What’s happening with Batman movies? It sounds like things are moving at a glacial pace for the live-action incarnation of the Caped Crusader, with DC Universe co-chief James Gunn admitting: “Batman’s my biggest issue in all of DC right now.”
In February, James Gunn and fellow DCU steward Peter Safran confirmed The Brave and the Bold will introduce a new Batman into the DCU, ruling out current Batman actor Robert Pattinson in the process.
At the time, Safran and Gunn said Pattinson would play Batman in director Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, dubbed The Batman Epic Crime Saga, only. Pattinson played Batman in 2022’s The Batman, with The Batman – Part 2 confirmed to be in development.
However, last year The Batman Part 2 was delayed once again, this time to October 1, 2027. If this date stands, it will end up being five years between the world first seeing Robert Pattinson become the Dark Knight and again in its sequel.
And what does this mean for the timing of The Brave and the Bold? Gunn faces the potentially confusing situation of having two actors playing Batman in movies across two different DC universes.
So perhaps it comes as no surprise to hear Gunn explain the challenge he faces with Batman right now. In an interview with Rolling Stone (the same interview in which Gunn touched on the Snyderverse fandom and the decision to ditch subtitles from the Superman and Supergirl movie titles), he once again cast doubt on Pattinson crossing over into the DCU to play Batman in both versions.
“I would never say zero, because you just never know,” he said. “But it’s not likely. It’s not likely at all.”
Amid the speculation about how Gunn will handle Batman, rumors have sprung up that The Batman – Part 2 is canceled. But Gunn denied this, insisting director Matt Reeves is just being “slow.” However, it sounds like the movie is some way off, given there’s no script.
“I’ll also say Batman Part 2 is not canceled,” Gunn said. “That’s the other thing I hear all the time — that Batman Part 2 is canceled. It’s not canceled. We don’t have a script. Matt’s slow. Let him take his time. Let him do what he’s doing. God, people are mean. Let him do his thing, man.”
So, thoughts turn to The Brave and the Bold, which some have suggested may end up taking The Batman Part 2’s October 2027 slot. As of February, The Brave and the Bold was said to be in “very active development,” and the story was “coming together very nicely.” But is The Flash director Andy Muschietti still directing? Gunn and Safran are developing the script, and will show it to Muschietti “when we have it in a place where we think it’s ready to go… and see if it’s a fit for him,” Safran said earlier this year. “I’m very, very actively involved in that script,” Gunn said, also earlier this year.
Speaking now on Batman, Gunn said he’s not actually writing The Brave and the Bold, but is working with an unnamed writer to “get it right.”
“Batman’s my biggest issue in all of DC right now, personally,” he said. “And it’s not — I’m not writing Batman, but I am working with the writer of Batman and trying to get it right, because he’s incredibly important to DC, as is Wonder Woman.
“So outside of the stuff that I’m doing in the projects that are actively going, our two priorities are finishing our Wonder Woman and our Batman scripts.”
Gunn then discussed in vague terms the kind of Batman he’s going for — or, perhaps it would be better to say the kind of Batman he’s trying to avoid.
“Batman has to have a reason for existing, right? So Batman can’t just be ‘Oh, we’re making a Batman movie because Batman’s the biggest character in all of Warner Bros.,’ which he is. But because there’s a need for him in the DCU and a need that he’s not exactly the same as Matt’s Batman.
“But yet he’s not a campy Batman. I’m not interested in that. I’m not interested in a funny, campy Batman, really. So we’re dealing with that. I think I have a way in, by the way. I think I really know what it’s — I just am dealing with the writer to make sure that we can make it a reality.”
While fans wait for The Brave and the Bold to see Gunn’s Batman, Episode 6 of DCU canon kickstarter Creature Commandos showed Batman standing on a rooftop looking down at crime boss Doctor Phosphorus. The image below revealed a mega-stacked Caped Crusader in his iconic costume, but there was little else that could be discerned about Gunn’s take on the superhero.
Based on comments Gunn issued to Rotten Tomatoes TV following the release of Episode 6, it’s easy to see why this brief look at Batman was so generic. Gunn said he asked for “more silhouette” after the original Batman on show was more detailed than he was ready to commit to at the time.
What this look at Batman did provide fans with, Gunn explained, was a clear indication that Batman not only already exists within the DCU during the events we’re seeing in Creature Commandos and this July’s Superman movie, but that he is well-known within the universe, and that’s why there’s no need to tell his well-documented origin story.
Gunn then made an interesting comment that suggested the DCU Batman will team up with Superman at some point.
“This is the DCU Batman,” he said of the Creature Commandos cameo. “Listen I gotta tell you, I just love Batman. I love him. I’ve loved him since I was a little kid. He’s one of my favorite characters. I’ve gone on the record in the past when I was at Marvel saying my favorite character is Batman. I love him and we’re going to do great things with him. He’s the most popular superhero in the world and I can’t wait for people to see more of him, along with Superman, and together.”
Image credit: HBO Max.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
