James Gunn is offering a familiar face from the old DCEU a fresh opportunity to shine in his freshly rebooted DCU. While Gunn's vision is charting a bold new course for DC on the big and small screen, not everything from the previous era is being left behind. However, that creative continuity is raising some eyebrows, particularly when they're tied to past DC projects that left audiences disappointed.
Back in January, it was reported that writer Christina Hodson was attached to write the script for the upcoming Batman film in the DCU, The Brave and the Bold.
After taking some heat, Gunn immediately defended Hodson, without outright confirming her involvement in The Brave and the Bold. However, he did reveal that she had been working with him and the DC Studios team "early in the DCU planning stages," while also advising people not to judge her writing based on some recent films she's written but not directed:
"She's one of the writers who was with us early in the DCU planning stages. I don't think you can judge my writing based on films others directed, as massive liberties are sometimes taken."
The reason for the criticism is that Hodson's latest two writing credits are on Birds of Prey and The Flash. Not only were neither commercial hits, but both also received criticism over the script, which would be Hodson's main contribution.
Fans largely felt the script for The Flash was messy, prioritizing multiverse cameos and nostalgia over a coherent, emotionally resonant plot for Barry Allen (Ezra Miller). Many critics pointed to jarring tonal shifts, arguing that the high-stakes multiversal collapse felt weightless and was a mediocre first film for the iconic DC character.
Regardless, Gunn is giving Hodson a second chance, and this is a huge one, with a lot of pressure attached to it. The idea of a second Batman franchise happening simultaneously alongside Robert Pattinson and Matt Reeves' The Batman franchise has always been a strange proposition since The Brave and the Bold was announced in early 2023.
Getting fans to buy into two different Batmen in two different universes, with films releasing around the same time, is a challenge in itself.
Truly, the only way to win fans over with this idea is quality. After a long pre-production process, The Batman Part 2 is set to begin filming this year, with many in the superhero Hollywood space expecting it to be another fantastic addition to the franchise. The Batman, written and directed by Reeves, is a beloved comic book film, setting a high bar for any future Batman films.
That's hard to internally compete with. It's true that Gunn needs Bruce Wayne and Batman canonically in the new DCU, but it's hard to argue that The Batman franchise isn't making that more difficult.
If Hodson is truly writing the script, which is supposed to center around a veteran Batman and his son, Damian Wayne, a young Robin, she's got her work cut out for her.
Gunn clearly believes in her, and the director of the film, if it's still Andy Muschietti, has a lot to prove to DC fans after The Flash.
Right now, it's hard to imagine fans being thrilled that the writer and director behind The Flash are teaming up again for a new Batman film or that it'll come anywhere near the quality of Reeves' The Batman franchise.
When Will The Brave and The Bold Release?
As of right now, The Brave and the Bold doesn't have an official release date, and based on everything, it doesn't seem like one is coming anytime soon.
Gunn himself recently shot down a rumor that the film was eyeing a 2028 release date, clarifying that the screenplay isn't even finished yet. That's a reality check for fans who were hoping the DCU's Batman debut was right around the corner. A finished, Gunn-approved script is the first major hurdle, and he's been adamant on not putting DC Studios projects into production until the story is fully done.
Reportedly, The Brave and the Bold is considered one of DC Studios' top priorities. Gunn has openly stated that Batman, alongside Wonder Woman, is one of his two biggest focuses outside of the projects already in active production.
With Superman now in the rearview mirror and the DCU establishing itself, the pressure and urgency to get Batman right, in this universe, has only increased. The slate for DC films in 2027 is defined by a Superman and a Batman film, but they're not in the same universe.
That said, Gunn will give The Batman franchise ample room to breathe before unleashing its own Dark Knight. That strategy almost certainly pushes The Brave and the Bold to late 2028 at the absolute earliest, with 2029 being a more realistic target to ensure at least a year separates the two very different Batman films.
In some ways, that breathing room might actually benefit The Brave and the Bold. It gives Hodson and Muschietti more time to get the script right, allows Gunn to carefully shape how this veteran, Bat-Family-established Batman is introduced to audiences, and lets The Batman Part II land first without any direct competition muddying the waters.
It's also unclear when a potential third installment of The Batman could happen, or maybe Reeves intends on ending Battinson's story as a duology.
So while a 2028 or 2029 release window is the most grounded expectation right now, nothing is locked in, and The Brave and the Bold may not release until the early 2030s.
