The Batman

 

Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Matt Reeves
Written by	Matt Reeves Peter Craig
Based on	Characters from DC
Produced by	Dylan Clark Matt Reeves
Starring	Robert Pattinson Zoë Kravitz Paul Dano Jeffrey Wright John Turturro Peter Sarsgaard Andy Serkis Colin Farrell
Cinematography	Greig Fraser
Edited by	William Hoy Tyler Nelson
Music by	Michael Giacchino
Production companies	DC Films 6th & Idaho Dylan Clark Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates	March 1, 2022 (Lincoln Center) March 4, 2022 (United States)
Running time	176 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$185–200 million[2][3]
Box office	$301.3 million[4][5][6]

The Batman is a 2022 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. Produced by DC Films, 6th & Idaho, and Dylan Clark Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is a reboot of the Batman film franchise. The film was directed by Matt Reeves, who wrote the screenplay with Peter Craig. It stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne / Batman alongside Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell. The film sees Batman, who has been fighting crime in Gotham City for two years, uncover corruption while pursuing the Riddler (Dano), a serial killer who targets Gotham's elite.

Development began after Ben Affleck was cast as Batman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) in 2013. Affleck signed on to direct, produce, co-write, and star in The Batman, but had reservations about the project and dropped out. Reeves took over and reworked the story, removing the DCEU connections. He sought to explore Batman's detective side more than previous films, drawing inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock, the New Hollywood era, and comics such as "Year One" (1987), The Long Halloween (1996–97), and Ego (2000). Pattinson was cast in May 2019, with further casting in late 2019. Principal photography took place in the UK and Chicago between January 2020 and March 2021.

The Batman premiered at Lincoln Center in New York on March 1, 2022, and was theatrically released on March 4. It was delayed twice from an initial June 2021 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film has grossed over $301 million against a $185–200 million budget, making it the third-highest-grossing film of 2022, and received praise for the performances, cinematography, Reeves' direction, visual style, action sequences, and story, though some criticized its runtime. It is intended to launch a Batman shared universe, with two sequels planned and two spin-off television series in development for HBO Max.