Rumor: Will The New ‘Batman’ Solo Movie Take Place In Arkham Asylum?

Since the latest Batman solo movie was announced, the rumor mill has been in overdrive. Many thought we didn’t need another Batman movie, but after the mixed reception of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — a film that had fans begging for another Caped Crusader installment before the end credits rolled — the popular decision was inevitable. Not content with breaking the box-office with Christopher Nolan’s stellar The Dark Knight Trilogy, Warner Bros. and DC are willing to do it all over again.

The rumor mill is in overdrive, and this didn’t ease off when Ben Affleck announced he would pull triple duty on the next Batman movie. Behind the camera, penning the script, and wearing the cowl one more time, Affleck wants to do it all. However, Affleck is also a massive Batman fan, so fans can rest easy knowing the blockbuster franchise is in good hands. But, those endless rumors never stop, and if they are to be believed, the movie will include seventeen protagonists, feature the death and rebirth of Robin, the introduction of Oracle, and a whole host of enemies in cameo roles. Despite none of these claims being confirmed, there’s no doubt that the next Batman movie will be something truly special.

So, with another day comes another rumor about the Batman solo movie, and this one is pretty persistent; which, of course, has the internet in a frenzy. This also feeds back to comments made by Ben Affleck in an earlier interview (more below); comments that may add a little authenticity to the claims. Again, nothing is confirmed, but the latest whispers claim that the new Batman movie will take place behind the dangerous walls of Arkham Asylum.

Ben Affleck has made his feelings known about the upcoming Batman movie, and he had stated on numerous occasions that he would only make the film when he feels the script is perfect. With this type of mentality, it seems he is still looking for the right story, and Affleck is willing to wait until he finds it. In a video interview with Cines Argentinos, the Oscar winner cemented this thinking and stated that he would borrow from the great Batman stories in order to realize his vision.

“I think what I would do is, I would probably do in some ways what Zack [Snyder] did with this movie, which is to borrow great stories from the great comic books but create an original story around it. I wouldn’t want fans to already know the story, but I would borrow — steal — great things that have been done before in the comics”.

Now, according to Batman-On-Film, their sources have revealed that the next Batman movie could take place in Arkham Asylum. It’s nothing but a rumor at the moment, so details are scarce, but if the film was to take place in the hallowed halls of Arkham Asylum, it would lend some credibility to several other existing rumors; especially the one about the Dark Knight facing off against several key enemies. If you look back at Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth, or Rocksteady’s phenomenal 2009 video game, Batman: Arkham Asylum, it gives you a rough, if slightly intriguing, idea of what could occur on the big screen.

It’s a rumor, true, but an interesting one. The plot and the location would be perfect to introduce a host of new/old enemies for Batman, something that Suicide Squad seems to be laying the groundwork for with its release next month. Batman has no shortage of inventive and popular enemies in the archives, so bringing a few up to the big screen would definitely get tongues wagging.

If Batman: Arkham Asylum and its video game sequels — Arkham City, Arkham Origins and Arkham Knight — proved anything, it’s that the right set of writers can create an engaging story with several key characters opposing Batman, if done correctly. Also, losing the iconic skylines of Gotham would be a major downfall for the film, but again, the games proved that the writers can still weave in the beautiful landscapes with some creative thinking.

The rumors will keep generating, but have we finally found a nugget of information with a bit of weight? The solo Batman movie doesn’t even have a title yet, let alone a release date, so there will be a whole lot of waiting before anything concrete is confirmed. Until then, Suicide Squad is being released next month, so if you need a Batman fix, there’s your next port of call. You could also check out the immensely enjoyable Arkham video games on the various gaming consoles.

Directed by David Ayer and starring Ben Affleck, Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, and Joel Kinnaman, Suicide Squad will open in the UK and U.S. on August 5, 2016.

[Image via Warner Bros. Interactive]