The Real Reason Robert Pattinson's Batman Won't Appear In James Gunn's DCU
James Gunn and Peter Safran will reboot the DC Cinematic Universe ... kind of. The mainline series started by Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" is coming to an end, but Gunn has hinted previous characters from DC continuity could return, like Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) from "The Suicide Squad." Further complicating matters is the sequel to the well-received "The Batman" from 2022, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. This is separate from the planned "The Brave and the Bold" movie set within the new DC shared universe, and Gunn has commented on Pattinson being kept away from his new Superman, played by David Corenswet.
On Threads, Gunn was asked why "The Batman" and its sequel aren't allowed inside his new shared film universe. He responded, "It's not an 'allowed' thing, it's Matt's choice, and we respect that." "The Batman" came out before it was announced Gunn and Safran were taking over DC Films, so it wasn't developed as part of some overarching narrative. It's a completely contained Gotham story without a ton of DC Easter eggs, at least anything outside of Batman's mythology.
Gunn's statement implies Matt Reeves wants to do his own thing with Batman, and it's great he's allowed to continue the series as opposed to "The Batman Part II" getting shelved. Fans probably think the more Batmen, the merrier, so they can look forward to two "Batman" film franchises running concurrently.
Two Batman film series can give DC fans the best of both worlds
James Gunn has already stated how the DC film multiverse will have room for Elseworld stories, meaning movies that don't connect to the mainline continuity that will begin with "Superman: Legacy." Another sequel that falls in this category is "Joker: Folie à Deux," the follow-up to 2019's "Joker."
While having two separate Batman film franchises might seem like things could get confusing, it actually presents an intriguing opportunity. "The Batman" established a dark, gritty tone similar to Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy. A more grounded atmosphere possibly prevents Matt Reeves to use actual superpowered villains like Man-Bat and Poison Ivy. There are currently no plot details for "The Brave and the Bold," but it could be an opportunity to take the character and Gotham in a more fantastical direction.
"The Brave and the Bold" will differentiate itself from "The Batman" in one important way — teaming up the Dark Knight with his biological son, Damian Wayne, who's the Robin the new DCU needs. This opens the doors for other members of the Bat family to join the fun, and it could take a decidedly different direction in terms of tone. Since "Brave and the Bold" exists in the same world as "Superman: Legacy," it could explore more fantasy and science-fiction concepts while "The Batman Part II" keeps things gritty and grounded. It's just a thought, but we're certainly not going to complain about getting more Batman movies.