Until Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released in 2016, the Caped Crusader had typically been portrayed as a character who lived in a world without other superheroes. That was certainly the case in The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Matt Reeves' "Batverse" - which will launch with The Batman next week - appears to be similarly standalone in nature.
Photos from the set of the DC Comics adaptation seemed to tease the existence of characters like Wonder Woman and The Flash, but The Batman star Robert Pattinson isn't convinced a hero like Superman would be a good fit for the world created by Reeves.
"We've been talking about how to get the fantastical elements because Matt's world, his take on it is so grounded, and I'm thinking like, 'How can you add...?'" he told ComicBook.com. "Like, we were talking the other day, like, 'Can you add Superman into it but he just doesn't have any powers? He's just a guy in a cape?' He's just like, 'I'm Superman!' And they're like, 'So?'"
We're pretty sure Pattinson is just joking on that last point, but as fun as it is to think about a new Justice League in this world, there's room for those characters elsewhere in the DC Extended Universe.
With Reeves looking to launch a new trilogy of movies accompanied by TV shows on HBO Max, it would arguably be much better to keep the focus on the Caped Crusader and the characters who inhabit his world before heading down the "Dawn of Justice" route again. We're not banking on seeing any other heroes visit Gotham City in or after The Batman, anyway, but will keep you updated.
The Batman will finally be released in theaters on March 4 with IMAX screenings beginning March 1.