The Batman is one of DC’s biggest hits in years, both in of reception and box office, and yet it strangely repeats a Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy problem. As the DCEU’s future is still uncertain as Warner Bros. Discovery reevaluates the franchise, Matt Reeves’ The Batman remains as a strong take on the iconic DC character with a sequel and a spinoff show already confirmed. That said, The Batman came to be in a moment of transition for the DCEU, which raises the question of how DC can use Robert Pattinson’s Batman success to the benefit of its shared universe plans – if at all.
While it was easy to assume that Warner Bros. would have new plans for the DC brand following the Discovery merger, Batgirl, but most importantly, the movie reportedly did not fit into the studios’ new plan for the DCEU. Given that criteria, it is interesting to ponder The Batman’s situation, which, in theory, does not belong to a shared universe strategy.
Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and Matt Reeves’ The Batman share many similarities. They're both grounded, realistic takes on Batman that try to mix the superhero genre with other styles – such as crime drama and noir. Another similarity between the The Dark Knight Rises, DC sees itself with a similar issue, that is, Matt Reeves’ The Batman was designed as a standalone Batman movie with no ties to the DCEU – which makes it difficult for the success of Robert Pattinson’s Batman to be used in the making of a shared universe.
Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy Would've Never Lead To A DC Universe
The Avengers – a movie that concluded Marvel’s Phase 1 and cemented the MCU as one of the biggest and with most potential franchises in Hollywood. In theory, DC had all the ingredients to replicate Marvel Studios’ success during that time, except that its current Batman was part of a very self-contained story.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
The Batman’s Success Mirrors DC’s Nolan Dark Knight Problem
The Dark Knight Rises, DC’s second billion-dollar movie and the conclusion to the Dark Knight trilogy, was released less than a year after the critically panned The Batman and its planned sequel should be DC’s flagship franchise given how well received the first installment was, but how that would be combined with the other DC movies is the real challenge. Once again, DC cannot make the most of one of its best-received movies because that movie was not designed to be a part of a shared universe.
Will The Batman Be Part Of DC’s 10-Year Plan?
While Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav specifically mentioned Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios as an inspiration for the DCEU’s future, the mentioned 10-year plan for DC will not necessarily be a copy of Marvel’s “phases strategies”. Likewise, while Zaslav mentioned the word DCEU, The Batman will remain a highly valuable franchise for DC and WBD.
The Batman Should Start A New DC Universe (If Matt Reeves Wants It)
Should the DCEU ever go through a complete reboot, as in an entirely new DC universe that begins in the future – then Robert Pattinson’s Batman should be the face of it. The Batman is the less divisive, most solid DC project in years, and there would be no better way to kickstart a new DC universe than with a successful Batman. The Batman was grounded in reality and did not feature other superheroes, but there is nothing in the movie that necessarily prevents future The Batman sequels from adding fantastical elements. That said, The Batman should only serve as the start of another DC universe if Matt Reeves, The Batman's director, is on board with it. Robert Pattinson’s Batman was crafted specifically for Matt Reeves’ The Batman, meaning the director would have to have some sort of creative input should this version of the character ever be part of a larger DC franchise.
