James Gunn and Peter Safran have officially announced that The Brave and the Bold will introduce a new Batman to the DCU, confirming that Robert Pattinson will not reprise his role in this new universe. During a DC Studios presentation attended by IGN, the co-chiefs clarified that Pattinson will continue to portray Batman solely within Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga.
"It's certainly not the plan," Gunn stated firmly when asked about the possibility of Pattinson crossing over into the DCU. Safran echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the necessity of introducing a new Batman for the DCU. "And we love him, but we've got to introduce a Batman into the DCU. That's imperative. And so that's the plan with The Brave and the Bold," he added.
The speculation about Pattinson potentially playing Batman across the entire DCU arose earlier this year when Reeves hinted at the possibility. However, during an interview at the Golden Globes, Reeves told reporter Josh Horowitz, "It really comes down to whether or not it makes sense. 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 James and Peter 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."
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Safran expressed enthusiasm for Reeves' vision for The Batman Part 2, stating, "We love Reeves' vision for The Batman Part 2, and we're looking forward to this film as much as you are." He also noted that while Reeves has yet to submit a script, the initial material they've seen is promising.
The Brave and the Bold is currently in "very active development," with the story progressing well. There's uncertainty about whether Andy Muschietti, director of The Flash, will helm the project. Gunn and Safran are actively developing the script and plan to present it to Muschietti once it's ready. "I'm very, very actively involved in that script," Gunn mentioned, while Safran promised more announcements "very soon."
Last year, The Batman Part 2 faced another delay, pushing its release to October 1, 2027. This means a five-year gap between the original film and its sequel. Regarding a potential release window for The Brave and the Bold, Safran was non-committal, saying only, "Well, I think we've announced October, 2027 there will be a Batman movie. That is all we can tell you right now."
While fans await The Brave and the Bold to see Gunn's take on Batman, a brief appearance in Episode 6 of the DCU canon kickstarter, Creature Commandos, showed Batman overlooking crime boss Doctor Phosphorus. This glimpse was intentionally generic, as Gunn requested "more silhouette" to avoid committing too early to a detailed design. This cameo confirmed that Batman already exists and is well-known within the DCU, negating the need for an origin story.
Gunn's enthusiasm for Batman was evident when he spoke to Rotten Tomatoes TV after the episode's release, saying, "This is the DCU Batman. 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."
Batman in Creature Commandos. Image credit: Max.
