One of the biggest problems to have arrived in the aftermath of the superhero genre becoming Hollywood’s preferred method of franchise building, is that very rarely do we see anything that could be described as a standalone adventure anymore.
If it isn’t already part of an existing universe or desperately tying itself in knots trying to connect to one, then it’s Easter Eggs and teases for things to come in sequels, regardless of whether or not they’ve even been announced, which is an approach that’s killed plenty of properties already in the very recent past. We’re all expecting The Batman to be different, and it could be the first genuine standalone comic book adaptation we’ve seen in a long time.
That’s not to say there won’t be further installments, because there almost definitely will, but producer Dylan Clark revealed to Empire that “as the first standalone Batman in ten years, the hope is we can lay a foundation that you can build stories upon.” While that’s admittedly vague, it does hint that Matt Reeves’ reboot won’t be as concerned with laying groundwork for the future as many of its contemporaries.
There are already two HBO Max spinoffs in the works, and Robert Pattinson is widely believed to have signed a three-picture deal, but that doesn’t mean The Batman has to be beholden to setting the stage for what comes next.
