Thanks to the critical and commercial success of James Gunn’s Superman, the DC Universe franchise is in full swing, ushering in an exciting new era for DC Comics adaptations. As the burgeoning shared universe rounds into shape, many fans are eager to see David Corenswet’s Man of Steel cross paths with other notable heroes — particularly the other members of the DC Trinity, Batman and Wonder Woman. As DC Studios figures out what to do with the DCU’s Dark Knight, there’s already an established cinematic Caped Crusader (played by Robert Pattinson) viewers feel should be brought into the fold. Among those ranks is a key creative on Superman.
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In an interview with Screen Rant, Superman visual effects supervisor Guy Williams shared that he believes it’s possible for Pattinson’s Batman and Corenswet’s Superman to share the screen. “I would say yes. You’ve got to understand, directors are some of the most amazing creative people in the world,” he said. “Their job is to figure out how to take a concept that barely holds in your brain and turn it into a two-hour story that you can see. So, I guarantee you that there’s a handful of directors out there that could figure out how to tie those two together and make it work.”
He continued, “It’s like saying, ‘Do you think that Rogue One Star Wars fits into the universe of the original Star Wars?’ Because Rogue One was a lot darker than the original Star Wars trilogy.”
Could Robert Pattinson’s Batman Join the DCU?
Since James Gunn took over as co-head of DC Studios, he has maintained that Pattinson’s Batman, protagonist of Matt Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga, will continue to exist in his own continuity separate from the mainline DCU. Gunn is interested in developing an Elseworlds line of projects, mirroring the comics’ ability to allow creatives to come in and tell unique stories without worrying about established canon. Pattinson’s Batman is set to return in The Batman Part II, which will begin production next spring ahead of its October 2027 release date.
As Reeves continues his crime saga, DC Studios is also developing the Batman film The Brave and the Bold, which will explore an older Bruce Wayne’s relationship with his son Damian. The Brave and the Bold does not have a release date yet, though Gunn has said he would prefer if it didn’t come out in the same calendar year as The Batman Part II. That means The Brave and the Bold wouldn’t hit theaters until 2028 at the earliest.
Gunn has admitted the DCU’s Batman is a problem he needs to solve, as it’s important to ensure The Brave and the Bold does enough to stand apart from Reeves’ ongoing franchise. On paper, the two are distinct enough; one follows a younger Batman in his early crime-fighting days while the other chronicles the adventures of a veteran Batman and his Bat Family. Still, something like this Elseworlds concept hasn’t really been attempted before, where there are two simultaneous separate high-profile live-action film series about the same character. That could prove to be confusing for casual audiences who aren’t as tuned in to the inner workings of DC Studios.
Logistically, it arguably makes more sense to fold Pattinson’s Batman into the DCU than try to get viewers on board with yet another big-screen Dark Knight. However, that could run the risk of alienating Reeves, who seemed interested in keeping his Batman separate from other heroes. After The Batman and The Penguin received widespread acclaim, it would be a shame if Reeves parted ways with DC over shared universe conflicts (which would also hurt DC Studios’ filmmaker first image). Plus, The Brave and the Bold is a perfect opportunity to do things with Batman that haven’t been done in the movies in a long time, offering a fresh take on the source material. For now, viewers should trust Gunn to figure out a plan — but it’s encouraging some people see how a Pattinson/Corenswet crossover could work.
