'The Batman' is set to explore the 'soul' of a 'younger version' of Bruce Wayne

The Batman is set to focus on a “younger version” of the Caped Crusader and will examine the “soul” of the man behind the cowl.

Robert Pattinson will play the DC hero in the latest take on the character, directed by War for the Planet of the Apes helmer Matt Reeves.

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Mattson Tomlin — who co-wrote the script with Reeves — told Den of Geek that the movie will focus on the “early days” of billionaire Bruce Wayne’s vigilante career.

“First of all, it’s a younger version than the most recent versions that we’ve seen,” he said.

Tomlin added that Reeves always comes “from a point of emotion”, even in his most expensive and action-packed blockbuster movies.

He said: “It’s never the big action thing. It’s always, what is this character’s soul?

“I think that really looking at Batman as somebody who has gone through this trauma, and then everything that he’s doing is then a reaction to that, rather than shy away from that, I think this film leans into that in some very fun and surprising ways.”

Read more: Reeves teases “humanist” take on Batman

The Batman was shooting in the UK when the coronavirus pandemic forced productions to shut down, but the lifting of regulations means the movie has been able to get moving again.

As well as Pattinson, the film stars Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis and Colin Farrell.

Tomlin is currently promoting his Netflix superhero adventure Project Power, directed by Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost.

The film tells the story of a dangerous pill, which gives people superpowers for five minutes, but also has potentially deadly side effects.

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The Batman is due to be released in October 2021 and Project Power is on Netflix from 14 August.