THE BATMAN Director Matt Reeves Talks “Personal” Approach and Possible Hitchcock Influence

Earlier this year, Matt Reeves signed on to direct and produce The Batman for Warner Bros. and DC Films. However, the filmmaker has been focused on finishing up his new movie, War for the Planet of the Apes, which hits theaters next month. So, he hasn’t really been able to begin working on The Batman, but in a couple of interviews, he shares some ideas on what he wants to do with the film.

Speaking with Comic Book, Reeves says that, while he’s just getting started on The Batman, he plans on going in with a personal approach to the title character, comparing him to Planet of the Apes‘ Caesar. “For me, what’s always important is to try and find a personal way in. In that way, I do feel like I relate to actors. It’s about understanding emotionally, the way something is. I see this parallel between Caesar and Batman, really, which is this idea of these characters who are grappling with their own struggle and trying to do the right thing in an imperfect world and, so, I do really relate it to that kind of idea.” This sounds like a very ideal way to tell Batman’s next story; trying to do the right thing in a flawed world is pretty much the essence of heroism.

In a separate interview with CNET, Reeves explains what he would take from War for the Planet of the Apes in to The Batman, reaffirming his desire to focus on the protagonist’s point-of-view. He namedrops iconic filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock as a potential influence. “For me, point of view is really important. I want to make sure you are experiencing something from the perspective of the main character in the story. I’m a huge Hitchcock fan – I like the idea of being immersed in that perspective.” He continues, “Movies for me are about empathy. The idea is to make you, the audience, feel what the character feels.”

Based on Reeves’ comments, it sounds like The Batman is off to a good start in its storytelling. Reeves clearly sees the importance of creating a compelling protagonist, as well as telling the story from his/her POV. It will be fascinating to see how it plays out in the movie.

The Batman is expected to begin production sometime next year, presumably for a 2019 release. The film will star Ben Affleck as Batman, Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke, J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred.