New DC CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran have been incharge for about two months and they are already making big sweeping changes. We have already heard about Henry Cavill and Dwayne Johnson’s departure as well as the shelving of Wonder Woman 3.
So right now, the DC fandom is anxious about Gunn’s new plans. But what they are more nervous about is Batman’s future in the new DCU. After all, there are currently 3 Batmen who can be a part of Gunn’s universe. So let us see which one will suit the new universe the best.
Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight
Recently, Variety reported that the new DC CEOs were planning on bringing Robert Pattinson’s Batman/ Bruce Wayne into the DCU. However, James Gunn quickly took to Twitter and debunked this news.
He said that this was entirely untrue. “The Batman” director Matt Reeves then stepped in and backed up Gunn’s tweet. So it looks like Pattinson’s Batman won’t be a part of the new DCU as of now.
However, things can certainly change. James Gunn has stated that he is writing the script for a new Superman movie. In his film, Clark Kent is supposed to be younger. But it won’t be an origin story since he will already be familiar with the supporting cast like Lois Lane and others.
As such, it seems to be exactly what “The Batman” did with Bruce Wayne. So considering this, the two heroes will be at the same stage in their lives and will be able to fit in seamlessly together. So bringing in Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne to the DCU will be the best possible decision right now.
The Ben Affleck Batman Question
Ben Affleck’s version of Batman was brutal but effective. But we saw him only in “Batman vs Superman” and “Justice League”. But he was a Bruce Wayne who was experienced and knew how to handle otherworldly threats. As such, if Gunn brings him onboard then he can be the leader of the new Justice League with a young Superman.
However, this is now an impossible option because not only is Gunn seemingly getting rid of every actor who appeared as a DC character in previous movies, but he’s also probably going for a total reboot. Even Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav said that they are aiming for a streamlined Dc universe and not one with 3 or 4 Batmen.
To make matters worse, it doesn’t seem like Ben Affleck wants to commit to being Batman anymore. James Gunn in a Twitter thread even said that they are exploring directing options with Affleck and not acting. So he is out of the question.
The Michael Keaton Question
“The Flash” is going to release this year and it has already been officially revealed that Michael Keaton will reprise his role as Batman in the movie. So it’s possible that James Gunn will decide to bring him in as Batman for the new DCU. However, we don’t really see Gunn doing so even though Keaton’s version of Bruce Wayne is popular.
After all, Keaton is way past his prime to play the character and the new DC bosses will surely look for a younger actor who can carry out action scenes and be a leading man. So what’s the most viable option left for James Gunn?
James Gunn Will Hire A Completely New Batman Actor
Right now, hiring a new actor looks to be the most realistic option. This is because if James is indeed going for a total reboot then he will require a Batman who is young and agile while also a bit emotionally stable enough to handle alien invasions, magical beings and other fantastical things.
As such, in such a scenario hiring a new actor will be the best way forward even though fans do want to see Pattinson’s Batman become the new DCU’s Dark Knight. However, we don’t think that Matt Reeves is at all interested in becoming part of a larger franchise. Also, his version of Batman doesn’t seem in any way equipped to handle otherworldly threats.
James Gunn has said that Batman is definitely going to be a big part of the upcoming DCU. So it remains to be seen how he handles Bruce Wayne’s inclusion.
