THE BATMAN: Robert Pattinson Could Become DCU's Dark Knight As David Zaslav Pushes For More Batman

THE BATMAN: Robert Pattinson Could Become DCU's Dark Knight As David Zaslav Pushes For More Batman

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is reportedly piling on the pressure for DC Studios to do something with Batman and that could lead to Robert Pattinson's Caped Crusader eventually joining the DCU.

News
By JoshWilding - Sep 30, 2024 12:09 PM EST
Filed Under: The Batman

DC Studios is creating a new shared world meant to rival the MCU, but it sounds like Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav's patience may already be wearing thin. 

Last year's strikes saw James Gunn and Peter Safran forced to down tools on several upcoming DCU movies and TV shows. While Creature Commandos is nearly here and Superman is in post-production for a summer 2025 release, there's still a long way to go until DC Studios can find even a measure of Marvel Studios' success. 

Batman remains DC's biggest draw - even a show without him, The Penguin, is a ratings hit - but with The Batman - Part II not heading our way until 2026, what of DC Studios' The Brave and the Bold?

According to Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider, Zaslav wants the DCU's Batman on our screens sooner rather than later to better compete with Marvel Studios. One idea that's been mooted is for The Batman star Robert Pattinson to become the DCU's Dark Knight following the sequel's release. 

This by no means sounds like something that's definitely happening, but it's a notion which makes sense on several different levels. 

DC Studios has already given notes on The Penguin and Gunn and filmmaker Matt Reeves at least considered making the planned Arkham Asylum-set TV series part of the DCU (a move which baffled pretty much everyone when it was meant to take place in the same world as The Batman). 

There's nothing in The Batman stopping it from retroactively becoming the first DCU movie, though how willing Pattinson will be to potentially spend the next decade showing up in all manner of crossover events is hard to say. Then again, Batman doesn't have to be a member of the Justice League in this new reality (we've seen plenty of iterations of the team without him). 

Andy Muschietti was announced as The Brave and the Bold's director right before The Flash raced into theaters last June. Gunn called it one of the best superhero movies ever, but audiences disagreed. Reviews were so-so and the visual effects are still ridiculed over a year later. The haunting CG cameos also remain incredibly controversial. 

The Flash was also a box office bomb and Muschietti helming DC Studios' Batman reboot feels equivalent to Madame Web director SJ Clarkson being tapped to helm Spider-Man 4 or entrusting Nia DaCosta with Avengers: Secret Wars after The Marvels' struggles. It doesn't add up. 

Plus, how can any Batman live up to Pattinson's version? He's already a fan favourite and anyone who has to share the spotlight with him will surely struggle. 

We'll see how this one pans out in the coming months.

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ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 9/30/2024, 12:39 PM
Feels like the tone would really clash with what Gunn is making
PC04
PC04 - 9/30/2024, 12:52 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Agreed. I can't see that working. The Batman should be treated as it's own world. I think adding anything to "super-powery" would sort of demolish it's allure. Like I can't see Green Lantern showing up in that space. It'd just be to weird.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/30/2024, 1:24 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - The tone of The Winter Soldier clashes with Thor: Ragnarok. But it still works.

But I think they're just talking about Pattinson playing both variants, rather than The Batman being a part of the same timeline.
JonAwesome
JonAwesome - 9/30/2024, 1:28 PM
@ObserverIO - Robert Pattinson’s Batman could barely take on street criminals, he would be zero match for super villains and would make no sense as a member of The Justice League.
GeneralZod
GeneralZod - 9/30/2024, 1:36 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Bingo.
TheNewYorker
TheNewYorker - 9/30/2024, 1:44 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Exactly. Gunn would need George Clooney’s Batman 🤭
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/30/2024, 1:53 PM
@JonAwesome - Like I said they might just mean that Pattinson plays both Batmen.

But still, every version of Batman is shit when they first start.
This Batman...
User Comment Image

became this Batman...
User Comment Image
GeneralZod
GeneralZod - 9/30/2024, 1:54 PM
@ObserverIO - Re Bucky and Thor: Ragnarok -- yes, correct. It works. It works because Kevin Feige went to great lengths during that epic 11-year Phase 1, 2 and 3 run to ensure producers and directors were putting up content that was more or less consistent with the growing Marvel Studios brand. When audiences (i'm talking pre-Phase 4) saw that "Marvel Studios" banner (with audiences often breaking out into applause), they are expecting (i) a really good product that tonally is consistent with the prior Marvel Studios films they've seen, regardless of the character, AND (ii) characters to cross-over in each other's films (fundamentally, Stan Lee's shared universe idea from the 1960s). Unfortunately, I see Pattinson Batman as such an outlier into the overall DCU.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 9/30/2024, 2:01 PM
@ObserverIO - they are definitely not in any way discussing him as a variant.
Steel86
Steel86 - 9/30/2024, 2:08 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - I just don't get this thinking. The comics have different looks and tones, Marvel heroes all have different looks and tones and Pat Batman universe can be separate and then they are put together. One doesn't have to be the other. And in fact when those two worlds collide is what makes for better conflict between the heroes.
Steel86
Steel86 - 9/30/2024, 2:11 PM
@JonAwesome - True but remember this is a year 2 Batman. They can easily do a few years time jump for when he joins the JL. And this Batman is smart just like the comics so he can easily hook up with another hero to help him advance his tech for an advantage.
dragon316
dragon316 - 9/30/2024, 2:12 PM
@ObserverIO - and Batman fans say Batman doesn’t kill use guns
jst5
jst5 - 9/30/2024, 4:09 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - How can anyone say what Gunn's tone is yet?No content has been out and The Batman would 100% fit into a DC world.There are tons of Batman stories that have went from grounded to more Supermanish.I mean Iron Man went from fighting dudes in a cave to fighting beings in space.
krayzeman
krayzeman - 9/30/2024, 4:32 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Tones dont matter. If everything was toned the same you would have the MCU which DCU should not try to be. Also what is the source of this article? From what im seeing Zaslav said this 2 years ago and it hasnt been commented on since. Is this just a made up article meant clickbait?? Whats going on here??
JustBrootal
JustBrootal - 9/30/2024, 4:51 PM
@ObserverIO - I don’t think the studio understands this either, and they know they so badly need to get here for the REAL GOOD STUFF.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 9/30/2024, 4:59 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Yeah there’s no way it would happen.
IronSpider101
IronSpider101 - 9/30/2024, 8:06 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - I think that would be part of the appeal though too. And I say this as someone who overall did not like The Batman and have next to zero interest in the sequel. At the very least, it's stylistically distinct.

The Marvel movies all look the same, and with few exceptions, mostly feel like they could've all been made by the same person. It's more of a TV series with guest directors than a series of interconnected franchises/movies. Characters cross over with each other in every movie at this point so it's not as special anymore to see them get together.

But when the MCU was first dropping, there was legitimate intrigue with every new movie as to how they'd all manage to exist believably in the same space. First the big four Thor, Hulk, Cap and Iron Man, then further with stuff like GOTG and Cox Daredevil.
CaptainFlapjaks
CaptainFlapjaks - 9/30/2024, 9:02 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - it is possible that gunn will adapt characters to fit what they are doing. So batman in his solo flicks might have a different tone as opposed to if he appeared in superman so he could fit the tone of the film he is in. Instead of what snyder did by making a superman movie having to have a batman tone because he is in it.
solskulldeath
solskulldeath - 10/1/2024, 4:18 AM
@ObserverIO - Dont forget Batman Earth one,where Battinson was highly influenced by this version
morbidgod
morbidgod - 10/3/2024, 5:28 AM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Not at all. Swam Thing is going to have a Darker Tone than Superman. Gunn has already said every movie will have their own tone and vision, and directors and writers won’t be forced to have the same tone for every movie.
morbidgod
morbidgod - 10/3/2024, 5:31 AM
@PC04 - who’s to say that will happen at all? Maybe The Batman is a prequel to Superman movie, and the entire trilogy is actually set five or ten years before Superman movie even starts. And since this is Batman’s origin story basically, it also means that it would make sense Bruce isn’t focusing on what’s happening outside of Gotham. Originally, before it was announced otherwise, that’s kind of what I was hoping. The Batman trilogy being a prequel and that way anything happening post Superman time would not even affect Batman at all in his movies.
morbidgod
morbidgod - 10/3/2024, 5:32 AM
@JonAwesome - to be fair, this is Batman’s origin story basically. We haven’t seen what he will become.
UltimaRex
UltimaRex - 9/30/2024, 12:39 PM
Batman at all costs hm?
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 9/30/2024, 12:42 PM
Don't think The Batman is as great as some others do but it's a good film and it'd make sense to just incorporate it into the DCU. It'd be easy to add Robin into the story later if they want to and you have an already established and well liked version of the character. What if The Brave and the Bold is considerably worse than The Batman (which had a good chance of happening)? That would end this universe before it starts. DCU needs Batman to be good, it cannot fumble this character.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 9/30/2024, 1:18 PM
@Urubrodi -

It’s totally doable and infinitely smarter than having two separate Batman’s sharing the big screen.

The Batman II could even have flashbacks to his days with Talia and Ras Al Ghul to set up roving showing up in the third film. Or if reeves is adamant about finishing his trilogy, just introduce Patman in the brave and the bold film and have Damian show up then.

Gunn wouldn’t have to reinvent Gotham AGAIN sense reeves already did and incredible job for him.

Lastly, Patman could absolutely fit in the DCU. Iron Man and Winter Soldier made it work in the same universe at GotG and Thor 🤷‍♂️
McMurdo
McMurdo - 9/30/2024, 2:03 PM
@HulkisHoly - zero chance this happens. Pattinson hasn't even played Bruce Wayne yet. Gunn's gonna want a different actor. Just zero chance this happens.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 9/30/2024, 3:59 PM
@McMurdo -

Eh I disagree
Moriakum
Moriakum - 9/30/2024, 12:42 PM
WB/DC being WB/DC. They want a cinematic universe with the success and scale of the MCU, but without the work and patience it requires. The bosses change, but it's always the same.
MG0019
MG0019 - 9/30/2024, 1:36 PM
@Moriakum - For Real! Making the EXACT same mistake as BvS Dawn Of Catching Up With Marvel.

Zaslav really needs to shut up & stay out of it. This isn’t some product you can just poop out every quarter. Creation takes time. Heck Marvel’s suffering too, & their only success is because they built up Jackman in a yellow suit for Twenty Years. Let Gunn cook.
JFerguson
JFerguson - 9/30/2024, 12:45 PM
I used to want this. But now I don’t. Reeves vision is uncompromising for a shared world with superpowers. It would be jarring
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 9/30/2024, 1:18 PM
@JFerguson -

Nah it’s doable.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 9/30/2024, 2:03 PM
@HulkisHoly - would be awful
JFerguson
JFerguson - 9/30/2024, 3:17 PM
@HulkisHoly - it would be doable but far from ideal. And if they make the decision as soon as Zaslav wants to, I fear Reeves' vision would be hijacked in favor of lighter story content and jokes
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 9/30/2024, 4:01 PM
@JFerguson -

I understand Gunn is usually more comedic but he’s not writing or directing his Batman film for the DCU, so why assume it’ll be lighter with jokes?
DanFlashesShirt
DanFlashesShirt - 9/30/2024, 4:09 PM
@HulkisHoly - everything is “doable”, the question is a) does it make sense too and b) would it be good

Personally, i’m going with ‘no’ for both those.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/30/2024, 4:11 PM
@JFerguson - The Penguin isn't lighter and filled with jokes and Gunn did that. Gunn's doing The Batman part II as well.

The Brave and the Bold might be, other DCU things with Batman in them might be. But as long as the character stays the same, I think we'll be fine.

This in no way means that suddenly The Batman part II has to have fantastic elements (although what would be so bad about that I don't know). Reeves could do his whole trilogy exactly as he's always wanted to and it could still exist in the DCU.
morbidgod
morbidgod - 10/3/2024, 5:45 AM
@JFerguson - so The Batman trilogy could be a prequel, and set five or ten years before Superman movie starts. Meaning, it can be self contained and the events after Superman have no effect on The Batman. And Reeves can still do what he wants, and after the trilogy another director takes the lead on the Batman movies (assuming Reeves doesn’t want to connect to other stories).
Alucard28
Alucard28 - 9/30/2024, 12:45 PM
I don't think that a Batman who knocks the door on the bad guys place could fit in a more fantastic and wider universe.
CreateNowSlpL8r
CreateNowSlpL8r - 9/30/2024, 12:46 PM
I love how we'll call out the Flash for being a bomb but if it's Marvel, we make some kind of excuse.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 9/30/2024, 1:12 PM
@CreateNowSlpL8r - nah the marvels got dragged through the mud last year too. this site shits on everything even capollas megapolis jus becuz he's not a fan of cbms....like really?
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