Is There Too Much Batman? Do We Need Two Batman Movies?

Is There Too Much Batman? Do We Need Two Batman Movies? 

Over the last few weeks we’ve gotten several updates on the future of Batman movies. The Batman: Part II got delayed to October 2027. Andy Muschetti’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold likely isn’t coming out for a while. All of this raised the question, do we have too much Batman? Is having two different Batman franchises at the same time a bad idea? Here’s my thoughts! 

Is There Too Much Batman?

• This has sort of been a debate ever since James Gunn was announced as the new head of DC. People were wondering what the future of Robert Pattinson’s Batman would be. A few months later James Gunn announced his DCU and said that Robert Pattinson’s Batman is labeled as DC Elseworlds. It’s its own thing that’s disconnected from Gunn’s DCU. A lot of people (like myself) were very excited about that news. I loved The Batman. It was my favorite movie of 2022 and it’s my favorite movie of the decade. I was glad that James Gunn was leading Matt Reeves to do his own thing. Gunn announced that his DCU would feature an entirely new Batman. His version will feature Robin and focus on the Bat-Family. I liked that announcement that it was a new take on Batman. Overall, I don’t mind that we’re getting two different versions of Batman at the same time. Maybe I’m biased since Batman is my favorite fictional character of all time. I grew up loving Batman, he was my gateway into fandom and pop culture. I think since they’re two totally different takes on the character, that’s ok. One is leaning more into the detective side of the character, one is leaning into the more ensemble side of the character. 

• With having two Batman universes going on, it does raise the question. Will the audience be confused that we’re getting two different Batman? Honestly, I don’t think audiences will be confused. When I say audiences, I mean the casual movie fan. Everybody that follows movie news and in the conversations on social media. They’ll know that Muschetti’s Batman and Reeves’ Batman are totally separate things. But will the average movie fan watch the trailer for Batman: The Brave and the Bold and go “wait I thought Robert Pattinson was Batman?”. Maybe. But I think people are used to having multiple superhero franchises going on at the same time. Back in 2012 when The Amazing Spider-Man came out, most people knew Andrew Garfield was not a part of the MCU. They knew that Hugh Jackman was not connected to Garfield or the MCU. In 2013, audiences knew that Man of Steel wasn’t in the same universes as The Dark Knight Rises. Jump forward six years, it’s very clear that Joker is not in the DCEU. Joker was marketed and presented as its own thing and audiences were able to figure that out. If the movie is marketed right and shows how to throw the tone this movie is different. The average movie fan can watch the trailer for Superman (2025) and guess based on it’s tone, vibe, and having Krypto that it’s disconnected from The Batman. The Batman very much feels like it's a pocket universe thing. It has such a distinct tone that feels like David Fincher’s Se7en and Zodiac. The trailer for Superman (2025) very much feels like it’s more comic booky and more fantastical then anything from The Batman. I think audiences are smart enough to figure out that just because they’re both DC movies doesn’t mean they’re tied together.

• I can see why some people might raise this question and view it as a concern. I don’t think it’ll hurt the movies. If this was the first time we were having multiple superhero franchises going on at the same time, maybe there could be concerns. But audiences are used to this for a while now. Honestly, I’m happy that we’re getting multiple Batman franchises. I think it provides freshness to the genre. While I love the MCU and the genre, I’d like studios not to have everything be connected to one another. If we get an announcement saying that Robert Pattinson’s Batman will be the DCU’s Batman, I’ll be mad. What makes The Batman work so well so that it’s a detective story that’s grounded. It’s not about these fantastical villains, the threat that Riddler is posing feels very grounded and real. That’s what makes the movie scary and thrilling. As soon as they say this is the same universe as Superman and Krypto, it cheapens this movie. On a personal level, I do not want Robert Pattinson and David Cornswet to cross paths on the big screen.