The Batman: Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz Adding Justice League To New DC Movie Universe

The Batman is launching a fresh new continuity which will adapt DC Comics to the big screen, starting with a film starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader which is largely based on The Long Halloween and Year One comic stories. It has no ties to other DC movie or TV titles. While The Batman’s cinematic universe has not yet earned a fancy name like the “DCEU” where Ben Affleck has been playing Batman, it will almost certainly spawn sequels and Gotham-centric spinoffs are already on the way. One big question remains as The Batman universe is born; will a new set of Justice League heroes come with it?

“I think it’s hard enough, just for us two to be together,” The Batman‘s Catwoman actress Zoe Kravitz said. “I don’t know!” Kraviitz stars as Selina Kyle opposite Pattinson in this new film, bringing the DC Comics characters together on the big screen for the first time since Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy did just that in its third film. Nolan’s stories never went on to include crossovers with super heroes from the DC universe outside of Gotham.

“I love the idea of trying to figure out how make… 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…?’” Pattinson said in an interview with ComicBook.com when asked if his Batman or Kravtiz’s Catwoman could play well enough with other to get along with a Justice League. “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?’” Pattinson said. “He’s just like, ‘I’m Superman!’ And they’re like, ‘So?’” 

The Batman director Matt Reeves also opened up about “fantastical” characters joining his new Gotham universe, though his thoughts (for now) seem limited to finding grounded takes on Batman villains and staying in Gotham. “In my view, I just feel drawn to finding the grounded version of everything,” Reeves said. “To me, it would be a challenge in an interesting way to try to figure out how that could happen. Even the idea of something like Mr. Freeze, that’s such a great story, right? I think there’s actually a grounded version of that story that could be really powerful and could be really great.”

“The worlds kind of just don’t work together,” Kravitz said in ComicBook.com’s interview, adding to Pattinson’s Superman comments. “Sir, can you stop straining in the phone booth?” she added with a laugh.

Whether or not DC Comics heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, The Flash, Aquaman, Green Arrow, or others make their way to this new franchise is unknown. Pattinson does, however, know which sides of Bruce Wayne he hopes to explore and develop further should The Batman spawn a sequel.

“There’s things like in the animated movie, Mask of the Phantasm, which I really liked,” Pattinson explained. “Bruce, he’s choosing to be Batman but he also feels like he has no choice but to be it. It’s a burden and curse as well as everything else, so it kind of creates this tension between him. Throughout this movie, the more he leans into being Batman, he thinks he has to. He thinks it’s the only way he can survive his present but the more danger he brings to everyone around him. He thinks it’s an altruistic decision but at a certain point when everyone starts getting hurt around you, it’s like, you have to decide is this a selfish thing? What good is he doing? And there’s always this tension between him. Selina, as well, they have this burgeoning relationship. I’m sort of looking forward to this tension where you think, ‘Is my purpose to be connected with other people and have somewhat more of a norma existence or is my purpose being Batman?”

Would you like to see The Batman be the birth of an entirely new DC cinematic universe or should it stay focused on Gotham City? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram! The Batman hits theaters on March 4.