Since dropping Henry Cavill as Superman and sidelining Robert Pattinson as Batman, James Gunn has come under harsh fire recently as DC fans are publicly calling for him to be fired, so Zack Snyder can lead the rebooted DCU. DC has had quite a rocky history when it comes to adapting their heroes to the big screen, as their films generally perform marginally well at the box office yet have been less-than-well received by fans and critics for the past two decades. Pitted against the successful juggernaut of the MCU, the DC Universe has been quite broken and uninspiring, to say the least, which has caused Gunn to work on rebooting everything.
There were rumors circulating that Gunn was planning to incorporate Pattinson's Batman into the new DCU, but he quickly debunked them as untrue. Even though he has promised to reboot everything, some old DCU titles like Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are still set for release, and sequels for Matt Reeves' The Batman and Todd Phillips' The Joker are even being planned after the reboot.
Yet, even though Pattinson's Batman is continuing without Gunn, in this new DCU, Gunn has missed a massive opportunity by excluding Reeves' The Batman, which can be the foundational cornerstone of Gunn's DCU just like Iron Man was to the MCU in 2008.
The Batman Sets The Tone In DC Fashion
DC, which stands for Detective Comics, is known to be much darker than its age-old rival Marvel, so much so that many believe DC stands for "Dark Comics." The Batman satisfies both these ideas. Pattison's Batman was a genius detective in the movie just like in old comics, solving all the twisted riddles of The Riddler (Paul Dano). The tone was set within the first minute of the movie, as all the puzzles are set by the demented serial killer. This results in many gruesome deaths throughout the entire runtime, pushing the PG-13 rating as far as possible, being a brilliant mystery/thriller story at the same time.
This is one of the defining marks of DC: going where Marvel wouldn't dare, especially under Disney. The DCU has tried to copy some of the MCU's success like using post-credit scenes and even the idea of an interconnected cinematic universe, but could never make it their own. With The Batman setting a different and true DC tone, this would draw the many who have been wanting something other than the standard MCU formula to DC, which can provide what Marvel can't.
The Batman and The Joker Are The Path Forward
The Batman is actually not the only movie already released that Gunn can use in his rebooted universe. The Joker grossed more than even DC's hollowed The Dark Knight and received just as much critical acclaim as The Batman. These are some of DC's most popular characters ever, already established in hit films, and are the faces of DC's trademark dark tone. It's a classic duo and really a no-brainer. With sequels for both Batman and Joker in the works after their wildly popular success, the two can meet in a shared third movie crossover, and be a small but epic step to interconnecting the DCU that is not only guaranteed to succeed but can lead to even bigger things as DC moves further.
DCU Has a Crucial Opportunity Against Marvel
Disney
It's no secret that the MCU has started tripping up in Phase 4 and getting a bit of DC's own medicine: bad storylines, poor income, and inconsistent everything. Most are just fine at best but aren't worth remembering. Even some hits like Spider-Man: No Way Home are pulled down by more frequent flops like Eternals. It's obvious that the MCU can't rest on its laurels anymore after Endgame, and many longtime fans have lost faith in their favorite franchise and jumped ship.
Now, when its unbeatable rival is floundering, DC has the chance to fill the quality vacuum and convince fans to switch sides. Since The Batman is already out and has won over many fans, DC can capitalize on its own success and Marvel's failure by delivering quality content now, like The Batman spinoff featuring The Penguin. But it's crucial that DC does this as soon as possible, as the MCU's Phase 4 ended with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and could possibly release more favorable content and regain fans' attention in Phase 5.
Reeves' The Batman is the best opportunity DC has for the rebooted DCU. For Gunn to write it off so easily, and to run yet another Batman at the same time in a different continuity, gives fans a reason to worry if he can pull it off.