Speculation is ramping up about the DCU’s Batman following the character’s introduction in animated form via Creature Commandos. Meanwhile, Matt Reeves’ “Batman Epic Crime Saga” rumbles on, with talks ongoing about The Penguin Season 2 and the delayed The Batman 2 now due out in 2027. Could Robert Pattinson, who plays Batman in The Epic Crime Saga, thus be integrated into the DCU?
That’s the question reporter Josh Horowitz put to Reeves himself at the Golden Globes, and while the director kept his cards close to his chest, he did leave the door open to the possibility.
“It really comes down to whether or not it makes sense,” Reeves replied. “What’s been great is there was a story that I wanted to tell with what we’re calling The Epic Crime Saga and all that, which is the thrust of what we want to do. And it’s been important to me to be able to play that out. And [DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn] and Peter [Safran] have been really, really great about that and they’re letting us do that.
“What the future brings? I can’t really tell you. I have no idea right now except that my head is down now about getting The Batman Part 2 shooting and to make it something really, really special which, of course, is the most important thing.”
Reeves was then asked straight up, what if Gunn and Safran decide they really want Pattinson to be the DCU Batman? “I don’t know,” he replied. “We’ll have to see where that goes.”
So, not an outright refusal or an explanation for why Pattinson would be a poor fit for the DCU, but not an indication that he is a good fit, either.
DC is in the awkward position of having two separate universes running in parallel, and, as a result, two separate Batmans: one in James Gunn’s DCU and one in Matt Reeves’ Epic Crime Saga. It’s a somewhat confusing proposition for audiences, one that will need to be addressed sooner rather than later, especially given Gunn’s recent comments about the character’s introduction via Creature Commandos.
Warning! Spoilers for Episode 6 of Creature Commandos follow.
Episode 6 of DCU kickstarter Creature Commandos shows Batman standing on a rooftop looking down at crime boss Doctor Phosphorus. The image reveals a mega-stacked Caped Crusader in his iconic costume, but there’s little else that can be discerned about Gunn’s take on the superhero.
Based on comments Gunn issued to Rotten Tomatoes TV following the release of Episode 6, it’s easy to see why this brief look at Batman is so generic. Gunn said he asked for “more silhouette” after the original Batman on show was more detailed than he was ready to commit to at this stage.
What this look at Batman did provide fans with, Gunn explained, was a clear indication that Batman not only already exists within the DCU during the events we’re seeing in Creature Commandos and this year’s Superman movie, but that he is well-known within the universe, and that’s why there’s no need to tell his well-trodden origin story.
Gunn then made an interesting comment that suggested the DCU Batman will team up with Superman at some point.
“This is the DCU Batman,” he said of the Creature Commandos cameo. “Listen I gotta tell you, I just love Batman. I love him. I’ve loved him since I was a little kid. He’s one of my favorite characters. I’ve gone on the record in the past when I was at Marvel saying my favorite character is Batman. I love him and we’re going to do great things with him. He’s the most popular superhero in the world and I can’t wait for people to see more of him, along with Superman, and together.”
The question is, at what point will we see the DCU Batman properly revealed? Will fans have to wait for the Batman: The Brave and the Bold movie, which doesn’t have a release window, or could Batman make a surprise appearance in another project before then?
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
