James Gunn teased fans with an encouraging update about the DCU's upcoming Batman movie. While much of the focus right now is on Gunn's new Superman movie, it will not be long before fans begin to ask once again questions about where DC Studios' take on the Caped Crusader stands. The franchise's Bat-based efforts will come to fruition in the form of The Brave and the Bold, a new vision for the Dark Knight that will allegedly take inspiration from comic writer Grant Morrison's time working on Batman.
In a new interview, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn hinted that the DCU's Batman movie may be hitting an exciting milestone in the not-too-distant future. According to Gunn, the DCU Batman project has long been one of the harder nuts to crack within the Blue Brand, with rumors swirling that the Andy Muschietti-directed blockbuster has had a rocky road in development.
Speaking to Omlete in Brazil, Gunn was asked point-blank, "How many scripts featuring Batman do you expect to read in the next couple of months?" To which the Superman filmmaker responded, "Two:"
Q: "James, back to you. How many scripts featuring Batman do you expect to read in the next couple of months?"
A: "Two."
One can assume one of these scripts is the recently completed The Batman 2 script from Matt Reeves (which will be an Elseworlds sequel story set in Reeves' own take on the Bat-verse), but the other remains a mystery.
There are several Batman-adjacent projects in the ether at DC Studios, but only one that most would consider actually features Batman. This likely means the other mystery script is the long-gestating Brave and the Bold, potentially hinting at the DCU Batman movie finally getting on track toward an eventual release.
The Brave and the Bold was one of the original titles announced in James Gunn's initial slate of projects, yet there has been a relative lack of news on it since then. The upcoming Batman film is reported to focus on an older Dark Knight, following his caped adventures alongside his son Damian Wayne (aka the fifth Robin in the DC Comics).
Brave and the Bold has no publicly known release or casting information, but does have a director attached, with The Flash filmmaker Andy Muschietti attached to helm the project.
What Is Next For the DCU's Batman?
Over the last few months, dozens of rumors have swirled about the DCU Batman movie. There were whispers of potential casting details, director Andy Muschietti perhaps floundering on the project, and the potential for Matt Reeves' The Batman 2 to all-out replace it.
Now, though, at least if Gunn is talking about The Brave and the Bold with this new Batman script comment, it seems progress is being made on the movie.
As it stands, Supergirl is the next big-name DCU movie set to hit the silver screen after this summer's Superman. Beyond that, a tentpole superhero movie from the Blue Brand remains absent from the slate, with the closest thing being Matt Reeves' The Batman 2 in October 2027.
This could mean that Gunn is planning to have The Brave and the Bold be the next thing, especially if a script is going to be ready soon. But what if he was not talking about The Brave and the Bold at all?
In his promotion for Superman, the DC Studios co-CEO has talked plenty about his universe's take on the Dark Knight, likely meaning the Caped Crusader is on the top of his mind.
One particular comment that caught fire was Gunn's mention that he is developing a sequel for David Corenswet's Man of Steel, but it would not necessarily be Superman 2.
Some have taken this to mean Gunn could be working on a World's Finest film, in which Superman would team up with Batman to form the foundation of what would become the DCU Justice League.
Perhaps that is the script Gunn is referring to. He might be actively working on a World's Finest script (which would feature Batman, as he alluded to) and planning to finish it in the next couple of months.
