While doing press for CREATURE COMMANDOS, James Gunn was asked (via COLLIDER) about the status of the DCU Batman and the film that’s supposed to introduce him, THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD…
There’s no set timeline for anything. The one thing that I’ve tried to make clear to people from the beginning, in the way that I hope we’re different, is that everything in DC is going to be based on the writers. Until we have a screenplay that I’m totally happy with, that movie is not going to get made , no matter what it is. So, we have been really fortunate with some screenplays. You know, ‘Supergirl’ came in and just, wow Ana [Nogueria] did such an amazing job, the ‘Lanterns’ pilot came in, and now the whole ‘Lanterns’ series came in, and it’s like ‘Wow that’s wonderful, wonderful work.’ And there’s a couple of other things that people don’t know about, a couple of movies and TV shows that are greenlit or near greenlit. But it’s going to be based always on that, on the story, because at the end of the day if we’re happy with the story that we’re telling, that’s what matters most. And once ‘The Brave and the Bold’ gets to that point, then we’ll make the movie.
I agree with everything JG says here. It should be about the story and script and nothing should be greenlit and made until that’s squared away properly. I’ll add — and this is just my opinion — but perhaps it would be a good idea not to announce DCU projects until a script is in place along with a director and it’s ready to move forward. WB/DC has been down the “let’s announce a bunch of stuff that may not ultimately happen” road before and that did them no good. AND…
If I had to guess/make a prediction, I don’t think we’ll see the DCU Batman and THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD until Matt Reeves is finished with THE BATMAN EPIC CRIME SAGA…at least that’s what should happen. There’s no need to muck up the waters by introducing a new Batman on film while one already exists — even if Reeves’ Bat-Stuff is under the ELSEWORLDS banner (which I don’t think is even going to be a thing at WB/DC anyway). It’s not like WB doesn’t have something with Batman on film going on right now as we’re just about right in the middle of Reeves’ aforementioned SAGA.
Frankly, it wouldn’t shock me if we never get to THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD and a DCU Batman — at least not as it was originally envisioned (and prematurely announced). A lot is riding on next year’s SUPERMAN (which Gunn wrote and directed) and if he doesn’t do well, all those future plans for the DCU could be altered…significantly.
There will be more Batman on film in the future, for sure. That I know. What that is after THE BATMAN EPIC CRIME SAGA is still TBD, IMO. – Bill “Jett” Ramey
(Thanks to BOF’s Peter Verra for the heads up!)