The upcoming Batman movie, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, has been generating a lot of buzz among fans of the Dark Knight. One question that has been on everyone’s mind is whether or not the film will be based on “The Long Halloween,” a classic Batman comic book storyline by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale.
What is “The Long Halloween”?
Published in 1996-1997, “The Long Halloween” is a 13-issue limited series that tells the story of Batman’s quest to stop a serial killer known as Holiday who murders people on holidays each month. Along the way, he teams up with District Attorney Harvey Dent (who later becomes Two-Face) and Police Captain James Gordon to take down various members of Gotham’s criminal underworld, including Carmine Falcone and his family.
Why do fans think the new movie might be based on it?
Fans have been speculating about whether or not “The Long Halloween” will serve as inspiration for the new Batman movie ever since Reeves mentioned it in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in January 2019. He said that he was drawn to “Long Halloween” because it was “a mystery noir,” and hinted that he would be taking a similar approach with his film.
In addition, several casting announcements have fueled speculation that characters from “The Long Halloween” might appear in the movie. For example, Paul Dano has been cast as Edward Nashton (better known as The Riddler), while Colin Farrell will play Oswald Cobblepot (aka The Penguin). Both characters play significant roles in Loeb and Sale’s story.
What have the filmmakers said?
Despite all of this speculation, neither Reeves nor anyone else involved with the production has confirmed whether or not “The Long Halloween” will be directly adapted for the screen. In fact, Reeves has been careful to avoid giving too much away about the plot of the movie in general.
However, in an interview with Nerdist in June 2020, Reeves did say that the film would explore Batman’s role as “the world’s greatest detective,” which is a key aspect of the character’s persona in “The Long Halloween.” He also noted that he was interested in exploring the relationship between Batman and Gordon, which is another prominent theme in Loeb and Sale’s story.
So, is it based on “The Long Halloween” or not?
At this point, it’s impossible to say for sure whether or not the new Batman movie will be a direct adaptation of “The Long Halloween.” However, it does seem likely that Reeves and his team will draw inspiration from Loeb and Sale’s story in some way.
Whether it’s through certain characters and plot points or simply by taking a similar tone and approach to storytelling, fans can expect to see echoes of “The Long Halloween” in this new interpretation of Batman.
Overall, while we may not know all the details about the new Batman movie yet, one thing is for certain: fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be an exciting new take on one of the most beloved superheroes of all time.