Superman has made his entry in James Gunn’s transformed DC Universe, but fans are still mostly clueless about Batman who has not even been cast yet. In desperate times like these, people tend to believe everything they say on the internet including the wild claim that Gunn is considering Robert Pattinson’s version of the Caped Crusader for the DCU.
Matt Reeves’ Batman universe kickstarted in 2022. Later that same year, James Gunn and Peter Safran took over the DC Studios as the co-CEOs and soon announced that they intended to reboot the franchise. This led some to speculate that Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn might bring Pattinson’s Caped Crusader into the rebooted DCU. However, Gunn has made it abundantly clear that this is not the case which is probably for the best.
James Gunn has debunked those theories about Robert Pattinson’s Batman starring in DCU
Robert Pattinson‘s portrayal of the titular character in Matt Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman was very well received. That universe expanded with the release of the HBO show, The Penguin starring Irish actor Colin Farrell in the lead role of the eponymous supervillain. The popularity of this show has added to fans’ enthusiasm for DC characters.
Now, with DC getting rebooted and David Corenswet putting on the iconic Superman suit (including the red trunks), the one question that everyone has been asking is whether or not the Twilight star’s version of Batman will be the Dark Knight in the DCU as well. In fact, recently, an X account posted about the same claiming that according to industry insider Jeff Sneider, Gunn is still considering Pattinson.
However, all this discussion seems futile because earlier this month Gunn clarified that they are planning to keep the DC Elseworlds and the DC Universe separate although he has considered Pattinson for the role of Batman in the latter. During his interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he said:
I’ve contemplated it, yeah. I contemplate everything and talk about everything. I’m committed to both telling stories in the DCU and telling Elseworlds stories.
He believes that there is enough material for both of these universes to coexist without stamping the narrative feet of one another. In fact, it is for the best if Pattinson’s version of the character is allowed to exist independently in the universe Reeves has created.
Robert Pattinson’s Batman is not suitable for James Gunn’s DCU
The primary reason why Pattinson’s Batman should not involved in the DCU is that Reeves’ universe for the superhero is much more grounded and gritty than what the viewers have seen in the teaser trailer of Superman. The DCU Gunn has set out to build is much more colorful and light-hearted than the universe Reeves has built.
Gunn announced that The Brave and the Bold, directed by Andy Muschietti, will mark Bruce Wayne’s entry into the DCU. So far, there has been no news about a finished script or the casting of a new actor. The story that this movie will tell based on the comics is not as advanced as Pattinson’s iteration of the character so it is for the best if they cast a different actor.
The DC Studios’ success being completely dependent on the DCU also does not sound like a very good idea, especially since the Elseworlds sphere is doing so well. As it is, the chances of the Joker franchise going any further after Joker: Folie à Deux‘s failure are negligible. So, the best decision in this scenario would be to let the two worlds coexist instead of blending it all by putting Pattinson’s Batman in DCU, as enticing as that sounds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Robert Pattinson’s Batman joining James Gunn’s new DCU?
No. James Gunn addressed the speculation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, saying he contemplates every possibility but is committed to telling stories in both the main DCU and separate Elseworlds projects. Pattinson’s Batman, from Matt Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman, is kept under the standalone Elseworlds banner rather than folded into the central DCU continuity.
Why won’t Pattinson’s Batman fit into Gunn’s DCU?
The article points to a tonal mismatch. Matt Reeves’ Batman world is grounded and gritty, while early looks at Gunn’s DCU, such as the Superman teaser, suggest a more colorful and light-hearted direction. Keeping the two universes separate lets each maintain its own style, and Gunn has said it is best to let Reeves’ version exist independently.
Who will play Batman in the DCU instead?
Gunn has said The Brave and the Bold, directed by Andy Muschietti, will mark Bruce Wayne’s entry into the DCU with a new actor in the role. At the time of the article, no finished script or casting had been announced, and this DCU version is expected to draw on a different comics take than Pattinson’s Elseworlds portrayal.
