When Does The Batman Take Place? - CBR

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Batman, in theaters now.

Batman films have always been incredibly detailed, with some of the best examples being found in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. That said, Matt Reeves' The Batman takes things a step further in detail, to the point that any questions that may be asked can be answered somewhere within the film. However, one thing the movie doesn't make entirely clear is when it takes place.

Aesthetically, Gotham City has always looked outside of any established architecture and aesthetic from most modern cities. For example, in Bruce Timm's animated Batman universe, Gotham mixed 1930s art deco and a more modern aesthetic. The iteration of the city in The Batman is a mixture of Tim Burton's gothic architecture and modern takes from New York City and Chicago to create something familiar yet totally original, but it makes it hard to pinpoint the exact year the film is set in. Thankfully, Twitter user BrandonDavisBD has given a hint thanks to a photo he took on set.

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While the film operated like an old detective story from the early years of cinema, its vehicles and technology have a huge modern influence that keeps audiences engaged. For most of the movie, it's established that the story is set over six days, starting on Halloween. But the first hint to the timeline is established with the timeframe from the death of the Waynes to the present day. Early in the film, it's explained that the murder of the mayor took place on the 18th anniversary of the Wayne murders, which established that Gotham has been in turmoil for close to 20 years.

While a timeframe is given, an exact year won't be shown until The Riddler (Paul Dano) uncovers dirt on the Waynes or himself, with the year 2001 being shown in the top corner of one of the photos. Now, with 18 years following their death, the year the film took place is seemingly 2019. This is further confirmed thanks to the Twitter post of one of Gotham taxis that also showed the year as 2020.

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Despite all that, though, the film's timeframe was still challenging to pinpoint. Gotham City has been in a state of struggle for decades as a result of the corruption and fear that ran it before Batman appeared. That's why its downtown looks like Times Square from the '70s rather than the sprawling metropolis it should be. However, its citizens keep the modern technology alive, whether through The Riddler's streaming or the many gadgets that Batman uses. But with its growth stunted, it still falls behind other larger cities, which made the film feel almost timeless.

The Batman is a unique visual exploration into the lore of Batman and his many rogues. However, it has also given audiences a version of Gotham that feels like a true comic book city. Not only is it reminiscent of real-life locations, but it also has its own energy that exists outside of the normal timestream. Therefore, while its setting is explored in the year 2019, it could take place in any other decade and feel entirely fitting.

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To see how Gotham's setting is unique, The Batman is now playing in theaters.

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