At the moment, Matt Reeves has carved out a unique niche for himself within the Gotham universe with Robert Pattinson donning the cape as Batman. However, he’s pretty tight-lipped about whether his Batman might eventually intersect with the DCU.
The Batman made quite a splash when it hit theaters, raking in over $770 million worldwide. But since its release, a brand-new DC Universe has been taking shape under James Gunn’s leadership. So far, we’ve only seen the beginning with Creature Commandos, with Gunn’s Superman set to properly kick things off this summer. A slew of projects are in the pipeline, one being The Brave and the Bold—an exciting Batman and Robin adventure directed by Andy Muschietti of The Flash fame. With the new Batman role still up for grabs, it’s only natural to wonder if Reeves and Pattinson’s version might integrate into the DCU. Gunn has previously mentioned on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he’s “contemplated it,” though nothing’s set in stone.
It’s crucial to remember that Gunn pondering the idea doesn’t confirm anything, as he tends to mull over “everything”. This leaves us wondering about Reeves’ perspective on this matter, especially since he’s stated that his vision of Gotham won’t stray into a “full fantastical” realm, which might clash with a universe featuring characters like Krypto the Superdog. Still, Reeves offered some thoughts when he chatted with Josh Horowitz on Happy Sad Confused during the Golden Globes. When posed with the question of Pattinson’s Batman potentially joining the DCU, Reeves said it “really comes down to whether it makes sense.”
Reeves shared, “I had a specific story in mind—the epic crime saga. It’s crucial for me to see that through, and James and Peter [Safran] have been supportive of this approach. They’re letting us pursue it. What lies ahead, I truly can’t say. My focus is entirely on getting The Batman Part 2 into production, which is the priority right now.”
Pressed further on what might transpire if Gunn and Safran were keen on Pattinson stepping into the DCU role, Reeves simply remarked, “I don’t know. We will have to see where that goes.” Personally, I hope they keep this version untouched—I’m quite taken with Pattinson’s portrayal, and while he’d probably pair nicely with David Corenswet’s Superman, I’m a bit over the endless expansions of cinematic universes. Though, I wouldn’t mind seeing Robbie P with a Robin sidekick!