Lost in the wash recently due to the kick in the balls that was the news that THE BATMAN: PART II has been pushed back a full year (again), was that THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD‘s director/co-screenwriter said that the DCU’s first Batman film has been “postponed” (via the CALIFORNIA SECRETA podcast).
“I’m now writing a science fiction movie that I would like to do,” said Muschietti. “Batman [THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD] is a project that’s been postponed a bit. So there could be another film before it, possibly that one.”
OK, a few thoughts here…
- I never believed that James Gunn/Warner Bros./DC Studios would greenlight a DCU Batman movie until Matt Reeves finished THE BATMAN EPIC CRIME SAGA. With THE BATMAN: PART II not coming out until late 2027 and a third and final film being “the plan,” it’s not a surprise that WB/Gunn/DCS are saying that the DCU Batman can wait. It’s not like they are going without live-action Batman content right now.
- On the other hand, perhaps Muschetti won’t end up writing/directing THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD (or whatever it’ll be called and be if and when it happens). Now, Muschietti is a talented dude and I don’t think him directing the bomb known as THE FLASH should have anything to do with him directing a DCU solo Batman film or not. Let’s be honest…the film’s box office performance wasn’t his fault. I’m pretty sure that the dumpster fire that was the “DCEU” was the #1 cause of that debacle. We shall see…eventually.
- Based on what Mr. Gunn has said of late, the DCU Batman isn’t needed right now. Per JG, each project is essentially its own thing, will not set up anything coming afterward, there’s no over-arching storyline and they aren’t building up to some big team-up movie. And if the success of this new DCU is THAT dependent on the DCU Batman arriving NOW, then there’s no point in having the DCU exist. Hello, James Gunn’s SUPERMAN. (LOVED the trailer, BTW and it successfully pulled me in! #Krypto) Then there’s that ELSEWORLDS banner…
- According to Mr. Gunn, ELSEWORLDS is still a thing and something that he wants to be part of the DC projects produced by DC Studios. If that is the case — and remember, Reeves’ THE EPIC BATMAN CRIME SAGA is “officially” under that banner — it shouldn’t matter if two Batmans (Batmen?) on film briefly coexist. Isn’t that sort of stuff — like, say, a SUPERMAN: RED SON-inspired film — what ELSEWORLDS is all about? That, and to have an option for filmmakers to do something “DC” at Warner Bros. but not have to be beholden to the restrictions that come with working within a shared universe.
We’ll eventually see how all of this plays out with Muschietti, THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, the DCU Batman, and the DCU itself. Right now, it doesn’t appear that there’s a rush to get to the DCU Batman over at DC Studios. And if Mr. Gunn’s SUPERMAN is a big hit, let The Man of Steel shoulder the load for a while…as Batman has been doing for over 30 years. But if it isn’t…all bets are off and everything I’ve said here will be moot. – Bill “Jett” Ramey