The superhero genre continues to be popular, and DC's co-CEO James Gunn has been hard at work crafting a new shared universe (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). While we've been treated to the first three projects in the DCU's first phase called Gods and Monsters, Batman has been noticeably absent. And Gunn recently explained why he's not rushing to bring Gotham's Protector to the big screen.
Fans who spent years watching the DC movies in order have seen a number of different Batman adaptations come and go, including Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson. You'd think he'd be one of the first heroes to join the DCU, but in a conversation with Rolling Stone Gunn shared his methodical approach to the beloved vigilante. In his words:
Batman has to have a reason for existing, right? So Batman can’t just be 'Oh, we’re making a Batman movie because Batman’s the biggest character in all of Warner Bros.,' which he is. But because there’s a need for him in the DCU and a need that he’s not exactly the same as Matt’s Batman. But yet he’s not a campy Batman. I’m not interested in that. I’m not interested in a funny, campy Batman, really. So we’re dealing with that. I think I have a way in, by the way. I think I really know what it’s — I just am dealing with the writer to make sure that we can make it a reality.
Honestly, this seems like a great perspective. While some DC fans are counting down the days for Batman to join the chat in the new shared universe, James Gunn is waiting until the right story and and vision for the Caped Crusader. Just don't expect it to be campy like the Joel Schumacher's Batman movies.
When the first slate of DCU projects was announced, it included the title The Brave and the Bold, which would be a story about Batman and Robin Damian Wayne aka Bruce's son. While Gunn's comments made it seem like he's getting close to his take on The Dark Knight, the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker also put doubt on whether that Robin storyline was actually happening.
Later in that same interview, James Gunn also spoke about wanting to bring something original to the DCU's take on Batman. And the difficulty given just how many live-action Batman movies have already happened. In his words:
Every single Batman story has been told. It seems like half the comics that have come out of DC over the past 30 years have Batman in them. He’s the most famous superhero in the world and the most popular superhero in the world. And people love him because he’s interesting, but also having so much of him out there can also make him boring. So how do you create that property that’s fun to watch?
Points were made. We've seen a ton of Batman movies over the years, and have watched Bruce Wayne's parents die over and over again in the process. As such, James Gunn wants to make sure that the DCU version has something original to say, and doesn't bore fans with yet another standard take on the hero.
The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait for news about what's coming with Batman and/or The Brave and The Bold.
