Just after Christmas, we got the disappointing news that Matt Reeves' The Batman sequel - which no longer seems to be titled "The Batman - Part II" - had been hit with a major delay, and won't arrive in theaters until October 1, 2027.
Despite DC Studios co-head James Gunn taking to social media to state that the delay was simply down to the fact that the script hasn't been finished, speculation mounted that some recent rumors relating to Gunn wanting to bring star Robert Pattinson in as the DCU's Dark Knight might be the real reason.
Gunn has previously admitted that he did consider keeping Pattinson on as Batman, and insider Jeff Sneider is still adamant that this is the course of action the Superman director wants to take.
Even if there is some truth to this, we have now heard from the director of The Brave and the Bold, Andy Muschietti, who made it abundantly clear that Pattinson will not be the DCU's Caped Crusader during an appearance on the Radio TU show.
Translated from Spanish (via Reel Anarchy).
"As everyone knows, the Batman featured in The Brave and the Bold will belong to the new DC universe. It’s quite obvious that Matt Reeves’ Batman is not part of this new universe. However, DC and Warner Bros. are moving forward with the second part of Reeves’ Batman series, which, as widely reported, is expected to release around 2027. This means the next Batman movie will take some time before it sees the light of day."
"Releasing two Batman films simultaneously would be counterproductive," The Flash director continued. "What DC is doing is creating a strategy to ensure these two films don’t conflict with each other. Regarding my involvement in the project, there are good intentions for now. They want to do the movie with me, and I want to do it as well. I’m eager to work on the film. We are talking about the story and the tone."
Though the ultimate decision isn't Muschietti's to make, he would know if a new Batman actor was going to be cast for the movie he's set to direct, so we can probably go by what he says and put any rumors about Reeves' BatVerse being folded into the DCU to bed.
We can also take this as confirmation that Muschietti is still attached to direct Batman: The Brave and the Bold despite rumors to the contrary.
“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 Peter Safran said in a joint statement at the time. “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.”
Along with a new take on the Dark Knight, The Brave and the Bold will introduce a very different Robin in the form of Damian Wayne, a "murderous tween raised by assassins who also happens to be the son Batman never knew he had."