The DCU will have its own separate Batman.
As reported by Screen Rant, James Gunn, acclaimed director and new co-lead of the DC Universe, has confirmed that the story of Matt Reeves’ Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, will continue in the form of a trilogy, however, this trilogy will not be part of Gunn’s newfangled DCU, which is set to bring a new phase in the world of DC media, bringing nearly all of its projects together into one interconnected universe.
In a recently released video publicly detailing the plans of the DCU’s first chapter, which will be titled Gods and Monsters, Gunn explained that the large majority of DC projects moving forward (movies, TV shows, and gaming) will be part of the DCU. Gunn expressed that it’s important “that the characters are consistent, played by the same actors, and it works within one story.” However, a few projects will exist outside the DCU, and they’ll be part of what Gunn calls DC Elseworlds. This is where The Batman trilogy resides.
Screen Rant explained that Reeves’ Batman trilogy, along with his The Penguin HBO show, will be part of a Batman “crime saga,” that will exist within its own separate universe. Warner Bros. has further confirmed that The Batman – Part II will hit theaters on October 3, 2025.
Gunn reportedly stated that there is “an incredibly high bar” that must be met for any pitched project that wants to exist outside the DCU, and, clearly, Matt Reeves’ The Batman has done so. Another project confirmed to be part of DC Elseworlds is Joker: Folie a Deux, the sequel to the acclaimed 2019 film, Joker. It makes sense that Gunn is greenlighting these films in DC Elseworlds, given that, firstly, they likely wouldn’t fit well with his envisioned DC reboot, and secondly, they are both sequels to immensely successful and critically acclaimed movies.
However, Batman lovers that wanted to see the caped crusader play a part in a large connected universe need not fret. Batman will be a part of DCU, but he’ll be a different Batman played by a different actor, who shall coexist alongside Pattinson’s Batman. Gunn confirmed that Batman’s introduction to the DCU will come in the form of a Batman & Robin movie called The Brave and the Bold, based on Grant Morrison’s comic-book run. The Brave and the Bold currently has no official release timeframe.
