We all know that Matt Reeves’ The Batman is currently on hold due to that damned virus but we’re all wondering about what we can expect when the movie hits on (hopefully) June 25th next year.
One thing we do know is that Jeffrey Wright will be taking over as James Gordon (likely not commissioner yet) in the movie, picking up the tradition from Pat Hingle, Gary Oldman and JK simmons.
While some debate still rages on about if or not this movie is a new continuity from the current DCEU, especially since Gordon was last played in Justice League by Simmons, a white actor, personally, I don’t think it makes any difference – after all, Harvey Dent/Two Face was played in Batman ’89 by Billy Dee Williams and was later played by Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever. Add to this the fact that Warners are trying to write off Justice League, then I could see this being the same continuity and nothing even being mentioned about why the race of Gordon is different… don’t forget the ’20 years in Gotham’ line from BvS (below).
Anyway, Wright has been talking about playing the iconic role and his approach to it.
With writer director Matt Reeves recently saying this wasn’t an origin movie (“I wanted to do not an origin tale, but a tale that would still acknowledge his origins in that formed who he [Batman] is.”), Wright has had to have his own take on the James Gordon we meet again for the first time.
While Wright admits that Gary Oldman has always been an inspiration, he has had to try to forget previous takes on the character: “The reason being is because what’s wonderful about these iterations of Batman is that they go back to 1939, and there’s been an evolution of these characters, since the beginning.
“The characters and the stories have reflected the times and social dynamics, in which they were created. As far as the films go, the characters, I feel, are very much specific to the interpretation of Gotham. What I do is going to be very specific to Matt Reeves’ vision of Gotham. And it’s going to be reflective of what Robert Pattinson’s Batman is going to be. To pluck one character out of the whole, is a forced idea.”
Whether or not this is the Batman who grows to become the one we meet in Batman V Superman, played by Ben Affleck, Reeves has a clean canvas to create his own world: “All of us are working together to create a tone and a language and an energy and a vibe that is specific to our film,” Wright goes on.
“That’s what we were in the middle of doing when the alarm sounded that at least we Americans needed to get the hell out of there, so that we could get back home. That’s where we are right now, very much in the middle of things.”
Are you excited to see this version of Gordon and Batman? Do you think this could still be the same Batman played by Ben Affleck? Let me know your thoughts…
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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