The UK Lockdown Will Not Stop ‘The Batman’
by Erik Amaya
Even in the face of increasing COVID-19 numbers, The Batman will continue production.
Late last week, the United Kingdom announced a month-long lockdown plan beginning November 4th. The word suggests a certain severity, but as Batman-News reports, a subsequent clarification from Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden revealed film and TV productions — and a few other occupations without work-from-home options — will be allowed to continue.
The Batman has already experienced a number of stoppages since the pandemic began. The first was during the initial outbreak, which delayed production through the spring and into summer. Filming ceased again in September when an unidentified member of the crew — rumored to be star Robert Pattinson — tested positive; initiating a 14-day pause.
Trying to produce entertainment in this trying time is not easy. Television shows shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada routinely stop as crew members test positive for the virus. Frequent testing on productions around the globe is a constant fact of life now. And yet, somehow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings finished production, so new content will be available in the time after the pandemic.
The latest Warner Bros. take on Batman sees Pattinson as the Dark Knight during his second year on the job. His experiment is not going well as Gotham’s crime syndicates give way to more theatrical criminals. Then a series of murders begin to undermine everything he’s tried to build in Gotham. The film also features Colin Farrell as the Penguin, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, and Paul Dano as the Riddler. It also seems to be heavily based on Batman: The Long Halloween, although that resemblance could be coincidental.
The Batman is scheduled for release on March 4th, 2022.