Jeffrey Wright Says The Batman Is Beholden to Batman As a Detective

Jeffrey Wright is playing Commissioner Gordon in The Batman, and recently discussed how the script holds itself true to the idea of Batman as the world’s greatest detective. Wright spoke with SiriusXM about what drew him into accepting the role of Gordon in the film, talking about how the film’s mystery aspect was a big appeal.

“First of all the script, when I read the script I said to myself ‘Yeah, this is on it,’” Wright said (per JoBlo). “Because as you described about Westworld, you know, this show is very much about mystery, Batman, the series. You go back to the original, it’s DC, it’s Detective Comics and the script is really beholden to that, beholden to this idea of Batman is the world’s greatest detective. I think, as Gary Oldman once described, you know Gordon is something of a Watson to him. The script honors that and also sets a tone that’s very clear and a tone that’s been captured in that trailer.”

He added that the Batmobile’s description in the script played a role as well, noting, “I think one of the aspects of the script that I was really stoked about was the Batmobile, the way it was described. It was described as this kind of retro, hyper-modified muscle car, that’s just the craziest coolest thing you’d ever seen. And when I read that I said ‘Aha, yes.’ Because what it’s trying to achieve and what it does achieve is to create an accessibility for our Gotham, a world that is tangible and grounded in a very familiar reality. But at the same time it’s still fantastical, it’s still tweaked.”

The film stars Robert Pattinson in the title role alongside Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/Riddler, Wright as Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin. It is set to release on October 1st, 2021 and is described as follows:

In his second year of fighting crime, Batman (Pattinson) 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 (Dano).