of greats and a couple that were memorable but not outstanding. And yes, there has been one that was absolutely terrible. Where Pattinson is going to fall along that spectrum is unknown yet, but a lot of people are willing to bet that he’s going to be seen as a welcome addition to the name and that he might be the one that can show a great deal of growth and evolution of the character if the movie does get a sequel. With the gallery of villains that Batman possesses there’s a good bet that if The Batman does well enough at the theater that it might be possible that we’ll see a new direction with the character and might be able to see him take on a new angle that hasn’t been tried before. That’s a big assumption to be sure, but so far it would appear that a lot of people are thinking that it might be well-founded and could become very realistic.
The idea Reeves has based his character around the feel that he acquired while listening to Nirvana is kind of intriguing since if anyone remembers, and a lot of us should, Nirvana spoke to a large number of people during their time, and their music can bring a different tone to Batman, as the trailer already made clear with the use of ‘Something in the Way’. This version of Bruce Wayne is definitely a brooder as it would appear that he’s still in the transition of becoming the dangerous vigilante that seeks to protect his city. It is fun to think about since one has to imagine the years between Bruce’s ruined childhood and his tumultuous adolescence and obsessed adulthood that he would have more than a few issues when it came to adjusting to the life he chose. This movie appears set to make that transition visible, which is great since most of the other movies have shown Batman as an established hero, though Christopher Nolan’s trilogy did start by showing Bruce Wayne as a young man that was seeking a way to fight back.
It feels fair to state that some folks might take issue with not having the origin story present, but at this time it does feel as though such a thing should be a minor concern since the story of Batman is best served at this time by filling in any gaps that might still exist. By nixing the origin story and focusing on Bruce coming into his own as Batman it feels as though Reeves might be able to capture the attention of the fans in a slightly different way that might pay off.
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