Summary
By now, anyone even mildly tuned into superhero cinema is aware of the ruckus surroundingThe Batman: Part 2.Once positioned as the crown jewel follow-up to DC’s most celebrated recent success (2022’sThe Batman), the sequel has gradually morphed into an attritional battle of patience between the trio of Warner Bros., Matt Reeves, and an increasingly restless DC faithful.
Quick recap: in the past seven months,The Batman: Part 2has been delayed thrice,and its main star, Robert Pattinson, is already in talks to feature inDune 3,which shoots this summer—close to the period he should be filming in the cape and cowl. Worse, Reeves is yet to submit the first draft of a script. Although the director and studio executives have repeatedly attempted to calm fans' fears about the film’s cancellation, it seems now, more than ever, that it could and, more importantly, should, take place.
The Batman: Part 2Should Be Canceled In Favor Of The DCU Batman Films
What’s Better Than Two Batmen? One Batman
“ShouldThe Batman: Part 2be canceled in favor of the DCU Batman?” is a question that must now be asked, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. An obvious perk of this unsavory option is that it solves the franchise dilemma. He may be Batman, but the general audience has other heroes and genres at their disposal, and thus are not all too familiar with the concept of parallel Batmen from different sub-franchises, at least for now.
To be fair, the long gap betweenThe BatmanandThe Batman: Part 2is unlikely to hurt the latter’s box office performance. IfAvatar: The Way of Water’s eleven-year gap is any lesson, it may be the opposite—anticipation can endure. But there’s a crucial difference: audiences must see THE Batman, not just a Batman. If multiple versions are simultaneously active, it leaves the thought of “it’s just another Caped Crusader” in potential viewers.
At best, fans should hope for the lesser of two evils—subsuming “Battinson” into James Gunn’s DC Universe. There are obvious issues with this idea, not leastPattinson’s age of 38 years, which frustrates the idea of a long-haul Batman and the incompatibility of the grim “Reevesverse” with the vibrancy of the DCU. But if Marvel Studios can find a way to not only resurrect Wolverine and team him with Deadpool, but consolidate both under the MCU umbrella, DC Studios executives James Gunn and Peter Safran could surely find a way.
A Behind-the-Scenes Stand-Off Between Matt Reeves and Warner Bros. or DC Studios Executives Is Not Impossible
Ostensibly, the relationship between Reeves and Warner Bros., along with Gunn and Safran, remains warm. In mid-April, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, heads of the latter company, subtly reaffirmed the resolve of the studio in Reeves and his sequel project with the words:
We’re not in the weeds on the Batman stuff. It’s really James and Peter Safran who run DC. We have a bit of other collaboration with Matt Reeves, but Peter and James know he is a writer-directing auteur in his own right, and that it will come when he’s written his best Batman script and is ready.
However, there’s some reason to believe that Reeves’ vision for the sequel might not be where David Zaslav’s, Gunn’s, and Safran’s lie. Warner Bros already has the infamy of interfering with directorial vision, and, though Reeves is known for his firm creative control, it’s not hard to imagine studio leaders asking for adjustments to avoid anotherJoker: Folie à Deux. If Reeves is indeed being nudged toward a compromise, it would explain why there’s so muchback-and-forth withThe Batman: Part 2’s script. And if history is any guide, even a successful first installment isn’t enough to guarantee a filmmaker’s creative freedom. Just ask Sam Raimi,whoseSpider-Man 4never went forward after studio disagreements derailed development, despite his trilogy’s massive success.
Realistically,The BatmanIs Best Left As A Standalone Modern Masterpiece
Remember What Happened WhenJokerSpawned A Sequel?
Post-Christopher Nolan’sDark Knight Trilogy, the Batman mantle has struggled to maintain mainstream cohesion. Ben Affleck’s version failed to capture the same cultural momentum, and while Pattinson’s interpretation brought critical respect, it did so within a deliberately isolated narrative. Many fans, short of hardcore Batman fans, have shown more lasting faith in Batman as part of solo prestige films rather than franchise-laden ones. All this is to say: the further the “Batmanverse” spreads, the more likely it is to fall into the same trap asJoker: Folie à Deuxdid. MaybeThe Batmanshould be like the 2019Jokermovie—aone-off Elseworlds storylinethat produced a character learning his way around his newfound identity.
What does this hold for a possibleThe Penguinseason 2?Nothing.IfThe PenguinSeason 2 does happen, it can carry on as the preceding season did—a spin-off TV show without Gotham’s Knight. Oz Cobb is the new kingpin of the city, which is a recipe for villain-on-villain exchange. There are still some of Gotham’s worst yet unleashed. Black Mask, for example, would be a good start. There’s no need to worry about a Batman-less show, as viewing statistics and reviews have already proved with the first season.
No Matter What Happens WithThe Batman: Part 2, Matt Reeves Still Deserves A Spot In The DCU
It’s 2025, which means it’s safe to assume that most folks agree with Reeves being a superb filmmaker, fit for anything dark and grim. Knowing this, Warner Bros. and DC Studios would be in the wrong to let him go shouldThe Batman: Part 2be binned. Gunn would likely love to have a creative mind like his in the DCU, perhaps handling Gotham-based projects. It won’t beBatman: The Brave and the Bold,though, unless Andy Muschietti is somehow booted as director.
