James Gunn Responds To Fans Wanting Robert Pattinson’s…

Summary

Many fans want Robert Pattinson as DCU's Batman, but James Gunn hints at casting a different actor.
Gunn's plan to cast a new Batman besides Pattinson might lead to confusion among fans.
Fans loved Pattinson's performance in The Batman and seek character-driven storytelling in the DCU.

Some fans want Robert Pattinson's Batman to be featured in the DC Universe (DCU). James Gunn responded to a question about the matter on social media.

Gunn and Peter Safran rebooted the DCEU (DC Extended Universe). They are expected to cast younger actors for their most popular superhero characters. They have already cast David Corenswet as the new Superman, replacing Henry Cavill. Fans are looking forward to who will be the next Batman and Wonder Woman. Gunn previously said that Pattinson is "very unlikely" to be DCU's Batman. He didn't rule out the possibility of him appearing in the DCU, but he clearly hinted that they would cast another actor for the role. However, despite his statement, some fans are adamant about having Pattinson as DCU's Batman.

One fan shared an article from Dexerto with the headline "Robert Pattinson should be the DCU' ’s Batman and this is why" on Threads. The online user tagged Gunn and asked him to read it because the "Internet is buzzing with this topic!" He added, "All of us DC fans want this (And I think you too)." Gunn gave a brief but straightforward response, writing, "'All' would seem to be pushing it." It turned out that Gunn is obviously in the right here, as not everyone loves the idea of Pattinson's Batman in the DCU. Another online user commented on the thread and said they were also a DC fan, but they didn't want the idea of Pattinson being DCU's new Dark Knight after watching Creature Commandos. The fan said, "Battinson would f**king die within a week in the DCU," considering Clayface and Dr. Phosphorus' performances.

James Gunn Seems Adamant To Not Have Robert Pattinson's Batman In The Mainline DCU

With Gunn planning to cast another actor as DCU's Batman, there is a chance that there will be two different Batmen at once. This will be confusing to some fans and could be trouble for Gunn. Alas, this is likely to happen, especially because the sequel to Pattinson's Batman movie is taking so long to come to fruition. The Batman Part II was initially set for release on October 2, 2025. However, Warner Bros. Decided to delay it to October 2, 2026, and eventually pushed it back again to October 1, 2027. Gunn said the five-year gap was "fairly common in sequels." He noted that other movies take longer for sequels to be developed, like 13 years between Avatars and 36 years between Top Guns.

Fans requesting Pattinson to be DCU's Batman is a strong indication that they loved his performance in The Batman. They loved the gritty, grounded, and emotionally rich version of the character, in contrast to the fantastical interpretations in the previous movies. Its visual and tonal consistency felt authentic, and many want to bring that into the broader DCU. Having Pattinson as DCU's Batman could also help avoid confusion, as this suggests there will only be one face to represent The Dark Knight. However, Gunn has already said that Pattinson's Batman exists in a DC Elseworlds timeline and is separate from the core DCU. Also, Matt Reeves and Pattinson are committed to standalone storytelling, which might not mesh with a shared cinematic universe. It might not be easy to align Reeves and Pattinson's Batman with Gunn's plan for DCU, but the request only shows fans' intense yearning for character-driven storytelling. Hopefully, Gunn will consider this for their Batman projects in the future.

The Batman Part II will hit theaters on October 1, 2027.