The Batman is considered by many fans to be a masterpiece of modern superhero cinema. But did you know that one of the blockbuster’s defining images was inspired by one of the worst movies ever made
Although the Batman reboot starring Robert Pattinson was initially greeted with a great deal of skepticism, the film was greeted with enthusiasm by the majority of critics and audiences when it was released. With The Batman, director Matt Reeves has created a gripping DC blockbuster that lives above all from its atmosphere.
With its unforgettable images, The Batman stands up to the visual lack of ideas of many competing projects. One scene is particularly striking: the glowing red-orange sunset over the rooftops of Gotham, while we see the silhouette of the Dark Knight looking out over the city. An unforgettable image
Without Tommy Wise from The Room, the Gotham skyline in The Batman might look very different
As it turns out, this striking moment was inspired by one of the worst movies of all time. The Room by Tommy Wiseau, known for anything but his outstanding cinematic qualities, was the inspiration for the blurry, flickering Gotham in the background of the sunset scene.
VFX expert Miguel Santana da Silva, who worked as a digital artist on The Batman for effects company ILM, recently revealed this on Twitter. In The Room, there is a scene that takes place on a rooftop, while the San Francisco skyline is slightly hazy in the background. This scene served as a model for The Batman.
Santana da Silva explains:
Good opportunity to mention that in putting together the look of Gotham in the sunset scene, I took a little inspiration from the rooftop matte painting in The Room, which actually comes across much better than it should.
Good opportunity to mention that when composing the look of Gotham in the sunset scene, I took a small amount of inspiration from the rooftop matte painting in The Room, which actually vibes so much harder than it has any right to. vfx https://t.co/wYjJF7zvgx pic.twitter.com/fMDeeUOVy5
– Miguel Santana da Silva (@m_santana) August 31, 2024
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Matte paintings are painted parts of a movie set. They used to be applied to glass, but are now mainly created digitally. If you look at the screenshots from The Room and The Batman in direct comparison, you can definitely see a certain similarity in the design.
And even if nobody would probably defend The Room on the basis of Wiseau’s film craft, Miguel Santana da Silva is right in his observation. The matte painting of San Francisco definitely conveys a certain mood. Maybe we should actually give The Room another chance
