Over the course of Batman’s expansive cinematic history, the Caped Crusader has enjoyed no shortage of vehicles. Most notable of them has been the Batmobile, his highly stylized car that has appeared in some form or fashion in every movie he’s appeared. Still, there have been other methods of transportation, like, for instance, the Batwing and even the Batskiboat.
But one notable omission, at least in my view, has been that of the Batcycle. Sure, we may have seen the Batpod in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, but the Batcycle hasn’t been seen in its purest form since Adam West wore the cowl. And before you split hairs with us, we’re well aware that it’s appeared in animation and comics in the time since; we’re talking live action here.
Believe it or not, it came close to appearing in Justice League, as evidenced by some newly surfaced concept art by way of Ed Natividad. But, as you can see in the accompanying gallery, Hollywood would’ve missed the mark yet again, assembling something much more comparable to a hovercraft rather than an actual motorcycle. It’s cool, yes, but it’s not what one pictures when “Batcycle” is mentioned.
Of course, it’s not too difficult to imagine why this ride didn’t make the final product. After all, we already had the Flying Fox to deal with, so perhaps the filmmakers didn’t want more than one aircraft in the movie. Or perhaps it would’ve made an appearance in the third act, but they ultimately thought the Batmobile was a better fit – and they would’ve been right.
No matter how you slice it, it’s to be expected that not everything make it from conceptual to screen, a fact that we’re all aware of by now. Regardless, it’ll forever remain an interesting piece of Justice League trivia, as we hold out hope for a true Batcycle to find its way to cinemas one day. We’re looking at you, Matt Reeves.