THE BATMAN: Matt Reeves Reveals Surprising Horror Inspiration Behind The New Batmobile

THE BATMAN: Matt Reeves Reveals Surprising Horror Inspiration Behind The New Batmobile

The Batman will introduce a new version of the Batmobile. The film's director, Matt Reeves, has revealed that the car's design takes inspiration from a famous horror novel.

News
By DanielKlissmman - Dec 26, 2021 09:12 AM EST
Filed Under: The Batman
Source: Empire Magazine (via Bloody Disgusting)

The Batmobile is one of Batman's signature elements. It's been adapted many times for his live-action adventures, and each new design attracts excitement and speculation from fans. The Batman is no different. Directed by Matt Reeves, the Caped Crusader's newest cinematic adventure will bring us a new version of Bruce Wayne's trusty ride, and it's poised to be one of the most unique so far.

 Matt Reeves has now revealed that he found inspiration in a somewhat unexpected source: Stephen King's "Christine." Speaking to Empire Magazine (via Bloody Disgusting), the director stated that he saw the Batmobile as being similar to King's diabolical car:

"[The Batmobile] has to make an appearance out of the shadows to intimidate, so I thought of it almost like Stephen King’s 'Christine.' I liked the idea of the car itself as a horror figure, making an animalistic appearance to really scare the hell out of the people Batman’s pursuing."

For those unfamiliar with the novel, "Christine" centers around its titular car — a possessed '58 Plymouth Fury — as it goes on a killing spree after slowly taking over the body of its owner. The novel was also adapted into a feature film in 1983, directed by John Carpenter.

At the 2020 DC FanDome, Matt Reeves offered some interesting details about his take on the Dark Knight (via The A.V. Club), and explained how the Batmobile fit into the grounded reality of The Batman: 

"[When] you get to dive into the idea of this car, that [feels] connected to this version of the character — a grounded version of the character — This is something that he built."

With that in mind, the comparison to "Christine" is an apt one, as there's an interesting dichotomy to the new Batmobile. Even with the car's clear grounded nature (it looks, after all, like something that was built from scraps to fit Bruce Wayne's crimefighting needs), there's something heightened about its design. It's a smart combination of realistic and almost-otherworldly elements, which make it a frightening presence in the noir environment of The Batman. 

Well, now we can be excited to know that, when Bruce Wayne races after criminals in his upcoming solo adventure, he'll be doing so in a car (partly) inspired by a Stephen King creation. 

The Batman arrives in theaters on March 4, 2022. 

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Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 12/26/2021, 9:34 AM
I'm still hoping for the best for this one, but I haven't seen anything that's wowed me. Taking inspiration for the Batmoblie from a Stephen King stinker for the 80's doesn't exactly fill me with confidence either.
Origame
Origame - 12/26/2021, 9:41 AM
@Feralwookiee - what? Christine is one of his most iconic works. Wtf are you talking about it being a stinker?

If you're specifically talking about the movie, fine, but when did they say anything about the movie?
dragon316
dragon316 - 12/26/2021, 9:49 AM
@Feralwookiee - tell that to transformers fans complaining about movies those fans want transformers look big blocky and LEGO looking how they look in 80 they hate new look of transformers with realistic size and look to them that bay gave them.,

They accept changes to transformers in cartoons
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 12/26/2021, 10:11 AM
@Feralwookiee - "stinker"?
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 12/26/2021, 11:28 AM
@Origame - I was talking mainly about the movie, but to be honest, I'm not a fan of King to begin with.
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 12/26/2021, 11:42 AM
@TheHumanSpider2 - Christine is essentially the same story as Maximum Overdrive imo. King is the Michael Bay of "literature".
Origame
Origame - 12/26/2021, 12:03 PM
@Feralwookiee - I mean, you're welcome to not be into this specific author. But king is a highly respected writer in the horror genre, with works like the shining, Carrie, and it all being incredibly influential in the genre. So if you're trying to make something scary in your story his work is a no brainer when it comes to influence. Like you might as well just say you don't like horror.
solskulldeath
solskulldeath - 12/26/2021, 12:20 PM
@Feralwookiee - seriously bro? really?
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 12/26/2021, 1:33 PM
@Origame - The guy pumps out tons of product, but I've never been a fan of his. Just an opinion.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 12/26/2021, 1:52 PM
@Feralwookiee - Stephen King couldn't be further from Michael Bay. Both in genre, content, style, and pretty much anybother way you can think of.

If you are seriously comparing the two, then you're just proving that you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to Stephen King. But honestly, it sounds like you haven't read any King books and you're basically passing judgment on his books by his movies. Which is really foolish since Stephen King movies have a reputation of being bad and missing the point of his books. Mainly because he usually has nothing to do whatsoever with the movies getting made.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/26/2021, 2:47 PM
@Origame - I love the horror genre, both in literature and film. But I've always loathed Stephen Kings works. The only Stephen King thing I've ever loved was The Shinning film, and Stephen hated the movie which is probably why I loved it. Having dislike for a single author is not like saying you don't like horror. Stephen King I'd so popular because he's the [frick]ing Walmart of horror writers. Compared to Mary Shelly, Clive Barker, Lovecraft, Poe, Shirley Jackson, Anne Rice, Dean Koontz, Jeff Lindsay, David Cronenberg... there are so legitimately brilliant horror writers who absolutely trump Kings abilities, but King could pump out book after book like no one else, he had a ton of cool ideas... unfortunately I just always hated what he did with them. His execution of his ideas always felt stupid as shit to me. Just my opinion.

The genre is MUCH bigger than King.
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 12/26/2021, 2:48 PM
@CorndogBurglar - Again, it's just an OPINION.
I'm comparing the 2 based on their output and popularity. While they both make products that are very popular, I feel neither are "great" at their professions.

I give them both credit that they are good salesmen, but I don't find the products they pitch to ever live up to their hype.

I've read a handful of King's books, mostly older at the beset of friends, and always walked away underwhelmed. Just my 02 cents.
Origame
Origame - 12/26/2021, 3:09 PM
@ElricReturns - it is once you consider the complaint here is based on something being inspired by king, and not his actual work. King is highly influential. In fact this isn't even the first time batman was influenced by king's work since we have the joker from the batman animated series inspired by pennywise (even having Tim curry audition for the role).
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/26/2021, 3:31 PM
@Origame - I'd never heard the Animated Joker being based in IT. It's literally the Ceasar Romero Joker done by Mark Hammel. I did know they first tried to cast Tim, but I heard nothing about it being because animated Joker was influenced by Pennywise. I honestly don't even see the similarities. Its just Joker... the comic books, Ceasar... I see all that in Hammels Joker. I don't see Pennywise. I'd be interested what particular influences they borrowed from Pennywise.
Uhhhhhh
Uhhhhhh - 12/26/2021, 5:12 PM
@Feralwookiee - I have never seen you have a good take on this site
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 12/26/2021, 9:10 PM
@Feralwookiee - Christine and maximum overdrive are wildly different films as well as the books are different too. The only connection is vehicles, the vehicles in maximum overdrive become sentient due to a comet or something akin. The vehicle in Christine is possessed by an evil spirit. Ones about surviving a vehicular holocaust and the other is about an evil spirited car and it’s hold on a teenager.
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 12/26/2021, 9:45 PM
@ElricReturns - David cronenberg is a film director. You listed him in the list of writers that have written books. I’d have to argue that Mary Shelley is not at all a horror writer and in fact Frankenstein is really a proto science fiction book. Shelley was really more of a writer of romantic fare and really not at all a horror writer. I would venture to say that quite a few of the writers you listed including king himself are not really horror writers (Clive Barker actually detests being labeled one) or don’t really subscribe to that particular genre. But have written horror, that’s be like calling Stanley Kubrick a horror director just because he directed the shining when he directed many different genres. I would probably call hp lovecraft or poppy z Brite and may e Anne rice true horror writers being although they did write a few different books they mainly stuck with the horror genre.
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 12/26/2021, 10:05 PM
@Origame - joker has a mixed history of its creators stories of his origin. It’s been said by Kane, Finger, and Robinson he was inspired by Conrad veidts Gwynaine from the silent film the man who laughs. It was written in 1986. Tim Curry did play joker initially but the producers say they did not like his take and hired mark instead. But penny wise was not an inspiration for the joker. Animated series or otherwise
Fogs
Fogs - 12/27/2021, 5:03 AM
@Feralwookiee - when Bay writes something like The Shining or The Fog we can talk about it.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 12/26/2021, 9:39 AM
Not...a big fan of this Batmobile.
dragon316
dragon316 - 12/26/2021, 9:50 AM
@Doomsday8888 - same here I will give it chance Batman car is not main factor for not liking movie
cyclopsprime
cyclopsprime - 12/26/2021, 10:17 AM
@Doomsday8888 - it's probably just a prototype of the batmobile
solskulldeath
solskulldeath - 12/26/2021, 12:20 PM
@Doomsday8888 - come on, let's say it's a prototype. early batman doesn't have a fancy car like Snyder's.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 12/26/2021, 9:39 AM
“a grounded version of the character”

The day we get a modern Batman movie interview and/or anecdote where the word “grounded” isn’t used is gonna be something
BoW
BoW - 12/26/2021, 9:48 AM
@BlackBeltJones - Same here. All these filmmakers seem to only love one word…”grounded”

Genuine question but did Zack ever use that word? 🤔
Nightwing1015
Nightwing1015 - 12/26/2021, 9:49 AM
@BobbyW - Well his Batman wasn't that grounded it was pretty fantastical and more comic-booky.
dragon316
dragon316 - 12/26/2021, 9:51 AM
@BobbyW - at least will be less cgi more makeup stuff could be what they mean which I like alot
GhostDog
GhostDog - 12/26/2021, 10:18 AM
@BobbyW - not sure about Zack but I saw a video concerning how Batman needs a fantastical, weird take soon due to how dark and edgy seems to be dominating him too much lately.

It said he once needed that grounded take to reinvigorate him cinematically but now you can push the him in new Strange directions.
Menks123
Menks123 - 12/26/2021, 10:26 AM
@BlackBeltJones - One day.....one day.
mrbioshock1984
mrbioshock1984 - 12/26/2021, 3:11 PM
@dragon316 - CGI doesn't bother me at all as long it looks good at the end of the day. A Batman film needs mixture of CGI and practical. I want to see Clayface, Man-Bat,Bane, Killer Croc and so on. That's why Batman and Spider-Man are my favorite they can go fantastical or grounded street level. I think Matt Reeves is going that route and not piggy backing off what Nolan did🦇🕸️🍻🙂
URCOMMENTSUCKS
URCOMMENTSUCKS - 12/27/2021, 4:56 AM
@BlackBeltJones - Why do you care? We've never gotten a Thor movie that was serious and dramatic, so why get all pissy about amplua used for Batman movies that doesn't negate the drastic tension which Batman should have. Rather have twenty grounded Batman movies than another Thor movie where people act like Teletubbies with potty mouths.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 12/27/2021, 9:23 AM
@URCOMMENTSUCKS - - I didn’t get pissy I made a very non-dramatic comment about Batman movie anecdotes.

That being said, regarding the other comment I made about the subject, it’s how I feel so that’s that. I care about it because those are my personal concerns toward the character cinematically. Thor desperately needed a reinvention cinematically just like BATMAN did post 90s. Difference is Thor needed to get a little ridiculous for audiences, Batman more serious. Not saying I agree with Thor’s change totally but it is what it is.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 12/27/2021, 9:27 AM
@URCOMMENTSUCKS - I personally want to see different things from Batman than I do with Thor at this point.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 12/26/2021, 9:39 AM
I can see that.

Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 12/26/2021, 9:42 AM
So ... so the Batmobile is going to be a yandere?
marvel72
marvel72 - 12/26/2021, 9:47 AM
I liked Christine back in the day,haven't read the book but as I said I liked the movie.

The Batmobile should strike fear in wrong doers,if you see that tailing you,you're in deep shit and it's not going to end well.
Nightwing1015
Nightwing1015 - 12/26/2021, 9:49 AM
"this version of the character — a grounded version of the character"

My fears are being realised that we've got a Nolanverse 2.0. I was really hoping it would be a more comic inspired take this time
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