The Batman director Matt Reeves reveals why he wouldn’t fit in the MCU

The Batman
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The Batman director Matt Reeves has explained why he feels he would get "lost" directing a Marvel movie.

"I have such respect for Kevin Feige and also for the [Marvel] filmmakers," Reeves told Variety. "But to be honest with you, I just don’t know how I would make my way through that."

Reeves explained that his way of working – which involves a certain amount of "freedom" on his part – might not mesh with the MCU machine.

"There has to be some level of discovery for me, where I have some freedom to find my way," Reeves said. "If I have to come into something that’s already set too firmly, then I think I would get lost. And I don’t think they would be happy with me either."

Reeves has clearly felt comfortable calling the shots over at Warner Bros. He took what was once The Batman’s original vision – starring Ben Affleck and being heavily connected to the DCEU – and transformed it into something altogether more intimate.

"I said look, I think maybe I'm not the person for this. And I explained to them why I love this character," Reeves explained in a recent interview with Esquire. "I told them that there have been so many great movies, but if I were to do this, I'd have to make it personal, so that I understood what I was going to do with it, so that I know where to put the camera, so that I know what to tell the actors, so that I know what the story should be."

Even if Marvel ever did come calling, Reeves has more than enough on his Bat-plate for the time being. He’s helping shepherd two Batverse spin-offs to HBO Max as producer – one on Colin Farrell’s Penguin, one centred around Gotham’s police force – while he’s also involved in a spiritual successor to Batman: The Animated Series.

Discover what DC and Marvel are cooking up next with our guide to new superhero movies.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.