After years of waiting, the time has finally arrived. The Batman has officially started filming, as confirmed by writer/director Matt Reeves. This long-gestating DC Comics adaptation has been in development for so long that it predates any discussion of the Snyder Cut of Justice League. At long last, cameras are rolling and, unless something crazy happens, we'll be seeing Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne grace the silver screen next summer.

Matt Reeves, taking to Twitter, shared an image of the clapboard from set, revealing that this is the first official day of filming. The photo isn't terribly revealing, beyond showcasing the title, as well as Greig Fraser's name, who serves as director of photography. Quite a few set photos from The Batman leaked online earlier this year, but principal photography wasn't taking place just yet. Even though we saw quite a few of the actors, such as Colin Farrell and Robert Pattinson on set, it appears this was all just part of pre-production. In any event, this will be Batman's first solo big screen adventure in nearly a decade. The last time the character starred in his own movie was in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises, which concluded Christian Bale's run as the iconic DC hero.

Originally, Ben Affleck was set to star in, co-write and direct The Batman himself. However, Affleck departed the director's chair in late 2016, later leaving the role behind as well following the release of Justice League. Matt Reeves, who has helmed movies such as Cloverfield and War for the Planet of the Apes, was hired in February 2017 to take over the gig and has been hard at work ever since.

Few specific details have been revealed about the movie's story. Once Robert Pattinson was cast in the lead role, it became impossibly clear that it would be set outside of the main DCEU continuity. Beyond that, Matt Reeves has only said that it will be a noir-influenced story that focuses on the character's skills as a detective. We also know that several villains from Batman's rogues gallery will be involved, including Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and Riddler (Paul Dano). Peter Sarsgaard is also on board and it's rumored he will be playing Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, but that has yet to be confirmed.

Other cast members include Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and newcomer Jayme Lawson in a mystery role. The hope is that this will kickstart a new trilogy, so this could be the beginning of an entire new solo franchise for DC Comics' most famous superhero. The Batman is set to hit theaters on June 25, 2021. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. Be sure to check out the photo from Matt Reeves' Twitter for yourself.