There has been a lot of focus on Superman’s future in the DCU, or the lack of it, but James Gunn has recently addressed whether fans can expect to see a version of Batman flying into the franchise. While there is already one iteration of Batman in Warner Bros. Discovery’s plans with Robert Pattinson, Gunn has confirmed that the DCU will have its own Batman but has yet to reveal exactly what that will look like in the grand road map that is set to be announced early next year.The DCU aims to be more like the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward by delivering a decade of connected movies with a cohesion that has been pretty much non-existent in the last several years. Gunn has already revealed that this will include a younger version of Superman, which is why Henry Cavill will not return to the franchise. Does that mean we will see another younger Batman appearing in the future? For now, Gunn said:
“He’s a big part of the DCU.”
While Gunn has certainly been open about the DCU, there are still many details that he has not publicly revealed or discussed. However, in a recent tweet, the DC Studios CEO suggested that the DCU plan will be laid open for all to see early in 2023.
The DCU Has a Big Mountain to Climb to Win Back Fans
The last week has seen another round of DCU upheaval, with the announcement that Henry Cavill’s Black Adam cameo has been nothing but false hope and Superman will not be returning in his previous form. Instead, a new Superman will rise to take his place, and while this should be a reason to celebrate, it has led to a lot of backlash on social media. This included various trending hashtags, including #FireJamesGunn and #BoycottWarnerBros, and numerous calls for Zack Snyder to return to the franchise.
Of course, this is all irrelevant in the grand scheme of things as James Gunn and Peter Safran are here to stay, and no matter how much noise is made on social media, Henry Cavill is definitely out as Superman. However, all of this means that the new Superman movie is even more important than it previously seemed, and unless it delivers exactly what fans want, the franchise could stumble at the first hurdle.
When it comes to Batman, the recently reported cancelation of a Michael Keaton-led Batman movie and Ben Affleck’s time in the suit seemingly coming to an end again with appearances in The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the hunt for a new Batman appears to be on the horizon. When the time comes, this casting is likely to be every bit as controversial as that of Superman, and it could form another pivotal moment in the franchise.