What do you want in the future?
The Batman grossed a bunch of money this weekend, which means all of the spin-offs and sequels are basically a go. Matt Reeves and WB have said that The Batman is a launch point for a shared Batman universe that will essentially act as the MCU/DCEU, but with just Batman. That sounds awesome. With that said, though, there are some things I want and reservations I have. So here they are. And there are some minor spoilers for The Batman below, so if you haven't seen the movie yet, I suggest you wait until you've seen it to read this.
10. Avoid Other DC Characters
The Batman is a grounded take on the character, and, naturally, the other DC characters are much more fantastical than the Dark Knight. I do think there's a chance that Superman appears, but we don't need the entire Justice League in the Bat-verse. I don't want Wonder Woman. I don't want Darkseid. I don't want Pattinson to get involved in the multiverse with movies like The Flash and stuff. This series should be disconnected from all other DC and focus primarily on Batman and Gotham. This does not need to become a smaller DCEU.
9. Keep Matt Reeves Involved
Matt Reeves had a vision for The Batman. And he executed that vision. Every shot in The Batman is done with a meticulous amount of craft and artistry, and I loved that. Reeves also fleshed out Gotham, making it feel like a lived-in world. He clearly put tons of work into The Batman and has a lot of love for the character, and I really think his vision is the one that WB should follow. Reeves should really be the Kevin Feige of this universe.
8. A Good Catwoman Spin-Off
Halle Berry's Catwoman is infamously terrible, but with Zoe Kravitz's Selina Kyle, they have a chance to give Catwoman the spin-off she deserves. Whether it's a TV show or a movie, I think we should essentially get a Catwoman origin. I don't think that she was fully Catwoman yet in The Batman. There were hints of the femme fatale we all know and love, but she certainly was not the seductive, dangerous character that Michelle Pfeiffer was. I would die to get a spin-off where she grows into the fully realized version of the character. It'd be so good.
7. Good Adaptations of The Killing Joke, The Dark Knight Returns, and A Death in the Family
With the chance of a Batman universe, we can explore parts of the comics that have had elements adapted into their films but not really full film adaptations. I know I'm thinking way ahead here, but a true film adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns would be an awesome finale for this Bat-verse. A Death in the Family is a great story arc that can get a Robin involved in a really cool way. And, while The Killing Joke may be a bit too dark, it does a great job of examining the Batman-Joker relationship, so I think it'd be perfect.
6. Re-Use Great Characters
The Riddler was awesome. Penguin was awesome. And I don't think either of those characters are done. We will see more of them in the future, and I hope Reeves is able to take that idea of introducing characters and recycling them all throughout this universe. Obviously, don't force them into places they don't belong, but there is just some great possibilities if you re-use great characters. When they fully introduce the Joker, who knows? Maybe we get a live action version of The War of Jokes and Riddles. That'd be super cool.
5. Give Batman a Character Arc
Obviously, Batman is going to have mini-arcs throughout each of his movies. He had a great arc in The Batman. But I want Pattinson's Batman to have a full arc throughout all of his appearances. A good example of this is Tony Stark. Iron Man has a clear arc from Iron Man to Endgame, and I want them to be able to flesh out this version of Bruce Wayne like that. That would be awesome. And I really think there's potential to do that with what they set up in The Batman.
4. Give B-List Villains a Chance
Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson have already said that they want to explore certain villains in the future, such as Mr. Freeze and Calendar Man, which is music to my ears. We've seen the Joker done six or seven times before, and even though I do eventually want him, I think we've got to see other villains before we see the Clown Prince of Crime. I'd love to see Hugo Strange on the big screen. Poison Ivy deserves a second go. Even Killer Croc and Clayface have potential. Grounded takes on all of these characters would be so great. I'm so excited for the possibilities of this universe.
3. The Court of Owls
The Court of Owls is a secret society that rules Gotham from the shadows by silently killing major influencers in the city. They are ultra-creepy, and the entire Batman fanbase has been waiting for a big screen adaptation of this group since they made their comics debut in 2011. Reeves has expressed interest in exploring them, and I think they would serve as perfect adversaries in this new Batman universe. God, I am so excited. Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson have already said they are interested in exploring The Court of Owls in the future, and that would just be a dream come true.
2. The Bat-Family
The Bat-family has not really had great representation in movies. It genuinely shocks me that we've never seen Nightwing on the big screen. But, once again, this Bat-verse can explore elements of the comics we've never seen before. A Gotham Knights spin-off movie or TV series that is set in Matt Reeves' Gotham would be so cool. This also really gives WB a chance to do A Death in the Family, or even Death of the Family, which is even darker and more terrifying than its predecessor. There are so many possibilities if you introduce the Bat-family, and I really hope that they do eventually do it. I do want them to show restraint, though. I still think the main Batman movies should be just Batman and maybe an occasional Robin or Nightwing. But I do want the Bat-family in this universe.
1. Know When to End
Look. I love the MCU. I love Star Wars. I love the Wizarding World. But part of me is thinking that all three of those franchises should be done. I'm still excited for the future of the MCU, but part of me thinks that Endgame should've been it. There are more stories to tell and stuff like that, but I don't want them to jump the shark. Star Wars should've been finished after Revenge of the Sith. It worked as a great six-part saga and did not need the sequels. The Wizarding World is trying new things with Fantastic Beasts and a possible spin-off series. All of these franchises have had opportunities to have great endings, but just keep going. I don't want this Bat-verse to befall the same fate. It's got to know when to end. It can be great if it doesn't go on for way too long. Breaking Bad ended at the perfect time. Stranger Things is going to end at the perfect time. And I hope this Bat-verse knows when to end.