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Robert Pattinson’s Batman Trailer Features Fear, Fire, and a Slowed-Down Nirvana Song

Gotham City looks darker and wetter than ever.

October 17, 2021

Robert Pattinson’s version of the Caped Crusader swooped onto the internet on Saturday with a full trailer for next year’s The Batman. The 158-second video was the capstone to DC Entertainment’s “Fandome” pep rally.

Helmed by Matt Reeves, director of Cloverfield, the Dawn of and War for chapters of the Planet of the Apes reboot, and the not-as-good-as-the-Swedish-original-but-still-pretty-damn-good vampire flick Let Me In, 2022’s The Batman promises audiences another trip to a dark, wet, and crime-ridden Gotham City.

While we await a counter-video from Gotham’s tourist board (surely there must be some redeeming qualities to this troubled town) there’s time to study this powerhouse trailer. In addition to Pattinson, this newest iteration of the Dark Knight Detective features Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman), Jeffrey Wright as Gotham’s finest Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Wayne Manor majordomo Alfred Pennyworth, an almost unrecognizable Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot (a.k.a. Penguin), and Paul Dano as a cappuccino-loving Riddler.

Based just off this trailer, Pattinson’s bat-demeanor seems similarly dark and brooding to that of Christian Bale’s in the Christopher Nolan trilogy, though he seems to be giving his vocal cords a rest. He isn’t growling as much, though the could still do with some elocution lessons. (What exactly is he saying? “Where’s the gum?”) Perhaps part of his plan of instilling fear into the hearts of villains is forcing them to ask “beg your pardon?”

The clip also includes a slowed-down version of a famous tune—in this case Nirvana’s “Something in the Way.” This is in compliance with the Congressional Trailers Must Have Slower Cover Versions Act decreed a few years back.

The close look at The Batman, a film that’s seen more than its share of pandemic-related delays, naturally caused quite a stir. Some of our favorite reactions are below.