The Batman gets an explosive message from The Riddler in new clip

The Batman
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The first full scene from The Batman has been released – and it highlights not only Riddler’s reign of terror in Gotham, but also director Matt Reeves whetting our appetites with a masterclass in creating tension.

The two-minute clip was spotted by YouTube viewers during an ad roll – this is what happens if you don’t use AdBlocker – and has been (thankfully) preserved on Twitter.

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In the scene, Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is seen at a funeral when he overhears Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) discussing the recent disappearance of district attorney Gil Colson (Peter Sarsgaard).

Then, things take an unsettling turn for the worse. What appears to be gunshots and explosions rattle around in the streets. Amid the chaos, the Riddler (Paul Dano) appears overlooking the church – and sets his plan in motion: a car – containing Colson – drives through and aims at a child before Bruce Wayne saves the day.

Things go from bad to worse, however, after Colson steps out of the car to reveal he has a bomb strapped to him. Gordon does his best to clear the scene of innocents – though it’s the Caped Crusader who has Riddler’s attention: a message on Colson’s chest reads "To the Batman."

This is but a small fraction of what to expect from The Batman – not least because the runtime has been confirmed at just shy of three hours, making it the longest standalone Batman movie ever.

The Batman is set for release on March 4. For more super shenanigans, check out all the new superhero movies releasing in 2022 and beyond.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.