THE BATMAN: A Shorter Version Of The Movie Exists, But Didn't Go Over As Well With Test Audiences

THE BATMAN: A Shorter Version Of The Movie Exists, But Didn't Go Over As Well With Test Audiences

Matt Reeves' The Batman clocks in at almost three hours, but it's now come to light that a shorter version of the film was tested, and didn't go down as well. We also have a new Chinese poster...

By MarkCassidy - Mar 09, 2022 09:03 AM EST
Filed Under: The Batman

Clocking in at roughly 2 hours 55 minutes (with credits), The Batman is the longest solo big-screen outing for The Dark Knight yet, but it's now come to light that a shorter version of Matt Reeves' film does exist.

Deadline reports that an alternate cut of The Batman with a slightly less butt-numbing runtime was screened at one point, but didn’t "test as well" with audiences. We're not sure how shorter this version was or what scenes from the theatrical release were removed, however.

Though there have been a few complaints about film's length, it is pretty well paced for the most part. Some feel it could have trimmed a bit of fat from the final act, but the fact that a shorter version wasn't as well received suggests The Batman simply didn't have the same impact after losing certain moments.

At any rate, the lengthy runtime clearly hasn't dissuaded cinemagoers, as the DC Comics adaptation is still performing very well at the box office, and is likely to become just the second movie of the "pandemic era" to reach $1 billion worldwide.

Do you think The Batman is too long? Let us know in the comments, and check out a new Chinese poster for the movie below.

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PantherKing
PantherKing - 3/9/2022, 9:08 AM
EW just released the Kenobi print
Chappers
Chappers - 3/9/2022, 9:10 AM
I just want to say the Gold bat symbol on that poster looks SEXY
UnderBelly
UnderBelly - 3/9/2022, 9:12 AM
@JakeyChappers - Yes! looks much better. I'd like to think it's paying homage to the old school comics and Keatons yellow symbol.

Continues the trend though for colour enhancing Batman posters.
KWilly
KWilly - 3/9/2022, 9:21 AM
@JakeyChappers - Oof, it is perfect. I'd want that in the sequel
DTor91
DTor91 - 3/9/2022, 3:36 PM
@JakeyChappers - Reminds me of the Arkham Knight alternate suit with the gold symbol.
MrKeyzerSoze
MrKeyzerSoze - 3/9/2022, 9:10 AM
I didn't mind the 3 hour runtime at all
Winston19
Winston19 - 3/9/2022, 9:13 AM
I dig that gold bat symbol
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 3/9/2022, 9:14 AM
I actually liked it quite a bit more on my second watch.
Vision85
Vision85 - 3/9/2022, 9:17 AM
Batinson at 240% complete.
kylo0607
kylo0607 - 3/9/2022, 9:19 AM
KENOBI!

Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 3/9/2022, 9:23 AM
It definitely had some pacing issues imo. A lot of cutaways and shots that lasted way too long could have been cut to keep it tighter. Some shots like Batman walking towards Penguin when he’s stuck in the car (which to be fair was a really cool shot) lasted way longer than made sense
MG0019
MG0019 - 3/9/2022, 9:55 AM
@Ha1frican - YES. I felt it had major pacing issues, and I don’t think a tighter cut would fail testing. I wonder what parts they removed, perhaps harming the story. For me, there are several lingering shots that could be trimmed down without impacting the story or mood at all.

It really became apparent during the shot of Batman walking towards a bat cage. No spoilers here. The scene is Bats walking toward the cage, opening it, and removing what’s inside. He Sloooooooooowly, dramatically walks to the cage. The audience has already seen what’s in the cage, obviously meant for Bats to look inside. He meanders to the cage still, dramatic step by step. Dude, this isn’t the Penguin car shot, this isn’t even that big of a drama beat; there have been a thousand clues up to this point, just get to it already. He steps in front of the cage. The shot now looks through the cage. This is where I started counting in the theater, give it a try next time you watch. The shot does not cut, and it takes Bats TWENTY SECONDS to grasp the cage door, lift the tab, open the door, reach inside. Bro, it did not need to linger that long, and the movie is filled with shots like that.

The movie is beautiful, but not every shot earned those bloated moments. Reminds me of the Snyder Cut, 2min slo mo sequence of Amy Adams getting coffee.
SerKurtWagner
SerKurtWagner - 3/9/2022, 11:13 AM
@Ha1frican - This is what happens when we've been stuck with spastic editing for the last 20 years. We forget what intentional, focused camerawork looks like.
thunderpun573
thunderpun573 - 3/9/2022, 2:23 PM
@MG0019 - well said! Pretty much my exact thoughts on the film. Overall I really liked it but there were definitely pacing issues and was way too long and overdrawn. Definitely feel like you could cut 30 min w/o really losing anything important.
DTor91
DTor91 - 3/9/2022, 3:40 PM
@MG0019 - Honestly took me longer to read this comment than the scene actually was. It wasn’t a dramatic beat, but it still added and conveyed to the overall scene there. I took it as every detail in the room showing how twisted this version of Riddler is. Could it have been shorter there? Perhaps. But the lingering gave every movement throughout the scene a greater sense of tension and unease. It felt deliberate, and not meandering for the sake of meandering.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 3/9/2022, 3:56 PM
@MG0019 - I totally forgot about that but that was the other time I really felt it! When he sticks his hand in the cage he reaches for the letter for lie 10 whole seconds and it never cuts it just holds on him very slowly reaching for it and I remember thinking “Why is this taking him so damn long?” Lol
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 3/9/2022, 9:26 AM
I think the movie was just long enough not to be too long. They could’ve cut one or two scene but everything feels like a good cohesive story. I would’ve made a few creative plot changes just to tie things together a little better at the end but the story overall was good enough not to say anything was bad. Pattinson was a good Batman and this Batman seemed more realistic than Nolan/Bale’s Batman. That being said, when do you think criminals will start aiming for Batman’s face???
McMurdo
McMurdo - 3/9/2022, 11:15 AM
@slickrickdesigns - that's why the parts that aren't believable like the glass in the ending take me out the movie cuz it tries to be real until it's inconvenient to the plot
tylerzero
tylerzero - 3/9/2022, 9:28 AM
What could've been trimmed was the introduction of THAT character towards the end.
PC04
PC04 - 3/9/2022, 9:29 AM
Longer movies are FINE! Cinemas would benefit from making films more of an Event or immersive experience since so much is available from at home streaming services now.
Make the movie 3hrs. Have food and drinks available. Do some crazy sh*t to capture the audience. Make it a spectacle!
Turogalh
Turogalh - 3/9/2022, 9:40 AM
That gold logo is sick!
99OPTIMISTPRIME
99OPTIMISTPRIME - 3/9/2022, 9:45 AM
If you got a good enough story, you gotta trust that audiences we be willing to give you three hours of their time. I personally would've preferred that Matt Reeves put in some more Bruce & Alfred, and Bruce & Selina scenes. But overall I didn't think the movie dragged too much. I think The Dark Knight is objectively a better movie than The Batman, because the pace is quicker, and the tone is more vibrant.
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