In 2005, the brilliant filmmaker Christopher Nolan recovers the Batman franchise after the two critical failures of Joel Schumacher. With “Batman Begins” he revolutionizes the license, in many aspects, in particular via a completely new costume.
Batman Begins: the beginning of a great saga
We are in 2005. After the series and the film carried by Adam West, the two films of Tim Burton and those of Joel Schumacher, Christopher Nolan inherits the license, Batman. Christian Bale becomes the new face of Bruce Wayne in the first installment of the Dark Knight trilogy: Batman Begins. The first part of a trilogy that has become emblematic takes the batman to darker and above all new spheres. Batman Begins sits like the foundation of one of the best superhero trilogies of all time.
Batman Begins ©Warner Bros. Pictures
In addition to the presence of Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan selects a casting with small onions with notably Gary Oldman as Inspector Gordon, Liam Neeson as R’as Al Ghul, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Tom Wilkinson as the gangster Falcone, and above all two of his favorite actors: Michael Caine as Alfred and Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow. Batman Begins was acclaimed by the press as well as by the spectators. The feature film is even an Oscar nominee and earns more than $373 million in box office receipts.
A completely new costume
What makes the strength of Batman Begins, is obviously Christopher Nolan’s approach. This little genius of the seventh art has decided to restore all his greatness to the Dark Knight. He thus opts for a much darker, more violent, more mature, and above all much more dramatic approach than his predecessors. Batman becomes a hero of colossal determination, but also to the omnipresent fragility. The director has made a drastic change in the character, which is even articulated through the costume of the vigilante.
In effect, Christopher Nolan made a lot of changes to the Batman costume. The filmmaker notably based himself on the costumes of the Dark Knight to materialize the outfit of his protagonist:
I studied the great comics and graphic novels that have marked the history of Batman to try to distill its essence. Each artist has interpreted this “Batsuit” in their own way, but there are also certain constants that give the key to the character. Batman’s cape seemed to me to have been somewhat serviced in past films. There are wonderful illustrations of Batman, in very typical poses, his long cape fluttering in the wind. It is this feeling that we wanted to find on the screen, by designing a black cape, as flexible and airy as those of the great graphic novels.
The first suit with a moving head
But these changes have not only taken shape in an aesthetic way. In effect, the Batsuit has also been improved from a practical point of view. It is indeed the first time that the actor in the Batman costume had complete freedom of movement. According to Lindy Hemming, the costume director of the film Christopher Nolan refused the armor aspect of the previous parts:
Chris insisted that this costume not only be a beautiful object, but that it be functional. Thus the legs had to be flexible enough to allow easy bending, just like the neck which had to allow rotations of the head independently of the torso and the shoulders – a gesture impossible in the previous versions.
It’s a first in a movie Batman. Christian Bale was the first vigilante performer to have such autonomy. Previous Batman costumes were extremely difficult to wear, move, as Val Kilmer was able to testify in his documentary Val. He says it was hell to even walk, sit or even move your head in the Batman costume. Thanks to Christopher Nolan, our nocturnal vigilante has become more natural in his movements and was able to offer us unforgettable choreographies. A first and a relief for the new interpreters of the Dark Knight.
