The DC Cinematic Universe contains a bunch of pocket universes. There are the CW shows, the Snyderverse, the Nolanverse, and the multiple attempts to kickstart a franchise from over the decades. Now, however, there seems to be a formal delineation of what the DC landscape looks like. James Gunn is overseeing a newly unified DCU, beginning in earnest with the upcoming Superman, while other franchises lie outside of canon underneath the “Elseworlds” banner.
But a new quote from Gunn seems to suggest one of the most exciting non-mainstream DC projects — Matt Reeves’ The Batman series and its accompanying spinoffs— may play a bigger role in the franchise than we thought.
In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Gunn revealed that Matt Reeves’ corner of the universe, the “Batman Epic Crime Saga,” is still very much a priority within conversations at DC Studios. “What Matt's doing is still really important, despite all stories to the contrary," Gunn said.
It’s a hopeful quote, but it’s awfully vague. What does “really important” mean in this context? Does it mean Reeves’ projects haven’t been backburnered while the Gunn-verse takes center stage? Is it just reassurance that despite two year-long delays, the much-awaited Batman Part II is still in production? "We're supposed to see that script shortly, and I can't wait,” Gunn said of the sequel.
This may just be wishful thinking, but what if The Batman is so important to Gunn and his current work because the two universes are tied together in some way? In 2023, Gunn and fellow DC Studios president Peter Safran told DC.com the Reeves projects operate in separate timelines, but they are not, to use their metaphor, “a stepchild.”
But the duo already has a Batman blockbuster in the works: Andy Muschietti’s The Brave and the Bold. Muschietti has even sworn up and down that Robert Pattinson, Matt Reeves’ Bruce Wayne, won’t appear in the DCU, but The Batman Part II’s new 2027 release date may mean an even longer wait for its Gunnverse counterpart. “Of course, everything’s going to be balanced so The Brave and the Bold is not going to be coming out in the same six-month period as The Batman,” Gunn said.
Maybe this statement is just keeping fans from getting mad that the dark, gritty version of the Caped Crusader is getting overlooked, but there is always room for plot twists in the DCU. Who knows, there may be more multiversal chicanery afoot. Why not? It worked for the MCU.
