Despite all the comments and fan art of Robert Pattinson's Batman standing side-by-side with David Corenswet's Superman, DC Studios is standing firm in its decision to keep the world that Matt Reeves is building separate from the DCU.
In a new interview with Omelete, DC Studios co-chair Peter Safran explained that Matt Reeves' Batman falls under the studios' purview as an Elseworlds tale, however they'll be a different actor under the Dark Knight's cowl in The Brave and The Bold.
“I think we've been very clear about Batman. We love Matt Reeves, and we're dying to do Batman: Part II. Like I said, we're always going to do some projects that are primarily auteur-driven. Those are projects that we call Elseworlds,” he explained to the Brazilian entertainment site, as he also referenced the Joker films directed by Todd Phillips, which are not part of the new Superman universe.
“Obviously, we need a Batman in the DCU, and so we’re developing ours as well, even though Matt’s movie is under our tent and part of DC. We’ll do Batman: Part II, hopefully, when Matt is really ready for it, when he turns in the script. And then we’ll also do our Batman and Robin story, The Brave and the Bold.”
This echoes what James Gunn has been saying all along, that we'll have two cinematic live-action Batman actors playing the character at the same time- if and when Matt Reeves ever turns in his script.
More recently, Gunn stated that not only could there be two Batman actors at the same time, but there’s no strict rule preventing him and Matt Reeves from using the same Batman villains. While both the DCU and Reeves' Crime Saga fall under DC Studios and are developed with awareness of each other, character overlap isn’t off-limits.
When announcing The Brave and the Bold as part of the Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters DCU slate, Gunn stated the film would center on Batman and his biological son, Damian Wayne, who would serve as the new Robin. Gunn described Damian as "a little son of a bitch" and an "assassin, murderer who Batman takes on." He emphasized it would be a "strange father and son story."
The movie will be heavily based on Grant Morrison's acclaimed Batman comic book run.
Andy Muschietti, who directed the DCEU's Flash movie, is currently attached as the director for The Brave and the Bold.