After the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) merger last year, significant transformations unfolded within the company, resulting in the succession of Walter Hamada, the former head of DC. Consequently, WBD welcomed James Gunn, the highly regarded director celebrated for his work on Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Following this development, Gunn was designated the fresh new leader of DC Studios, with whom he currently shares leadership duties alongside Peter Safran.
Related: Report: DC Gets Rid Of “Snyderverse”, ‘Justice League’ for Good
Credit: Keith Christensen
The New DC Universe Under James Gunn
Presently, as part of the DC Universe’s (DCU) fresh Chapter One – Gods and Monsters, James Gunn is gearing up for a significant reimagining of the former DCEU, with the intention of more-or-less starting totally anew, after the events of Ezra Miller-led The Flash (2023). The most information available currently pertains to the new DCU’s inaugural film, Superman: Legacy, a project that Gunn has already written just before the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike presently impacting Hollywood.
Credit: DC / Warner Bros.
Related: DC’s Choice of Robin for Upcoming ‘Batman’ Reboot Questioned by Fans
While details about the storyline of Superman: Legacy remain limited, what has been revealed is that it will portray a younger Clark Kent as he grapples with his role as Superman. The casting speculation surrounding the lead role of Superman/Clark Kent and his partner Lois Lane ran rampant for a while — until recently when it was disclosed that David Corenswet (Hollywood) and Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) would be taking on these roles respectively. DC next-biggest symbol is about to undergo a massive re-envisioning, as the next hero on Gunn’s docket.
Batman’s History as a DC Symbol
The Batman legacy is a long and lasting one.
Credit: Warner Bros.
The character of Batman, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939, made his debut in the DC Comics “Detective Comic #27”. A vigilante fighting crime in Gotham City without superhuman powers, Bruce Wayne relies on intellect and gadgets (and his vast fortune). Batman’s early adventures introduced iconic characters like orphan sidekick Robin, loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth, nemesis The Joker, and antihero love interest Catwoman/Selina Kyle. In the 1960s, the Adam West TV show gave him a campier image, but the character returned to his dark roots in the 1980s with Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns”. Batman continued to evolve in modern comics with famous storylines like “The Killing Joke.”
Credit: Warner Bros.
Batman’s legacy overall is rather profound, symbolized by his iconic bat logo, recognized worldwide. His success extends to various media, from films like the Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy starring Christian Bale, to Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher’s Michael Keaton-led series, to video games like Warner Bros.’ Arkham series, animated shows like Batman: The Animated Series (1992), and beyond. Batman’s supporting characters, including Alfred, Robin, Barbara Gordon/Oracle and Commissioner Gordon, are beloved. His iconic rogues’ gallery featuring colorful characters like the Penguin, Mister Freeze, Two Face/Harvey Dent, the Riddler, the Scarecrow, and of course, the Joker.
Batman himself remains an intriguing symbol of both darkness and light, resonating with diverse audiences and leaving an enduring impact on popular culture. The major DC symbol might just be departing the DC Universe though, if recent reports are to be believed.
Credit: Inside the Magic
Is DC’s Batman Scrapped For Good?
Known insider source CanWeGetSomeToast recently reported that Gunn and Safran’s DC Studios are set to be rather cutthroat in their approach to the DCU’s Caped Crusader.
As it stands, DC Universe is reported to be continuing on without the presence of Bruce Wayne AKA Batman, as two Batman cameos originally slated for upcoming Aquaman 2/Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) have allegedly been fully scrapped. This indicates that the DC Universe timeline will do without these iterations of the Dark Knight, with Zack Snyder’s DCEU Batman played by Ben Affleck (and any subsequent connections to that universe), likely Michael Keaton’s variant seemingly “removed for good”:
Apologies for the poor choice of words!
BOTH Bruce Wayne/Batman cameos are still REMOVED for GOOD from #AquamanAndTheLostKingdom. Nothing has changed since the test screenings. Do NOT expect to see any overarching connections to the DCEU at large.
(quoted) Sorry to say that nothing has changed and they kept BOTH of the Bruce Waynes removed for GOOD in #AquamanAndTheLostKingdom.
Apologies for the poor choice of words!
BOTH Bruce Wayne/Batman cameos are still REMOVED for GOOD from #AquamanAndTheLostKingdom. Nothing has changed since the test screenings. Do NOT expect to see any overarching connections to the DCEU at large. https://t.co/nKdOmtK7vo
— CanWeGetSomeToast (@CanWeGetToast) September 17, 2023
It will definitely come as a blow to DC fans who have been invested in the DC Studios film franchise over the years. At the end of the day, how far DC plans to erase the existing Batman presence will have to be seen. With Robert Pattinson set to return in director Matt Reeves’ The Batman 2, it definitely seems like Gunn is working to ensure that future Batman variants remain firmly under his and Safran’s DCU thumb.
Do you think DC cutting these Batman cameos in Aquaman 2 was a good idea? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The Caped Crusader as film fans might know him is reportedly getting scrapped from an upcoming film and the DC Universe as a whole. Read More