The Batman setting: When is Robert Pattinson movie set? Does it connect to other DC films? | Films | Entertainment

After a long wait, The Batman is finally due to hit cinemas this weekend. Just like James Bond, a number of stars have played the Dark Knight over the years. Ben Affleck was the last to don the cape as an older more gristly Bruce Wayne and now Robert Pattison’s is a lot younger at 35.

The Batman isn’t, however, an origin story like Batman Begins. Instead, the new movie takes place in Year 2 of Bruce Wayne’s career as Gotham’s Caped Crusader – but that doesn’t mean it’s a sequel.

For fans who want to know what happened prior to the new blockbuster, there’s a tie-in book called Before The Batman: An Original Movie Novel.

The film’s main classic villains this time around are Paul Dano’s The Riddler and Colin Farrell’s The Penguin. Although the latter is yet to become the crime kingpin of the DC Comics.

Both these characters haven’t appeared in a live-action Batman movie since the 1990s, so their return to the big screen is long overdue.

The Batman is very much its own thing, just like Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, which is set in another world.

However, The Flash takes place in the DC Extended Universe, which is the reality with Affleck’s Batman and the other Justice League movies like Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

The upcoming Ezra Miller speedster movie begins in this world with his Flash and Batfleck.

However, as he goes back in time to stop his mother from being murdered, he opens up the DC multiverse which is how Keaton’s classic Dark Knight can return.

As confusing as this all sounds, it does open the possibility of Pattinson’s The Batman one day sharing the big screen with Affleck, Keaton and maybe even more.

Both the Marvel and DC movies are exploring their multiverses and hopefully will build up to some huge crossovers.

And maybe one day there could even be a movie where both franchises collide. Stranger things have happened.

The Batman hits cinemas on Friday.