After the release of The Batman’s gritty new trailer, it looked as though Bruce Wayne may have some anger issues, and an official story synopsis makes that very clear, saying that this Bruce Wayne, at least initially, is "no better than the ruthless serial killer he's hunting."
Warner Bros. has now released a synopsis for The Batman which explains that Robert Pattinson's Wayne is a “disillusioned, desperate vigilante” when we first meet him.
“The Batman is an edgy, action-packed thriller that depicts Batman in his early years, struggling to balance rage with righteousness as he investigates a disturbing mystery that has terrorized Gotham,” reads the official synopsis. “Robert Pattinson delivers a raw, intense portrayal of Batman as a disillusioned, desperate vigilante awakened by the realization that the anger consuming him makes him no better than the ruthless serial killer he's hunting.”
Famously, Christopher Nolan’s Batman films took the Caped Crusader into more serious territory, while Zack Snyder’s version of the Dark Knight followed suit. Now, it looks as though Matt Reeves is set to drag Bruce Wayne into even grittier realms.
Andy Serkis has previously said the movie will be darker than previous Batman films and our early looks at the move – which features a younger, seemingly more impulsive Batman than many depictions – already seems to confirm that he could be the craziest Dark Knight yet.
The Batman features an all-star cast, including Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle, Andy Serkis as Alfred, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot and Paul Dano as Edward Nashton.
Dano's Nashton is also known as The Riddler, and we've said that this Batman needs the classic villain as a foe. The Batman opens in theatres on March 4, 2022, and we've recently gotten a new trailer, behind-the-scenes feature, and even a look at upcoming statues.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.