Having Two Batmen Will Be A Headache For James Gunn And DCU Fans

James Gunn has decided not to use Robert Pattinson’s Batman in his DC Universe, a decision that has proved divisive among fans. It’s a bold decision considering how many people already know him in that role, and it means there will be two Batmen at the same time.

The DCU is in a critical phase right now, with Gunn looking to restart the franchise in a bid to make it work. However, there is a lot of work to be done for this to be a success, and Batman is going to play a significant role in making that happen.

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James Gunn’s Batman Decision Has Proven To Be Confusing

From the moment that Gunn took over the DCU, it was clear he would be putting a lot of focus on getting the franchise to its fullest potential. Considering their popularity as characters, Batman and Superman were always going to be the focal point, and while a new Superman was being cast, most fans felt that Pattinson was Batman’s natural choice. Surprisingly, Gunn has opted not to make that choice and has decided to cast someone completely new for the role, but that’s something that is going to create a lot of confusion that will not benefit the DCU in the long term.

It was a strange decision to make considering the fact that The Batman was a major hit with fans and critics. The movie has a 7.8/10 score on IMDb and boasts an 85% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Therefore, it’s clear that people enjoyed what they saw. It was a dark take on Batman, but that’s something that worked, and it’s easy to see how the tone of that movie could work in a wider franchise because it provides something so different and unique. On top of that, this world has other established characters, such as Colin Farrell’s Penguin, who is a villain that has proven to be very popular and would have attracted more people to the DCU.

Batman Fans Are Going To Compare Them

The Batman Part II is already confirmed, which means there is going to be at least one more movie with Pattinson inside the suit. This is likely going to come out around the same time as the DCU version, regardless of who Gunn casts. That is setting up the movie industry for a lot of confusion as the general audience is bound to compare these movies and the performances of the actors themselves. Given that Pattinson has already proven himself to be compelling in this role, it places a lot of pressure on whoever steps up for the DCU. This also puts Gunn’s franchise in a risky spot because if The Batman Part II ends up being the stronger of the two films, it will lead to

Not only are fans going to compare them but there’s a serious risk of causing burnout within the Batman franchise here. Having consistent Batman movies being released that aren’t connected could lead to audiences becoming bored of this content. People want Batman stories, but having multiple ones at the same time is going to be problematic. Casual audiences could end up being confused about which story is happening in which movie, and rather than everyone focusing on the DCU, it is going to split the focus.

James Gunn Is Risking One Of DCU’s Biggest Intellectual Properties

The DCU itself is something that needs a lot of work right now. There’s a lot of mistrust in the franchise when it comes to the overall quality and whether everything is going to flow together, and that’s why Gunn’s Batman choice is so puzzling. The fact that he’s making a decision that is guaranteed to confuse fans seems like a backward step, and considering the damage it could cause to the DCU, it is hard to understand why this choice is being made. Fans want to invest completely in the Batman franchise, not have another one running along simultaneously, which could be even better than whatever Gunn and his team can come up with.

It doesn’t matter how many times Gunn tries to convince people that his Batman decision is a positive one; the simple fact is that it creates a chaotic situation for one of the most iconic characters in movie history. Batman is larger than the DCU as he’s a pop culture icon, and the decision to potentially mess with that is something that is leaving people confused. It’s something that could have a huge impact if it doesn’t go to plan, as it won’t be possible to simply refresh things again or change the decision. Gunn should be tapping into what already exists in a bid to keep things flowing as simply as possible, but instead, he is making Batman the most confusing character in the superhero genre moving forward.

Batman

Created by

Bob Kane, Bill Finger

First Film

Batman: The Movie

Upcoming Films

The Batman – Part II