Should "Battinson" Be James Gunn's De Facto DCU Batman?

Robert Pattinson’s Batman, aka "Battinson", has very quickly become a fan favorite that fans and audiences are in dire anticipation to see on the silver screen again as soon as possible. While fans wait for the next installment in Matt Reeves’s The Batman Epic Crime Saga, there is a ton of online speculation and discussion about whether Pattinson’s Dark Knight could/will ever meet David Corenswet’s Superman and James Gunn's wider DCU. There is one hurdle blocking this much wanted merger, and that is the fact there is another Batman movie, tentatively titled The Brave and The Bold, by The Flash (2023) director Andy Muschietti. That film is in the writing stages for the DCU and is set to feature an older Caped Crusader and his fourth Robin/his real son Damien Wayne. 

So, if there is a Batman in early development for James Gunn’s DC Universe featuring an old Batman vs Pattinson’s Year 2 iteration, why do fans keep insisting that there will be a merging of Reeves's and Gunn’s universes? Well, let’s discuss the pros and cons of having Robert Pattinson as the DCU’s Batman.

PROS

There’s a dichotomy that exists in the comics between the grimness of Batman compared to his more colorful contemporaries. This aspect of the character has never been explored in film as he has either been one or the other on his own. Whether it’s the campiness of Adam West, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Lego Batman, or the darkness and grit of the Tim Burton and Zack Snyder films, or the realism of the Christopher Nolan trilogy, Batman doesn’t have to be one or the other. In his own films/Gotham-centric stories, he can be more in line with The Batman’s characterization, then when he interacts with other heroes, he can be lighter in tone. This contrast of a dark Batman and a Victorian, gothic Gotham that’s in the same universe as comic book-ish nonsense such as Superman, Hawkgirl, dimensional imps, etc. would be fun to see in live-action. 

The easiest answer as to why Battinson should be the DCU’s Batman is simplicity. There would only be one Batman instead of having multiple cinematic takes that could cover similar ground. For example, in Matt Reeves’s saga, it seems clear that they are going to give Battinson a Robin since it would disrupt Bruce’s life and be an interesting arc to give Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne at this point in his life/career. 

However, there is currently The Brave and The Bold, which promises a Batman and Robin story that would tread the same tracks. Though no story is confirmed for the film at this time, it seemingly would follow a Bruce that has to deal with letting his blood-related son be his partner in crime. If both films were to be made and feature Robin, it would mean that there would be two Batman franchises running concurrently that may be at opposite ends of the Cape Crusader’s timeline but would ultimately have too similar elements to one another. Plus, there are already fans of Reeves and Pattinson’s version of the character, so DC wouldn’t have to build trust with the audience on a whole new version of the character.

CONS

It would compromise Matt Reeves’s artistic vision. If you watch/listen to any interview with Matt Reeves about his take on Batman and his mythos, it’s clear he has a strong vision for how he wants his Batman saga to play out. That vision, as of what we know now, seemingly doesn’t include fantastical elements such as aliens or interdimensional portals. 

This doesn’t discount the idea of a merger for certain. If Matt Reeves is willing to merge if he sees a way to make it work while maintaining his contained story, then we’re all for it. What made The Batman so good was Reeves’s vision, so it’s ultimately up to him whether his Batman can crossover with the wider DCU.

No one else can shoot the Batman suit quite like Greig Fraser. The movie is incredible on all fronts, but what makes The Batman succeed is its cinematography. Fraser did so much to bring this Gotham to life visually that it’s impossible to see anyone else attempt to replicate what he did. No one would shoot on the same broken lenses, no one else would light the scenes the same way in order to make the suit look like that; it just wouldn’t be the same. Look, as an example, at the current conversation about who should shoot The Batman: Part 2 as it’s speculated Fraser may not return due to scheduling.

People have thrown a ton of names out there, and they are naming great cinematographers such as Roger Deakins for example, but the video above presents great cinematographers, but mentions styles that go against Fraser’s anamorphic look he went with for The Batman, especially Deakins, who doesn’t shoot anamorphic. All these options would be completely different from what Reeves and Fraser built in The Batman.