THE BATMAN

Batcave

Matt Reeves’ Batman is a detective, and the Batcave reflects his meticulous and obsessive nature. The chaotic world of Gotham City required a Batman equipped to match its ruthlessness, and his self-built technology was configured for pure functionality. Yet, within this simplicity remained a clear level of sophistication, providing Batman the means to operate alone. The Batcave is his headquarters, housing his vehicles, devices and all of his case data. Hand-built from the ground up, every part of it forms part of his detective workflow. Without it, his investigations and analysis of The Riddler would be impossible.

The cold, analogue approach to the Batcave’s interior needed to be reflected in the UI and data systems used by Batman – we designed the software to be focused on function rather than form, all while maintaining a distinct look and feel. The system is his archive, a memory bank of information on Gothams most nefarious characters.

Batman's Contact Lens

Batman’s high-tech contact lenses play an integral role throughout the film, allowing Batman to see in the dark and collect photographic evidence for analysis back at the Batcave. We first get a glimpse of them as he downloads his night’s surveillance in the establishment of the Batcave. Its investigative features are revealed when Batman lends his lenses to Catwoman for the infamous Iceberg Lounge scene, viewing her experiences and interactions while capturing facial recognition data of crooked cops. The footage was shot on an intensifier camera to produce an abnormal atmosphere and we designed the UI to support this voyeuristic experience with contextually appropriate tech that frames the hero imagery.

Batmobile

With the engine force of a race car and the explosive firepower of a tank, the Batmobile is Batman’s most devastating weapon. In one of the film’s most iconic action scenes, Batman hunts down The Penguin on a busy Gotham highway against on-coming traffic, launching the car through a fiery explosion. To navigate Gotham’s streets at speed while maintaining digital communications, Batman relies on his in-built dial screen, processing messages, calls and encryption. We designed the bold UI with shades of yellow and orange, matching the visceral dashboard and analogue speedometers. The typography and layout evoke the stripped back functionality and physicality as the car.

Gotham City

The centre of the action, Gotham City’s dark streets provide the thematic atmosphere for the film. We designed lighting displays, signage and various other concepts to populate the square including advertising displays and screens, to add contrast and colour to the dimly lit setting while bringing realism through world-building.

Gotham's Square Garden

Gotham Square Garden hosts the penultimate scene in the film, staging a speech from the mayoral candidate, Bella Reál, before terrorists threaten the destruction of the city. Batman makes a dramatic entrance, risking his life to save Gotham’s residents. The action was contrasted with the bold campaign banners for Bella’s mayoral running. We helped to design, brand and elevate Reál’s mayoral campaign, creating the promotional imagery seen on the streets of Gotham, on-stage and above in the smaller displays. These graphics, offering messages of change amongst the unfolding mayhem, allow for more depth and meaning to the action. They become a visual metaphor for the fight against the dark underbelly of Gotham.

Gotham City News

Throughout the film, Gotham City News provided key information to move the narrative forward, covering the Riddler’s crimes, Bella Reál’s mayoral campaign and Batman’s actions. It also provided a backdrop to Gotham’s streets, Batman’s cave and several major scenes, including the Riddler’s first murder. We designed and branded both GC1 and We Got News 7 to look realistic, staying true to American newscasting – the film even used real local news anchors. The news readings are at their most powerful when juxtaposed against real events – two versions of reality unfold at the same time.

Gordon's Laptop

A close ally of Batman’s, Lt. James Gordon discovers the contents of a thumb drive that could contain important clues to help him get to the bottom of who is behind a string of brutal murders. We built and designed the UI for Gordon’s emails, opting for a clean, default look. Distinct from the Batcave’s darker and more sophisticated systems, Gordon’s laptop reflects the underfunded nature of the GCPD and reinforces Gordon’s need for Batman

The Riddler's Cyphers And Emails

Central to the film’s detective scenes are the Riddler’s Rata Alada website, his cyphers and his messaging platforms used to share information with online supporters. The Rata Alada website needed to be designed carefully and logically and we ensured the code breaking sequences felt realistic. Cracking the Riddler’s website was vital to Batman’s investigation. Similarly, we modelled the Riddler’s messaging site to mirror niche online forums, adding further realism to the unification of disenfranchised Riddler followers seen in the film.