James Gunn shuts down DCU Batman rumors: “No one is in the running”
Days after a rosy-sounding update, James Gunn has poured cold water on a Batman DCU casting rumour — keeping who’ll wear the cowl still very much in question.
Right, let's unpack what's actually going on with Batman over in the DCU. James Gunn, who's basically the captain steering the new ship (and occasionally dropping teasers to keep the internet from combusting), has popped up again to pour a bit of cold water on all the wild casting chatter that always seems to bubble up round this time.
No one is in the running. We haven't started casting yet.
That was Gunn fielding yet another fan question on Threads, after a recent spell of optimism about Batman's future in the films. For those keeping score, Superman's had his moment in the sun, but the other key figures in DC's holy trinity – yes, Batman and Wonder Woman – have largely kept to the wings in the new cinematic lineup. Batman did manage the briefest of cameos in Creature Commandos, but no lines, and no credits; don't get too excited.
Brave and the Bold: Still in Limbo
The actual, proper debut for DCU's new Batman is set for Brave and the Bold, but, and this bears repeating, Gunn says there is currently no one in contention for the cowl. That puts paid to the endless internet suggestions for Bruce Wayne: Alan Ritchson was the most recent name doing the rounds, though even he admits an official conversation took place but reckons he's not destined for Gotham's vigilante night shift. For now, any fan speculation is just that – speculation.
A Whole Other Batman Film Series Still Happening
This might be where it gets confusing for casual fans. Even as the DCU drags its heels with casting its Bat, there is actually a separate live-action Batman movie on the near horizon, but it's got nothing to do with Gunn or whatever the new DCU roadmap ends up being.
Matt Reeves' Batman sequel is officially on the calendar for 18 February 2028.
This is the follow-up to The Batman from Matt Reeves, not to be lumped in with Brave and the Bold. Reeves' trilogy (as planned) continues with Robert Pattinson back in the cowl, alongside familiar faces like Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis and Colin Farrell. This next part picks up in Gotham a few weeks after the city was submerged during the first film's climax, and it will link up with the developments from the Penguin TV spin-off as well. Expect interconnected chaos.
- Robert Pattinson, Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis and Colin Farrell all return.
- Sebastian Stan, Charles Dance, Scarlett Johansson and Brian Tyree Henry have joined the cast, but none of their roles are official yet.
- Rumours (so take with a grain of Bat-Salt): Stan as Harvey Dent, Johansson as his wife, Dance as Dent's father.
So to recap: if you see Batman trending, double-check which Batman they're yelling about – Gunn's Dark Knight in the DCU is still at the starting line, Reeves' brooding loner is set for 2028, and nobody's been handed the Wayne fortune just yet.