James Gunn’s DCU Batman Will Differ From ‘The Batman’ in 2 Key Ways (Report)

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While both are Batman films, The Brave and the Bold will be quite different from The Batman: Part 2. Announced almost three years ago as part of James Gunn’s DC Universe, The Brave and the Bold will feature a more seasoned Batman who already leads an established Bat-Family. This contrasts sharply with Matt Reeves’ The Batman series, which will continue with its second installment scheduled for release on October 1, 2027.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Christina Hodson, who wrote The Flash, will also be writing The Brave and the Bold for DC Studios. She’s been working on the project since at least last fall. This adds to the existing team, which includes director Andy Muschietti, who previously directed versions of Batman in The Flash.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new Batman being developed for the DC Universe will be noticeably different from Matt Reeves’ The Batman films. The goal is to create a separate style and atmosphere so the two versions don’t feel the same.

Viewers got a first look at Gotham City in the DC Universe’s Creature Commandos. The city’s design is dark and gothic, strongly inspired by comic books, and features its famous gargoyle statues prominently.

DC Studios is expanding its live-action Gotham universe with the film Clayface, scheduled for release on September 11, 2026. Last year, filming in Liverpool, UK, offered a first glimpse at the look and feel of Batman’s iconic city.

The Clayface LEGO set also included a detailed map of Gotham City, revealing 43 key locations from the Batman universe, such as Wayne Manor, Ace Chemical, and Arkham Asylum, giving fans a closer look at the DCU world.

Why Fans Don’t Need to Worry About DC Studios’ Batman Reboot 

Okay, so here’s the deal with the upcoming The Brave and the Bold. It’s going to be a pretty significant shift from The Batman we saw a couple of years ago. We’re talking about a Batman who’s been at this for a while – a seasoned pro, really – and he’s already built up a whole Bat-Family. That’s a big departure from Robert Pattinson’s version, who was just starting out, only two years into his career as a crime fighter, and didn’t even have a Robin yet. It feels like we’re jumping ahead in the timeline and seeing a much more established Dark Knight.

The new Brave and the Bold movie will have a completely new creative team. Andy Muschietti and Christina Hodson, who worked together on The Flash, are set to write and direct the reboot. James Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-CEOs of DC Studios, are expected to produce. Matt Reeves, the director of The Batman, might also be a producer, as he’s involved with this year’s DCU film, Clayface.

Although some people are worried about Andy Muschietti and Barbara Hodson being involved, considering the negative reaction to their film The Flash, there’s still reason to be hopeful. Muschietti has demonstrated his directing talent with the successful It movies and the HBO series It: Welcome to Derry. The Flash seems like a one-time misstep rather than a sign of a continuing problem with his work.

Hodson has become a go-to writer for big franchises, including the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee, the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean reboot with a female lead, and Fast X: Part 2. She’s also worked on several DC projects, writing Birds of Prey and the ultimately cancelled Batgirl and Batman Beyond sequels. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the script for Batman Beyond was well-received within the studio, despite the project being shelved.

It’s still unknown when The Brave and the Bold will be released, but James Gunn recently explained two reasons for the delay. According to The Hollywood Reporter, DC Studios wants to avoid releasing it too close to The Batman 2, giving that film enough time to succeed. This likely means The Brave and the Bold won’t come out until at least late 2028 or 2029, leaving at least a year between the two Batman-focused movies.

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2026-02-11 23:05