When The Batman was launched in 2022, we had been nonetheless within the DC Prolonged Universe period, with that shared universe having its personal Bruce Wayne being performed by Ben Affleck, permitting Robert Pattinson’s model to exist individually. Now the DC Universe franchise is underway, the upcoming DC film The Courageous and the Daring will introduce its personal model of the Caped Crusader for this new shared continuity. That mentioned, DC Studios’ James Gunn has “contemplated” presumably utilizing Pattinson’s Batman within the DCU as an alternative, however I like what he needed to say about why it’s higher for this model of the character to exist within the Elseworlds house.
Gunn, who co-runs DC Studios with producer Peter Safran, mentioned quite a lot of matters with reporter Josh Horowitz for the Completely satisfied Unhappy Confused podcast, together with Creature Commandos, which has now premiered to Max subscription holders and is the primary DCU mission. When Horowitz inquired about if Gunn has contemplated having Pattinson’s Batman be included into the DCU slightly than preserve him cordoned off in his personal universe, the filmmaker/govt answered:
I’ve contemplated it. I gotta ponder every little thing, Josh. I gotta discuss every little thing… These questions you may’t reply as a result of individuals are too… they make every little thing to imply one thing. You’d be an fool to not suppose, ‘How does this go [gestures right], how does this go [gestures left]?’ However I’m dedicated to each telling tales within the DCU and and telling Elseworlds tales. I would like the liberty to inform Elseworlds tales. We wish to have the ability to inform a narrative by which Superman’s very completely different or inform a Pink Son story or no matter. We wish to have the ability to play with these characters in several methods.
Whereas a lot of what’s coming to the large and small screens DC-wise will likely be tied to the DC Universe, as James Gunn says, he likes DC Studios having the house to make content material that isn’t related to this new continuity. The Batman Epic Crime Saga, which to date includes The Batman and The Penguin restricted collection, in addition to the 2 Joker motion pictures starring Joaquin Phoenix, are among the many tasks that match that classification. The DC Universe will nonetheless be an enormous deal, however then there’s additionally the liberty to place completely different spins on these fashionable heroes and villains. Gunn continued:
One of many issues I really like about DC over Marvel comedian books is that these issues are far more plentiful. There’s many extra Elseworlds tales, there’s many extra shows of Marvel Girl and Batman and Superman, particularly that you just see them displaying up in several methods in several Elseworlds tales. I believe that’s a part of the enjoyable of DC.
To be clear, Marvel is not any stranger to exploring variations of its fashionable characters from different universes, as evidenced by the supply materials that’s being pulled from for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga and the Spider-Verse motion pictures. However I do agree with James Gunn that DC leans extra closely into that sort of storytelling, whether or not we’re speaking about materials stamped with the Elseworlds label or tales tied to the principle DC continuity. Both approach, Gunn is comfy with Robert Pattinson’s Batman persevering with to exist on his personal, which means the wait continues to study who will don the cape and cowl for the DC Universe.
The Courageous and the Daring doesn’t have a launch date but, however the first DC Universe film, Superman, comes out on July 11, 2025. Robert Pattinson will don the Batsuit once more for The Batman: Half II, which arrives on October 2, 2026.