Robert Pattinson as Batman is a lesson in emo
Despite filming taking a short break as a result of the global pandemic, we now have been given a first look at Matt Reeves' and Robert Pattinson'sThe Batman.
The trailer dropped this weekend and it's as you'd expect: Zoe Kravitz is super-slick as Catwoman, R-Patz is punchy as Batman and Paul Dano's Riddler is creepy AF. That said, you probably weren't expectingRobert Pattinson's Batman to look like a member of My Chemical Romance.
While masked for the majority of the trailer, Pattinson does give a blink-and-you'll-miss-it look at what his sallow-faced Batman looks like when he goes by Bruce Wayne. With a side-parted, greasy teen ’do and black smudged eyeliner, it’s more Cute Is What We Aim For than Marvel Cinematic Universe: Chris Evans' Captain America orRobert Downey Jr's Iron Man wouldnever.
Honestly… it works. Batman, known for his brooding moodiness, is a man of few words. Pattinson, the breakout star of emotional teen movieTwilight, is pretty much the same. It would be rude not to give him a lick of eyeliner that says “Welcome To The Black Parade”. We shouldn't be too surprised that a vigilante motivated by bereavement might be the ultimate emo.
We atGQ are all for some appreciation (and hopefully revival) of much-maligned emo culture. The subculture started life back in the 1980s in Washington, DC as a consequence of the hardcore punk scene and was championed by bands such as Rites Of Spring. By the 2000s, emo had hit the mainstream and the aforementioned My Chemical Romance, Green Day, Jimmy Eat World, Paramore and Panic! At The Disco spearheaded the mournful sound and that signature look: skintight jeans, guyliner and a black, shiny fringe. Today, the movement has largely vanished, though you can catch its influence in artists such as Lil Peep andYungblud.
So will we see a revival of H&M hoodies and ludicrous fringes off the back ofThe Batman trailer? We hope so. In recent years, make-up for men has become as mainstream as wearing a dangly earring or a pair of sliders with socks, with Hollywood heavyweightsHarry Styles, Troye Sivan,Ansel Elgort, Tommy Dorfman, Ezra Miller and Cody Fern getting in on the action. That said, there's been more sparkle and glitter and less Nirvana. Might we see Styles with a black dye job and side fringe? We'd love to see it.
Until then, we thank Pattinson for alerting us to the fact that emo culture is due a resurgence (as we reach for Chanel'sBoy De Chanel 3-In-1 Eye Pencil in jet black).
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