The Batman‘s Batmobile chase scene is broken down by Weta FX VFX supervisor Dan Lemmon, who also worked on the movie, to show how much of it was practically produced. Matt Reeves’ DC movie, which debuted earlier this year to favorable reviews from critics and audiences, stars Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. After a string of murders in Gotham City, Batman takes on a more detective-like persona as he searches for and battles the Riddler (Paul Dano). The Penguin (Colin Farrell) is the movie’s secondary antagonist, although the Riddler is the main bad guy. In one exciting scene, Batman pursues Farrell’s character through the streets of Gotham.
In a recent interview with THR, Lemmon discusses how the Batman’s Penguin car chase was brought to life with both practical & visual effects. The sequence is still remembered as one of the movie’s highlights. The complex vehicle rig that was utilized to shoot the scene, including the pivotal jump through a wall of flames, is described by the VFX supervisor. He continues, “Up until the point where the car hit the ground and stood back up on its raised suspension, the Batmobile jump and flames were completely practical.” See Lemmon’s entire remark down below:
“They featured push-button-switchable two-wheel to four-wheel drivetrains and Formula One-style brakes that could be adjusted and activated at each wheel. Two of the vehicles could be driven from a pod attached to the outside of the vehicle, which allowed Robert Pattinson to be in the driver’s seat while an unseen stunt driver drove the car. For this shot, we stripped one Batmobile down to its lightest possible weight and set it up with long-throw suspension and doubled shock absorbers, allowing the Batmobile to jump 12 feet high and soar for 80 feet before it touched down on the pavement again.”
Can The Batman 2 Top The Batmobile Chase From The First Film?
It’s likely that Reeves’ sequel, which was formally announced earlier this year, will include the iconic car’s return. Almost all live-action Batman movies have included some sort of chase scene involving the Batmobile. Reeves’ Batmobile draws inspiration from vintage American muscle cars, in contrast to the Batmobile in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight films, which was created to look more like a military vehicle. Reeves’ chase scene in The Batman was heavily influenced by The French Connection from 1971, which used the camera inside and on top of the car throughout the scene to give the action a more visceral feel. This more retro design goes hand in hand with this.
The Batman 2’s villain has not yet been revealed, but the sequel might do better by changing the circumstances of the scene rather than changing the chase’s exciting, realistic feel. Maybe the sequel will show a swarm of enemy vehicles chasing the Caped Crusader rather than the other way around. The stakes could be drastically different, but the scene could still have The Batman’s visceral elements. As an alternative, Reeves’ follow-up could be inspired by The Dark Knight and have Pattinson’s protagonist race through traffic in order to save a loved one.
The biggest problem with the car chase in the first movie is probably that it ends too quickly. It remains to be seen what Reeves has in store for fans in his sequel. The sequel can continue to challenge Pattinson’s character in fresh ways while retaining the same moody ambience and tactile qualities by keeping the same gritty, realistic elements that made The Batman such a hit. Unfortunately, fans won’t learn whether there will be another Batmobile chase scene until quite some time after Reeves finishes writing the script for The Batman 2.
Source: THR