Matt Reeves’s Creative Freedom (Photo Credit – Facebook)
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Matt Reeves and the MCU? Not a fit. While the MCU thrives on interconnected stories, Reeves prefers creative freedom. “I have such respect for Kevin Feige and the [Marvel] filmmakers,” he told Variety in 2022. “But honestly, I don’t know how I’d make my way through that.” The Marvel machine is too rigid for him.
Reeves needs room to explore. “There has to be some level of discovery for me,” he said. “If it’s too set, I’d get lost. And they wouldn’t be happy with me either.” Unsurprisingly, he clicked with Warner Bros. When he joined The Batman, he told them he’d only take it on if he could make it personal. They gave him that freedom, and he crafted a grounded, noir-inspired Gotham.
He scrapped the DCEU connections, recast Bruce Wayne with Robert Pattinson, and turned The Batman into a deeply personal exploration of Gotham’s dark knight. His goal? To know every corner of the story, inside and out. “I have to understand what I’m going to do with it, so I know where to put the camera, what to tell the actors, and what the story should be,” Reeves said.
Matt Reeves’ Style Of Work Is Different From The Marvel Universe
While Marvel thrives on a tightly interwoven universe, Matt Reeves prefers his stories unshackled. His past projects prove it. From the raw chaos of Cloverfield to the emotional depth of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Reeves has a knack for turning big-budget spectacles into deeply personal tales.
And let’s be real, Reeves isn’t exactly twiddling his thumbs. He’s busy expanding his Bat-empire with two spin-offs for HBO Max—one centered on Colin Farrell’s Penguin and another digging into Gotham’s police force. Add a spiritual successor to Batman: The Animated Series to the mix, and it’s clear Reeves has his plate (and Gotham’s streets) full.
Marvel may have the multiverse, but Reeves has carved out a Batverse. His passion for discovery and his refusal to conform make him the perfect fit for Gotham’s broody, unpredictable world. The MCU? That’s a call Reeves probably won’t be answering anytime soon. After all, he’s too busy rewriting the rules in his own Gotham sandbox.
What Next For Matt Reeves?
Reeves is currently busy with his next big project, The Batman: Part II, the highly-anticipated sequel to his acclaimed 2022 film The Batman. Robert Pattinson will reprise his role as the titular superhero with Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell returning as Jim Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, and the Penguin, respectively. The sequel was first announced in 2022 but delayed amid the 2023 Hollywood strikes and Reeves’ efforts in perfecting the script. The movie is currently scheduled for a October 1, 2027, release.
