James Gunn Vows to Avoid Batman Blunder That Plagued Spider-Man

James Gunn has recently weighed in on the direction he intends to take with the Dark Knight in the DCU, and he’s not shy about learning from the past. When pressed by a fan on Threads about whether he was “undervaluing the importance of Bruce Wayne being involved in the DCU,” Gunn responded with characteristic candour:

I’m not at all. I think both Batman and WW are incredibly important. But I’m also not going to have two Batman movies come out in the same year.

His reply leaves little room for doubt: Gunn has no intention of releasing his own take on Gotham’s vigilante alongside Matt Reeves’ version within the same calendar year. It’s a move that stands in stark contrast to Sony’s approach with Spider-Man, where two related films landed in cinemas mere months apart, to mixed results.

Lessons from Spider-Man’s Crowded Year

Back in 2021, Sony rolled out both Spider-Man: No Way Home and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, each tied to the web-slinger’s universe. While Tom Holland’s third outing as Peter Parker soared at the box office, raking in a staggering $1.9 billion globally on a $200 million budget, Tom Hardy’s return as Eddie Brock didn’t fare quite as well. Let There Be Carnage managed $501.5 million against a $110 million spend, a respectable sum but hardly a blockbuster by comparison.

Of course, the latter’s lukewarm reception wasn’t solely down to timing. Critics gave it a rather middling 58% score, though general audiences were more forgiving at 83%. Still, the fact that two major films from the same universe jostled for attention in the same year did little to help its prospects. The overlap arguably diluted the impact of both, with one overshadowing the other at the box office.

Gunn’s Approach to the Caped Crusader

Gunn has made it clear he’s steering clear of such scheduling clashes. Not only will his Batman project avoid stepping on the toes of Matt Reeves’ anticipated sequel, but he’s also in no rush to push out updates before the time is right. When asked about when fans might hear more about The Brave and the Bold, Gunn was forthright:

I’m dependent on when there’s an actionable script ready so there is no way of me guessing this. Also, frankly, we’re well into Batman 2, and I wouldn’t want to cloud the Batsphere until after that.

He went on to describe the writing process as a bit of a moving target, admitting that even when a script feels close, another draft often seems necessary. It’s a refreshingly honest take on the realities of film development, and a sign that he’s not about to rush the next chapter of Bruce Wayne’s story just to meet a deadline.

Patience for the Next Batman Era

For those eager to see how Gunn’s vision for the DCU’s Batman will unfold, it appears patience will be required. With the focus still firmly on Reeves’ next instalment, Gunn is content to let the dust settle before introducing his own iteration of the iconic character. It’s a strategy that, if nothing else, avoids the pitfalls that befell Spider-Man’s cinematic universe not so long ago.

What’s your take on Gunn’s approach? Feel free to share your thoughts below.