How Matt Reeves' Batman Movie Should Be Made
3. Take Inspiration From The Black Mirror
Though specific beats from Batman's comics may not manifest in a prominent way in his films, certain storylines have inspired some of the character's cinematic adventures. Batman Begins paid homage to sequences from Year One, The Dark Knight's dynamic between Batman, Gordon and Dent was taken from The Long Halloween, and The Dark Knight Rises took elements from both Knightfall and No Man's Land. They weren't direct adaptations by any stretch, but some of their most compelling features were lifted directly from the source-material itself.
If any comic were to inspire this latest Bat-film, even on a cursory level, then there are few better than The Black Mirror. Written in 2011 by Scott Snyder with art provided by Jock and Francesco Francavilla, the story - which focussed on Dick Grayson's Batman - has more in common with the horror genre than it does the superhero one. It's devilishly dark, and in providing a blueprint for a compelling onscreen atmosphere, this recent story from Detective Comics could take on a whole new level of prominence.
The genius of Snyder's story, however, truly lies in how it deals with the character's history. It's a story perfectly suited for an older Batman (which the DCEU's is), and in embracing the true horror of his mythos, one that could really help shake things up.
There are plenty of beats to lift from, including the introduction of Commissioner Gordon's son, but especially the Mirror House and The Dealer, an auction-house and auctioneer who deals only the most decrepit historical antiques to his equally decrepit clientele. The story introduces them first at the site of one of Gotham's worst atrocities, and the prize item of the night? The crowbar used to beat Jason Todd half to death - untampered since its last use.
It's a proper detective story too, and considering how that's an element of the character rarely broached in live action, adapting Black Mirror only makes more and more sense.