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We have Batman at home. That seems to be the thought among fans waiting for Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Why find a totally new Batman for this mainline DCU movie when we already have Robert Pattinson playing the Dark Knight in the Matt Reeves movie The Batman? Pattinson earned praise from audiences and critics alike, prompting many to call for him to reprise the role for The Brave and the Bold.
But when one brave fan contacted DC Studios co-head James Gunn via Threads to ask about the possibility of bringing Battinson into the DCU, they received a blunt and absolute answer. “No.” wrote Gunn, and like fellow cinematic great David Lynch, refused to say more.
For those who have been following the production of The Brave and the Bold, Gunn’s answer comes as no surprise. At no point have Gunn, Reeves, Pattinson, or anyone else involved in the project even hinted that The Batman would become official cannon to the DCU. On the contrary, all have been completely clear that The Batman, the HBO series The Penguin, and the upcoming sequel The Batman: Part II exist in their own continuity, separate from Superman, Peacemaker, and, yes, Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
That division helps preserve the vision that Reeves brought to the first film. The Batman certainly has its stylized elements, as demonstrated by the evocative red lighting, the emo-noir voiceover narration, and every single thing that Colin Farrell is doing as Oz Cobb. But, as the name change from Oswald Cobblepot to Oz Cobb also demonstrates, The Batman takes place in a relatively grounded world, in which Bruce Wayne is the only person who decides to put on a costume and fight crime.
Conversely, The Brave and the Bold takes place within the DCU, which Superman established as having metahumans for three centuries. We already know from a brief cameo in Creature Commandos that the DCU Batman has fought the supervillain Doctor Phosphorus. Moreover, The Brave and the Bold deals with Batman and Robin, which means that not only does this version of the Dark Knight exist in a world of superheroes, but he’s old enough to have a son who also has become a superhero. Given that The Batman takes place in year two of the Caped Crusader’s adventures, it’s hard to see how that character could become a veteran and a dad so soon.
More to the point, Gunn’s refusal to rely on just one Batman reflects his approach to adapting DC Comics. Gunn has always said that the DC Universe is rich and varied enough that not every project is for every audience, that mainstream fans can enjoy Superman, grown-ups can watch Peacemaker, and upcoming projects like the animated/puppet hybrid Robin film Dynamic Duo will appeal to kids.
If there’s one character who can stretch across all those takes and genres, it’s Batman. The viewing public understands that the campy ’60s Batman portrayed by Adam West, the more realistic Batman played by Christian Bale, and the animated Batman voiced by Kevin Conroy are all variations of the same character. The existence of one doesn’t rule out the other.
So, in short, there’s no real reason to expect that Pattinson will be the only Batman in the movies. Gunn has answered, so stop asking, and just enjoy all the wonderful Batmen we get.
The Batman: Part Two releases to theaters in October 1, 2027.
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