The Batman Director Reveals Paul Dano Wanted to Film One Scene 70 or 80 Times

DC Studios is currently going through a reboot under the guidance of James Gunn and Peter Safran, and there are several projects that they have already announced, like Superman: Legacy and a Batman movie called The Brave and the Bold. On the other side of things is their upcoming DC Elseworlds slate that features projects like Joker: Folie a Deux and The Batman Part II. Matt Reeves is returning to direct the latter, and he’s still revealing new details about filming the first film. In a recent interview with Variety, Reeves said that Paul Dano spent two days and did 70 to 80 takes filming his final scene as the Riddler.

“Paul loves doing a lot of takes, as do I,” Reeves said. “We took two days on the final scene between him and Robert Pattinson as Batman. We must have easily done 70 or 80 takes. Paul loves exploring. He’s obsessive that way.”

“There were all these moments as the Riddler where he’d be tickled by something and then fly into a rage. You never knew from take to take where that switch would come. I’d be sitting there with the headphones on, trying to stifle my laughter because he’d always do something surprising. Paul would ask me: ‘Was that crazy? Was that too much?’ I’d say: ‘No it’s fantastic. Let’s do another.’ [Paul Dano] goes, ‘OK, let me try one where I’m off camera and I stick my head in. Let me try one where I’m already sitting there,’” Reeves said at the time. “He’s directing this one-person play on an iPhone…It was the giddiness that really got to me. Calling out the passing time, like he was a game show host. He was so inventive and creative. He’s also very critical of himself.” 

When is The Batman– Part II Coming Out?

The Batman– Part II will be released on October 3, 2025 and was revealed during Gunn and Safran’s DC Studios presentation. Reeves previously discussed his plans for the future of the character.

“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale,” Reeves says. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”

Stay tuned to Comicbook.com for more updates on the future of The Batman franchise and DC Elseworlds as we learn it.

What do you think about Matt Reeves’ comments? Are you excited for The Batman Part II? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!