2026 Has Proven James Gunn’s DCU Doesn’t Need Its Own Batman

The DC Universe is still without its own Batman, but 2026 has just proven it doesn’t need one. Chapter One of the DC Universe is still in its relative infancy, though several upcoming projects are said to change that. Be it the consequential story of Lanterns or the next big installment in James Gunn’s Superman saga, Man of Tomorrow, the DCU is only set to expand in the coming years. Naturally, that leads many to wonder when big DC characters like Wonder Woman and Batman will get their own upcoming DC movies.

As of right now, only unsubstantiated rumors and offhand comments by James Gunn indicate that something is in the works involving these characters. Where Batman is concerned, there is seemingly still a Brave and the Bold movie in development by Andy Muschietti, but little to no updates of note have been provided on this in recent years. All that being said, Batman is simply too popular a character not to be included in the DCU’s new era; sooner rather than later, someone will be cast as Gotham’s Dark Knight in the DC Universe, but 2026 has proven this unnecessary.

One of the biggest winners of 2026 is Robert Pattinson, who is still DC’s only live-action Batman after the release of 2022’s The Batman. Pattinson will reprise his role in 2028 for The Batman – Part II, with his astounding success in recent years proving that another version of the character isn’t needed. In 2026 alone, Pattinson has appeared in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed The Odyssey, which grossed over $1 billion. At the end of the year, he will appear in Dune: Part Three, the conclusion of the massively popular trilogy that could well cross the same milestone.

Beyond these well-received behemoth movies, Pattinson has found and will continue to find success in smaller, yet no less acclaimed dramas. The Drama was a surprising hit for A24, with Pattinson’s performance being described as a career highlight. In September 2026, Pattinson will star in Primetime, another movie that is catching early buzz for the actor’s portrayal of Chris Hansen. All of these movies could realistically lead to Academy Award nominations for Pattinson, especially Primetime, with two of them sure to end 2026 as some of the year’s biggest movies commercially.

Evidently, Robert Pattinson’s movies have been influential in 2026. DC has always had high-profile actors playing Batman, but none have ever been in the role at the same time as so many high-profile success stories in such a short time period. Pattinson has solidified himself as one of the biggest movie stars in the world and one of the industry’s best actors to boot. Why would DC need to cast another actor as Batman when said actor is right there and ready to make two more movies, with the only added benefit being the former’s DC Universe connections?

The Batman Should Be DC’s Only Dark Knight Franchise For A While

Image via MovieStillsDB

With Pattinson’s immense recent success as reason number one, it becomes clear that The Batman should be the only franchise centered on the character for a while. Beyond the advent of having Pattinson in the role for at least another half-decade, Batman is undoubtedly the genre’s most oversaturated superhero. Many actors have played Batman across several franchises since the 1980s, making the hero easily the most popular in the world of live-action. Of these, it can be argued that there have only been two iterations, discounting Pattinson’s, that were truly great: Michael Keaton’s and Christian Bale’s.

Batman is a character who, aside from Tim Burton’s first two movies and Nolan’s trilogy, the last movie of which is still criticized, has proven difficult for Hollywood to get right. The Batman did not have this issue, however, becoming a hit with both critics and audiences and leading many to eagerly await more Pattinson-led films in Matt Reeves’ so-called Batman Epic Crime Saga. Of course, the DC Universe has the chance to succeed alongside The Batman, but it shouldn’t even be attempted.

Having two Batmen coexist would be simply too much, especially given how oversaturated the character has already been before this point. This would only cause one to detract from the other, rather than allow audiences to focus entirely on one iteration. As alluded to, one iteration is already there, has proven to be a successful take on the character, and features a lead actor who is taking the world by storm. Instead, the DC Universe should focus on wider Batman characters, leaving Pattinson as the brand’s one and only Dark Knight for a while.

In October 2026, the DCU will release Clayface, a Gotham-centric movie focused on the titular Batman villain. This is a refreshing take on the Batman mythos, allowing the DCU to still explore the characters of Gotham uniquely. There are many other Gotham characters that the DCU could feature to both give lesser-served characters more time in the spotlight and still capitalize on Batman-adjacent lore. That way, not only would the DCU continue the welcome change of focusing on DC characters that have not been shown much in live-action, but it would allow the brand to fully capitalize on Pattinson’s tenure as Batman.

The Batman’s Delays Ironically Prove The DCU Doesn’t Need A Batman

Ironically, another factor to support the argument that the DCU doesn’t need its own Batman is the delays that have plagued The Batman – Part II. One would think that a movie continually being delayed from 2025 to 2026, 2027, and, ultimately, 2028, would be cause for concern, thus weakening excitement for the sequel. However, the complete opposite is true. The Batman was so revered by both audiences and critics that anticipation has simply not wavered for the sequel, especially after the success of The Penguin in 2024.

Somehow, The Batman – Part II will be released six years after the original film with more hype than the latter had. This goes to show just how much excitement there is about Pattinson’s iteration of Batman and the potential Reeves can draw from this gothic, noir-inspired version of the character. If the sequel ends up being as good as, if not better, its predecessor, audiences won’t want another Batman. The DCU is unlikely to recapture this same level of anticipation and, with Pattinson’s star status as a leading factor, should leave Gotham to him and Reeves.

Robert Pattinson’s Batman Could Benefit Both The DCU & Elseworlds

Image via Everett Collection

Assuming the DCU doesn’t introduce its own Batman until Pattinson’s trilogy is finished, there is a way both franchises could benefit. If Reeves is allowed time to finish his trilogy as he originally envisioned it, Pattinson, as the only Batman, could become an all-time great as the character, bolstered by his other successful projects. By that time, the DC Universe will likely be firmly established, likely as a multiverse given the concept’s big focus in the comics, possibly paving the way for Pattinson to transition from the Epic Crime Saga to Gunn’s franchise.

This way, DC would have the best of both worlds; The Batman Saga could finish the grounded story Reeves had planned and capitalize on Pattinson’s popularity while the DCU tells intriguing, original stories about Gotham’s other characters. Then, Pattinson could be included in a more traditionally “comic-booky” way in the DCU, perhaps even as an older mentor to that franchise’s version of the hero further down the line. This way, a DC Universe Batman wouldn’t be necessary until Pattinson’s time was done, offering a singular, exciting roadmap for Gotham’s Caped Crusader.

Release Date

March 4, 2022

Runtime

176 minutes