>Ben Affleck would originally direct and star in the film. When he stepped down, Ridley Scott, George Miller, Denis Villeneuve, Matt Ross, Gavin O’Connor and Fede Alvarez were considered to replace him before Matt Reeves was hired, and when he later abandoned the project altogether, Reeves retooled it into a reboot about a younger Batman early into his crimefighting career.
>Early drafts feature Harvey Dent as the Assistant District Attorney who helps Batman and Jim Gordon to uncover the conspiracy and replaces District Attorney Gil Colson after the Riddler murders him.
>Early cuts feature Batman visiting the Joker in Arkham Asylum so he can profile the Riddler, and the Joker unnerving Batman by evidencing the ideological similarities between the Riddler and him.
>Dylan O’Brien, Ansel Elgort, Alexander Ludwig, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Jack Huston, Jack Reynor, Jack O’Connell, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Nicholas Hoult auditioned for Batman before Robert Pattinson was cast. Hoult was the runner-up and Reeves’ backup choice.
>Alicia Vikander, Ana de Armas, Eiza González, Ella Balinska and Zazie Beetz auditioned for Catwoman before Zoe Kravitz was cast. Beetz was the runner-up and Reeves’ first choice.
>Jonah Hill was approached for the Riddler before Paul Dano was cast.
>Seth Rogen was approached for the Penguin before Colin Farrell was cast.
>Mahershala Ali was approached for Gordon before Jeffrey Wright was cast.
>Jeremy Strong was approached for Colson before Peter Sarsgard was cast.
>Farrell was overweight from another project when cast as the Penguin, but was unwilling to maintain that physique for the entire production. Reeves considered having the Penguin be slim before they compromised on Farrell wearing prosthetics. Farrell also unsuccessfully lobbied for the Penguin to smoke cigars.