The Batman's Batcave Was Inspired By NYC Urban Legend
The Batman's production designer reveals the design for the Batcave was inspired by a real NYC urban legend. The Batman, helmed by Matt Reeves, is the newest interpretation of DC's iconic hero, and the first iteration of Batman to take place outside of the DCEU since Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy ended in 2012. The new film sees Batman (portrayed by Robert Pattinson) in his second year of crime fighting, as he tracks down a mysterious new serial killer known as The Riddler (Paul Dano) who may have ties to Bruce Wayne's past. Since The Batman's release at the beginning of March, the film has seen much acclaim from both audiences and critics, with some even claiming that it may be the best Batman film to date.
As The Batman comes after a long line of different iterations of the world of Gotham, director Reeves had his work cut out for him to create a version of the world that stands apart from previous Batman films, especially given that the film has come out alongside the ongoing DCEU. Ultimately, it seems there is something for every Batman fan in Reeves' world, as the film looks to bring many different elements together to make it unique. The Batman has somewhat of a gothic feel to it, similar to the tone felt in Tim Burton's take on the material. With that said, the film also carries an element of the realism that Nolan's Dark Knight films were so highly praised for. This juxtaposition can be felt most in James Chinlund's production design, for which the film has been highly praised for.
In a recent interview for the book The Art of the Batman (as reported by ComicBook), Chinlund revealed some of his inspirations for the design of the film, specifically for the new look of the iconic Batcave. In The Batman, the Batcave seems to be built inside an abandoned train terminal underneath Wayne Tower. According to Chinlund, this idea came from a popular urban myth about New York City. As the myth goes, there is an underground train station at the Waldorf Astoria and supposedly, if the president visits, there is a train there at all times ready to escort the president to safety if there is ever an emergency. Chinlund has admitted that he "always loved that idea" and figured that as the Waynes were so rich and powerful, they would likely have built a similar terminal under their tower. See Chinlund's full quote below:
"If the Wayne [family] built this tower in the twenties, what would be below this tower that would offer an opportunity for a cave? There's an underground train station at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. The myth is that there's a train parked there all the time, and the idea is that whenever the president is in town, if there's ever an emergency and he has to get out of town, they could take him through this secret tunnel at the Waldorf and get him out of town discreetly. I always loved that idea and thought it was so romantic, so I thought about the idea that if you were the Waynes and you had created this city, you would probably have your own secret train terminal under the tower."
This idea is a perfect example of what makes watching The Batman such a special experience. While the world still manages to feel fantastical, much of its design draws from ideas found in real life, which helps the audience believe that this world could be real. While the Batcave has never been seen inside an abandoned train terminal before, the idea certainly doesn't seem out of place in the film, and this is due to the filmmakers having actively thought about what its function in the Batman world would be.
While The Batman has certainly gone in some different directions than what is traditional for the character, the filmmakers' dedication to detail is clear, and this is certainly why the film has struck a chord with so many viewers. Upon The Batman's release, there's already demand for a sequel, but a followup probably won't come out for some time (it's yet to be officially greenlit by Warner Bros.). Reeves is open to returning to the world of Batman, but would like a break first, so for now, audiences will have to keep rewatching The Batman to spot out all the cool details.
Source: The Art of the Batman/ComicBook