The Batman 2 Director Defends Paul Dano After Quentin Tarantino’s Remarks

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Following controversial comments from Quentin Tarantino about Paul Dano’s acting in ‘There Will Be Blood’, ‘The Batman Part Two’ director Matt Reeves has spoken out in support of the actor. Reeves publicly defended Dano, who famously played the Riddler in ‘The Batman’, after Tarantino’s criticism during a podcast interview.

Matt Reeves defends Paul Dano after Quentin Tarantino’s ‘weak sauce’ comment

During an interview on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Quentin Tarantino expressed his disapproval of Paul Dano’s performance. He felt the film was intended to focus equally on two actors, but Dano was being overshadowed by his co-star, Daniel, who he believed was significantly outperforming him. Tarantino bluntly described Dano’s performance as weak.

He then commented that Austin Butler would have been a good fit for the part, but personally finds him uncompelling. He went on to criticize Butler’s perceived lack of charisma and suggested he doesn’t bring much personality to his performances, stating he seems unremarkable in the role. He clarified he wasn’t necessarily criticizing the acting itself, just the overall impression Butler makes.

Matt Reeves, the director of The Batman, quickly came to the defense of Paul Dano on X (formerly Twitter), calling him “an incredible actor and an incredible person.” Reeves had previously worked with Dano on the 2022 film, where Dano played the Riddler. Many fans replied to Reeves’ post, praising Dano’s talent and memorable performances in films like The Fabelmans.

Mattson Tomlin, who is writing the script for the next Batman movie, also praised Paul Dano. He shared that he’s happy to see so much support for Dano, calling him both a fantastic actor and a remarkably empathetic and skilled director. He recommended Dano’s film ‘Wildlife’ to those who haven’t seen it.

TMZ spoke to Dillon Freasier, who acted alongside Paul Dano in ‘There Will Be Blood,’ about Quentin Tarantino’s recent comments. Freasier said the film is a masterpiece, largely because of the perfect casting choices, specifically highlighting Dano’s performance. Tarantino had previously named ‘There Will Be Blood’ one of the best films of the 21st century, but he suggested Dano’s performance was the only thing holding it back from being ranked even higher.

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2025-12-05 05:57