New trailer for ‘The Batman’ shows a gritty Gotham featuring several familiar foes

By Eric Levenson, CNN

The new trailer for “The Batman,” the latest reboot of the iconic movie franchise, features a recognizably dark and gritty Gotham and previews the return of several of the superhero’s most infamous enemies.

Warner Bros. and DC Comics debuted the trailer Saturday at the DC FanDome event, where the comics giant also released new trailers for “The Flash” and “Black Adam.” (Warner Bros. is owned by WarnerMedia, CNN’s parent company.)

The trailer for “The Batman,” directed by Matt Reeves, reveals a bullet-proof Robert Pattinson in the titular role, grunting and scowling in the superhero’s now-familiar style as he beats up on a series of darkly lit, anonymous grunts.

“When that light hits the sky, it’s not just a call. It’s a warning,” a voice intones over a shot of the Bat Signal.

A wig-wearing Zoë Kravitz arrives in her role as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman, and the trailer also offers early looks at Paul Dano as the Riddler and a nearly unrecognizable Colin Farrell as Penguin.

“This is a powder keg,” a voice whispers over a massive explosion, “and Riddler is the match.”

Both Riddler and Penguin look to have a different spin than previous on-screen appearances in the franchise. Danny DeVito played Penguin in 1992’s “Batman Returns” and Jim Carrey took on the Riddler in 1995’s “Batman Forever,” both giving the characters a sillier, campier angle than this latest trailer suggests.

Batman is one of the studio’s most important and lucrative franchises. The film series has brought in more than $5 billion at the global box office going back to 1989’s “Batman,” according to Comscore. Pattinson will be the latest to join the ranks of other famous actors including Michael Keaton, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck who have worn the Batsuit.

Warner Bros. has taken some of DC Entertainment’s most beloved characters in a new direction focusing on more personal, and even adult-oriented stories. “The Batman” looks to be the latest film to follow this trend.

“The Batman” is set to hit theaters in March 2022 after twice being delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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CNN’s Frank Pallotta contributed to this report.