It feels like we know so much about Matt Reeves' upcoming Batman film, while also knowing so little. From looks at both the Bat Suit and the Batmobile to its star-studded cast, details were hitting fast and furious for a while there--but now, thanks to the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and the subsequent production shutdowns happening all across the entertainment industry, the news has slowed down considerably. Thankfully, however, that doesn't mean Reeves doesn't have more to say. In an interview with Nerdist to support his new Amazon Prime TV show, Tales From The Loop, Reeves broke down a few key details about his portrayal of the Dark Knight.

　　"I wanted to do not an origin tale, but a tale that would still acknowledge his origins, in that it formed who he is. Like this guy, he’s majorly struggling, and this is how he’s trying to rise above that struggle," Reeves said. "But that doesn’t mean that he even fully understands, you know. It’s that whole idea of the shadow self and what’s driving you, and how much of that you can incorporate, and how much of it you’re doing that you’re unaware of."

　　The "struggle" being referenced here is, of course, the trauma felt by Bruce thanks to his parents' murders. The struggle against a "shadow self" is a common motif in multiple Batman comics, but Reeves has explained that the film will not be directly adapted from any specific story arc. That said, reports indicate that the story will take place in the second year of Bruce's tenure as the Caped Crusader. This doesn't necessarily mean it will adapt parts of the 1987 comic, Batman: Year Two, by Mike Bar, Alan Davis, Todd McFarlane, and Mark Farmer--but we can certainly look there for potential clues.

　　Reeves went on to explain that "there’s something in there that feels very psychological, very emotional, and it felt like there was a way of exploring that along with the corruption in this place, Gotham. That feels very current. I think it always does. There’s almost no time when you can’t do a story about corruption. But today, it still seems incredibly resonant and maybe, from my perspective, maybe more so than maybe at other time."

　　The Batman is scheduled to hit theaters on June 25, 2021.

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