As ‘Batman 2’ gets delayed, DC Studios’ co-chief James Gunn hints at the possibility of the standalone film series’ absorption into the DCU. The announcement has sent the DC fandom into a frenzy. Moreover, director Matt Reeves has also weighed in on the subject. He believes that it depends on whether the amalgamation makes sense. Currently, the director is focusing on the second chapter of Robert Pattinson’s stint as Gotham’s caped crusader.
Recently, at the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast, James Gunn revealed that he has contemplated bringing Pattinson’s ‘Batman’ to the DCU. For the unversed, Robert Pattinson first starred as the titular protagonist in Reeves’ 2022 film ‘The Batman.’ The noir-toned film is a standalone title under the shared Batman universe. However, the film is not a part of the DC Universe or the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Matt Reeves had complete creative control over the title while Gunn had no involvement in the process.
Meanwhile, Gunn’s DC Universe found its inception last month with the animated series ‘Creature Commandos.’ However, several fans are viewing his ‘Superman’ film as the official first entry.
During his podcast interaction, Gunn revealed his idea with ‘Batman.’ When probed about the possibility, he said, “I’ve contemplated it, yeah.” He added that he is “committed to both telling stories in the DCU and Elseworlds stories.” The latter suggests standalone titles such as ‘The Batman.’ “I want the freedom to tell Elseworld stories.”
Subsequently, Matt Reves also weighed in on the topic while speaking with ‘Happy Sad Confused’ at the Golden Globes. He said, “It really comes down to whether it makes sense. There was a story I wanted to tell. The epic crime saga. It’s been important to me to play that out and James and Peter have been really great about that. They are letting us do that. What the future brings, I can’t really tell you. I have no idea. My head is down right now on getting ‘The Batman Part II’ shooting, which is the most important thing.”
Meanwhile, ‘Batman 2’ has been pushed forward by a year and will hit theatres in 2027. The sequel title of Vengeance was originally going to hit theatres on October 2, 2026. Fans will have to wait longer to witness the masked vigilante fight the crime circuit plaguing Gotham. The delay is a result of the non-completion of the script as makers are eyeing for a perfect sequel saga.
Also Read: ‘Batman 2’ pushed: Bruce Wayne to return in 2027
Defending the delay, Gunn wrote on social media that it was ‘fairly common’ for sequels. “To be fair, a 5-year gap or more is fairly common in sequels. 7 years between ‘Alien’ and ‘Aliens.’ 14 years between ‘Incredibles.’ 7 years between the first two ‘Terminators.’ 13 years between ‘Avatars.’ 36 years between ‘Top Guns.’ And, of course, 6 years between ‘Guardians Vol 2’ and ‘Vol 3.’”
The 2022 title featured Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, and Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/Riddler. Joining them in key roles were Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell.