Robert Pattinson's The Batman: New Plot Synopsis Teases Riddler, Penguin & More Roles

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Posted:
The Batman Robert Pattinson Batman

Many would agree that The Batman is one of the highly anticipated DCEU projects in 2022.

The film is directed by Matt Reeves (War of the Planet of the Apes), and it will showcase Robert Pattinson's DCEU debut as the Dark Knight. Alongside the Twilight star, The Batman is set to feature a stellar cast that includes the likes of Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, and What If...?'s Jeffrey Wright. 

Plot details for the movie are still being kept under wraps, but marketing has confirmed that it will revolve around Bruce Wayne's second year as Gotham's vigilante. Dano's Riddler has been confirmed to be the main villain as well, with Kravitz's Selina Kyle and Farrell's Oswald Cobblepot lurking in the shadows. 

The first two trailers gave fans a general preview of the story and the movie's tone, while the initial synopsis teased Pattinson's angry performance as the Caped Crusader. 

Now, a new synopsis from Warner Bros. has been revealed, and it shows more of the film's narrative. 

The Batman Receives Another Official Synopsis 

Batman, Catwoman Movie
DC

Warner Bros. UK officially unveiled a brand new synopsis for The Batman, showcasing new plot details from the Robert Pattinson-led movie. 

The synopsis described Batman as "the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens" while also mentioning his "few trusted allies" in Gotham City's "corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures."

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne.

Two years of stalking the streets as the Batman (Robert Pattinson), striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City. With only a few trusted allies—Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright)—amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens.

The description also gave a preview of the Riddler's plan to eliminate Gotham's elite. In addition, it teased the fact that the Caped Crusader will "forge new relationships" and "bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption" in Gotham:

When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Paul Dano). As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City. 

The Batman Showcasing Bruce's Detective Side 

The latest synopsis clearly indicates that The Batman will flesh out Bruce Wayne's skills as a master detective. 

Batman's second year in Gotham's crime-fighting realm will likely be explored in a much deeper way, and it seems that Riddler's arrival will further challenge the Caped Crusader. The description also previewed Batman's approach to "striking fear" into criminals, meaning that the movie could show some of the hero's more violent tactics. 

The titular hero's relationships with Alfred Pennyworth and Jim Gordon will likely be tested as well due to Riddler's inclusion, and it will be interesting to find out how their respective bonds with Bruce will be developed throughout the narrative.

A behind-the-scenes featurette already teased that Gordon will be working side by side with Batman to solve Riddler's murder spree. The pair's team-up could showcase more of Batman's detective prowess by doing more police work and even uncovering past files from Gotham's long list of crimes. 

This would allow The Batman to uncover a different side of the Dark Knight while still showing off other aspects of the hero such as his fighting skills. 

Selina Kyle, Batman
Warner Bros. 

Meanwhile, the line reading "Batman must forge new relationships" could hint that he might team up with another villain in order to put an end to Riddler's reign. A likely candidate is Selina Kyle's Catwoman, mainly due to several hints from the trailer where the pair are shown together in multiple scenes. 

Another possibility is the Penguin. After an epic chase scene, the trailer showed that Batman catches Cobblepot, meaning that this could lead to a thrilling confrontation between the two enemies. In order to get free, Penguin could strike a deal with the Dark Knight to give him a lead on Riddler's location. 

Whatever the case, The Batman is shaping up to be one of the intense outings of Bruce Wayne's Gotham vigilante. 

The Batman is set to premiere in theaters on March 4, 2022.

- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.