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TL;DR

  • You can watch The Batman online on HBO Max on April 18th, 2022
  • Matt Reeves’ film was well-received by critics and fans alike
  • What to expect from a potential sequel
Robert Pattinson at the world premiere of 'The Batman' on March 1st in front of a poster for the film with the titular character
Robert Pattinson | Cindy Ord/WireImage

The Batman is finally going to be online for streaming next week. Unlike all of Warner Brothers’ movies throughout 2021, The Batman was exclusively available in theaters instead of the theater/streaming approach that affected movies like Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong. Before now, fans who wanted to relive the highs of the Batmobile car chase and the tense dynamic between Batman and Selina Kyle needed to go to theaters, but that’s already not the case anymore just a month after the film released in theaters. You’ll be able to watch The Batman online soon.

Watch ‘The Batman’ online on HBO Max on Monday, April 18th

According to HBO Max, The Batman will be available to stream on April 18th. The film was directed by Matt Reeves, and it stars Robert Pattinson as the titular Batman character (not to mention Bruce Wayne, but that’s a secret) and Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman.

The premise of the film is that in Gotham City, a serial killer is on the loose, and he’s targeting Gotham’s corrupt elite. Investigating this is the World’s Greatest Detective, the Batman, but he encounters a few bumps along the way to solving the plot enacted by the Riddler (portrayed by Paul Dano). Standing as obstacles, the Penguin (Colin Ferrell) and Carmine Falcone (portrayed by John Turturro) add complications to Batman’s plans to save the city.

According to the press release from Warner Media, The Batman will also premiere on HBO on Saturday, April 23rd at 8:00 p.m. EST.

This version of the character was a critical success

Fans and critics alike had positive remarks about the film. The Batman currently sits with an 85% rating (certified fresh) on Rotten Tomatoes, and it also has an audience score of 87%. In a review roundup of The Batman, it’s clear that the general consensus is that this is a strong, new take on a classic and iconic character.

The film earned several high scores from reviewers, including a perfect 10 from IGN. However, the film isn’t without its flaws. Polygon noted that the film is “frustratingly safe” while others felt that the movie could trim about 30 minutes from its run time without that being a detriment. When you watch The Batman online next week, you’ll be able to tell if the film personally feels bloated or not.

Regardless, the film has already drawn comparisons to Christopher Nolan’s 2008 film, The Dark Knight, the second movie in that Batman trilogy. That’s fantastic company to be in for Matt Reeves’ The Batman, so it’ll be interesting to see where the director/producer takes the universe next.

What could we see in a ‘The Batman’ sequel?

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‘The Batman’ Movie Review: Robert Pattinson Serves Sublime Detective Crime Thriller

While you watch The Batman online starting next week, you’ll likely start wondering where a The Batman sequel could go. The movie left off with Bruce Wayne/Batman recognizing that he cannot continue functioning as purely vengeance. Instead, he has to become a beacon of hope to effect lasting change in Gotham City. Speaking of, Gotham City is partially underwater as the Riddler’s plot to flood the city found success in the third act of the film.

The situation in the city is very reminiscent of the No Man’s Land storyline from the comics in which a natural disaster leaves Gotham stranded and lawless as the criminal takes over law and order from Gotham P.D. This storyline features characters like the Huntress, Poison Ivy, Cassandra Cain, Clayface, and even Lex Luthor. With the latter, this could be a way for Matt Reeves to open up his universe to incorporate elements from the larger DC Universe, which would differentiate his grounded (so far) take on Batman from Christopher Nolan’s.

That’s all without mentioning the potential for a Robin to partner with Pattinson’s Batman. Will this version of Batman have a Robin? What sequel villains will we see in the next movie?

We’ll have to wait and see, but in the meantime, you can watch The Batman online on HBO Max starting April 18th.

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