Ben Affleck’s time playing Batman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was, to say the least, an uncomfortable experience. While fans ired the dark, serious energy he brought to the role, behind the scenes, Affleck struggled because of the famously difficult-to-wear Batsuit. The actor speaks openly about disliking the costume, calling it “horrendous” and a major problem during filming.

Affleck told GQ that the biggest issue was how hot the suit got. Made from thick layers of Lycra and foam, the Batsuit didn’t let air flow through. This turned every scene into what felt like a personal sauna for Affleck. The tight cowl and lack of ventilation trapped his body heat, making him sweat heavily.

Affleck described the feeling as “pouring water,” and it wasn’t just a minor annoyance. The extreme heat slowed production because he and the other actors could only wear the suit for short periods before needing breaks to avoid overheating. Even professional stunt performers, who are used to tough conditions, could only last about 45 to 50 minutes at a time before needing relief.

The Ben Affleck’s Batman (Batfleck) suit was hard to keep on

Apparently, the constant need to cool down and change costumes disrupted filming schedules repeatedly. Putting the suit on was also a major task. It took around 25 minutes and required up to six people to help him into it. Although costume designer Michael Wilkinson praised the suit’s “incredible engineering” and flexibility, which allowed Affleck to move naturally, the actor’s experience suggests that looks were prioritized over comfort.

Affleck said, “I hated the batsuits. The batsuits are horrendous to wear. They’re incredibly hot, for one thing. They don’t breathe. They’re made to look the way they want ‘em to look, and there’s no thought put into the human being.”

The discomfort wasn’t just physical; it also took away from the heroic feeling Affleck was supposed to have while playing Batman. Instead of feeling powerful, he was constantly battling exhaustion and overheating, leaving him sweaty and struggling to stay focused on set.

“… it also does not make you feel very heroic because you’re instantly exhausted and really sweaty and kinda trying to hide like, the sweat pouring down your face. Like, ‘No, we can go again. I’m fine. I’m good.’ And then there’ll be like – eye black is like, running.” Affleck said.

Interestingly, Affleck isn’t the only Batman actor who has dealt with an uncomfortable suit. While he has hinted that Christian Bale and Robert Pattinson might have handled the heat better, the history of difficult-to-wear Batsuits is well known. George Clooney’s much-mocked “nipple suit” from Batman & Robin is a famous example of style being chosen over practicality. Still, Affleck’s honest and detailed description shows just how much discomfort he personally went through, proving how hard the costume was on his body and mood.

The uncomfortable Batsuit was definitely a big reason he decided to leave the role. While he has said he had “a really good time” playing the character, he also pointed out that the DCEU movies appealed to fewer people, with even his son being too scared to watch them.

Val Kilmer was a true heartthrob in the eighties and nineties, from his iconic performance as Jim Morrison in The Doors, to his short-lived time donning the cape and cowl as Batman, the actor was a true Hollywood legend with tons of successful movies under his belt.

With fame comes fortune, or so they say, and considering how big a star Kilmer was in his prime it’s safe to assume he accumulated a fair amount of wealth from his work. Unfortunately the Hollywood legend was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and had to undergo chemotherapy as well as a tracheostomy in order to allow him to breathe. The surgery left him requiring a voice box in order to speak.

Despite all of this he continued to appear in films until 2022, with his last appearance prior to his untimely death being a return to his iconic “Iceman” role in Top Gun: Maverick.

What was Val Kilmer’s net worth prior to his ing?

Despite the setback that his cancer diagnosis posed, Kilmer’s net worth is still relatively high with estimates putting it at around $10 million according to Yahoo.com. His most memorable roles, such as Bruce Wayne/Batman, saw him take home a $6 million paycheck ($12.1 million today). The Saint saw him earn $7 million, and his role in The Island of Dr. Moreau bagged him another $6 million. 

While his massively successful Hollywood career no doubt contributed to his financial success, Kilmer also had other sources of income which were also added to his wealth. Val Kilmer’s career in theater was equally as successful for him — prior to making his move to the screen he appeared in several productions both on and off Broadway. He continued to appear in stage productions throughout the nineties and 2000’s.

Val Kilmer’s other sources of income

Kilmer also owned a few properties including a ranch and a house, both in New Mexico, and another house in Los Angeles, all of which would have contributed to his wealth. While the New Mexico ranch was his dream home the actor had to part ways with it in 2011, selling off part of the property to a Texas oil executive reports Hello!. The asking price for the ranch was $33 million, but it was eventually reduced and sold for $18.5 million. Kilmer also sold his other home in New Mexico with an asking price of $1.65 million in 2003.

On top of that, the actor also wrote his book, I’m your Huckleberry: A Memoir in 2020. He’s been heavily involved in philanthropy work providing relief during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as well as releasing music and donating the proceeds to the families of police who died during 9/11. While that last part may not have added to his net worth, it’s worth mentioning here as it serves as a reminder for the kind of person Val Kilmer was.

The last Instagram post from Val Kilmer, who ed away on April 1, 2025, due to pneumonia, serves as a touching reminder of his career and artistic interests. Posted on Feb. 23, 2025, the video features Kilmer, famous for portraying Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever, playfully wearing a Batman mask.

This nostalgic moment played alongside artwork of the iconic superhero created with artist David Choe. In the video, he ires a black and white version of the Batman mask, striking a pose and looking closely at the artwork before putting on the mask. Choe can be heard praising Kilmer and noting how good he looks.

Kilmer’s February 23 post was not the only instance of his artistic expression on social media. His two later Instagram posts on March 10 and March 22 featured his artwork, which were also for sale on his website.

Val Kilmer wore a Batman mask in a video before his death

Kilmer nurtured an artist community called Kamp Kilmer and had a website showcasing his creations. Although the Batman-themed pieces seen in the February video are not available for sale now that he has died, they instead act as a final artistic tribute to one of his most memorable roles.

Kilmer’s ing at age 65 followed a long struggle with throat cancer, diagnosed in 2014. The illness greatly affected his ability to speak, leaving him with a raspy voice and necessitating a tracheostomy. Despite these challenges, Kilmer kept working, making a notable appearance in the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick. His career included prominent roles, such as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the original Top Gun and Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991).

News of Kilmer’s death led to an outpouring of sorrow and tributes from fans on social media. His last Instagram posts have become symbols of his lasting legacy. The Batman video, in particular, is a bittersweet farewell, representing a playful homage to a character that helped secure his place in film history. The video and his final art posts from March 10 and March 22 will probably remain enduring tributes to an artist who balanced both acting and artistic talents.

In a hilarious turn of events, comic book fans would rather get their butts handed to them by none other than Batman. Why? Because they’re finally getting a taste of just how sick and brutal Daredevil is. That’s right, Disney Plus’ Daredevil: Born Again isn’t holding back on revealing Matt Murdock’s monstrous side. And now, getting beaten to a pulp by Bruce Wayne doesn’t sound too bad. 

Think about it… both Batman and Daredevil refuse to kill. But while Bruce has no qualms about severely maiming and injuring his opponents, Matt could slip-up and send you on a one-way trip to your maker. Evidently, when Marvel put out a content warning before Born Again premiered, there was a valid reason.

Daredevil: Born Again turned the violence up to 11

Marvel’s Daredevil reboot had an uphill journey from its inception. Of the four (five, if you count Defenders) Marvel Netflix TV shows, Daredevil had the most ionate fanbase. But one thing that fans demanded during the move to Disney Plus was the same gritty violence of the original. And Born Again delivers. 

The two-part premiere of Daredevil: Born Again proved that the MCU isn’t pulling any punches… literally. Amidst changes to the cast, crew, and tone, Marvel made sure to keep one thing true to the original — the violence.  

While the first episode included some fights, it was more concerned with setting up the plot for the show ahead. It was the fight at the end of episode 2 that let fans know that Marvel isn’t here to play. It’s the same fight scene that has fanboys running over to Batman for a healthier beatdown.

Daredevil and Batman have a few similarities, particularly their no-kill rule. This usually necessitates that they are more brutal in fights to keep their opponents down. However, some people think that Born Again’s Matt is even more ferocious than Bruce Wayne when you get him riled up. In that episode 2 fight alone, we saw more bloody blows, broken bones, and grade three concussions than we might have seen in the entire MCU and DCEU combined. 

What to expect from this season

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 will see Matt Murdock once again facing off against Wilson Fisk; however, the show takes a different approach to its predecessor. Both characters are on a journey of change, with Matt abandoning the Daredevil mantle after the events of episode 1. Similarly, Fisk is looking for redemption by parting with his Kingpin ways and running for Mayor of New York. 

Due to these character motivations, the show focuses more on Matt’s identity as a lawyer and friend than as Daredevil. That’s why we see him facing Fisk as himself more often than his vigilante persona. However, Marvel has insisted that the violence and maturity level of the show stays consistent throughout. 

Daredevil: Born Again is not perfect, but fans can appreciate the team’s dedication to keeping as much from the original show as possible. Whether it’s the thrilling back and forth between Matt and Fisk, or getting to see Matt beat people to within an inch of death, Born Again evidently has quite a lot in store for us. 

Elon Musk is forever taking Ls, and to be honest, I feel for anyone who s him. His impressive ability to constantly embarrass himself should be studied, yet people will still try and tell you he’s the smartest man on the planet.

It’s not been a good week for the billionaire. Over the weekend, Musk was called out over his nuclear-level blunder when his department, DOGE, fired 300 nuclear experts. Upon realizing what a bad idea this was, the Trump istration was forced to walk back the terminations. Now Musk has also revealed he’s no more technologically savvy than your average boomer after falling for a fake image and publicly drawing attention to it on X.

The image in question shows masked figures holding axes and standing in what appears to be a ruined hospital. A by the name of Basil the Great claimed the picture showed a “migrant mob” who had stormed a hospital in Birmingham armed with axes and blades. Musk shared the pictures, along with the caption, “What happened here?” My good sir. Google is free.

It seems Musk realized his mistake, as he soon deleted the post, but it was too late. One by the name of Mukhtar had already made screenshots of the embarrassing post, and shared them online alongside a caption claiming the pics were from a Batman movie.

Elon Musk felt for this fake news. That image is from a batman film.

West Midlands police had to release a statement saying it's fake news for him to delete it. His favourite news deleted it as well pic.twitter.com/M0UG0iAbnI

— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) February 17, 2025

It makes you wonder how many times a day Musk shares fake news without realizing it? Eventually somebody ed the West Midlands Police via X to get confirmation about this alleged hospital attack, and they confirmed there were no incidents at any hospital in Birmingham.

#UPDATE | No disorder took place at any hospital in #Birmingham following the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy.

Images being shared on social media which claim to show people carrying weapons at a hospital are fake.

Full statement https://t.co/HCXiPAeI1E pic.twitter.com/WJQAFwJO7F

— West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) February 17, 2025

Where did the picture come from?

No. Ai generated.

Who holds and axe like that anyway. pic.twitter.com/6WIXzZgaSP

— Joe (@JoeBalaclava) February 17, 2025

As for the picture, it isn’t actually from a Batman movie. The exact origin is difficult to pinpoint for sure, but some believe it is AI generated, although others have disputed this claim. It is ittedly getting harder and harder to determine if a picture is real or not, but we can use a little bit of common sense and reason to come to a pretty sound conclusion here.

Many things in the picture don’t make sense, from the way the axes are being held to the green exit sign above the door, which seems to depict an amorphous white blob instead of the typical stick man we’re used to seeing.

Even if the picture wasn’t AI, the fact that the police have confirmed no such incident took place should be enough to confirm that this was fake news, and dangerous fake news at that. The intention here was clearly to incite hatred towards immigrants in the U.K., something Elon Musk has already tried doing. He could have fact checked this himself but because it confirmed his own biases, he decided to be irresponsible and share it.

It goes to show that even critical thinking and fact checking are important and necessary in all situations. Obtuseness seems to be spreading, and it’s coming straight from the people at the top. Spreading fake news is easier than ever, as demonstrated here, so we can’t just accept things we see online — we need to switch our brains on. Don’t be an Elon.

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. Just a quote from The Dark Knight or an apt description of Armie Hammer‘s career? We all thought the once hotshot Hollywood star’s time on our screens was over once he became the world’s most famous (alleged) cannibal, but apparently we were mistaken. For, you see, Hammer is set to attempt a big industry comeback with his new movie… The Dark Knight?

No, this isn’t yet another DC reboot (although, yes, we do have two separate Batman movies on the way). Hammer’s next project is just, y’know, a totally unrelated movie that happens to be called the exact same thing as one of the most iconic films of all time. It happens more than you think, actually. I’m sure you’ve all seen the Ashton Kutcher slacker comedy/creature feature Spider, Man! and Harry Potter, the Oscar-winning indie drama starring Daniel Day Lewis as an impoverished Welsh coal-miner.

As per Variety, Hammer has landed the lead role in The Dark Knight, the latest low-budget epic from director Uwe Boll. For anyone unfamiliar with the name, Boll has built his reputation as a prolific purveyor of cinematic pap. Generally releasing straight-to-disc/VOD, a rare theatrical enterprise of his — 2005’s video game adaptation Alone in the Dark — is widely regarded as one of the worst films of all time and sports just 1% on Rotten Tomatoes. This will be his 37th film in total.

“The story of The Dark Knight couldn’t be a more current topic, and I’m excited to bring it to life with this excellent cast,” said Boll, in a press statement regarding the movie’s announcement. But what about the bat-eared elephant in the room? Executive producer Michael Roesch maintained “our movie is very different from Chris Nolan’s movie, so there is no danger of confusion.”

Alright, fair enough, so what is Boll and Hammer’s The Dark Knight about? According to the official synopsis, Hammer plays Sanders, “who takes justice into his own hands as he sets out to hunt down criminals. While his crusade transforms him into a social media sensation and a hero in the eyes of the public, the local police chief sees him as a menace to society and aims to take him down.” There you have it, it’s all perfectly simple. One is about a vigilante hero determined to save his city but who is hunted by the police while the other is… Wait, what?

With shooting beginning in Croatia on Jan. 27, this will be Hammer’s first acting role since he was accused of abuse from multiple women in 2021 — the LAPD ultimately neglected to pursue criminal charges against Hammer, the scion of a family of petroleum magnates, claiming lack of evidence. Prior to teaming up with Boll, Hammer worked with such acclaimed filmmakers as Gore Verbinski, Guy Ritchie, and Luca Guadagnino.

It’s ironic that Hammer is now the star of a knock-off Dark Knight movie as he was once deemed big enough to play the real Batman — he was cast as DC’s very own, non-copyright infringing caped crusader in 2007’s Justice League Mortal, the infamously unmade superhero film from George Miller. So maybe the best way to describe Hammer’s career would actually be: you either become Batman or live long enough to see yourself reduced to playing the Temu version.

No matter how hard the NYPD and the powers that be try, they simply can’t get the public on their side when it comes to Luigi Mangione. Every attempt to make him look like a bad guy has backfired spectacularly thus far, and the latest stunt has left people calling the alleged gunman a hero.

Footage of Mangione has been shared online showing the 26-year-old being paraded around in his prison overalls by armed police as he arrives in New York City for his federal court appearance. His arrival in NYC has had mixed reactions, although many have drawn comparisons to Batman, with people on X accusing the NYPD of trying to make Mangione look like the titular character’s most famous villain – the Joker.

All the security around him really gives off Joker vibes.

Some noted that although he looked like a villain, he still looked “badass.”

It does seem a bit performative, all they need is the Hannibal Lecter mask for the full evil guy aesthetic. Many called out the display, claiming that the media were trying to paint this image of a monster by parading him around in his overalls with his hands cuffed. But none of that matters, as people aren’t buying it, regardless of how hard the media tries to paint Mangione as a bad guy. As it stands, it seems most normal people will always see him as a hero.

Many have decided that he isn’t the villain of this story, but rather the hero. While it’s kind of crazy that an alleged murderer should be viewed as a positive symbol by the people, it does make sense. After years of suffering under an inadequate healthcare system that clearly prioritizes profits over the lives of ordinary human beings, it’s no wonder people would rally behind a figure like Mangione. You could even go as far as to say people are obsessed with him.

The mainstream narrative doesn’t reflect what most think

The media’s desperate attempts to portray the guy as a bad person have only served to further fuel the fire. It looks like a conspiracy against Mangione as a way of making an example of him so that everyone else will fall in line. This has only led to more pushbacks from everyone else, turning Luigi into a sort of icon. What the authorities and media don’t understand is that it’s turning into a David and Goliath type situation, and nobody wants to Goliath now, do they?

People have seen through the tricks, and they’re more convinced than ever that the rich CEOs and the system that s them are the real villains in this situation. 

Of course, what Luigi allegedly did is bad, but the media seem to be intentionally turning a blind eye to the fact that companies like UnitedHealthcare have been allowing people to die for years all so they could make a quick buck. They’re out of touch with the struggles and the mindset of everyday people, simply because they’ve never been in their shoes. So no matter what they do, or how they try to paint Luigi, it will never change the minds of those who sympathize with his story. Until there is a big change in how the healthcare system works, people will most likely carry on their of Mangione.

What’s in a name? It’s a special moment when two proud parents settle on the perfect name for their newborn, the name that they’re about to repeat with tiredness and irritation and joy and laughter ad infinitum over the rest of their lives. So what does it matter exactly where said name came from? That’s the argument one dad will be using, anyway, after his wife discovered their precious baby girl is named after a Batman character.

TikTok @viashoe found out the truth about the (superhero) origins story of her daughter’s name when she spent Thanksgiving with her husband’s family. She learned that it’s an age-old family ritual to watch a particularly seasonal episode of 90s classic Batman: The Animated Series on Turkey Day, and when a certain character name was said aloud it all suddenly clicked and she realized what her hubby had done. Thankfully, the moment the penny dropped was caught on camera.

So what is this dynamic duo’s DC-flavored name for their daughter? Selina, maybe, after Catwoman? Or Harley (as in Quinn)? Actually, it’s a lot subtler than that which is why viashoe didn’t realize for so long. The couple’s 10-month-old baby is actually called… Nora.

As viashoe explains in her caption, but Batman fans have probably already worked out, Baby Nora is named after Nora Fries, the cryogenically frozen wife of tragic villain Mr. Freeze — the episode her husband’s fam watch every Thanksgiving is likely Freeze’s introductory story, “Heart of Ice.” Honestly, this really shouldn’t come as a surprise to her, as she goes on to outline just how crazy her husband — who we shall now christen Bat-Dad — is about the Caped Crusader. Hilariously, she even notes that he “accidentally “proposed to her on National Batman Day. And you thought you were a big Batman fan because The Dark Knight is in your Letterboxd top four…

Although Nora is a beautiful name without any overt Batman connotations (many TikTokers congratulated viashoe on her daughter’s name, explaining that it means “light and beauty in Arabic”), the gags nonetheless rolled in like the Batmobile in the comments. “This is our lovely daughter Nora, and this is our son Clayface,” wrote one regular joker. “That’s why my daughter is called Optimus Prime,” quipped another wannabe clown prince. Others were disappointed, however: “I was waiting for robin, nora is so normal.”

It turns out Bat-Dad is far from alone, though, as many others took the opportunity to it that they’ve done the exact same thing. “Took my ex wife 7 YEARS before she realized I named out daughter after a Final Fantasy Character,” one comment confessed, as another came clean: “My husband named our son after a character on prison break.” Then there’s the Harry Potter fan in the room: “I’m a big fan of Harry Potter and my wife came up with the name Luna not realizing and she wondered why I instantly agreed then the nurses exposed me.”

“I love my daughter’s name, I love my dorky husband, but all future baby names will have a thorough background check…” viashoe says in her caption. It could be worse, though. Nora is a name that’s actually made a huge comeback this century, with the Social Security istration‘s list of top baby girl names ranking it at a mere 502 in the year 2000 but then placing it in 30th position in 2020. Talk about a dark knight horse.

The DCU has begun, and it’s only going to get bigger — and hopefully better — from here on out. Creatures Commandos, the inaugural entry in James Gunn‘s rebooted DC universe, has officially opened to a flawless 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, ahead of next summer’s much-anticipated Superman. Beyond that? The 105th Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold. Currently, our next Dark Knight remains uncast, but it’s just possible that inspiration has now struck.

Like everyone else, it seems Gunn is suffering from Wicked fever, following the smash-hit Wizard of Oz prequel’s box office popularity. As the head of a studio that will be looking to repeat this kind of success in a mere few months’ time, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gunn decided to pilfer some key figures from the mega-hit musical. And while, say, Ariana Grande as Zatanna and Cynthia Erivo as Vixen might still happen one day, right now it seems Gunn may be gearing up to cast a certain Bridgerton boy as Batman…

James Gunn teased Jonathan Bailey as the DCU’s Batman, and now it’s the bane of our existence

From the Ton to Gotham, via a stopover in Oz? Prince Fiyero himself ⏤ Jonathan Bailey ⏤ could be on James Gunn’s longlist for hypothetical Justice League heroes, as a rogue like on Bluesky may have let slip the producer/director’s interest in hoovering up Bailey for his DCU. You might want to act fast, James, as something tells us Kevin Feige’s having similar thoughts right now (if you ask us, he’d be a fab addition to Marvel’s rebooted X-Men).

“I think it would be cool if James Gunn found some spot for Jonathan Bailey in the DCU,” read a potentially very telling tweet that Gunn liked on X’s rival platform. “Don’t really know which character but he seems like a massive star in the making. I’m actually surprised he’s not a more popular fancast for Batman.”

I know, I know — Gunn likes a lot of stuff on social media so this isn’t exactly cast-iron evidence that he really is thinking about putting Bailey in the bat-suit. That said, Gunn is very careful not to mislead fans with his online activity, so his like counts for something. Given how he experienced Wicked, it’s easy to see how Gunn could’ve already put Bailey and DC together in his mind before seeing this post.

As @Everything_DCU pointed out, a previous post from Gunn on Bluesky saw him note that he witnessed Wicked on the big screen with his mom in the very same theater in which they saw the original Christopher Reeve Superman in 1979.

Batman would be quite the departure for Bailey, who’s generally been attached to lighter-hearted or more romantic roles to date, but he’s obviously got the looks to be a believable Bruce Wayne and the jawline to wear the cowl. And let’s not forget that Charlie Cox was best known for his own fantasy romance role in Stardust before he proved how gritty he could be in Daredevil. Plus, casting an openly gay actor as the Dark Knight would be a major live-action first (and make Kevin Conroy proud). From one of the biggest Netflix shows on the planet to a record-breaking musical to — maybe, just maybe — moving into the Batcave? Talk about dancing through life.

James Gunn possesses a monumental task on his hands to restore the fans’ trust in the DC Universe. However, a quick and unexpected win might have materialized out of thin air in of casting the next Batman.

As Gunn builds out the future of all things DC, everyone understands that a new Dark Knight actor is imminent. Let’s be honest, though: Hasn’t the world seen enough of Bruce Wayne sobbing over his parents’ death and channeling his rage into beating the snot out of Gotham City’s criminals for one lifetime? After all, Bruce isn’t the only person to have put on the cowl and dubbed himself Batman. There’s also a certain Terry McGinnis who is more than due his own live-action film at this point. The Batman Beyond animated series debuted over 25 years ago, but it still hasn’t received the big screen treatment to date.

Well, a few filmmakers grew tired of waiting around for DC and Warner Bros. to make up their minds and decided to create their own fan film titled Batman Beyond: Year One. Written and directed by Michael Yu, this 14-minute production more than exceeds expectations as Terry McGinnis suits up to fight the Royal Flush Gang before flying back across Neo-Gotham to make his date with Melanie Walker.

The best part? Ryan Potter from Big Hero Six fame plays Terry, while Isabelle Hahn, who was recently seen in V/H/S/99, appears as Melanie. Of course, this isn’t the first time that Potter played a DC hero, as he previously starred as Garfield Logan, aka Beast Boy, in four seasons of Titans. In addition to this, Potter once ed a video of himself in full combat mode in an attempt to get DC’s attention in case anyone was looking for an actor to play Tim Drake, aka Robin.

One thing’s for certain, though, Potter and Batman Beyond: Year One caught the eye of the fanbase, who almost can’t believe this is a fan film. Some said it looks comparable to The CW’s Arrowverse, with presumably a tenth of the budget, while others are calling for Gunn to take notice of what Yu and collaborators achieved and give them a chance at creating something formally for the brand. The casting of Potter as Terry has also gone down like a treat, with one X writing: “Ryan Potter is such slam dunk casting for Batman Beyond.”

Bruce Wayne also appears in Batman Beyond: Year One, albeit off camera as he communicates remotely with Terry. The film doesn’t reveal who voices Bruce, but many fans suspect it’s Roger Craig Smith, who has most recently voiced the character in Batman: Arkham Shadow.

Whether a Batman Beyond live-action movie or television series ever happens is another story altogether. In the early 2000s, filmmaker Boaz Yakin was attached to the project and wanted to make an edgier and mature movie, even imagining Clint Eastwood in the role of the older Bruce Wayne; however, Warner Bros. and DC decided to do Batman Begins instead. More recently, there were rumors that DC ed on doing an animated film in the same vein as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Why? Who knows, no one understands that studio’s peculiar decision.

At the very least, though, Batman Beyond: Year One gives Gunn some food for thought. Not only does it put a few talented filmmakers on his radar, but it also demonstrates how Potter is the right person to bring Terry to life in any future project.

The following article contains spoilers for The Penguin, season 1, episode 8: “A Great Or Little Thing.”

The Penguin has come to a close with all the gusto and violence that could be expected, and fans only want to know one thing. Will Colin Farrell play the titular character again?

All previous reports pointed to not being very likely. Farrell quite famously told Total Film that the darkness of The Penguin affected him deeply and he had no designs on returning to the role.

“I never want to put on that f***ing suit and f***ing head again,” Farrell said.

However, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter following The Penguin season 1 finale, he recontextualized his earlier comments. Farrell itted that he had been venting about the difficulties of the shoot and how existing in Oz’s world had been a challenge. With more time, the actor has since reasoned “Never say never.” There may be a future where Farrell dons the elaborate prosthetics again to play the irredeemable gangster, he told the outlet.

“If there’s a great idea [for season two], and the writing was really muscular and as strong or stronger on the page than it was the first season, of course I would do it.”

Farrell also explained that he is contractually obligated to appear in three Batman films in the Matt Reeves universe. He noted that he hasn’t seen a script for The Batman Part II but understands he may have five or six scenes in the film. The new movie has been highly anticipated since 2022 when the first Batman premiered, but now there is even more reason to fast-track it. The Penguin sets up a terrifying villain for Batman to defeat in the film.

The Penguin perfectly set up Oz’s villain era

For fans of Batman comics, it seems pretty evident what Matt Reeves will tackle in the next film. There is heavy messaging in The Batman that Hush, a villain never explored in live action before, will be the next foe for the Caped Crusader. However, the film would be remiss to not include the Gentleman of Crime.

In The Batman, The Penguin is comic relief at best, roasting the world’s greatest detective for his terrible Spanish. The Penguin continues this trend but develops a character arc that is disturbing until the final episode. The season finale of The Penguin shows Oz become so reprehensible that fans are practically begging Batman to swoop down and beat him into submission.

Season 1, episode 8, “The Great or Little Thing” shows the lengths to which Oz will go to become a true powerhouse. After s (Deirdre O’Connell) has a stroke that effectively leaves her comatose, Oz decides that he can’t ever be weak again. His only remaining weakness is Victor (Rhenzy Feliz), who calls Oz family in his final moments. Oz promises that he couldn’t have accomplished his massive power grab without his apprentice, right before wrapping his fingers around his throat and choking the life from him.

Many fans were willing to forgive many things, but this act, in addition to Oz killing his brothers and setting a woman and her son on fire, just further crystalizes his descent into true villainy. He exhibits no real remorse, even diving further into his delusions regarding his mother in the final moments of the episode. There is no question why Colin Farrell needed some time away from this character. Oz, who easily could have fallen into the trap of being a caricature, finally becomes the villain he was boasting to be and is now worthy of being included in Batman’s Rogues Gallery.

Virtual reality gaming has a Half-Life: Alyx problem. When Valve dropped this incredible game in 2020 optimists assumed it’d open the floodgates for more high-quality VR adventures of its ilk. But, sadly, we’re approaching a full half-century since its release, and no other VR title has come close.

Well, until now. Batman: Arkham Shadow has the financial might of Mark Zuckerberg behind it, comes free with the company’s surprisingly affordable new Meta Quest 3S headset, and aims to deliver a full-fat Arkham experience remixed into VR.

Longtime VR enthusiasts will know that Arkham Shadows isn’t the franchise’s first foray into VR. 2016’s Batman: Arkham VR was a launch PSVR title and was more of a tech demo for what a Batman VR game could be, there was no combat, just atmospheric detective work and puzzle-solving. Well, we now have the real deal and it’s turned out better than I could have dreamed.

At first glance, the Arkham titles aren’t an obvious choice for a VR reworking. In Rocksteady’s classics, much of your time is spent in third-person combat with the camera zooming out to give you an overhead view of your opponents, allowing you to engage in crowd control as you systematically break every femur in Gotham. The stealth-focused Predator mode is a little more sedate, though zipping between high vantage points in VR has the potential to be vomit-inducing.

The easy option would have been to simply expand Arkham VR, but Iron Man VR developer Camouflaj had bigger ambitions, as everything you’d expect from the Arkham franchise is present and correct here. The trademark “freeflow” combat miraculously translates nicely into VR, with your punches propelling you through the air towards your enemies, where you attack them with a micro-QTE of various punches, holding your palm out towards oncoming enemies to counter their attacks.

Conveying how this works without experiencing it is difficult, so here’s a brief clip of me delivering bat-based fist justice on the streets of Gotham:

At this point saying the Arkham games make you “feel like Batman” is cliche, but when you’re standing in a dingy alley surrounded by the unconscious bodies of the goons you’ve pummelled, well… you do feel rather Caped Crusader-y.

That said, as my partner will attest, though you may feel like a martial arts master, the reality is you look like a complete idiot flailing around throwing punches into thin air. As you score critical hits by throwing harder punches, it’s inevitable some poor Touch Plus controllers will end up smashed against walls, would-be superheroes are going to suffer bruised knuckles, and ornaments will be inadvertently smashed. Maybe give advance notice to anyone you live with to stay out of your punch radius.

All that clobbering makes for a good workout, but Arkham Shadows smartly balances it s sweatier sections with more sedate sequences. Without getting too far into spoilers, Batman’s not Bruce Wayne’s only secret identity and there’s a surprisingly large chunk of the game spent going undercover in the criminal underworld. That’s also balanced with detective mode “puzzles,” i.e. moments where you scan the environment and Batman’s voiceover tells you what to do.

As a pack-in game with the Quest 3S this will be many people’s first full VR game and there are many accessibility options designed to reduce VR nausea. I’m lucky enough to have an iron stomach for VR but, with all aids switched off, the game doesn’t hold back in hurling you around the environment in smooth motion. I love it when VR pushes the boundaries of player comfort, but if this is your first time in the headset, I’d recommend tinkering with the options until you feel steady on your feet.

Sadly there are a few flies in the ointment, most prominently the semi-frequent crashes, whether that be tossing me into a black void that required restarting the app, suddenly kicking you back to the Meta Quest menu or, in the worst instance, trapping me in a headache-inducing kaleidoscope in which the entire world rapidly span in circles. Checkpoints are frequent enough so you won’t lose too much progress, but the process of booting up and loading the game is just long enough to infuriate.

There are also frame rate and audio stuttering overlap issues. On more than one occasion I had two Batmen simultaneously giving different voice-overs, which efficiently kills immersion. Frame-rate problems seem to trigger when moving between different environments, and while they’d be forgivable in a 2D game any dip is physically nauseating in VR. Given that this is only available on Quest 3/3S I expect optimization and stability patches soon — frankly, they can’t get here fast enough.

A bit more subjective is that, on occasion, it’s just not very fun to be Batman. In other media, it’s exciting to watch him intimidate and interrogate criminals but, in VR, holding a whimpering man off the ground and repeatedly punching him in the face to get key information while furiously screaming at him feels a bit icky. Then again, I guess I can’t complain about getting the full Batman experience.

Arkham Shadows is an impressive package that fits in perfectly with the rest of the over-arching saga. For Arkham fans without the inclination or funds to buy a $300 or $500 Facebook-branded VR headset, this success will be intensely frustrating. After all, it’s been eight long years since the last full-blooded entry in Arkham Knight and Rocksteady’s own Arkham entry, the misguided Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is one of the biggest gaming flops of 2024. Arkham Shadows being this good, but not only locked in VR but exclusive to one specific VR platform, will rub salt into the wound. If you’re an Arkham fan and a PSVR2 owner? Hoo boy, you have our sympathies…

As a long-time VR enthusiast, Arkham Shadows is the only VR game that’s come close to Half-Life: Alyx‘s quality. The medium needs games like this that fully utilize the tech or these expensive and exclusive platforms will wither on the vine. In the meantime, Meta couldn’t ask for a better ment for the Quest 3s. Camouflaj, I doff my cowl to you.