The Batman is a 2022 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. The film is a reboot of the Batman film franchise, directed by Matt Reeves, who wrote the screenplay with Peter Craig. Robert Pattinson stars as Bruce Wayne / Batman. The film also stars Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell. The film follows Batman, who has been fighting crime in Gotham City for two years, uncovering corruption while pursuing the Riddler, a serial killer who targets Gotham's elite. The film development began after Ben Affleck was cast as Batman in the DC Extended Universe in 2013. But Affleck dropped out and Reeves took over. Filming began in the United Kingdom in January 2020, but was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic and it resumed later in the year and concluded in Chicago in March 2021.

The film was a commercial success, grossing over $770 million against a $185–200 million budget, received positive reviews from critics and it's intended to launch a Batman shared universe, with two sequels planned and two spin-off television series in development for HBO Max. In August 2013, Ben Affleck was cast as Bruce Wayne / Batman for multiple films in the DC Extended Universe. He made his debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Suicide Squad (2016) and Justice League (2017). In October 2014, Warner Bros announced plans for a standalone Batman film starring Affleck, he was in negotiations to direct and co-write the screenplay with Geoff Johns by July 2015. But Affleck had reservations about directing the film and announced in January 2017 that he was stepping down as the director but still planned to star and produce. The film was put on hold due to the re-evaluation of Warner Bros approach to superhero films after the release of Batman v Superman.

The film highlights that Batman's wealth does not alleviate his suffering and explores the idea that he should be more philanthropic. It also explores grief, trauma and the "horror" of living with post-traumatic stress disorder through Batman's character. The film also shows a different relationship between Batman and the police, with them viewing him as a criminal and a level of oversight they're not used to dealing with. This aspect of the film is considered "timely" given the contemporary American sociopolitical context including increased awareness of police brutality.

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