Batman has returned to the silver screen to stun a new wave of Dark Knight fans and loyal ones with a darker tone to lean into the character’s detective mode.
With every new Batman comes a new Batmobile and we reveal what kind of car Bruce is tearing through Gotham with.
Directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, and Jeffrey Wright, The Batman takes place during the infancy of Bruce Wayne’s life as a vigilante and serves as a gritty crime noir as The Batman and Jim Gordon seek to catch The Riddler.
- YOU’LL WANT TO WAIT: The Batman’s post-credits scene is worth watching for DC completionists
What kind of car is the new Batmobile?
The Batman’s Batmobile is modeled after a second-generation 1968-1970 Dodge Charger, albeit heavily modified.
Long gone are the days of elongated motors from Joel Schumacher or the military-inspired vehicles from Christopher Nolan’s run. Instead, Reeves’ choice for Batman’s chariot is a much more modern approach and subtle with the ability to blend in whilst also pulling out the big guns when it needs to.
Car experts have mentioned that Bruce Wayne’s modifications have provided the Batmobile with the nose of a Camaro and the fenders of a Stingray, but the base model lies with the Dodge Charger.
With a combination of MOPAR C-pillars, a battering ram at the grille, and a rear-engine conversion, this Batmobile is the fiercest one of the franchise.
The Batmobile carries similarities to Mad Max’s Ford Falcon XB
The Ford Falcon XB from the Mad Max franchise has been mentioned in comparison to The Batman’s vehicle.
The body is framed similarly to the Dodge Charger and it also shares the same intimidating headlights – perfect for chasing down the villains.
The design of the car also embodies Bruce’s penchant for self-made gadgets, promoting himself as a sort of fixer-upper and working alone before the tech of Lucius Fox.
- More: The Batman’s filming locations depict a Gotham like no other
Matt Reeves wanted Bruce Wayne to be a gearhead
Speaking to GQ, Reeves discussed how important the Batmobile is to Bruce’s persona and a reflection of his infancy as a vigilante:
“Car culture is an important part of who and what Batman is. My first Batmobile was the Lincoln Futura, from the ’60s television series. I was obsessed with it, had the little Corgi model. We’d seen the Batmobile as a Gothic rocket, we’d seen it as a tank, and this was a Batman in year two who doesn’t have a Lucius Fox figure helping him. I wanted him to be a gearhead in his garage, working on a kind of bashed-up kit car. I wanted the car to look somehow retro and familiar, like a Dodge Charger or Challenger, but also unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.”
Production designer James Chinlund also spoke about the design process he and Reeves went through at the start of the project:
“When a production designer is introduced to Batman, the first thing you say is, ‘what’s the Batmobile going to be?’ That and the Batcave, I guess. It’s an intimidating process because so many amazing designs have come before us. As is always the case with Matt, it goes back to the narrative and the story he wants to tell. Bruce has turned his back on Wayne Industries and so the car isn’t something that was provided for him, it’s a car he’s built himself. It’s similar to the design of the character he’s creating in Batman.”
The end product is a fascinating addition to Batman’s garage of iconic road warriors in live-action, and one particular sequence of The Batman will show off its true power.
By Jo Craig – [email protected]
The Batman is now in theaters worldwide.
In other news, RIPD 2: Rise Of The Damned release date and where to watch
