Robert Pattinson’s ‘Batman’ Won’t Be Part of James Gunn’s DC Universe – Here’s Why

The exclusion of Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of ‘Batman’ from James Gunn’s DC Universe has been formally confirmed.

 Many fans had hoped that Pattinson’s portrayal of the Caped Crusader will be included in the new DCU since Gunn announced his upcoming ‘Superman’ movie and assumed the role of co-CEO of DC Studios.  But Gunn has cleared the air on those rumors.  During a press conference, he clarified that Pattinson is “certainly not the plan” when asked about the idea.

Gunn’s co-CEO, Peter Safran, provided more context for the decision, saying that although they value Pattinson’s interpretation of the role, their main goal is to create a new ‘Batman’ for the DCU. He stressed the importance of creating a new ‘Dark Knight’, especially for the next movie, ‘The Brave and the Bold’. He added that the initiative is progressing and that more information will be made public shortly.

Image Courtesy: Los Angeles Times

Pattinson has only portrayed ‘Batman’ once, in the highly regarded 2022 movie ‘The Batman’, directed by Matt Reeves. Warner Bros. revealed in December that ‘The Batman 2’, their eagerly awaited follow-up, would now be released on 1st October 2027, one year later. Since then, Pattinson has affirmed that filming will start later this year.

Beyond the main movie, Reeves’ portrayal as Gotham’s guardian has already grown to include a spin-off series based on Colin Farrell’s ‘Penguin’.  Due to industry strikes, ‘The Penguin’s production was delayed when it debuted on Max last year.

–Farheen Ali