‘The Batman’: Director Matt Reeves Hints at ‘Chinatown’ Inspiration

Batman is often referred to as the “World’s Greatest Detective,” though not all Batman stories depict the Caped Crusader discovering clues and following leads to get to the bottom of a mystery. Director Matt Reeves, however, aims to bring back that element of the character with his vision of The Batman. The film has regularly been described as being a younger interpretation of the character, with Reeves recently teasing fans on Twitter about how Roman Polanski’s Chinatown could be an influence on the upcoming adventure. With Chinatown being considered by many to be one of the best noir films of all time, this will surely delight Batman fans.

The Polanski film has come up in various reports about the tone of the new movie, causing one fan to directly ask Reeves if The Batman would be influenced by Chinatown, to which Reeves replied, “I watched it at [Warner Bros.] before writing… (For the one millionth time; what a great movie.)”

In Chinatown, Jack Nicholson plays a private investigator who believes he has been hired to confirm a husband’s infidelity, only for the man to turn up dead and spark a tangled web of lies involving corrupt city governments and family secrets.

There might not be any superheroics in Chinatown, but there are plenty of twists and turns in the narrative that all end up coming together in the film’s finale. Reeves will likely offer a much more stylized detective story than the Polanski film, though we can likely expect an elaborate and calculated plot as opposed to Bruce Wayne merely confronting thugs in dark alleys.

Reeves also noted on Twitter that the film will likely shoot later this year which, given the complicated history the project has, will come to a relief as fans. Ben Affleck, who was previously attached to write, direct, and star in the film, only recently confirmed he was parting ways with the project altogether.

“Yeah, I am. I have decided — I tried to direct a version of it, worked with a really good screenwriter, but couldn’t come up with a version,” Affleck revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live when asked about officially leaving the franchise behind. “Couldn’t crack it. So I thought it was time to let someone else take a shot at it, and they got some really good people.”

Stay tuned for details on The Batman, which is currently expected to hit theaters on June 25, 2021.

Are you looking forward to Reeves’ take on the character? Let us know in the comments below!

—–

Have you subscribed to ComicBook Nation, the official Podcast of ComicBook.com yet? Check it out by clicking here or listen below.

In this latest episode, we talk about the new Shazam! early reactions and we are breaking down the epic Avengers: Endgame trailer! Make sure to subscribe now and never miss an episode!