Batman fans push back on DC’s Poison Ivy show: give us a DCU Batman movie first

DC's at it again with their villain obsession, and Batman fans are making some noise about it. After HBO quietly confirmed they're working on a new Poison Ivy series, the internet quickly devolved into the usual shouting match: should DC really keep fleshing out Gotham's troublemakers before bringing Batman himself into the new DCU spotlight?

The Poison Ivy series for HBO is being led by Lauren LeFranc, best known for showrunning The Penguin – but it will be entirely separate from Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe.

Fans Aren't Holding Back

As soon as the Poison Ivy project was announced, people started asking the obvious question: why is DC greenlighting more villain shows when we still don’t have a proper DCU Batman? One fan summed up the mood quite bluntly, basically saying it’s 'another Gotham character before DCU Batman is introduced.' Honestly, you’d struggle to find a Batcave-sized hole in the logic there. And if you browse social media, it's a parade of facepalms and memes demanding someone just give them Batman already.

One fan on X (yes, it's still called that) put it about as directly as you’ll get: "Or. Hear me out. Make a fucking DCU Batman movie first? What the fuck is going on?"

On the other side, a few die-hards did step in to clarify that there is a Batman film in the works under the title The Brave and the Bold. They pointed out that the Poison Ivy thing isn’t even at script stage yet, so all this worry may be a few years ahead of itself. Someone else reckoned the new Batman would probably turn up by 2029, once Reeves is done with his own Batman saga.

Building the Rogues' Gallery?

Not everyone sees the villain-first approach as a disaster. A handful of fans are convinced DC wants all the key baddies introduced before wheeling out the caped crusader, maybe trying to let The Batman films have their last word before rebooting the Bat in earnest. One interesting take: letting Matt Reeves close shop with The Batman Part II, then letting the DCU bring in its own set of villains as a fresh start. And, honestly, there’s a storytelling logic to that – you can only reboot Bruce Wayne so many times before audiences notice.

• Lauren LeFranc's biggest credits: created sci-fi series Impulse and wrote on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• She’s currently helming The Penguin for HBO, which stars Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti and has been noticed for its gritty vibe
• No official writers, cast, or release window yet for Poison Ivy – it's all still very speculative

The sheer number of people pleading "just let me see Batman" is reaching a level you can’t really laugh off anymore. And in the background, suggestions are popping up that maybe Lauren LeFranc should just get the DCU Batman gig, especially after her work on The Penguin. Someone even pitched David Fincher for director – not a bad shout, in my slightly biased opinion. Meanwhile, a few voices want DC to stick to their environmental guns and give Poison Ivy a real eco-terrorism angle, fitting the character’s classic setup.