James Gunn and Peter Safran ushered in a new era for DC by launching the DC Universe in 2025, but the franchise will be without Batman for another few years now. As one of DC Comics’ biggest characters, it was a no-brainer for Gunn to tease Batman’s DCU future from the very beginning of this new franchise.
Announced in 2023 as part of the DCU’s Chapter 1 slate, The Brave and the Bold was revealed to be the first installment of a new Batman franchise. The story is meant to revolve around Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian Wayne. No release date was given, but given Batman’s popularity, it was believed that audiences would see the DCU’s take on the character early on.
Technically, this has happened, with Batman’s Creature Commandos cameo, but DC Studios still hasn’t cast its Bruce Wayne. With The Flash‘s director and writer, Andy Muschietti and Christina Hodson, leading the creative vision, there is also no clear indication of when The Brave and the Bold will come out.
Superman might already be getting a sequel, and Wonder Woman’s first movie is picking up steam, but Batman’s debut is going to have to wait due to circumstances beyond the DCU. Confirmation that Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson’s The Batman Part II was delayed to 2028 pushes back when Gunn can get his own version of the Dark Knight going.
The Batman Part 2’s Delay Pushes Back James Gunn’s DCU Batman Plans
One of the biggest questions about Gunn’s DCU from the beginning has been what it means for Pattinson’s Batman. Many still call for his version to be brought into the shared universe, but Gunn and Reeves have remained committed to keeping him and the Batman Epic Crime Saga separate. This has meant the eventuality of two different live-action Batmans in theaters.
In an effort to avoid confusing audiences and oversaturating DC’s slate with Batman movies, Gunn established a guideline early on: DC Studios would spread out releasing The Brave and the Bold and entries in Reeves’ The Batman saga, aiming for one per year at max. This seemed easy enough to accomplish when it was first announced, as The Batman 2 was slated for a 2025 release.
But that rule has also meant that each delay of The Batman 2 has affected Gunn’s plans for the DCU to feature Bruce Wayne. Reeves’ sequel has held release dates in 2025, 2026, 2027, and now 2028. The shifting release plans have not given DC Studios the freedom to really move forward with introducing its Batman and making The Brave and the Bold.
Gunn previously affirmed that he “wouldn’t want to cloud the Batsphere until after [The Batman Part 2]” when discussing The Brave and the Bold‘s timetable. As long as that remains true, 2029 is the earliest it will happen now.
Could Batman Make His Live-Action DC Universe Debut Before The Brave And The Bold Now?
The DCU having to wait until 2029 to make a Batman movie certainly is not ideal from a universe-planning perspective. The franchise is restricted from giving a flagship character a standalone movie in the foundational portion of the slate. That could force DC’s hand to find a way to get Batman on screen in a DCU project sooner than his first solo movie.
Gunn has gone on the record multiple times to say this won’t happen with DC’s now lone 2027 movie. His plans could change in light of this delay, allowing Batman to be in Man of Tomorrow for a cameo since Pattinson won’t be back in the suit just a few months later. But given all the superheroes already confirmed for the Superman follow-up that’s already in production, Batman would not figure to have a large role if a change is made at all.
Otherwise, a surprise Batman cameo in Clayface could be another route taken if DC Studios casts its Bruce Wayne actor in the next few months and films a last-second scene to add before, during, or after the credits. Unless DC Studios moves quickly to get another movie ready for 2027 and fill the void left by The Batman 2‘s delay, those will be the only options to get Batman in the DCU sooner than The Brave and the Bold.
