More than a half dozen actors have played Batman to date, but you still can’t say that the clothes make the man… his car on the other hand just might. Because as famous as Batman may be, the fans downright salivate over the style, sound, and unveiling of a new take on the Batmobile. After previously explaining how Batman’s vehicle of choice would be getting some upgrades for Justice League, the first photo shows just how much higher its stopping power will be.

Director Zack Snyer revealed the new set of wheels personally, highlighting the addition of heavy weapons across an already controversially-weaponized Batmobile. And teasing the idea that Bruce Wayne’s upgrades are being made in anticipation of a much greater threat than he’s encountered before - one he may still be keeping a secret from his Justice League recruits.

Snyder shared the photo via Vero - just as has given fans a sneak peek at Jason Momoa’s underwater Aquaman days earlier - confirming that the movie design is a match for the toy version previously revealed. Just as Bruce Wayne will be getting a new Tactical Batsuit in Justice League, his street-illegal ride will be getting more guns, missile launchers, and a partly armored windshield. That’s all we can make out from the image, at least, along with its caption: “Upgrades…what are you worried about Wayne.”

Take a look:

The idea of Zack Snyder adding weapons to the Batmobile is guaranteed to draw eyerolls, scoffs, or condemnations of ‘what the world has come to’ by those who already felt Batman V Superman went too far in its levels of acceptable violence. Where other areas of the film were more clean-cut in terms of online disagreement, the simple idea that Batman would return deadly force, or even take actions that could lead to fatal injuries proved a far more interesting debate. Primarily because both sides seemed to use comic book canon for evidence - that Bruce Wayne would never, ever use guns or kill… and that Batman actually has killed people in some of his most acclaimed stories.

This case is obviously different, since the enemies that Batman and the Justice League will be taking on are most likely to be the Parademon footsoldiers of Apokolips, led by Steppenwolf, lieutenant of Darkseid and the movie’s main villain. And if there’s one thing movie audiences can agree on, it’s that superheroes can kill as many faceless aliens as they want. Since he lacks any real superpower, that means Bruce Wayne will be upgrading his Batsuit along with his Batmobile. Machine guns and defensive projectiles may have cut it with Gotham’s criminal element, but armored alien enemies requires a bit more firepower.

The change in enemies isn’t likely to calm the conversation surrounding the use of violence, or the outlook of Snyder’s version of DC Comics’ heroes. And that speaks to the fact that there is no “true” idea of Batman outside of individual writers, artists, editors, and fans’ minds. A double-page spread of Batman erupting into a battle between the League and Darkseid himself, guns and rockets blazing can seem like the story’s climax, if it calls for it. But put a gun in Batman’s hands on film - even a Kryptonite grenade launcher to help take down Doomsday - and people will criticize the image alone, with only a fraction of the facts or context.

Given that, it’s unavoidable that this simple image of a weapon-laded Batmobile will be read into at length. For us, we’re just curious to see how Zack Snyder intends to make the Batmobile a significant weapon in the war for Earth. What do you think of the new Batmobile’s arsenal and style upgrades? Will you be less bothered by Batman’s use of lethal force against alien invaders of Apokolips… even if they haven’t kidnapped Martha Kent? Or are you more interested to know how the Batmobile will be used in the plot of the movie?

Source: Zack Snyder

  • Justice League Release Date: 2017-11-17