The Batman: What Car Robert Pattinson’s Batmobile Is

In The Batman, Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, seems to have patched together some parts from a few different cars to make his own unique Batmobile. During production on The Batman, director Matt Reeves released several sneak preview images of the Batmobile, giving attentive viewers plenty of time to analyze the Batmobile’s body and engine before The Batman‘s release. Now that Pattinson’s Batmobile has officially debuted in all its glory on the big screen, it’s especially interesting to consider how The Batman’s unique Batmobile design helps tell the character’s big-picture story.

The new Batmobile helps to support the overall aesthetic of Pattinson’s Batman outing. Unlike some previous iterations of The Dark Knight, The Batman portrays a Bruce Wayne who’s early enough into his Batman career that things aren’t all perfect just yet. Small details such as hand-stitching visible on the cowl of Pattinson’s Bat-suit underscore the fact that Bruce Wayne is still making the costume himself, and the new Batmobile continues this trend, as it’s clearly an existing car that’s been modified, rather than something custom-made for his vigilante operations.

The Batman’s Batmobile Is A Modified Muscle Car

Back when set photos of The Batman’s Batmobile were first introduced, Andrew Collins at Jalopnik pointed out that the vehicle seemed to be based on a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda with a Ford Triton V10 engine mounted on the back. It’s not quite a perfect match for the Barracuda, as the prop car is likely a custom body, but the resemblance is pretty close. Being so specifically based on an existing car is unusual for recent Batman appearances and sets Reeves’ The Batman movie apart. Rather than a completely custom-made car like in previous Batman movies, Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne drives a Batmobile that closely resembles a car that audiences might recognize.

Similarly, the 1966 Batman TV series used a Lincoln Futura to make the Batmobile, though that car wasn’t mass-produced either. The Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher Batman films used a custom-made car, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy showcased a modified tank, and Ben Affleck’s Batman in the DCEU used a hybrid of the two. Using something so mundane as a modified muscle car fits with the aesthetic of The Batman; it’s good enough but gives Batman a lot of room to improve over time. Likewise, a Batmobile with a recognizable car body helps support The Batman’s realism in comparison to previous adaptations of the DC Comics character.

There’s a practicality to Pattinson’s Batmobile that fits with The Batman’s level of violence. Although a muscle car with a truck/RV engine bolted on doesn’t seem pragmatic, and the Plymouth Barracuda may be a little old to have parts easily available, the engine is a different story. The Ford Triton V10 engine has been produced for three decades now. When Batman inevitably suffers serious damage to the Batmobile during death-defying car chases, it’s easy to get replacement parts. Reparability should be something Bruce Wayne thinks about, especially since he’s still doing a lot of his own legwork when it comes to outfitting and equipment.

Will Robert Pattinson Get A New Batmobile In The Batman 2?

Although The Batman’s take on the iconic DC Comics character isn’t an origin story, it’s still set during the early years of Bruce Wayne’s vigilantism as Batman, with the Caped Crusader only having two years of crime fighting under his belt. This version of the Batmobile backs that up, as Bruce Wayne could have very well owned a 1970 Barracuda prior to being Batman, customizing the car himself to better fit his mission. While it would be great to see this Batmobile show up again in Matt Reeves’ The Batman – Part II, it’s possible that Bruce Wayne could update his vehicle in the years after the events of The Batman.

Perhaps this means that The Batman – Part II will show off a more beefed-up and tank-like version of the Batmobile for Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne, sharing more similarities with Batmobiles from the past. While this might seem like a natural evolution for the Batmobile, it would be a shame to lose the more realistic and relatable feeling of Pattinson’s current vehicle, especially since Reeves has put a lot of emphasis on keeping his Batman franchise grounded, gritty, and more reminiscent of real life – however dark. The Batman opened the door for the franchise to tell more realistic stories involving Batman, which shouldn’t be lost in future projects.