Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Director Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022) franchise would have seen an interesting follow-up.
Related: Everything We Know About DCU’s New ‘Batman’ Reboot, ‘The Brave and the Bold’
Following the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) merger, the studio underwent significant restructuring, leading to the departure of Walter Hamada, the former head of WB’s DC film division.
James Gunn, renowned for directing the Guardians of the Galaxy series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for The Walt Disney Company and The Suicide Squad (2021) (which is separate from the 2016 film with Jared Leto as the Joker), has succeeded Hamada in his role, alongside co-CEO Peter Safran.
In the new phase of the DC Universe (DCU), called “Chapter One – Gods and Monsters,” James Gunn and his newly formed DC Studios are set to overhaul the previous DC Extended Universe (DCEU) to start afresh.
The key focus is the upcoming film, SUPERMAN (formerly Superman: Legacy), featuring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, replacing Henry Cavill. This film, inspired by the DC Comics series of the same name, is designed to reboot the continuity established by Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and Justice League, often referred to as the “Snyderverse.”
But after Superman gets the reboot treatment, the next classic DC hero up on the docket is none other than Batman/Bruce Wayne, with a fresh interpretation of the character focusing on the “Bat Family” of associated superheroes and adopted Robin(s) under Bruce Wayne’s care.
This would succeed Ben Affleck’s “Batfleck” from the DCEU’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017) franchise by Zack Snyder, and live alongside the Robert Pattinson version of Bruce Wayne, now relegated to the “DC Elseworlds” brand of multiversal entertainment alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker from the Joker franchise.
Recently, a rumor was reported by Puck News, an outlet founded by former trade writers from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, that a video game set in The Batman universe starring Robert Pattinson was in the works at DC, and officially attached to the Matt Reeves title.
Despite a warm reception from fans, DC co-CEO James Gunn took to Threads and responded to this rumor via a screenshot of Culture Crave’s tweet on the subject matter and officially denied the production of any The Batman-associated video game. From the horse’s mouth Gunn iterates:
Sadly there is no truth to this whatsoever.
The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves and featuring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, presents a darker, noir-inspired vision of the iconic superhero.
Set during Batman’s early years as a crime fighter, the film follows him as he investigates a string of murders committed by the Riddler (Paul Dano), delving into themes of corruption and vengeance. The cast also includes Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Colin Farrell as The Penguin, and Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon.
Would you have played a The Batman video game? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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The previous version of the DC Film Universe, called the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), was heavily centered around Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
This iteration introduced audiences to Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent, Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince, Ezra Miller as The Flash/Barry Allen, Jason Momoa as Aquaman/Arthur Curry, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg/Victor Stone.