The first look at the Batmobile from The Batman movie was recently released, and it’s a much better reveal than the first look at Ben Affleck’s Batman and Batmobile. Just a short period of time after debuting a first-look at Pattinson’s Batsuit, director Matt Reeves dropped a number of images that showed off the newest cinematic version of the Batmobile. These photos depicted a sleeker version of the Batmobile compared to the more tank-esque designs seen in the Batmobiles driven by Ben Affleck and Christian Bale in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Dark Knight trilogy, respectively.
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What’s interesting is that rather than continue with the armored tank trend, The Batman went in a different direction and returned to what appears to be a regular vehicle, albeit with a number of upgrades. Furthermore, although The Batman‘s unveiling of the Batmobile is similar to what Zack Snyder did for Batman V Superman – in which Affleck’s Batman was seen standing next to the Batmobile, looking down in a melancholy way – there are key differences between the two reveals.
The very first time audiences got their first official glimpse at Ben Affleck’s Batmobile was in the image seen below. This initial look at Affleck’s Batmobile drew divisive responses for a multitude of reasons; chief among them was how the image played into the negative stereotypes of Snyder’s superhero films. It was seen as a visual manifestation of Snyder’s controversial grim and gritty take on the DC universe. It even spawned “sad Batman” memes, whereas The Batman‘s reveal for Pattinson is the opposite. It’s dark, yet lighter in many ways – and the images showcase a more optimistic Batman, at least as optimistic as the DC superhero can get.
Beyond the basic approach to the reveals, fans didn’t get a great look at the Batmobile in Batman V Superman‘s first look; it was mostly about the Batsuit, which is why Affleck was standing in the foreground. Such a noticeable visual move helped cement the lack of pomp & circumstance given to the reveal of Affleck’s Batmobile that drew such a mixed response. By contrast, the reveal images of Pattinson’s Batmobile have managed to receive a far more position reception.
For one thing, these particular first look images dedicated plenty of photos to just the automobile itself. Even when one of these images saw the Batmobile next to Pattinson’s Batman, the focus of the photo was decidedly still on the Batmobile – and the stance Pattinson had in the photo made the entire thing look like a comic book cover. This move allowed fans a chance to inspect the finer details of this beloved vehicle rather than just gaze at it lingering in the background.
To boot, these reveal images saw both Pattinson’s Batman and his Batmobile framed in evocative lighting and environments that echoed classic film noirs. Such a visual decision was a unique one that helped make the pictures stand out. This was a sharp contrast to the reveal photo of Affleck’s Batmobile, which struggled to impress thanks to clumsy design choices as well as a tidal wave of distracting memes.
