Robert Pattinson set to return for ‘The Batman’ Sequel

“The Batman” will be followed by a sequel, with Robert Pattinson reprising his role as Gotham’s most ferocious defender.

During its Tuesday evening presentation at CinemaCon, the annual trade convention for cinema owners, Warner Bros. announced its plans for a new Caped Crusader plot. Matt Reeves, the director of “The Batman,” was on hand to announce that he will write and direct the sequel, although he did not elaborate on what the film will involve.

In March, “The Batman,” a dramatic three-hour superhero tale, debuted in theatres, grossing $134 million domestically. Following “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” those ticket sales still rank as the highest opening weekend of 2022, as well as the only second pandemic-era film to exceed the $100 million mark in a single weekend. “The Batman” is presently the year’s top grossing film, with $759 million in worldwide box office.

Following the simultaneous release of Warner Bros.’ entire 2021 slate on HBO Max, “The Batman” signalled the studio’s return to exclusive theatrical releases. In the future, Warner Bros. aims to keep new films in theatres for 45 days before releasing them on HBO Max. “Elvis” (June 24), “DC League of Super-Pets” (July 29), “Creed III” (Nov. 23), and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” are among the upcoming releases (Dec. 16).

“The Batman” depicted Bruce Wayne’s early days as “the world’s greatest detective” in a bleak (but PG-13) light. The young Dark Knight uncovers corruption in Gotham City while following the insane killer known as the Riddler in his quest for justice (Paul Dano). Catwoman was played by Zoe Kravitz, Batman’s butler Alfred Pennyworth was played by Andy Serkis, the crime-lord known as Penguin was played by Colin Farrell, and Gotham City’s police chief James Gordon was played by Jeffrey Wright. In addition to box office success, the film was well received by critics (it received an 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) and viewers (it received a “A-” CinemaScore).

Reeves was singled out by Variety’s top film critic Peter Debruge for doing “something relatively unique here, at least by comic-book-movie standards.”

“This grounded, frequently brutal and nearly three-hour film noir registers among the best of the genre, even if — or more aptly, because — what makes the film so great is its willingness to dismantle and interrogate the very concept of superheroes,” he wrote.