Matt Reeves’ The Batman is riddled (#PunIntended) with easter eggs, references, and tributes to the DC comic books and games of the caped crusader. You might miss a few while watching the film if you don’t look at them closely.
In fact, some of those easter eggs might also be important for a possible sequel of the movie, which might be setting up a new villain. So if you’re looking for all the DC references, you’ve arrived at the right place.
But before I start with them, here’s a spoiler alert for anyone who’s landed here before watching the film. Let’s get on with it.
The Batman has numerous easter eggs and references that point to the comic books, old DC series/films, games, and other universes created by studios such as CW.
1Major Batman Villains in Riddler’s Cards
In each of the five cards the Riddler sends the Batman, there’s a figure that represents one of his primary villains. These include Poison Ivy, Mad Hatter, Court of Owls, Hugo Strange, and Scarface. While this might just be a nod to these nemeses, it could also hint at a villain in The Batman sequel.
2Not a Long but Short Halloween
The film begins on Halloween and follows events that lead up to Election Day. This can be a nod to Batman’s recent animated movie, The Long Halloween. There are numerous tropes that are influenced by that film which is a pleasant surprise for the audience.
3Martha’s Middle Name Arkham and the Arkham Asylum
In the comics, Martha’s middle name has always been Kane, until the events of Earth-One, in which Batman’s origin story is reinvented and modernized. Martha comes from the Arkham family and becomes Martha Arkham Wayne after marrying Thomas. This is also a nod to the storyline of how Martha was at one point institutionalized in the Arkham Asylum.
4Catwoman’s Father’s Identity – Carmine Falcone
This is one more element from The Long Halloween. Through this film, along with a couple of others such as Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome, we come to know that Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, is Falcone’s daughter. In the film, too, we see a similar arc, however here, Carmine never knew that Selina Kyle was his daughter until she told him.
5Catwoman’s Murder Attempt on Carmine
In Batman: Year One, we have a sequence where Catwoman tries to make Carmine Falcone pay for what he did to her mom, Maria Kyle. However, she only manages to claw his face and leave a scar. The film rebuilds this exact scene, and at the end, we see Carmine Falcone with the same scar across his face.
6Penguin and the Criminals’ Ice Berg Lounge
In the movie, we see Penguin and many other criminals spend a lot of time in the Ice Berg Lounge. This was a common gathering place for Gotham’s bad guys in the comics, and the film’s depiction of the place is uncannily similar.
7The Shakespeare Bust in Batman’s Apartment
In the 1960s Batman television series, Bruce Wayne’s place had a Shakespeare bust which was a secret switch that would open the doorway to his hideout. In Matt Reeves’ film, we see the same Shakespeare bust in a scene where Alfred answers the phone.
8The Batman-Zorro Connection
Fans of the comics would know that the character Zorro has been a massive inspiration for Batman. So when Penguin says, “What are you doing with Zorro here?” it is a nod to that.
9The Bat and the Cat
In the movie, when Selina refers to Batman and herself as the Bat and the Cat, it references the phrase with which this duo is popularly known. DC has even released a paperback with all their stories titled Batman: The Bat and the Cat: 80 Years of Romance.
10Riddler as Edward Nashton A.K.A. E. Nygma
Riddler’s real name was one of the critical mysteries of The Batman. While it is revealed to be Edward Nashton in the comics for the longest time, his name was E. Nygma, referring to the pun enigma or riddles. However, after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, it is revealed that the actual name of the Riddler was Edward Nashton, and he had changed it to E. Nygma.
11Riddler’s Climax Plan and Zero Year
In Zero Year, Riddler floods Gotham by breaking various flood walls as part of his chaotic plan. In The Batman, too, the final fight scene takes place in a similar scenario, all thanks to The Riddler and his henchmen.
12Batman Possesses Bane’s Venom
In the final battle between Batman and the Riddler, Batman is completely exhausted because of the number of henchmen he has to take on at the same time. So he pulls out a green liquid and injects himself with it. Almost immediately, he is reenergized and ready to fight again.
In the comics, Bane also uses a green liquid called venom from which he gets his super strength. Does this mean that Batman might meet Bane in the future? I guess only time will tell.
13 The Riddler’s Neighbor in Arkham
In the final scene, when the Riddler is in his Arkham cell, we hear another sound from a neighboring cell. While this person isn’t revealed, the hysterical laughter we hear could mean that it’s the joker, and we might just see him in a sequel.
14Tribute to the Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven is a popular place in DC comics a little away from Gotham city. It has also been mentioned in the CW series Arrow a few times. In the film’s end, as Catwoman says she’s going to this legendary place, it’s a great homage to the place that has appeared in other universes created within DC.
These were all the major easter eggs from the film. While there are a few more, they didn’t add to the story or pay homage to the caped crusader’s rich history.
About The Batman
The Batman is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. Produced by DC Films and distributed by Warner Bros. Directed by Matt Reeves and written by Peter Craig, the film will feature Twilight star Robert Pattinson in the titular role.
Other cast members include Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell.
The brand-new Batman solo will see Bruce Wayne/ Batman in his second year of fighting crime as he explores the corruption that plagues Gotham City and how it may tie to his own family, in addition to coming into conflict with a serial killer known as the Riddler. Set in the parallel universe Earth-2, the movie will be separate from the rest of the DCEU canon.
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