New The Batman set photos tease potential Year One connection

Production has resumed on Matt Reeves’ The Batman and some exciting photos from the Liverpool (England) set reveal a surprising connection to the Year One storyline.

The cast was spotted descending the steps outside St. George’s Hall – a large, very cinematic building from the 1850s – as part of a funeral scene for Spooks actor Rupert Penry-Jones’ character (presumably a victim of The Riddler). And while we are treated to a new look at Robert Pattinson’s moody Bruce Wayne, the new photos hint at an interesting connection between Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman and John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone. 

The Big Lebowski’s Turturro is playing one of Gotham’s most notorious mob bosses, a man who plays a substantial part in corrupting the city. One photo shows Kravitz holding onto Turturro’s arm as they walk together – implying that the two iconic characters are linked in some way. 

Look closely at Turturro’s face and you’ll spot scratches on his cheeks, which will instantly remind comic readers of Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli’s Year One. That storyline saw Catwoman attack Falcone in an attempt to build her reputation after all of her robberies were attributed to the Caped Crusader. Rude. 

The Batman, though, will see Battinson in his second year of crime-fighting in Gotham (known as Year Two), so we imagine the events of Year One will act as a springboard for the new movie to leap from.

Comic book fans will also remember that Selina Kyle has long been rumored to be Falcone’s illegitimate daughter, with Batman: Dark Victory heavily suggesting the theory. Sure, it was later confirmed that another slimy criminal, Rex Calabrese, was actually Selina’s father, but that hasn’t stopped later versions of the character from leaning into the idea. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Reeves and co-writer Mattson Tomlin play with a father/daughter relationship.

Catwoman and Falcone aren’t the only villains on hand at the funeral scene, as Colin Farrell’s Penguin has been sighted, the actor wearing those incredible facial prosthetics. Although it does beg the question why Warner Bros. didn’t cast Richard Kind as Oswald Cobblepot, since Farrell’s new look is eerily similar to the Argo and Big Mouth star...

The Batman is scheduled for release March 4, 2022. Before then, make sure to catch up on the best superhero movies of all time.