Director Matt Reeves gave fans their first proper look at Robert Pattinson back in the suit and cowl for The Batman Part II this week, but everyone seems to have missed one big change.
The clip, titled “Camera Test”, was posted by the director to his X account and shows Batman standing in the rain. It’s mostly shot with shallow-depth-of-field lenses, but we can make out sirens flashing in the background. It’s a short clip and not much happens. Pattinson just slowly turns towards the camera. But it’s moody, and is actually meant to tease what’s to come. It’s also meant to tease a suit upgrade, which includes longer ears.
“The Ears Look Longer To Me. Am I Crazy?”
That was the question posed by X user @femklance after he noticed it in the teaser. The silhouette clearly shows that Batman has longer ears compared to the ones he had in The Batman back in 2022. Surprisingly, Reeves responded (which he does from time to time on X), “You are not crazy.”
That’s as close as anyone’s going to get to confirmation from Reeves. But it’s true, there are a few changes here. The cowl also appears to cover more of his jaw, and Batman’s cape seems to extend further down the chest than before.
This news aligns with news earlier this year. A fan visiting the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood learned the Batmobile from The Batman had been removed from display because staff said it’s being used for “production.” But the same fan noticed that the Batsuit remained on display. That detail already fueled speculation back in May.
Why the redesign might actually mean something
Costume tweaks between movie installments aren’t unusual, of course. But it does seem like Pattinson will receive an upgrade of sorts to his costume. We’ve seen the cowl and the ears change. But what else could be different?
What fans will love is that this seems closer to the classic comic-accurate silhouette than the more grounded, tactical design he wore in the first film. And it all points to one thing: Pattinson’s Batman will be a lot more confident and more established than he was in the first film, where he seemed to be just starting out.
When costume designers David Crossman and Glyn Dillon were asked about the design back in April, they declined to say anything. “I don’t think we can talk about that,” said Dillon.
A second detail fans caught: the lenses
Reeves experimented with very unique camera lenses in the first film, which he seems to be doing again in the second. Reports suggest that he is using custom Panavision Ultra Panatar II anamorphic lenses, glass built specifically for the production. That’s what gives that footage such a unique look.
The wait just got longer, too
The teaser arrives alongside less welcome news: The Batman Part II has been delayed again, moving from its planned October 1, 2027 release to February 18, 2028.
There’s been a ton of memes online already poking fun at the fact that Pattinson will be an old man by the time The Batman Part III arrives. Still, greatness takes time. The first film made over $772 million at the box office. The second could probably do the same. Fans have a lot of faith in Reeves.
The cast is also very stacked: Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Brian Tyree Henry, and Charles Dance. Villain rumors, Poison Ivy among them, remain unconfirmed.
For now, the ears are the story. Whether they mean anything for where Bruce Wayne is headed in The Batman Part II is anyone’s guess. But Reeves clearly isn’t discouraging the speculation.
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