How The Dark Knight Made A Batman Costume Problem Canon

Before Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, the Batman costume always had the same problem, until The Dark Knight decided to make it canon. The actors inside the Batman costume had long been unable to turn their heads, something Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) discuss in the movie: “You want to be able to turn your head.” “Sure makes backing out of the driveway easier.” This is both a fun jab at the previous Batman costumes, while also providing an in-universe explanation for Bruce’s new Batsuit. While it may seem strange to draw attention to this problem, it’s perfectly logical for The Dark Knight, and it allows the Batsuit to continue evolving.

Making Batman’s costume problem canon in The Dark Knight means that the Batsuit finally makes sense, and it sets a precedent that future Batman movies would follow. Christopher Nolan’s team could have opted to change the suit without the characters acknowledging it, but instead, they chose to work the costume problem into the story. The goal of the Dark Knight trilogy was to create a more grounded, realistic take on Batman, and a person turning their head is definitely a real-world requirement. This decision also highlights one of The Dark Knight‘s biggest strengths and establishes a trend that would carry over to other movies.

The Dark Knight Made Bruce’s Costume Make Sense

Batman wastes no time in getting his Batsuit upgraded in The Dark Knight, which was only possible by making the Batman costume problem canon. The Dark Knight explores the various inconveniences that come with a superhero suit, which are typically glossed over in other movies. Addressing that Batman can’t turn his head demonstrates The Dark Knight‘s commitment to a realistic Batman, prioritizing function over fashion. The world of The Dark Knight feels more believable when its characters show attention to detail, adapting to new circumstances so that they can get the job done. However, the idea of turning Batman’s costume problems into an opportunity wouldn’t stop with The Dark Knight.

The Dark Knight Changed The Batsuit Forever

The Dark Knight established a trend with the Batman costume that future movies would continue. Both Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson could turn their heads in their respective movies, but they also had their own unique changes. Instead of having a gravelly voice like Christian Bale, Ben Affleck’s Batsuit actually disguises the character’s voice. In Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Alfred is shown having to rewire this feature to accommodate the new lair of armor on the Batsuit, once again demonstrating the commitment to detail behind the scenes.

Another problem previously seen with the Batman costume was the black eye smudges, which were never addressed (and even disappeared in certain scenes for Michael Keaton’s Batman). However, Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is seen wearing black eye paint out of costume, making it clear that he actually uses it as part of his disguise in The Batman. Every Batman movie since The Dark Knight has found new ways to improve upon the Batsuit, even taking problems and turning them into solutions. Future Batman movies owe this trend to The Dark Knight making a Batman costume problem canon, and it will be interesting to see how the Batsuit continues to change with time.