When director Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN swoops into theaters later next year, WESTWORLD standout Jeffrey Wright, who plays police Commissioner James Gordon, says that the highly anticipated superhero film will mark the "next evolution" for classic characters belonging to the DC comics property. Wright said as much on Thursday while guesting on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show where he spoke trepidatiously about the Bat's next big screen adventure.
"My take is — the way I explain what we're doing is, like with any film, we're working together to create a mood, to create an idea, a setting, a tone," Wright said. "This is the next evolution since 1939 when these stories began."
Wright then added, "This is the next evolution of Gotham. So I am working off the stage (director) Matt [Reeves] is providing and also working off what (star) Robert [Pattinson] is doing. We are trying to create something together that is our own, but is also Batman."
Given Batman's long-standing history as Gotham's Caped Crusader, it's difficult to imagine what new challenges await the hero when Reeves' film lands in theaters. Then again, creators have been revitalizing the Batman for generations, each time delivering a new spin on the character's approach to fighting crime, or pitting him against villains that test his intelligence and skills as the World's Greatest Detective. My guess is that Wright knows something we don't about the character's next steps, and I can only hope that Reeves' plans do indeed break the Bat in new and compelling ways.
When asked if he could give an example as to how things have changed with regard to Reeves' version, Wright steered the conversation toward the new Batmobile.
"I read the script for the Batmobile and I was like, 'Yeah, that's it,'" explained Wright. "(Bruce Wayne) created the most badass muscle car you could imagine, but it's grounded in Gotham. It's grounded in Americana."
For the moment, production for THE BATMAN is still on pause. According to reports, everyone involved with the project is eager – and perhaps a bit nervous – to return to the set. Be that as it may, cameras won't start rolling again until filming restrictions are lifted and the safety of the cast and crew is all but guaranteed.