A new image from Director Zack Snyder has Batman fans debating the dark knight’s future.
Snyder tweeted out what he calls “a real picture of the Batmobile.”
His “real” qualification is no doubt a response to leaked images of the car — or tank? — that hit Instagram earlier Sunday. Those shots were a bit blurry and well un-Snyder-y.
He followed his image release with a credit and retweet from the photog, who says “iPhone photography is great but some things deserve more.”
A sentiment not too unlike the descriptor Snyder put with the first-ever Ben Affleck as Batman image. He released the photo back in May with a nod to his Lecia camera.
While we couldn’t see it in the Ben Affleck image, you might have noticed this new Batmobile packs a punch.
Or rather an arsenal. NBC describes the ride as “a battle tank-style behemoth complete with gun turret.”
And it’s that weaponry that has some asking, does Batman need guns?
The Verge is disappointed with Synder’s take on the batmobile, saying the hood-mounted machinegun “ruins” Batman.
“The gun is lazy because Batman has unlimited funds to create and deploy the gadgetry that lines the furthest walls of our imagination. … A gun makes him as boring as every bald white dude in my video game shooters.”
More simply put, the Dark Knight doesn’t kill people – at least that’s not we’re used to. But remember, this isn’t Christopher Nolan’s Batman. (Video via Warner Bros. Pictures / “The Dark Knight”)
You might remember “Man of Steel” took a pretty dark turn during the final battle, when he and General Zod destroyed Metropolis. (Video viaWarner Bros. Pictures / “Man Of Steel”)
After it’s release, Buzzfeed estimated about 129,000 people would’ve died if that scene had taken place in New York City.
But Uproxx says, hold up, a gun on the batmobile isn’t new.
The bat flyer in Dark Knight Rises shot a few rounds. (Video viaWarner Bros. Pictures / “The Dark Knight Rises”)
Here’s the Tim Burton-era Batmobile with, you guessed it, machine guns. (Video via YouTube / vonzipperglassworks)
And the Batmobile players will operate in the upcoming video game Batman: Arkham Knight, its battle mode features a pretty intense gun on top.
That said, this gun turret could fire rubber bullets. Or maybe it’s something else entirely.
Yahoo writes, “We’re hoping that’s some kind of grappling line launcher or some such.” But does no guns make this tank more, I don’t know, friendly?
Uproxx again says, “Even when you take his bullets and explosives away, all the ‘non-lethal’ weapons are ridiculously dangerous.”
And it’s size. Ben Affleck, like Christian Bale before him, will be piloting a tank, people.
Snyder’s film, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” isn’t due to hit theatres until March 2016.
