Development began after Ben Affleck was cast as Batman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) in 2013. Affleck signed on to direct, produce, co-write, and star in The Batman, but had reservations about the project and dropped out. Reeves took over and reworked the story, removing the DCEU connections. He sought to explore Batman's detective side more than previous films, drawing inspiration from the films of Alfred Hitchcock and the New Hollywood era, and comics such as "Year One" (1987), The Long Halloween (1996–97), and Ego (2000). Pattinson was cast in May 2019, with further casting in late 2019. Principal photography took place in the UK and Chicago between January 2020 and March 2021.

The Batman premiered at Lincoln Center in New York on March 1, 2022, and was theatrically released worldwide on March 4. It was delayed twice from an initial June 2021 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film has grossed over $714 million against a $185–200 million budget, making it the highest-grossing film of 2022, and received praise for the performances, cinematography, Reeves' direction, action sequences, and story, though some criticized its runtime. It is intended to launch a Batman shared universe, with two sequels planned and two spin-off television series in development for HBO Max.