The Batman: 10 Huge New Reveals From Director Matt Reeves At DC FanDome

4. The Movies That Inspired Matt Reeves

Reeves described The Batman as a detective story tied to the world of Gotham City's police, and that sounds like the right approach to a character frequently described as the "World's Greatest Detective."

Indicating that he has plans for a character-driven take on the hero, the filmmaker revealed that his movie draws inspiration from gritty classics like Chinatown, The French Connection, and Taxi Driver. "Those things have been touched on," Reeves started, referring to Batman's detective skills in the DC Universe, "but I don't know that they've been central to the plot, as they are in this particular Batman."

His love of those character-driven stories is what he believes opened the door to do "very emotional stories, but under the guise of these sort of great, mythic tales." He added; "You know, he might have a cape, but he can't fly. It's the ability to endure, and not only have the ability but the compulsion."

Later, Reeves said that in place of "super-heroic powers," Batman wages his war on Gotham City's criminals with his "super-heroic focus and super-heroic drive."