James Gunn on Batman: 'My Biggest DC Issue Right Now; Not Interested in Campy Version'

The future of Batman on the big screen appears to be moving at a crawl, with DC Universe co-head James Gunn recently admitting that the Dark Knight is currently his biggest challenge across the entire franchise. “Batman’s my biggest issue in all of DC right now,” Gunn confessed in a recent interview with Rolling Stone.

Back in February, Gunn and fellow DCU architect Peter Safran confirmed that The Brave and the Bold will introduce a brand-new version of Batman into the shared DC Universe, effectively sidelining Robert Pattinson from playing the character beyond Matt Reeves’ standalone *Batman* universe—dubbed *The Batman Epic Crime Saga*. Pattinson previously portrayed the Caped Crusader in 2022’s *The Batman*, with *The Batman – Part 2* still officially in development, albeit delayed until October 1, 2027.

That delay means there could be a five-year gap between Pattinson’s debut as Batman and his next appearance, if the current release date holds. Naturally, this has raised questions about how Gunn plans to handle the introduction of a new Batman in *The Brave and the Bold* without creating narrative overlap or confusion across two different cinematic universes.

When asked whether Pattinson might appear in both versions, Gunn remained cautiously noncommittal: “I would never say zero, because you just never know. But it’s not likely. It’s not likely at all.”

Despite rampant speculation, Gunn also addressed rumors that *The Batman – Part 2* had been canceled. He quickly dismissed such claims, stating that director Matt Reeves is simply taking his time: “We don’t have a script. Matt’s slow. Let him take his time. Let him do what he’s doing. God, people are mean. Let him do his thing, man.”

The Brave and the Bold: Status Update

With *The Batman – Part 2* on the backburner, attention naturally shifts to *The Brave and the Bold*, which some fans suspect may end up filling the October 2027 release slot vacated by *The Batman – Part 2*. As of earlier this year, the film was said to be in “very active development” with a story that was “coming together very nicely.”

Originally set to be directed by *The Flash* helmer Andy Muschietti, the project is now being shepherded by Gunn and Safran, who are working on the script and plan to share it with Muschietti once it reaches a stable draft. “I'm very, very actively involved in that script,” Gunn noted earlier this year, adding that while he isn’t writing *The Brave and the Bold* himself, he is collaborating closely with its writer to ensure the tone and direction are correct.

“Batman has to have a reason for existing,” Gunn explained when discussing his vision for the character. “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.”

He further clarified that while he wants to avoid a campy or overly comedic take, he believes he has found a compelling entry point into the character’s world: “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.”

A Glimpse of Batman in the DCU

Although details remain scarce, fans got a brief but telling glimpse of Gunn’s Batman during Episode 6 of the animated series *Creature Commandos*. The episode featured a muscular, silhouette-heavy version of the character standing atop a Gotham rooftop overlooking villain Doctor Phosphorus.

Gunn revealed that the intentionally vague look was intentional: “I asked for more silhouette” after seeing an earlier, more detailed version of the character. This minimalist reveal suggests that Gunn is carefully managing expectations and maintaining mystery around the character’s full debut.

Importantly, this cameo confirmed that Batman already exists within the DCU timeline seen in *Creature Commandos* and the upcoming Superman movie, and that he is already a well-known figure—eliminating the need for another origin story.

In fact, Gunn hinted that Batman and Superman will eventually team up: “This is the DCU Batman. Listen, I gotta tell you, I just love Batman. I love him. I've loved him since I was a little kid. He's one of my favorite characters. I’ve gone on the record in the past when I was at Marvel saying my favorite character is Batman. I love him and we're going to do great things with him. He's the most popular superhero in the world and I can't wait for people to see more of him, along with Superman, and together.”