Concept art for The Batman reveals some slightly different logos on the Riddler's costume. The superhero action film, based on the titular DC Comics character, was released back in March and generated a lot of interest due to the darker tone implemented by director, Matt Reeves. The movie tracks Bruce Wayne/Batman (Robert Pattinson) in his early years of crime fighting, uncovering a strain of corruption while hunting down Gotham City's own Zodiac Killer in the Riddler. Portrayed by Paul Dano, The Batman's version of the iconic villain finds himself inspired by the Caped Crusader to become a serial killer, targeting Gotham's elite and livestreaming his actions.
Fans of the comics are familiar with the character of Edward Nashton, known as the Riddler, and his depiction as a criminal mastermind, taunting Batman and law enforcement by incorporating puzzles, which can be deciphered as clues, into his crimes. While previous live-action iterations of the Riddler, most notably Jim Carrey's in the 1995 film Batman Forever, have involved a level of camp and exaggeration, Dano's performance was distinctively chilling. With a costume that completely hides his face and includes large clothes, The Batman's Riddler looks different than any other interpretation. Typically donned in a bright green suit or spandex outfit covered in question marks, Dano's costume matched Matt Reeves' grounded reality and appeared more conventional and unsettling, with just a single question mark symbol on his jacket.
Now, Glyn Dillon, one of the costume designers for The Batman, is sharing some of the concept art for the Riddler's costume on Instagram and they contain different logos. As opposed to the question mark surrounded by symbols, the other designs included a question mark in the center of what appears to be a scope, as well as a question mark planted in the middle of a target. Dillon shares that while his main responsibility was the Batsuit, he created these Riddler concepts for and with Jacqueline Duran. Check out the images in Dillon's post below:
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There were mixed reactions to the costume initially, with some laughing at the Riddler's appearance. Given that it was such a departure from prior representations, some took to social media to compare The Batman character to The Gimp from Pulp Fiction and even Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Many came to the movie's defense though, expressing interest in its similarities to the Zodiac Killer, and with Dano's disturbing portrayal receiving so much praise upon its release, a lot of negative opinions have since changed.
It is always interesting to see what could have been in regard to a character's appearance in film, but it is safe to say that the version of the Riddler's costume that was made in the end was the best choice for Matt Reeves' vision. With The Batman 2 being confirmed, audiences can look forward to finding out what other villain is brought into the series, and if their depiction is as dark as Paul Dano's Riddler. Reeves' approach to The Batman seems to indicate that any character presented could take on an entirely different appearance from that of the comics or previous projects, so audiences will have to wait and see.
Source: Glyn Dillon
