Batman & Iconic DC Villains Feature in Jason Bateman State Farm Ad

While James Gunn mulls over introducing his own version of Batman in the rebooted DC Universe, Jason Bateman has beaten him to the punch in the latest State Farm commercial. Yes, you read that correctly. For whatever reason, the insurance company created a big-budget version of the Dark Knight and his greatest adversaries, all for the sake of gaining new customers. It’s not clear if the stunning new advertisement will be successful in doing so, but it sure does look pretty.

Over the past week, State Farm has been subtly teasing a Batman-related marketing campaign in 30-second TV spots. However, it’s only now that the full version has been released, and it’s “Batman vs Bateman” in the Gotham City-set commercial that includes several celebrity cameos and plenty of DC villains. In addition to Bateman, who plays a discount version of Batman, the advertisement features SZA as Catwoman, Kai Cenat as himself, Jordan Howlett as Commissioner James Gordon, and, of course, Kevin Miles as Jake from State Farm. The Joker, Riddler, and Two-Face are among the villains that make an appearance, but it’s not clear who is playing who at the moment.

Although Batman would likely never form part of a commercial for insurance, it is exciting to see him and his rogues gallery get a pretty comic-accurate adaptation in such an unexpected way. Of course, there are some clear inspirations from other movies, particularly Batman and Robin. It would be interesting to know who plays the Dark Knight himself in the commercial, especially since the suit he wears looks pretty darn spectacular. It’s no The Batman, but State Farm did not cut any corners adapting the iconic superhero and his greatest villains.

The Current State of Batman in the DCU and Matt Reeves’ Universe

State Farm beating both the DC Universe and Matt Reeves to the punch was not on our bingo card for 2025, but any Batman content is well-appreciated. The new commercial arrives with impeccable timing, as the next live-action appearance of the character becomes a waiting game for fans as of late. Although audiences got their first peek at the DCU Batman in Max’s Creature Commandos, James Gunn has been hesitant to reveal the Dark Knight in his entirety before his official debut in The Brave and the Bold. On the other side of the DC Studios pond, there still remains a long road until the next Batman film.

Despite rampant speculation last year, Robert Pattinson’s version of the hero will remain in his own Elseworlds universe. The Batman Part II has been subject to numerous delays, but it is finally set to begin production by the end of the year to make an October 2027 release date. Pattinson himself is excited to finally put on the mask and cape once more, but hopes filming begins sooner rather than later because, as he noted, “I’m going to be f*cking old Batman by the sequel.” With a script that is nearly complete and a fanbase ready for more Batman, Part II can’t arrive any sooner.

Source: State Farm Insurance

Batman

Summary

Batman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics. Originally referred to as “The Bat-Man” and still referred to at times as “The Batman”, he is additionally known as “The Caped Crusader”, “The Dark Knight”, and “The World’s Greatest Detective,” among other titles.

In the original version of the story and the vast majority of retellings, Batman’s secret identity is Bruce Wayne, an American millionaire (later billionaire) playboy, industrialist, and philanthropist. Having witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, he swore revenge on criminals, an oath tempered with the greater ideal of justice. Wayne trains himself both physically and intellectually and dons a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime. Batman operates in the fictional American Gotham City, assisted by various supporting characters including his crime-fighting partner, Robin, his butler Alfred Pennyworth, the police commissioner Jim Gordon, and occasionally the heroine Batgirl. He fights an assortment of villains such as the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, Poison Ivy and Catwoman. Unlike most superheroes, he does not possess any superpowers; he makes use of intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, martial arts skills, an indomitable will, fear, and intimidation in his continuous war on crime.

Batman became a very popular character soon after his introduction and gained his own comic book title, Batman, in 1940. As the decades wore on, differing interpretations of the character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, culminating in the 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller, while the successes of Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman and Christopher Nolan’s 2005 reboot Batman Begins also helped to reignite popular interest in the character. A cultural icon, Batman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film, and appears on a variety of merchandise sold all over the world such as toys and video games. The character has also intrigued psychiatrists with many trying to understand the character’s psyche and his true ego in society. In May 2011, Batman placed second on IGN’s Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time, after Superman. Empire magazine also listed him second in their 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time.

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