James Gunn and Peter Safran have officially announced that The Brave and the Bold will introduce a new Batman into the DCU, confirming that actor Robert Pattinson will not reprise his role in this new universe. During a DC Studios presentation covered by IGN, the co-chiefs clarified that Pattinson's Batman will remain exclusive to director Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga.

“It's certainly not the plan,” Gunn stated firmly regarding the possibility of Pattinson crossing over into the DCU. Safran added, “And we love him, but we've got to introduce a Batman into the DCU. That's imperative. And so that's the plan with The Brave and the Bold.” This announcement quells earlier speculation, fueled by Reeves himself, who had hinted at the possibility of Pattinson playing Batman across the DCU.

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Reeves, speaking to reporter Josh Horowitz at the Golden Globes, explained, “It really comes down to whether or not it makes sense. What’s been great is there was a story that I wanted to tell with what we’re calling The Epic Crime Saga and all that, which is the thrust of what we want to do. And it’s been important to me to be able to play that out. And James and Peter have been really, really great about that and they’re letting us do that. What the future brings? I can’t really tell you. I have no idea right now except that my head is down now about getting The Batman Part 2 shooting and to make it something really, really special which, of course, is the most important thing.”

Safran expressed enthusiasm for Reeves’ vision for The Batman Part 2, noting that both he and Gunn “love” the project and are eagerly anticipating its release. He mentioned that while Reeves has yet to submit a script, the portions they've seen are promising.

The Brave and the Bold is currently in "very active development," with the storyline progressing well. Regarding the director, Safran stated that Gunn and he are working on the script and plan to present it to The Flash director Andy Muschietti “when we have it in a place where we think it's ready to go... and see if it's a fit for him.” Gunn emphasized his active involvement in the script's development. Safran hinted that more details about The Brave and the Bold will be shared “very soon.”

Last year, The Batman Part 2 faced another delay, pushing its release to October 1, 2027. This delay means a five-year gap between Pattinson’s debut as the Dark Knight and its sequel. When asked about how this might affect the release window for The Brave and the Bold, Safran cryptically responded, “Well, I think we've announced October, 2027 there will be a Batman movie. That is all we can tell you right now.”

While fans await The Brave and the Bold to see Gunn's interpretation of Batman, a brief glimpse of the character was offered in Episode 6 of Creature Commandos. The image showed Batman on a rooftop, observing crime boss Doctor Phosphorus. This portrayal was intentionally generic, as Gunn requested “more silhouette” to keep the character's design ambiguous for now.

Batman in Creature Commandos. Image credit: Max.

Gunn explained to Rotten Tomatoes TV that this glimpse of Batman confirms his established presence within the DCU during the events of Creature Commandos and this year’s Superman movie. He noted that Batman is well-known within this universe, eliminating the need to retell his origin story.

Additionally, Gunn hinted at future collaborations, stating, “This is the DCU Batman. Listen I gotta tell you, I just love Batman. I love him. I've loved him since I was a little kid. He's one of my favorite characters. I've gone on the record in the past when I was at Marvel saying my favorite character is Batman. I love him and we're going to do great things with him. He's the most popular superhero in the world and I can't wait for people to see more of him, along with Superman, and together.”