The November/Thanksgiving 2024 BOF Mailbag

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I hope everyone who celebrated had a great Thanksgiving yesterday!  Thanks for the questions, let’s get to them! – Bill “Jett” Ramey

So Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle couldn’t bother giving their condolences for the death of Sophia Falcone’s brother (in the first episode of THE PENGUIN), or the rest of the Falcone family in the sixth episode?

JETT SAYS: First of all, how do you know they didn’t?  THE PENGUIN’s POV was through the eyes of Oz Cobb and not Bruce Wayne or Selina Kyle.

Secondly, why would either of them — especially Bruce Wayne — attend a funeral/memorial service for any of the Falcones?

If that’s a nitpick or you’re actually bothered by that, well, bless your heart.

Been seeing things that Robert Pattinson’s involvement in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie will delay THE BATMAN: PART II?  You heard anything about that?

JETT SAYS: It’s all nonsense.

Yes, I know RP has been cast in Nolan’s next film (Good for him!), but it doesn’t have any affect on THE BATMAN: PART II which isn’t going to start filming until mid-ish 2025.  Chris’ film apparently starts filming early next year based on reports.  Plus, it appears that Pattinson’s role is a smaller one — a supporting role in an ensemble — so I’m sure the time he’s required to be on the set is relatively short.  He’ll have plenty of time to break out the Bosu Ball and 5 lb dumbbell he used to get in Batman shape for THE BATMAN to prepare for the sequel. #IYKYI 😏

Take my advice and don’t get stressed with all the “THE BATMAN: PART II is going to be canceled/postponed!” bullshit.  Because that’s all that stuff is: Bullshit.

JETT SAYS: Reeves is a meticulous perfectionist, yes.  With that said, the main reason the film was pushed back a year was because of the SAG and WGA strikes.  But to address your questions, I suspect we’ll start getting casting announcements next year as filming approaches mid-2025.  So yes, THE BATMAN: PART II is filming next year. Keep in mind that the release date isn’t until October of 2026. Thus, they’ve got plenty of time.

How far and deep will we see this amazing Batman saga go? Having HBO series [like THE PENGUIN] follow one film and lead into the next films is a solid formula if they continue this type of framework.

JETT SAYS: The plan is for a trilogy of films and another HBO series or two. Maybe Reeves will change his mind and do more than three films, but I doubt it. Look, I LOVE what Reeves and co. are doing with THE BATMAN SAGA, but I think three movies and three HBO series are probably the proper length.  The SAGA will likely have taken about a decade from THE BATMAN to the final film when it’s all said and done.  That’s a long time.  Plus, there will always be some version of Batman on film for us.

What are the possibilities of Jeffrey Wright’s James Gordon becoming a commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department in THE BATMAN: PART II?

JETT SAYS: It appears obvious, but I’m not so sure.  There are others, I’m sure, that have a higher rank and could end up succeeding the late Commissioner Pete Savage — like Chief Mackenzie Bock — before Gordon ultimately gets the gig.

JETT SAYS: Dude, you’re preaching to the choir here! 😂  And yet, all those who bitch and moan about casing and costumes, etc. will all have their asses in a theater seat on opening day to see the movie.  I always say, “Enjoy the ride,” but it appears that there’s a sad segment of fans who can’t.  Too bad for them.

Any chance the delay to THE BATMAN: PART II is because Matt Reeves plans to shoot II and III at the same time?

JETT SAYS: No, I do not think that’s the plan.  Like Nolan before him, it’s one Bat-Film at a time for Reeves.

What are your predictions for new Bat-Vehicles in THE BATMAN: PART II?

JETT SAYS: Since this Batman/Bruce Wayne makes his own Bat-Gear/Gadgets/Vehicles, I don’t expect another one.  We got the see the upgraded Bat-Cycle at the end of THE BATMAN, so I sorta count that as a new one we’ll see in the sequel.  Perhaps he continues tinkering with The Batmobile as well.

JETT SAYS: Nope…just doing what I’ve always done and what you mentioned: Lobbying for the best when it comes to Batman on film.  I am of the belief that Batman works best when the character and his world are relatively grounded and that’s been proven since 1989.

Batman fighting aliens, gods, and supernatural beings, mixing it up with superpowered beings, and having a troupe of teenage sidekicks is not the way to go.  Plus, fans of the “Bat-God” or “Fantastical Batman” got a lot of that stuff in the failed DCU.  Sorry, Batman fighting Parademons and Darkseid looks ridiculous.  Of course, Batman didn’t fight Darkseid — or Doomsday in BATMAN v SUPERMAN for that matter — because as soon as shit like that shows up, he’s essentially useless.

I have no disdain for fans who like that stuff and want it in a live-action Batman film.  So that assumption about me is wrong.  But as I said, I don’t think that works for Batman on film, so I will continue banging the drum for good Batman movies…what you call “bashing” and “snide comments.” Cheers!

Which addition to Batman’s “insider team” would you like to see in the sequel, if any? I’m hoping to meet Lucious Fox at some point!

JETT SAYS: I’m with you: Lucius Fox.  If Bruce Wayne begins to take an interest in Wayne Enterprises as it seems he will, then perhaps he hires Lucius Fox to run the company.  I don’t want to see Fox become Bruce’s “Q” as he was in THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY.  Not because I didn’t like that take, but because Nolan has already done it with Morgan Freeman, and there is no need to repeat it.

Is THE BATMAN: PART II in trouble?

JETT SAYS:

Now that JOKER: FOLIE a DEUX has come and gone and THE BATMAN: PART II is the only Elseworlds project in development at DC Studios, how likely is it that more ELSEWORLDS projects get off the ground?

JETT SAYS: Honestly, I don’t know if there really is an “Elseworlds” banner at WB/DC Studios…or if there ever was one.  Yeah, I know Gunn and co. have referenced DC projects that aren’t DCU are “Elseworlds,” but I’m beginning to think that it’s in name only.

But who knows?  I believe that they’d be idiots if they did not entertain DC projects by filmmakers that would not be part of the DCU shared universe because a lot of those folks are interested in the creative restrictions that come with the shared universe thing (Matt Reeves is one of them as was Christopher Nolan before him).

Of course, the DCU may end up being an epic failure and they’ll eventually return to simply making DC projects that are standalone and not connected to anything else DC…which they should be doing right now (*sigh*).

I remember you posting an image of Julie Madison a long time ago- is there anything to that? Not that every film/sequel requires it, but do you think there will be a new love interest for PART II?

JETT SAYS: Matt Reeves is a Batman fan and is well aware of Batman history.  Wouldn’t it be cool to include Julie Madison — Bruce Wayne’s first-ever lover interest in the comics — as a character in THE BATMAN SAGA?  She wouldn’t have to be a stereotypical “love interest” either.

When do you think that Reeves will start to talk publicly about THE BATMAN: PART II? For example, confirming that the script is complete and when they are due to start production.

JETT SAYS: Well, he’s kinda already been doing that while he was doing press/publicity for THE PENGUIN.  I’m sure that there will be some press releases via the trades early next year for all that stuff (script, casting, etc.).  Also, Reeves was pretty good at dropping little updates subtly for THE BATMAN, so I expect the same for PART II.

Given the relatively big success of THE PENGUIN, do you think we’ll see another season in between movies, or that it’ll remain a miniseries?

JETT SAYS: Lauren LeFranc and Matt Reeves have at least said publicly that they’re interested in another season of THE PENGUIN…if it makes sense to do it and there’s a legit story to be told.  We do know that Reeves and co. are working on other HBO spinoffs of THE BATMAN as well.  I’m of the mind that it’ll be a one-off miniseries, but that could change after the events of THE BATMAN: PART II I suppose.

Should Oz expect any Christmas presents this year?

JETT SAYS: Coal in his stocking.

If each Batman film was a rock band, which one would they be?

JETT SAYS:

BATMAN = Led Zeppelin

BATMAN RETURNS = Nine Inch Nails

BATMAN FOREVER = U2

BATMAN AND ROBIN = Smashing Pumpkins

BATMAN BEGINS = The Beatles

THE DARK KNIGHT = The Rolling Stones

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES = Creed

THE BATMAN = Nirvana (Duh!)