There's been a lot of hype lately about multiverses and shared universes and superhero crossovers, but one big superhero movie that's coming out right now is staying away from all that: Matt Reeves' upcoming film The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson.

Back when it was supposed to be Ben Affleck directing this next iteration of Batman movies, the film was supposed to be set within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) that Warner Bros. has been working on building with films like The Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman. However, at some point after Affleck stepped down and handed the project over to Mat Reeves, the majority of the film was scrapped, and all the elements that incorporated it into the world of those other films were gone.

Reeves asked Affleck and Warner Bros. to give him the complete freedom to start all over because, according to a recent interview with Empire Magazine, he felt that being part of a bigger universe would take away from the film's ability to explore Bruce Wayne's struggles through a more personal lens. As producer Dylan Clark explained:

"Warner Bros. has a multiverse where they're exploring different ways to use the character ... We don't get involved in that. Matt is interested in pushing this character to his emotional depths and shaking him to his core."

The version of Batman that Robert Pattinson will be playing isn't the charming playboy we've come to expect from previous iterations of the hero; this Batman is younger, more freshly traumatized, and a bit of a recluse (honestly not all that different than the way he played Edward in Twilight, just saying...). This is a very sad Bruce Wayne, who would probably not want the company of other superheroes even if they were around to help.

We'll get to get into the nitty gritty of this young Batman and what he's going through when The Batman comes to theaters March 4, 2022.

Tags: Robert Pattinson Ben Affleck Mat Reeves