It seems clear that The Brave and the Bold is not a current priority for DC Studios, but James Gunn is adamant that the movie has not been shelved or placed "on hold."
Yesterday, Writer/filmmaker Dan Marcus claimed that Muschietti told him that "all work" on the movie is on hold until the Warner Bros Discovery/Paramount merger is settled - which may not happen for quite some time.
He added, "I suspect what’s likely is that Muschietti himself doesn’t know if he’s moving ahead with THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD until after the merger is finalized, but he also mentioned if it doesn’t pan out (him directing the film) he’ll just move onto another film, so he didn’t seem worried."
Gunn was asked about the rumor on Threads, and the DC Studios co-CEO responded by claiming that "nothing" is on hold due to Paramount's controversial acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Marcus has responded with the following.
Gunn also shared some seemingly random comic book covers, likely as a way to illustrate that a connected universe can still work when the various projects have different tones.
The Brave and the Bold was viewed as one of the most exciting projects to be announced during James Gunn and Peter Safran's "Gods and Monsters" DCU slate reveal. Taking inspiration from Grant Morrison's acclaimed run, the movie was expected to serve as the DCU debut of a new take on the Dark Knight, as well as Damien Wayne, who would take up the mantle of Robin.
"This is a story of Damian Wayne, who’s Batman’s actual son that he didn’t know existed for the first eight to ten years of his life," Gunn said at the time. "He was raised as a little murderer and assassin. He’s my favorite Robin. We’re putting it all together right now."
Not long after, we got word that The Flash director Andy Muschietti had been enlisted to helm the project.
“We saw The Flash even before taking the reins at DC Studios, and knew we were in the hands of not only a visionary director but a massive DC fan,” Gunn and Safran said in a joint statement. “It’s a magnificent film – funny, emotional, thrilling – and Andy’s affinity and passion for these characters and this world just resonates through every frame. So, when it came time to find a director for The Brave and the Bold, there was really only one choice. Luckily, Andy said yes. Barbara signed on to produce with us and we were on our way. They’re an extraordinary team, and we couldn’t have better or more inspiring partners as we embark on this thrilling new adventure in the DCU.”
This was before The Flash hit theaters, and the movie's dismal box office performance has led to speculation that Muschietti may have been taken off The Brave and The Bold. Since then, Gunn has admitted that he is struggling to "crack" this project, but as far as we know, Muschietti remains attached.