Beware The Batman (film)

Batman: A Long Halloween is a 2023 American superhero film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Matt Reeves and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Based on the DC comics character Batman, the film serves as the sequel to the 2022 film The Batman, and the second installment in the Batman Trilogy. It stars Robert Pattinson supported by Zoë Kravitz, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, Jon Hamm, Jonathan Groff, LaKeith Stanfield, and Colin Farrell. Set seven months after the first film, Batman (Pattinson), Police Captain James Gordon (Wright), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Hamm) form an unlikely alliance in order to collapse organized crime in Gotham City, but are stopped in their tracks by the unexpected murder of John Viti, the nephew of deceased mob boss Carmine Falcone. The murder of Viti and the looming threat of a greater conspiracy at hand plunges the recovering city of Gotham into chaos.

Like the previous film, Reeves took inspiration from influential Batman comics such as Year One (1987), Hush (2002), R.I.P (2008) and most heavily The Long Halloween (1996-97), where it also get it's namesake. A Long Halloween was filmed primarily in Liverpool, London, as well as other cities in the United States such as New York, Chicago, and New Jersey.

Batman: A Long Halloween premiered in New York on June 19, 2023, and was released theatrically on June 23. The film received critical acclaim for it's screenplay, cinematography, direction, musical score, mature themes, and performances (particularly that of Hamm, Groff and Stanfield). The film set numerous records during it's theatrical run, often compared to that of The Dark Knight. and Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film received numerous awards, and nominations including Best Makeup, Best Sound Editing and Best Supporting Actor which was awarded to Groff. A sequel, Year Three was released on February 5th, 2024 and served as the final film in the original Batverse trilogy.

Cast

 * Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne / Batman: Pattinson returns as a now gregarious billionaire and socialite who continues to obsessively protects Gotham City as the masked vigilante Batman. Bruce is approximately 30 years old and started his vigilantism around 2017, and serves as a less-seasoned more violent Batman. Reeves described Batman as an insomniac who cannot delineate between the Batman persona and his "extroverted rockstar" personality as Bruce, opposing Wayne's recluse nature in the first film. Pattinson and Reeves said the film would delve deeper into Batman as a beacon of hope "rather than the dark and brooding vigilante he was portrayed as in the initial 1/2 of the first movie.


 * Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle / Catwoman:


 * John David Washington as Harvey Dent: A district attorney, whose face is disfigured in court after countless attempts on the lives of he and his family by both the Maroni Crime Family, and the Falcone Crime Syndicate. Throughout the course of the film, Dent is driven to near insanity while hospitalized, constantly being harassed by an unidentified caller from Arkham State Hospital who refers to himself as "Jack."


 * Jonathan Groff as Dr. Thomas Elliot / Hush / Holiday: A doctor and yuppie serial killer, who happens to be another childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, who is not only aware of his true identity as Batman but is willing to use it against him out of hatred for Bruce and everything he believes in. As Holiday, Elliot's M.O. is murdering high-ranking Consigliere in the Cobblepot crime family on different days of festivities all over the year. His first victim was John Viti, nephew of deceased crime lord Carmine Falcone who's killing particularly angered Oswald Cobblepot who took John in after the death of uncle. As Hush, Elliot targets specifically Wayne by uncovering purposely-hidden secrets about his parents further incriminating both Bruce and his parents legacy all from afar. Reeves took substantial inspiration from the fictional character of Patrick Bateman, likening Hush's personality, and mannerisms to Patrick. Reeves also loosely based Elliot's M.O. on John Doe from the movie Se7en.


 * Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon:


 * LaKeith Stanfield as Dr. Jonathan Crane: A successful psychiatrist and psycho-pharmacologist, who created a groundbreaking antidepressant drug. During the course of the movie Crane works with both the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) and Batman to pinpoint and uncover the true identity of the Holiday Killer, but later in the movie is driven mad after learning of the suicide of numerous of patients. By the second half of the film, Crane becomes an Angel of Death and begins to obsess over the power he possess, the ability to control life and death.


 * Barry Keoghan as the Joker / Jack: A notorious criminal and serial killer, who manipulates the mentally unwell District Attorney Harvey Dent throughout 4/5 of the film.


 * Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot / Penguin:

Additionally, Paul Dano / Edward Nygma (née Nashton) / Riddler makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of the film. Twins Charlie and Max Carver return as Iceberg Lounge bouncers (credited as "The Twins"). Other cast members include, Luke Roberts and Stella Stocker as Thomas and Martha Wayne, and (WIP) as Edward Elliot.