The first preview clip for The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, was set to a trailerized version of Nirvana’s “Something In The Way.” Turns out there’s more to that Batman-Nirvana connection. In a new interview with Empire, writer and director Matt Reeves says his version of the Bruce Wayne character was inspired by Kurt Cobain.

Supposedly it all started when Reeves put on “Something In The Way” while writing the script:

When I write, I listen to music, and as I was writing the first act, I put on Nirvana’s “Something In The Way.” That’s when it came to me that, rather than make Bruce Wayne the playboy version we’ve seen before, there’s another version who had gone through a great tragedy and become a recluse. So I started making this connection to Gus Van Sant’s Last Days, and the idea of this fictionalized version of Kurt Cobain being in this kind of decaying manor.

Relatedly, Pattinson was cast in the role partially because his performance in Good Time reminded Reeves of Cobain:

In that movie you could really feel his vulnerability and desperation, but you could also feel his power. I thought that was a great mix. He’s also got that Kurt Cobain thing, where he looks like a rock star, but you also feel like he could be a recluse.

As with all Nirvana syncs, Courtney Love had to sign off on the use of “Something In The Way.” I wonder whether Reeves pitched her on this Cobain-inspired Bruce Wayne character too, and if she likes it as much as she liked that one Succession scene this year.

The Batman hits theaters on 3/4/22.