Although the DC Universe officially began with ‘Superman’, it is no wonder that fans are impatiently awaiting the moment when Batman will enter the new shared universe. James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios, has just provided a very refreshing candid update.
And while it might be frustrating to some fans, it also indicates a considered attitude for Gotham’s future.
Why New DCU’s Batman Is Still Waiting In The Shadows
The DCU’s version of Batman will debut in ‘The Brave and the Bold‘, a film pairing the Dark Knight with Damian Wayne’s Robin. However, Gunn made it clear that the project isn’t racing toward a release date just to meet expectations. Rather, it is biding its time on something much more significant: the correct script. In a reply to fans on Threads, Gunn clarified that ‘The Brave and the Bold’ will not proceed until there is an actionable script, not a draft, not a version that is good enough, but one that is actually ready.
“I’m dependent on when there’s an actionable script ready, so there is no way of me guessing this,” he wrote. “Also, frankly, we’re well into Batman 2, and I wouldn’t want to cloud the Batsphere until after that.”
Anyone familiar with Gunn’s filmmaking style knows that story comes first, and Batman, of all characters, demands precision. Another strategic reason Gunn cited as to why the delay happened is that ‘The Batman: Part II’ is already in deep production, and it is scheduled to be released on October 1, 2027.
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Gunn does not wish to pollute the Batsphere with casting news or big DCU Batman news too soon. He is allowing Reeves’s grounded, standalone Gotham room to breathe, and then move on to a much different interpretation of the character.
It is an unusual display of restraint in the contemporary franchise film-making. And it also indicates that DC is finally focusing on clarity over anarchy.
Gotham’s Future Is Bigger Than Just One Batman Movie
With ‘The Brave and the Bold’ still on a slower track, DC fans will not be deprived of Batman-related content. Instead, Gotham is proving to be one of the busiest DC slates in the coming years.
Firstly, there is ‘Clayface’, a DCU spin-off which will be released on September 11, 2026. The project promises a darker, character-driven story that expands Gotham beyond just Batman himself.
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Next is ‘Dynamic Duo’, an animated movie about the early life of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. This show is scheduled to release on June 30, 2028. Although there was speculation among fans that the movie would be rewritten to fit into DCU continuity, Gunn was quick to dispel that. He clarified that the project would be an Elseworlds story, independent, stylistically distinct, and creatively free.
Instead of trying to impose a single timeline on all the Batman-related projects, Gunn is letting them co-exist, each with its own tone, audience, and purpose. So while ‘The Brave and the Bold’ is still a mystery, the bigger picture is obvious.
Batman is not in a hurry; he is being guarded. And after years of uneven planning, that patience might finally be DC’s secret weapon.
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