The Next 'Batman' Movie Should Highlight Mental Health

Sep 15

Most people know the Batman origin story. When Bruce Wayne was young, he went to the theater with his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. While the three of them were walking home, both of his parents were killed in a mugging gone wrong. There are variations on this, of course. Sometimes it’s a movie and sometimes it’s a play. Sometimes it’s a random crime and other times the Waynes are targeted. In all variations, though, Bruce witnesses the murders, and this is what inspires him to become Batman. In other words, Batman is always spawned by Trauma.

Trauma has an intimate connection with mental health. It can cause PTSD, depression, anxiety, and a whole host of other ailments. It’s rare for someone to live through a traumatic experience and not have some lingering effects on their mental health.

RELATED:

Featured

'The Batman: Part II' May Add Scarlet Johansson To Its Cast And Zoe Kravitz Will Not Be Returning As Catwoman

In Batman’s case, there are clear signs that he struggles with depression and trauma. He often seems weighed down by grief and guilt, experiences sleepless nights, and finds little joy in life outside of his mission. His repeated exposure to violent events and personal loss has left lasting scars, shaping the way he interacts with the world. These experiences suggest that his battles are not just against Gotham’s criminals, but also against the psychological toll they take on him.

It’s surprising that these struggles have rarely been addressed explicitly in movies. Exploring them on screen could offer a more nuanced, psychological take on the Dark Knight, transforming a typical action story into a character-driven exploration of trauma and resilience.

Because Batman’s diagnoses are sitting in plain sight, it’s a shame that they have not been explicitly addressed. The next Batman movie should change that for two reasons. First, it would make for an entertaining movie. People are always talking about psychological thrillers when there is rarely anything psychological about them. The typical villain puts up obstacles that Batman has to navigate around. It’s like solving a puzzle (A riddle? A joke?). Batman’s real struggle, however, is with himself. It would be fascinating to see that play out on screen.

The second reason is that it would help destigmatize mental illness. As a society, we are slowly moving in the right direction on mental health, but we have a long way to go. Athletes, actors, musicians, and influencers have spoken about their struggles with mental illness. But, in a strange way, they are not as relatable as fictional characters. People see themselves in Batman in a way that they can’t with rich and famous real people.

Batman gives us a rare opportunity to make something that’s both entertaining and can do real societal good. The mental illnesses are cannon even if they are not often discussed. All that has to be done is bring them into the light.

READ NEXT:

Featured