Could Robert Pattinson’s Batman Joining the DCU Work?

DC Studios co-head James Gunn sparked considerable excitement recently by confirming he’s considered inserting Robert Pattinson’s Batman into his relaunched cinematic DC Universe. Now, The Batman director Matt Reeves has weighed in on the possibility of Pattinson becoming the DCU’s Dark Knight.

“It really comes down to whether it makes sense,” Reeves told Happy Sad Confused‘s Josh Horowitz. “There was a story I wanted to tell [with The Batman and the wider Bat-Verse]. The epic crime saga. It’s been important to me to play that out and James and [DC co-head] Peter [Safran] have been really great about that. They are letting us do that. What the future brings, I can’t really tell you.”

Obviously, Reeves isn’t implying that Pattinson’s Batman will join the DCU; he’s basically saying “anything is possible.” Gunn’s original comments amounted to the same (he even hinted he’s made his mind up not to have Pattinson reprise the role in the DCU). Even so, it’s fascinating to contemplate whether dropping Pattinson’s Batman into the DCU could work, and if could, whether it should happen.

The Case for Robert Pattinson’s Batman Joining the DCU

Certainly, there’s nothing about nu-DCU continuity as it stands preventing Pattinson from suiting up as the shared universe’s Batman. The Caped Crusader has only appeared twice in the overhauled DCU, both times in Creature Commandos Season 1. On these occasions, he’s cloaked in shadow and doesn’t speak. His likeness, voice, and costume remain undefined. So, Pattinson could easily slot in as Batman in the upcoming live-action movie The Brave and the Bold without upsetting the apple cart. Equally helpful: there’s currently no actor locked in to portray Gotham City’s pointy-eared protector in The Brave and the Bold, which means no awkward recasting snafu. As such, why not have Pattinson step up? If nothing else, it’s neater than having two Batmen competing on the big screen!

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Of course, there is a question of tone here. Reeves’ Bat-Verse is defined by its gritty, grounded take on the Bat-Mythos. It’s hard to imagine the characters and world depicted in The Batman and The Penguin existing alongside the more overtly comic book-y sensibilities of a project like Superman. The Brave and the Bold is no different in this respect; it’s set to partner the Dark Knight with his preteen sidekick, Robin – a team-up seemingly at odds with the Batman Reeves and Pattinson have developed. Yet Gunn has repeatedly insisted the DCU’s selling point will be its range of tones and genres, shifting gears from upbeat cape-and-tights fare to horror, adult comedy, and the like. So, in theory, this would allow Pattinson to present a different side of his Batman, who (like the actor himself) has room in the Batcave for the Boy Wonder.

The Case Against Robert Pattinson’s Batman Joining the DCU

Yet even accounting for the DCU’s tonal shifts between projects, Pattinson’s Batman still faces a major barrier to entry: canon. The Batman implicitly takes place in a world where costumed vigilantes aren’t commonplace. There’s zero indication that metahumans exist in this reality, either. That poses a problem for anyone trying to marry up Bat-Verse canon with that of the DCU, home to a whole superhero community, mythical island nations, and the like. On paper, they’re incompatible. Admittedly, continuity in the DCU is somewhat fluid. For example, some aspects of the legacy DC Extended Universe – The Suicide Squad and (most) of Peacemaker Season 1 – are still canon. So, there’s at least some wiggle room. Heck, Gunn could simply say that since nothing in The Batman or The Penguin outright contradicts the DCU’s status quo, there’s nothing to worry about.

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He could even retroactively declare The Batman the earliest entry on the DCU timeline (predating all its current superhuman shenanigans). Or he could play the multiverse card and present Pattinson’s DCU Dark Knight as a separate (but identical-looking and sounding) incarnation of DC’s iconic crime-fighter. That way, the DCU gets Pattinson’s Batman sans his existing baggage, and the Bat-Verse remains intact. It’s an easy fix, especially since Pattinson’s already technically playing an alternate universe Batman (The Batman and its spinoff and sequels are classed as non-canon Elseworlds outings). However, it would also further complicate things (two same-but-different Batmen?) at a time when the DCU is trying to woo back casual fans.

Should Robert Pattinson’s Batman Join the DCU?

Clearly, there are pros and cons to Robert Pattinson’s Batman joining the DCU – but yes, it could happen. The question then (to paraphrase Jurassic Park’s Ian Malcolm) is whether it should happen. Personally, I’m not convinced. Don’t get me wrong; Pattinson is great in the role and it’d be fun seeing how he recalibrated his existing take on the character for the DCU. What’s more, the prospect of him playing opposite David Corenswet’s Superman – or getting the Dynamic Duo partnership he’s so keen on – is undeniably intriguing. But ultimately, this would do more harm than good for both the DCU and the Bat-Verse.

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The DCU deserves its own, bespoke Batman, designed specifically for The Brave and the Bold‘s story. It also needs to come together as a cohesive shared universe. Orphaning in the Bat-Verse’s protagonist (and potentially, the Bat-Verse itself) would undermine this far more than any legacy DCEU overlap. It’s adding yet another fictional reality into the mix, and that’s messier than most folks can handle – even if it does keep the cinematic Caped Crusader quota low. Worse still, it risks diminishing the Bat-Verse’s standalone appeal. Presumably, Gunn knows all this, which is why he’s almost certainly decided that Robert Pattinson’s Batman joining the DCU doesn’t really work.

The first entry in James Gunn’s revamped DCU, Creature Commandos Season 1, is currently streaming on Max.