DC Studios' James Gunn Addresses Batman/Superman Age Difference In DCU; Will Likely Direct SUPERMAN: LEGACY

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has addressed the possibility there will be a noteworthy age difference between Batman and Superman in the DCU, while a new report once again points to him directing Legacy.

By JoshWilding - Feb 05, 2023 06:02 AM EST

Filed Under: Superman: Legacy

The DCU is moving on without Henry Cavill's Man of Steel, and a younger actor is set to inherit the role in 2025's Superman: Legacy. It's recently been reported that DC Studios' Kal-El will likely be around 25 years old, and James Gunn revealed more details about this iteration of the hero during a recent Q&A.

"He's working. He's a reporter. He's at the Daily Planet," Gunn, who is DC Studios' co-CEO and the movie's writer, confirmed. "Again, we're coming into a world where superheroes exist and have existed."

"So, does that mean Batman might be a couple years older than Superman? Yes, it could be."

That makes perfect sense, especially as The Brave and the Bold will see the Dark Knight meet his son, Damian Wayne, for presumably the first time. When that character was introduced in the comic books, he was 10, so this Batman will need to be at least in his late 20s, if not mid to late 30s.

After all, the movie will feature other members of the Bat-Family, so if the likes of Nightwing and Batgirl are going to appear, Batman will need to have been a superhero for upwards of a decade.

DC Studios is taking an interesting approach to the DCU as they're throwing us into a world that already has superheroes rather than starting from scratch. This is in contrast to the MCU which, after introducing Iron Man, then started adding new characters to its movies until we ended up with the massive franchise it is today.

In other Superman: Legacy news, it's worth pointing out that The Hollywood Reporter is the latest outlet to suggest Gunn will helm the movie as well as writing it. "He wrote the first series out of the gate, the animated Creature Commandos," the trade notes, "and is writing Superman: Legacy, which he’ll likely direct."

Superman: Legacy is set to soar into theaters on July 11, 2025.

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120 Comments

1 2 3

UniqNo - 2/5/2023, 6:13 AM

He's a capable director and feel he will finally bring some light heartened themes to Supes.

Chris Pratt for Luthor!

UniqNo - 2/5/2023, 6:14 AM

@UniqNo - I also wouldn't mind if they adapt some themes from Birthright....Fake alien invasion aside I really enjoyed that book.

OrionPax - 2/5/2023, 6:14 AM

This all sounds like the right way!

TheUnworthyThor - 2/5/2023, 6:17 AM

Batman doesn’t need to be too old. In the movies it could be that Batman fathered a child while he was training around the world.

UniqNo - 2/5/2023, 6:23 AM

@TheUnworthyThor - I felt that Affleck was the perfect kind of age to portray a Batman with 3 kids with the 4th disowned or dead (Todd)

What a wasted opportunity that was.

GetsugaTensho22 - 2/5/2023, 6:38 AM

@TheUnworthyThor - to be fair, he didn’t even father Damian consensually. He was drugged and used by Talia, which could still have happened relatively early in his career. A lot of stories had Dick & Bruce be closer in age, having a more brotherly bond rather than Father/Son.

A 25 year old Bruce working with a 15 year old Dick, whilst having fathered Damian makes sense If you add 8 years.

mrbrownvp1 - 2/5/2023, 7:48 AM

@GetsugaTensho22 - This makes sense if they only have Dick as the only Robin, before Damian. But I hope people to expect a Batman almost in his forties if you want to add the 4 Robins. And probabaly is going to be the case, even if it just is Dick, Jason, dead obviously and Damian. They can probably play with the drama of Bruce not wanting another Robin cause he last son is dead

bkmeijer1 - 2/5/2023, 8:17 AM

@TheUnworthyThor @mrbrownvp1 - Batman doesn't need to be that old, even if he's already running around with his fourth Robin in the form of Damian.

Maybe Batman ran around solo for three years, with Dick for three, with Jason for one, and Tim for three. That's just ten years. If he started as Batman at 20 and fathered Damian around that time, Batman can still be early 30s.

mrbrownvp1 - 2/5/2023, 8:28 AM

@bkmeijer1 - I dont think you want to start your vigilante career with a kid, even less adopting a kid at exactly 20 years old, you need to have a least five years of a solo Batman, dude I know where the sentiment comes from, but it doesnt work. They will prob cast someone in his early 30s, maybe even late 20s(Lets say 29 at least) that can pass for someone in his mid 30s or almost 40

bkmeijer1 - 2/5/2023, 8:32 AM

@mrbrownvp1 - I agree, but I just try to make sense of it as far as possible if Batman is just early 30s.

As for the whole adopting kid act, I never liked that. Much rather see Dick, Jason and Tim all be around 17-18 years old when starting out as Robin.

The1st - 2/5/2023, 9:16 AM

@TheUnworthyThor - It's an easy way to get to the dynamic in the comic and shows though. Also, Bruce is mortal. It stands to reason that it would take time to gain the experience and insight, also reach his peak potential (even Bats started somewhere). For Supes it's easier though, the gifts are all there. He can be hopeful, which Batman in contrast will see as naive. Superman can be hopeful though with his skillset and upbringing as opposed to Batman. I think it works well and it's easier to gloss over the Bat fam and use the origins as needed for story development. Then they can just focus on the interactions with those characters in the present day.

Steel86 - 2/5/2023, 12:31 PM

@GetsugaTensho22 - Yeah there is a touch over thinking here. Damian is the only one that age makes a difference in how old Batman is. Typically Dick is around 13 when he meets Bruce but they can put him at whatever age they want. And even jason can be as old as needed. Jason could die first day on the job for example. Your Damien thoughts are perfect as well. Long story short an 33ish Batman is very reasonable if they want to.

Knightrider - 2/5/2023, 12:49 PM

@TheUnworthyThor - I think that’ll be the route they might go, as I don’t think Damien will be 10 in the movie, more like 15 or 16 so Batman could be late 30s early 40s and the first 10 years of the DCU could end with Damien or Nightwing taking over as Batman

ObserverIO - 2/5/2023, 3:13 PM

@Steel86 - That's very true. Dick doesn't even need to be Robin, really. He could start out as Nightwing.

Steel86 - 2/5/2023, 3:34 PM

@ObserverIO - Thank you! The in the box thinking here kills me sometimes.

GarthRanzz - 2/5/2023, 9:44 PM

@TheUnworthyThor - Bruce doesnt become Batman until he is 25 years old in the comics.

GarthRanzz - 2/5/2023, 9:45 PM

@GetsugaTensho22 - Batman doesnt start working with Robin until he is 28.

GarthRanzz - 2/5/2023, 9:46 PM

@mrbrownvp1 - Batman is 42 years old when he encounters Damian in the comics.

GarthRanzz - 2/5/2023, 9:47 PM

@bkmeijer1 - Batman is 42 when the fifth Robin (Damian entered his life.) He is a little past 40 with Stephanie the 4th Robin.

TheUnworthyThor - 2/5/2023, 10:59 PM

@GarthRanzz - What does that matter? There were far bigger changes made to characters in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad than that.

DC Studios' James Gunn Addresses Batman/Superman Age Difference In DCU; Will Likely Direct SUPERMAN: LEGACY

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has addressed the possibility there will be a noteworthy age difference between Batman and Superman in the DCU, while a new report once again points to him directing Legacy.

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