Alan Ritchson has openly stated he'd like to play Batman, and if his towering frame in Reacher is a resume to play the Caped Crusader, I'd say he's perfect for the job. It seems like James Gunn might agree, especially after a cagey response from the actor when he was asked whether he'd play the DC hero.

Ritchson was a guest on Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, in which the host brought up that Gunn is a big fan of the action star. Ritchson acknowledged the question and followed up with this:

Ok, then. For some reason, Alan Ritchson and James Gunn are speaking a lot. That feels like a big deal, especially since he's busy making Superman: Man of Tomorrow and overseeing other DC projects. Why exactly would he be making a good deal of time for Ritchson unless he was tied to that in some way?

It's a question Horowitz was understandably also curious about. He wanted to know if this was a confirmation that Ritchson is in conversations to play the DCU Batman, who is separate from Robert Pattinson's Batman. Or, he could be playing an entirely different character in the DC universe. All the actor could say was this:

If Alan Ritchson thought that was going to end the questions, he was wrong. Of course, people want any details about what he might be doing in the DCU, if anything.

Readers know by now that NDAs signed by actors and actresses associated with any upcoming superhero movie are pretty iron-clad. So there was no way this line of questioning was ever going to end with Ritchson detailing what these conversations were about and who he would be playing. What he did say, however, was this:

I think that's a smart response. The DCU, after all, is coming off a disappointing showing for Supergirl, but Superman was well-received. I think there's an understandable amount of caution being taken by Ritchson, and wanting to ensure he's not rushing too quickly into something that doesn't feel right.

Based on this final bit, however, it sounds like whatever is being discussed, the Reacher star feels good about it. Here's how he characterized the situation, and I would note the adjective he used for the future:

Ok, so, Alan Ritchson as Batman is confirmed? Of course, Josh Horowitz had to give one more try to get the actor to fess up. This final attempt sent me as, Ritchson continued to tease the host and audience with his responses:

• Josh: Do you have a character in mind that you're not going to tell me today?
• Alan: Yes.
• Josh: And it's not Batman?
• Alan: Look, the future is bright, and the horizons are broad, and anything is possible for any of us. You know?

I guess, in light of the recent news that The Batman: Part II was delayed yet again, this is something positive to look forward to. I do worry about how Warner Bros. Discovery may feel about having two cinematic Batmans operating in movies at the same time, as the company heads historically frowned on that and prevented certain characters from being used in The CW's Arrowverse when they were a part of the DCEU. I would love to see Ritchson as Batman, but not sure I want to see less of Pattinson's Batman as a trade-off.

Of course, we don't actually know what Ritchson could do in the DCU, and won't until he and James Gunn are ready to announce it. Here's hoping we get some news eventually, and this isn't a whole lot of teases and excitement over nothing.

Matt Damon is a bonafide A-lister at this point, with his best movies spanning multiple genres. While this new release The Odyssey is crushing at the box office, new information is also coming out about some roles that got away. That includes two different live-action Batman movies where he could have played The Boy Wonder himself, Robin. And my mind was pretty blown from his recollection.

While Damon is an accomplished movie star, there was a time when he was still auditioning for major roles. During a clip from the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he recalled auditioning for the role of Robin in Tim Burton's Batman movies... even though that role was ultimately dropped from those titles. As he shared:

So we could have had Damon play Robin not once, but twice during the original Batman franchise (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). While Tim Burton's two movies ultimately didn't include Dick Grayson, eventually the character would debut in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever, before returning for the infamously campy Batman & Robin. Although the role would go to Chris O'Donnell for both of those blockbusters.

Later in the same interview, Matt Damon recalled trying out for Batman & Robin, which famously starred George Clooney. While O'Donnell had already played the role, the Martian actor explained why he was still able to audition for the beloved sidekick, saying:

Honestly, can you blame him? The entertainment industry is a tough one, and Matt Damon would have been happy to take a smaller payday in order to get the role in Batman & Robin. But in the end Chris O'Donnell would hang on to the job, which would end up being one of his most iconic roles in a long career spanning TV and film.

Given how incredible Matt Damon is as a performer, I have to wonder what he might have brought to the table as Robin opposite George Clooney's Batman. To this day we still haven't seen him in a comic book role, despite the genre's ongoing popularity... apart from his cameo in Thor: Ragnarok.

Matt Damon's The Odyssey is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for the Batman movies, they're all streaming over on HBO Max, including Chris O'Donnell's tenure as Robin.

If there’s one superhero movie that’s been highly anticipated by fans, it’s The Batman: Part II. Matt Reeves’ long-gestating sequel to his acclaimed 2022 superhero movie was announced that same year and, since then, there have been multiple delays. The production took a major step forward this year when production kicked off in the UK in June, with set photos even surfacing in May beforehand. Now, however, the film has been delayed again and, at this point, I have a concern regarding the DCU.

The Batman: Part II Gets Delayed Again

Warner Bros. has reportedly made some changes to its release slate and, as a result, The Batman: Part II has been impacted. The Robert Pattinson-led movie was most recently set to open in theaters on October 1, 2027 but, now, it won’t hit cinemas until February 18, 2028, according to Deadline. The Bat flick’s October slot is now being occupied by J.J. Abrams’ The Great Beyond, which stars Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega. As of this writing, a precise reason for the changes has yet to be provided.

Initially, Batman: Part II was set to be released on October 3, 2025 though, due to the Hollywood strikes, it was shifted to October 2, 2026. Then came the third delay, and that’s what put the movie within the October 1, 2027 slot. Amid this latest change, Reeves did treat fans to a BTS treat in the form of a camera test, similar to the clip that revealed Pattinson’s Batsuit back in 2020. Check out the new b-roll via Reeves’ Instagram post:

The clip does, at the very least, give audiences a tiny taste of Batman’s latest outing, which will take place during the winter time. However, I’m just still considering the greater ramifications that this release date change could have.

Why I Have A DCU-Centric Concern After This Delay

Aside from the evidently annoying fact that there’s been another delay, there’s also a greater issue to consider here. It’s well known that James Gunn’s DCU continuity is set to introduce its own Dark Knight at some point, and Gunn has been adamant about putting a lot of space between releases featuring that Bat and Pattinson’s. So, with this recent delay to Reeves’ movie, it’s hard not to consider that it could potentially push back the debut of the newest Caped Crusader.

It was announced in 2023 that the DCU’s Batman and Robin would star in The Brave and the Bold, which would be directed by The Flash’s Andy Muschietti. Updates on the movie have been few and far between in the years since it was announced. James Gunn has spoken more generally about not wanting to rush out this new Batman, though, as he wants to take his time with the Bat. And, as far as an actor goes, no one’s been revealed, but Tom Brittney recently played coy when asked about possibly playing the role.

Overall, all of this is speculation on my part, and it’s possible that fans could still see the DCU’s Bruce Wayne suit up sooner rather than later. Yet I’m not exactly going to hold my breath for that. For now, I’m just going to try to reckon with the fact that fans like myself are going to have to wait even longer for the next chapter in Matt Reeves’ Gotham City-based saga. I’m optimistic that it’ll be great, but that notion makes the idea of waiting all the more difficult.

While you wait for The Batman: Part II to arrive, grab an HBO Max subscription to stream the original as well as The Penguin, a spinoff limited series.

For a very short while there, it seemed like everyone was on the same page in regards to The Batman: Part II’s villain castings, with Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson and Charles Dance joining the sequel to reportedly play various members of Gotham City’s Dent family. But then direct Matt Reeves went and confirmed the sequel’s cast members without revealing any new characters, which strengthened the emerging speculation that the trio are playing completely different villains.

Now, weeks into filming the new movie, alleged details about Stan, Johansson and Dance’s characters have emerged, and Harvey Dent’s Two-Face is nowhere to be seen, much less his wife and father. Instead, the actors are each reportedly playing completely different villains that tie into past rumors and speculation.

Rumor: Goodbye To Two-Face, Hello To Poison Ivy?

The latest report stems from the DCULeaks subreddit, (via @DCVers0 on X) where a post was shared that was apparently vetted and approved by mods, with some form of additional proof offered for verification purposes, before being taken down for unknown reasons. But what did it say?

With a clarification from the leaker saying that character names were not spoken aloud in their presence, the message essentially purports that The Batman: Part II will be introducing Poison Ivy, Victor Zsasz, and the Court of Owls. Here’s how each is described:

• Scarlett Johansson is reportedly Poison Ivy: referred to as "the main villain" and "a serial killer with an obsession with plants" who also "uses toxins" in relation to her villainy.
• Sebastian Stan is simply referred to as a "bald serial killer," which does legitimately seem like confirmation that he'll be portraying the sadistic criminal and frequent Arkham resident Victor Zsasz. It's also noted that Batman initially believes Zsasz is the sequel's key troublemaker, but it's actually Ivy.
• Meanwhile, Charles Dance is supposedly playing one of Gotham City's upper crust, who "leads a secret organization made up of the city's most powerful figures" while also being targeted by Johansson's character. While his specific identity is harder to guess, it's less difficult to assume that the org being referred to is Gotham's age-old threat, the Court of Owls.

That set of alleged reveals totally throws any and all Two-Face speculation out the window, since Ivy and Zsasz aren't big players in the comics' "Long Halloween" storyline that reportedly had a big influence on the upcoming 2027 movie. Is it possible the movie will completely twist up expectations on the source material, or are Reeves and co-screenwriter Mattson Tomlin shooting for a completely original storyline?

To be fair, Poison Ivy was a villain whose name was in the mix when Scarlett Johansson's casting was first reported, and it's not exactly a stretch to imagine the actress rocking long red hair. As well, recent sightings of Sebastian Stan in hats have sparked speculation that the actor did indeed shave his head for his Batman role. No word on whether or not Charles Dance has been seen training owls or getting his face fitted for an owl mask or anything.

i was certainly looking forward to seeing the two MCU vets portraying Harvey and Gilda Dent for Matt Reeves, but I won't be upset in the slightest to have to swap out the Dents for Pamela Isley and Victor Zsasz. Could just be that green gas that started billowing out of my air conditioner vent, though.

The Batman: Part II is set to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.

Superhero fans have been waiting a while for Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2 and, now, it’s finally set to premiere amid the 2026 TV schedule. The first trailer for the new season teases the introductions of several classic villains but, of course, the most iconic among them is the Joker. The Dark Knight’s archenemy briefly appears at the tail end of Season 1, and he’s now expected to make his full debut this time around. Now, I have all kinds of feelings after an EP details the creative team’s take on the character.

Through the years, there have been plenty of portrayals of the Joker across TV and cinema, with each interpretation bringing something new to the table. It sounds like the Caped Crusader team is also striving to do something “different” when it comes to their version of the Clown Prince of Crime. Ironically, though, when executive producer James Tucker spoke to SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend about this fresh take on Mr. J., he actually explained how it harkened back to the character’s roots:

In the realm of animation, shows like Batman: The Brave and the Bold and The Batman, have depicted a somewhat more gleeful takes on Joker, who enjoy inflicting chaos on Gotham City. Mark Hamill’s iconic version of the baddie has more layers but, for the most part, he can also be campy and quippy (when he’s not being downright scary). So far, Caped Crusader’s version of the antagonist isn’t so much interested in fooling someone with a bang flag gun than he is talking about the complexities of the human condition, and I love that.

The Season 2 trailer features hints of dialogue from Joker, who calls Batman to tell him he’s “come to awaken [him] and to show [him] something.” When the Bat asks what the mysterious man wants to show, the purple-clad baddie says, “what you are.” Check out the trailer for yourself below:

Clearly, this is a man who’s eager to not simply toy with the World’s Greatest Detective but to understand what makes him tick. The creative team is still keeping details on the character mostly under wraps (including the identity of the person voicing him). Still, Tucker shared more about making a unique version of this larger-than-life bad guy:

Considering how many versions of the Gotham City rogue have been created over the years, I’m excited to see that the Caped Crusader team is going for something so new. What makes me nervous, though, is how the people of the aforementioned town are going to suffer due to his machinations. During his brief scene in the Season 1 finale’s epilogue, the villain proved how sadistic he could be by killing several victims as part of his Joker toxin experiments.

Joker, of course, will be accompanied by a number of other notable villains like The Riddler, the Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and the returning Harley Quinn. But, of course, the clown’s presence is sure to loom large over the narrative and, with any luck, fans will be in for some serious action and drama. As Mr. J says in the trailer, “shall we begin?”

All episodes of Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2 will drop on July 31 and will be available to Prime Video subscription holders. In the meantime, prepare for the vigilante’s new adventures by checking out the first season on Prime now. Fans can also read up on other upcoming DC shows.

The comic book genre continues to be wildly popular, and things on the DC side of things are changing thanks to plans formulated by co-CEO James Gunn. We're still early into the run of the newly formed DCU (whose first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters), and there are countless questions about which actors might play beloved heroes. Actor Tom Brittney is rumored to be playing Bruce Wayne/ Batman, although he recently denied these reports. Still, he looked kinda guilty to me.

Fans are curious about the upcoming DC movies, especially since so little is known about casting. While James Gunn claimed he wasn't rushing to bring Batman to the shared universe, that hasn't stopped casting rumors from swirling. Brittney recently appeared on FOX5’s Good Day New York (via Twitter) to promote the new series The Westies, where he was asked about the Batman chatter. Check out his response below:

Is it just me, or does the Greyhound actor look like he's hiding something? While it would have been easy enough to deny that he's in talks for Batman, instead he played dumb, even jokingly asking "Who?" when asked about the rumors that he's playing the Caped Crusader. I mean, who doesn't know that specific hero? After all, he's one of the most popular DC characters of all time. It's reminding me of how Andrew Garfield lied for a year about his Spider-Man: No Way Home role.

Of course, this isn't a confirmation that Tom Brittney is actually playing Gotham's Protector in the DCU (which is streaming with an HBO Max subscription). But I'm sure his mischievous smile is going to keep the discourse going. As far as his actual words, the actor responded by saying:

If Brittney doesn't end up playing Bruce Wayne, it sounds like he's honored to even be rumored for that role. Batman is a dream role for many, despite the pressure and how many actors have already famously played the role. Still, the newly formed DCU is going to need a new version of the Caped Crusader eventually.

Of course, there is another version of the character happening right now. Namely Robert Pattinson, who starred in The Batman and will reprise his role in Matt Reeves' upcoming follow-up Part II. It's largely believed that the DCU won't move forward with a new version of the beloved character until that long-awaited sequel finally arrives in theaters. So the ongoing discourse about casting rumors will likely continue for the foreseeable future. We'll just have to wait and see if Tom Brittney ends up being the lucky actor to wear the cape and cowl.

The next DC movie hitting theaters is Clayface on October 23rd as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for The Batman: Part II, that's not expected to arrive until October 1st, 2027. As such, we might have to wait even longer before DCU Batman casting is announced.

While I usually hate feeling as if time is going by too quickly, I can take comfort in knowing it’s all leading to the upcoming DC movie The Batman: Part II, so no time has technically been wasted. (I live in denial a bunch.) Production on the 2027 theatrical release kicked off in June, but many cast and character questions remain unanswered. Is Sebastian Stan really playing Harvey Dent and Two-Face? Is Scarlett Johansson a key piece of the Long Halloween adaptation game? Will we see The Joker?

Unsurprisingly, director Matt Reeves kept mum about new and established roles when confirming the film’s actors, and it was a noteworthy exclusion when Barry Keoghan’s name wasn’t listed in the lineup. Though not a “star” of the first film, the Irish actor made a quick and lasting impact from his minimal time on-screen as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner,” and talks about his return were among the first rumors sparked by the impending sequel. So what’s the deal?

A Warner Bros. Event May Have Spilled The Joker Beans

WB execs were on hand in France around July 4 weekend for Studio Show 2026 to promote the studio's slate of upcoming movies, from Tom Cruise's Digger to Dune: Part 3 to animated projects like Hello Kitty and Margie Claus. Obviously, the topic of DC-sourced adaptations came up, such as Man of Tomorrow and Dynamic Duo, and Clayface. But this detail reported by BoxOfficePro is definitely worth bringing up, since Keoghan is one of the key names mentioned in the French report. Here's a translated iteration:

No mention of James Gordon actor Jeffrey Wright or Penguin portrayer Colin Farrell, but Keoghan is just right there in front, ahead of Alfred's actor Andy Serkis. I of course get throwing ScarJo and Stan in there for extra hype, and maybe it's a case where Keoghan has a huge following in France, and so the outlet wanted to play into that, without this being directly related to billing order.

The Saltburn actor himself has been cagey when addressing a potential return as The Joker, which has only helped to make the return seem more likely. But given just the elements that we know about thus far, it's not entirely clear how The Joker would factor into what will assumedly be Two-Face's origin tale. (It's not like Reeves is going to ape Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight, amirite?) So I can't imagine it'll be a very prominent part, and will possibly just lay additional groundwork for a grander takeover in a third Batman movie. Or not.

Whatever fans might hope to see, note that the actor is as busy as busy can be, in large part because he's portraying musical icon Ringo Starr for Sam Mendes' The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, which reportedly started filming in March. It'll likely take well over a year for the movie quartet to be filmed, though it's obviously possible that Keoghan worked out scheduling details with Reeves and Mendes that would allow him to film Joker scenes without imminent Ringo sequences to appear in.

For now, the actor’s fans can see him in action in two 2026 movie releases to date: Crime 101 opposite Chris Hemsworth (currently streaming via Amazon Prime subscription) and Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (currently streaming via Netflix subscription).

Anne Hathaway’s massive year continues this month, with The Odyssey being the latest of her many 2026 movie releases on the way. Notably, the historical drama also marks her third time working with Christopher Nolan. But did you know the circumstances of Hathaway's first audition for Nolan? It revolves around a funny misunderstanding the actress had about what role she was auditioning for in The Dark Knight Rises.

It goes without saying that auditioning for a director like Nolan is no small feat, and Hathaway wanted to ensure she was prepared when they met for his final Batman film. Here’s what the actress recently recalled about how it went:

Now, Anne Hathaway isn’t alone in meeting a filmmaker for a superhero role she didn’t know about. A similar thing happened to the likes of Brie Larson for Captain Marvel and Paul Rudd for Ant-Man. But, in Hathaway’s case, she was under the impression that Nolan was looking for a Harley Quinn, and she dressed accordingly.

As she recalled to Happy Sad Confused, there was an the awkward moment when the filmmaker told her what role she was auditioning for, and the reveal led to her instantly change up her demeanor to adapt to it. In her words:

Hathaway says she thinks her misreading of the role actually “worked in [her] favor,” because Selina Kyle is “a chameleon”. I’d be so curious about Christopher Nolan’s recollection of his first meeting with Anne Hathaway for The Dark Knight Rises but, ultimately, she obviously made a good impression, considering she got the part!

Hathaway's hiring ended up being the first time an actress played the role of Catwoman in a live-action Batman movie since Michelle Pfeiffer’s version in 1992. Then, it wasn't until Zoë Kravitz played Selina Kyle in 2022's The Batman alongside Robert Pattinson’s version of the Caped Crusader that there was another big-screen Catwoman after the Devil Wears Prada star.

Hathaway may have been wrong about Harley Quinn at the time, but she was right about Warner Bros. wanting to bring the comic book character to life in a DC film. It was just four years later when Margot Robbie debuted her Harley Quinn in David Ayer's Suicide Squad.

For the time being, the current schedule of upcoming DC movies doesn’t officially include the return of Catwoman or Harley Quinn. However, I hope it won't be too long before these fan-favorite femme fatales come back somehow. For now, we’re excited to see Anne Hathaway reunite with Nolan to play Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, in The Odyssey, coming to theaters on July 17.

DC Studios just announced three new upcoming TV shows set to hit streaming in the near-ish future, and while the whole lineup sounds interesting, one title immediately made fans lose their minds. Mine included.

The news came out of the World’s Finest Animation: DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation Showcase at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where DC Studios co-chairman and co-CEO Peter Safran and Warner Bros. Animation president Sam Register helped lay out what is coming next for DC animation. Among the biggest reveals: Joker: Laugh Riot, Absolute Batman and a new untitled Krypto series are all on the way.

DC later shared the trio of logos on Instagram, which, honestly, makes for a pretty great visual summary of the announcement. Check out the post below:

Joker getting a series is not exactly shocking, since the Clown Prince of Crime has remained popular across comics, DC movies, TV and games for decades. Krypto getting an animated show also makes sense, especially with James Gunn’s Superman era putting the super-dog back in the conversation with the first chapter of his new DCEU. The super pooch was a standout in last year's Superman and is slated to appear in the 2026 calendar release, Supergirl. But Absolute Batman? That is the one that made me sit up.

I Am All-In On An Absolute Batman TV Show

For anyone who has not been following the comics, Absolute Batman is part of DC’s fairly new "Absolute" line, which reimagines major heroes with fresh mythology and altered foundations. This is not the traditional Bruce Wayne most casual fans know. It is not simply another version of the billionaire detective with a Batcave, a butler and enough money to turn trauma into a full-time urban warfare brand.

The official description puts it pretty bluntly: “No manor, no money... all Batman.” The animated series will reimagine the Dark Knight as a working-class hero fighting impossible odds, wealth, corruption and some seriously terrifying foes. Scott Snyder, who writes the comic, will serve as executive producer and showrunner, while artist Nick Dragotta is attached as a producer.

That is a major reason this feels like such a big deal. Absolute Batman is not some forgotten elseworlds idea pulled out of a longbox. It is new, hot and already a monster on the comics side. According to the press release, the series has sold more than 6 million copies, Absolute Batman #1 has reached an 11th printing, and all Absolute titles, including Absolute Batman, rank among the top 10 best-selling comics of 2025.

Fans React to DC's Announcement

Fans seemed just as thrown and excited by the announcement as I was. Some of the best reactions included:

• bengalgram: “🔥🔥🔥🙌”
• Batman: “The clown? Really?”
• jef_seg: “have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?”
• biggyxay123__: “someone’s upset their arch Nemesis is getting a tv show😎”
• supergirl: “That’s my good boy 😎”
• superman: “Found the dog!!”
• blake_koala: “Bro!!! Absolute Batman animated series😭”
• martycipher: “ABSOLUTE BATMAN⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️”
• official_supernerd: “I NEED THE ENTIRE ABSOLUTE UNIVERSE IN ANIMATED FORM 🗣️”
• ramen.noodles.22: “Oh these look pretty ni- ABSOLUTE BATMAN????”
• eljoscarlos: “The Absolute Batman series must maintain its gruesome comic nature 👀🦇”
• btartist98: “Wonder Woman deserves an animated series 😭”

That Wonder Woman point is fair. Batman fans have had plenty of animated projects over the years, from classic Bruce Timm series to current shows like Batwheels and Batman: Caped Crusader. A proper Wonder Woman animated series still feels overdue.

Still, the Absolute Batman excitement is hard to ignore. The big question now is how closely the animated series will stick to the comic's tone. A watered-down version would miss a lot of what makes this Bruce feel different in the first place. If DC is going to adapt Absolute Batman, the series needs to lean into the size, grit and street-level rage that helped make the comic stand out.

That is why animation could be such an interesting fit. It can exaggerate this Batman’s size, movement, brutality and Gotham’s atmosphere in ways live action might struggle to make look natural. If DC really leans into the comic’s intensity, this could be the rare Batman page-to-screen adaptation that actually gives longtime fans something new.

The Annecy showcase also touched on other DC animated fare, including Mister Miracle, My Adventures with Green Lantern, Starfire, Creature Commandos and Batman: Caped Crusader. So this was not just a three-title announcement. It was a wider look at how aggressively DC and Warner Bros. Animation are building out that side of the universe.

Joker: Laugh Riot also sounds like a major swing. The adult-targeted anime series follows Joker after Batman’s apparent death, as he sets out to track down whoever robbed him of his greatest obsession, which is exactly the kind of chaotic premise that could either be incredible or completely unhinged in the best way. A Krypto kids’ series sounds charming too, with Superman’s dog teaming up with a group of misfit wannabe criminals and, somehow, accidentally steering them toward doing the right thing. But Absolute Batman is the one I cannot stop thinking about.

There are currently no release dates or networks set for the new series. But once they arrive, fans will likely need an HBO Max subscription to watch them, since they are Warner Bros. properties and that's where new DC animation tends to land.

When it comes to ranking the Batman movies, I think most will agree that The Dark Knight is perched firmly at the top.

However, what about the bottom of the list? Well, I think things get a bit trickier there. Sure, I know exactly what Batman movie people want to place at the bottom (and I’ll get to it in a few), but for my money, the worst live-action Batman movie is 1995’s Batman Forever, and by a wide margin.

And, look, I know I’m pretty much the ONLY person who says this, but I have my reasons. Here are just a few.

Let's Get This One Out The Way First. Yes, I Think Batman Forever Is Worse Than Batman & Robin

When I ranked the Batman movies, I put Batman & Robin at the bottom, but it’s not because I think it’s the worst. No. It’s actually because I’m a man of the people, and I know everybody hates Batman & Robin. But personally, I LOVE it, and I always have (I actually now like Batman v. Superman, which surprises me). Because what people think is its biggest weakness–that it’s way too silly–I think is its biggest strength, since Batman & Robin always has its tongue firmly in its cheek, right down to Clooney’s silly performance.

Which is the thing, really, because Batman Forever doesn’t entirely commit to being camp like its follow-up. Directed by Joel Schumacher after two successfully dark Tim Burton Batman movies, Batman Forever often walks the line between something that wants to be taken seriously and something that’s incredibly goofy, and this mishmash kind of throws it off for me.

I think it also might be because Val Kilmer commits to being an amazing Batman, which actually works AGAINST this movie, which I’ll get into next.

Val Kilmer Is A Great Batman In A Bad Batman Movie

I know some people think Val Kilmer isn’t at his best in this movie when compared to other Batmen, but I think Kilmer does a good job of playing both Bruce Wayne and Batman, which is never an easy task.

As Wayne, he’s charming, and as Batman, he doesn’t brood like Bale’s or Pattinson’s versions, nor is he a tired bruiser like Ben Affleck. Instead, he’s actually more similar to the quieter (but somehow more lethal) Michael Keaton, but slightly modified to fit this movie's more colorful tone. And, I don’t think that should be understated. Val Kilmer is just a tad beneath Keaton for me.

That works against him since the playful tone is dialed up to a million, what with Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey hamming it up, and it just throws the whole thing off since Batman sometimes seems like he’s in a different movie. Oh, and speaking of Jim Carrey…

I Agree With Tommy Lee Jones. I Can't Sanction Jim Carrey's Buffoonery

Jim Carrey–who was my childhood–has a really funny story about a time he went up to Tommy Lee Jones outside of work, and Jones told him that he couldn’t “sanction” his “buffoonery.” And honestly, when it comes to Carrey’s performance as The Riddler, I’m with Jones on this one.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Tommy Lee Jones singing “Trick or treat” at Wayne Manor beside Carrey is ludicrous to the nth degree, but I really do feel like Carrey goes WAY over the top (even more than usual for the ‘90s) in this movie. It really makes me kind of despise his character.

And, I’m talking about despising him just as much as I despise Jared Leto’s Joker in Suicide Squad. That’s how much I loathe Jim Carrey’s manic performance in this movie. Even as a kid, I just found it so annoying.

That Said, It Still Has Its Positives!

Here’s the thing. While I genuinely can’t stand Batman Forever, I do have to give some props to its visual style. The backdrops and designs are colorful in a way that really does look like a comic book at times, so kudos to that.

Oh, and the soundtrack is still bananas. “Kiss From a Rose” by Seal is way too good a song for this middling movie. Method Man’s “The Riddler” is also great, as is U2’s “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me.”

But the rest? Put it straight and directly in the trash.

Zack Snyder has been keeping Ben Affleck’s Batman alive on social media lately, sharing moody throwbacks that remind fans why Batfleck still has such a strong grip on the DC fandom. The filmmaker’s black-and-white shots and DCEU memories are exactly the kind of thing that sends SnyderVerse fans back into the trenches, cape in hand. But Jennifer Garner’s recent throwback to her ex-husband might take the cake when it comes to cool.

Snyder’s Instagram Batman posts are cool in that classic “rain, rage and jawline” sort of way. He has been steadily sharing behind-the-scenes images from his time at the helm of DC movie releases, including the shot below, which he noted was taken with a Leica M-D and 28mm f/1.7 lens. And yes, as you can see, it is in black and white.

To be clear, Snyder knows how to shoot Batman. Whatever people think of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice or Justice League (both available to stream with an HBO Max subscription) his version of the Dark Knight had a very specific presence. Affleck’s Bruce Wayne looked tired, haunted and built like he could bench-press a Gotham City gargoyle.

That is why Snyder’s recent throwbacks have landed with so many fans. His version of Batman was operatic, bruised and massive. The photos bring back the feeling of that era, especially now that the DCU has moved into a new phase with David Corenswet’s Superman and a different Batman future on the horizon. Still, Jennifer Garner’s photo does something Snyder’s never could.

Garner’s Father’s Day post was not about the DCEU. It was not about restoring anything, teasing anything or lighting the Bat-Signal for another round of internet debate. It was a family post shared to her Instagram, honoring dads and the kids who love them. And, as you can see in the final image of the carousel below, it shows Ben Affleck as a dad in a Batsuit making his son happy.

In her caption, Garner reflected on the fathers in her life and the love kids have for great dads. She wrote:

That is already sweet, but then you get to the photo. Affleck is in the Batman suit, mask and all, holding one of his children, who looks absolutely delighted. It may not be a brooding Bat standing in the rain, but it is a Dad enjoying a moment with his kiddo while dressed as one of the most famous superheroes ever. What is cooler than that?

As a father, Garner’s photo takes the cake for me. Snyder’s images sell the legend of Batman. Garner’s photo sells the magic of Batman. There is a difference. The whole point of these superhero roles, at least partly, is that they become real to kids. Adults can argue about canon, tone, box office and cinematic universes until the sun burns out. But to a child standing next to Batman, none of that matters.

Snyder gave fans some unforgettable images of Ben Affleck as Batman. But Garner gave us Batdad, and I’m sorry, that one wins.

The superhero genre continues to be wildly popular, and audiences are invested in upcoming DC movies. The studio's co-CEO James Gunn has been crafting a new shared universe, although Matt Reeves' The Batman franchise (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) is set outside of it. The TV spinoff The Penguin got me way more invested in that property, and I've been hoping we'd eventually get a Season 2. Colin Farrell recently addressed that possibility, and what his conditions would be for reprising his role on the small screen.

What we know about The Batman Part II is limited, but cameras are up and it's expected to hit theaters in October of 2027. I've been holding out hope that The Penguin gets another season following its Emmy-winning first season, and during a conversation with People Farrell spoke about the idea of his show returning. In his words:

As much as I want another season of The Penguin, I respect Colin Farrell's perspective. Given what a huge success the first season was, the actor wants to make sure that any future installments feel earned and that the material is just as strong. Expectations are high, so the series needs to be another slam dunk if the cast and crew reunite to tell another story about Oswald Cobblepot and Cristin Milioti's Sofia Falcone.

The Penguin helped to increase my investment in The Batman franchise, so I'm really hoping we'll get another installment of the TV spinoff. But the first season left behind a wildly successful legacy including a whopping nine Emmy wins. Later in the same interview, Colin Farrell spoke more about possibly getting another season after Part II hits theaters. In his words:

He's not wrong. As much as I want to see more of this series, I'd want a second or third season to live up to the first one's high standards. So it'll take the right story to convince not only Colin Farrell but Matt Reeves and company to bring back the TV spinoff. We'll just have to wait and see if/when that happens.

The Penguin is streaming now on HBO Max, and The Batman: Part II will hit theaters on October 1st, 2027. Since it's not part of the 2026 movie release list, fans will have to be patient for news about not only the movie, but its TV spinoff as well.

James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU is currently in hype mode for Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl, with the cast enjoying red carpet premieres around the globe. But the studio has also quietly screened its upcoming horror movie Clayface, which will be joining other 2026 movie releases when it hits theaters in October. Early reactions appear to be more positive than negative, but with some seemingly major spoilers also being discussed, including the key casting of a Breaking Bad vet.

Though everything we’ll be talking about below is technically unconfirmed and comes from people who allegedly attended the early Clayface viewing, it’s worth putting a SPOILER WARNING here to ward off those who would be most upset to learn details ahead of time, including one that kinda concerns me as a general horror fan. We’ll dive in deeper below the logo.

Clayface's Cast Apparently Includes An A+ Breaking Bad Vet

According to Feature First, the upcoming DCU movie will feature an appearance from none other than Aaron Paul, arguably best known to fans as Jesse Pinkman. The actor is always aces regardless of the project or role, and he almost always chooses movies and series that appeal to his fan sensibilities, as opposed to merely doing it for the payday. (See: Invincible, It’s Always Sunny, his upcoming role in Fallout Season 3, etc.)

Interestingly, Paul’s involvement in Clayface is more on the minimal side than anything meaty, and it’s claimed he will only show up for a “brief and minor role.” So was this just a chance for Paul to say he’s in the DCU’s first horror movie, or is it perhaps a role that will be fleshed out in a future project?

Considering James Watkins, James Gunn and others have all plainly stated that Clayface doesn’t have overarching ties to other projects and won’t feature a Batman cameo, it’s not the most likely outcome. But I can’t fully believe that an actor with Paul’s Breaking Bad pedigree would only show up for a throwaway part. It doesn't help that the timeline is still somewhat unclear, as far as exactly when it's taking place.

The Major Clayface Detail That Has Me Most Concerned

Again, anything said about Clayface at this point is meant to be taken with the usual grain of salt, and it's specifically worth pointing out here that several posts about the early screening noted that the CGI and some special effects were not finalized. So it's theoretically possible that the finished product releasing in October will feature some updated visuals. But let's just pretend nothing too noteworthy will change between now and then.

One of the alleged screening attendees took to X to share a smattering of information about the movie, including this gut-punch of a claim:

The lack of Batman is hardly an issue, since it's been well-publicized that James Gunn & Co. have yet to cast an actor to be the DCU's Caped Crusader. And I'm not mad at this being a villain-centric movie that doesn't need one of DC's Big Three to be involved.

But Clayface is an R-rated body horror movie, so one of my most basic expectations was for Matt Hagen to suffer through one or more actual full-body horror moments. If they're not going to play up this character's most preeminent trait, then what's the point of basing it on this particular character? Sure, I realize that Mike Flanagan's story and initial script are probably more of a character study than an effects bonanza, and I love his storytelling choices in everything. But a Clayface movie without Clayface-level transformations just seems baffling.

It's like saying, "We're going into production on a King Tut movie, but this version of the Batman villain will be more fixated on Greek mythology." Well not exactly, but on a similar level of bizarreness.

Clayface Has Been Compared To A Quartet Of Other Movies

These may not be the only four movie comparisons that have surfaced from early Clayface chatter, but I think in particular, this grouping shared on X gives fans a pretty good idea of what to expect from its tone and story.

• Joker
• The Substance
• The Incredible Hulk
• Vanilla Sky

The Joker comparison is perhaps the most polarizing, but I assume that's mainly from it being a villain-centric origin story without a hero to anchor it. The Substance is a great comparison point, theoretically, but is maybe less impactful knowing about the lack of transformation scenes.

I like the Marvel namedrop here for Ed Norton's The Incredible Hulk, since it likely implies Tom Rhys Harries' Matt will be on the run from others as he tries to gain control of his changing biology. And I get that the Vanilla Sky ties are likely due to Matt's face being all bandaged up the way Tom Cruise's was after his car crash in that movie, but I do wonder if the unreliable nature of that film is also at play.

I'm calling it now. At the end of the movie, Aaron Paul wakes up in bed next to Bob Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette, and it's revealed Clayface's storyline was just a dream.

Clayface is set to hit theaters on October 23, 2026.

Superhero projects have been dominating the entertainment world for years now, and studios aren't slowing down anytime soon. While DC's co-CEO James Gunn has crafted a new shared universe, Matt Reeves' The Batman franchise is set outside of it (and is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). The sequel is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies, and filming has begun. Jeffrey Wright will be back as James Gordon, and pulled a very in-character move when posting to social media. Although the photo itself is pretty wild.

What we know about The Batman: Part II has been limited, but production has begun and it's expected to hit theaters in 2027. Director Matt Reeves has shared photos from the set, and Jeffrey Wright followed suit over on his Instagram. But the image is just of his mouth, showing off Gordon's signature mustache. Check it out below:

Honestly, I didn't need to get THAT close to the Westworld actor. But it's thrilling that Jeffrey Wright is on the set of The Batman's long-awaited sequel, complete with James Gordon's mustache. And I can't wait to see what the character is up to in Matt Reeves' sequel, and how his partnership with Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight progresses as they try to protect Gotham City.

I wasn't the only one who had a big reaction to this close up of Jeffrey Wright's mouth. The image is already going viral online, with folks sounding off in the comments. Some responses read:

• Pretty sure that thing could summon a superhero.
• Hope we get to see "Lieutenant Gordon" be promoted to "Commissioner Gordon" this time around 🤞🏻😁
• “American Fiction II: Mustache Boogaloo”
• Is it trim ‘stache o’clock?!
• Lieutenant 🫡

Despite how long the wait has been between The Batman and its sequel, these comments make it sound like folks are still invested in Matt Reeves' burgeoning franchise. I have to assume that anticipation was buoyed by the TV spinoff The Penguin, which was nominated for a whopping 24 Emmy Awards, winning nine.

There are countless questions about what's going down in The Batman: Part II, with fans curious about the movie's villain, as well as the roles being played by Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan. Fans are also hoping to see the return of Barry Keoghan's Joker, who made a brief appearance in the first film.

All will be revealed when The Batman: Part II hits theaters on October 1st, 2027. Since it's not part of the 2026 movie release list, moviegoers are going to have to be patient while waiting for more information.

While DC co-CEO James Gunn's new shared universe is still in its infancy, there are DC projects set outside of it. Namely Matt Reeves' The Batman franchise, which is currently streaming with an HBO Max subscription. Its long-awaited sequel, Part II, is finally in production, with fans eager for any information about the upcoming DC movie. Unfortunately, Colin Farrell's recent comments about his next appearance as The Penguin are seriously bumming me out.

What we know about The Batman: Part II is extremely limited, with fans left wondering about its plot, villain, and more. And while Farrell is set to reprise his role as The Penguin, he recently offered some disappointing news about the size of his role. As the actor said in a conversation with ScreenRant:

Two scenes?! While Farrell is hyping up what Reeves and company have in store for The Batman's sequel, I can't believe that we'll be seeing so little of Oswald Cobblepot. Especially considering that his TV show The Penguin is what reignited my interest in that burgeoning franchise. I need more than just a few appearances by Farrell's iconic villain!

The Penguin's finale teased another showdown with The Dark Knight, who was noticeably absent throughout the spinoff. It's unclear if we'll ever get a second season, but his role in The Batman: Part II was still an exciting prospect. Alas, it looks like he won't have very much screen time when that title hits theaters in 2027.

Fans who spent years watching the DC movies in order will recall how Colin Farrell helped to bring attention to The Batman, namely because he was so unrecognizable as The Penguin. He crushed it in that role, which is no doubt why a TV spinoff came his way. So the fact that he'll seemingly be so underused in Part II is baffling and honestly disappointing. Seriously, I love this version of the famous Batman villain.

It's possible that Penguin's two scenes will have a huge impact in The Batman's sequel, but I maintain that his role being so small is a misstep. I'll still be seeing it in theaters, but I'm feeling skeptical.

All will be revealed when The Batman: Part II hits theaters on October 1st, 2027. Since it's not part of the 2026 movie release list, fans are going to have to be patient while waiting for more news.

It’s been a long wait, but Bat-fans can finally take comfort in knowing that The Batman: Part II will finally start filming in the UK this month. Because of that, it’ll only be a matter of time before leading man Robert Pattinson dons that cape and cowl again. Obviously, the witty actor can’t share any specific details about the story Matt Reeves is cooking up for this upcoming superhero movie. However, Pattinson did just share insight into how many night shoots he has in the immediate future, and the thought of it makes me sleepy.

Obviously, the vast majority of the live-action Batman movies predominantly take place at night, considering that’s when the eponymous character mostly operates. What some fans may not think about, though, is that it means the cast and crew have to endure long evenings of filming in the dark. Pattinson himself alluded to that as part of an interview with GQ, when he mentioned hearing from one of the superhero film’s stunt performers. Apparently, Pattinson hadn’t even received a schedule when he learned a big piece of info:

So I’m someone who understands how film shoots work and, as such, I completely understand the need for night shoots, especially with a franchise like The Batman. However, the notion of working 11 weeks worth of nights just sounds exhausting. What I find humorously ironic about Pattinson’s response to that information, though, is that he doesn’t even lament the sheer number of late hours he’ll be working. For the Good Time star, he’s more curious as to how someone else knows what’s going down and he doesn’t.

The need to film at night is only one part of Robert Pattinson’s responsibilities for Part II, of course. As with the first film, Pattinson must train and build up muscle to fill out that costume, and it sounds like he’s already working on his regimen. The A-lister has a home gym he’s been utilizing ahead of the shoot, and it seems he’s aiming to put in the work. During his chat with GQ, Pattinson recalled being criticized for supposedly not getting big enough while preparing for the first movie:

Still, the Drama actor can admit that he contributed to the less-than-positive responses by deeming exercise lame, as he said he was just “trying to sound cool” at the time. Although Pattinson will have to endure workouts and night shoots in the weeks to come, he does seem very excited about the film. He previously teased that Reeves and co. would be taking some “big swings” and, as a fan, I’m truly pumped about what this film might offer.

I’m just hoping that Robert Pattinson has plenty of Bat-Coffee on hand for those various night sessions. The road through production is sure to be long, but I’m optimistic that the finished film will have been well worth all of those hours of shooting late. So check out The Batman: Part II when it opens in theaters on October 1, 2027, and stream the OG film now using an HBO Max subscription. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go take a nap.

For anyone who sorely misses spending time amidst the streets of Gotham City, Matt Reeves’ upcoming DC movie The Batman: Part II is the grimmest and most corrupt oasis imaginable, and I cannot wait for it to finally arrive in October 2027. After months of casting rumors and speculation, the director formally revealed the sequel’s new and returning cast members, setting in stone Sebastian Stan’s casting news that surfaced back in January. All signs seem to point to the MCU actor portraying Harvey Dent / Two-Face, but something is amiss.

A week after rumors suggested actors are playing different roles from what’s expected (including unfounded claims about Scarlett Johansson and Charles Dance’s characters), Stan actually spoke out about it himself when talking to Deadline about his latest Cannes debut, the drama Fjord. Here’s the extremely peculiar wording he used when describing his impending performance(s):

In Gotham City, where vigilantes and theatrical villains are a dime a dozen, it’s not uncommon for actors to think of playing costumed heroes and buttoned-up alter egos as different roles. But we’re almost always talking binaries in that sense: secret identity & hero / villain. In this case, the morally upward attorney Harvey Dent and the acid-burned, coin-tethered Two-Face. To say “many roles” is a heightening that sparks lots of lofty and unlikely ideas, at least in my own head.

But as much as I’d like to broaden my speculation borders for these purposes, the outlet presents Stan’s quotes within the specific context of portraying Two Face, even if the actor doesn’t use the villain’s name himself. Speaking about the hair and makeup teams that will be crafting his presumably iconic look, the Romanian star shared this:

At least those notions all add up and sound completely reasonable, without immediately inspiring ideas about Sebastian Stan playing other characters. Plus, the initial Two-Face concept shots were shared by the actor’s stylist, so this does all track well enough.

However, I'm still stuck on the "many characters," which could feasibly play into the fact that he's been training and bulking up for the film. While that's a common move for actors in superhero movies, Harvey isn't any kind of superbuff, weight-lifting lawyer when he gets disfigured, and Two-Face would almost always rather use a gun than his fists. So why is Stan getting so toned up?

Scarlett Johansson’s first look sparked theories about who she'll be playing, with many fans opting for Gilda Dent, who factors quite heavily into the comics' Long Halloween arc, which is an inspiration for Matt Reeves. And who better to play a married couple within the DCU than two MCU actors?

Could Stan be playing both Harvey Dent and his own father, Christopher Dent? That's the role Charles Dance was rumored for, but who knows? Maybe Stan will also play the doomed acrobat father of Dick Grayson, and that's why he's having to build up more muscle again, for all the trapeze work. That seems like a stretch, though.

I'm sure it'll be months before we get another quote that ramps up the speculation dial quite like that, but if fellow co-stars Brian Tyree Henry or Sebastian Koch have any of their own offbeat quotes to share about their characters, I'm all (cowl) ears.

The Batman: Part II is set to swoop into theaters on October 1, 2027.

While co-CEO James Gunn is crafting the newly formed DCU, there's one franchise that's not part of it: Matt Reeves' The Batman movies. His first sequel is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies, even though Part II has been delayed until 2027. Fans are curious about what the director has up his sleeve, and I'm hoping that Paul Dano's Riddler returns. Although his latest comments about the mysterious blockbuster are seriously bumming me out.

What we know about The Batman: Part II is super limited, and it sounds like that might be the case for some actors from the burgeoning franchise as well. Case in point: Dano's conversation with Collider, which made it seem like he's not sure if he's coming back. In the actor's words:

What do you mean you "hope", Mr. Dano? Does that mean we shouldn't expect The Riddler to pop up during the mysterious runtime of The Batman: Part II? He was the main antagonist of the first film, so I assume there are plenty of moviegoers who might share my feelings of disappointment if this comes to fruition.

Fans who spent years watching the DC movies in order will recall that Riddler was finally taken down during The Batman's ending, and promptly sent to Arkham Asylum. This opened the door for Barry Keoghan's cameo as Joker, although whether or not he gets to appear in Part II remains a mystery as well.

While The Batman's sequel is largely a mystery, Matt Reeves confirmed that production is officially underway. The promotional campaign also quickly picked up, with the filmmaker releasing brief clips of actors that have inspired theories about who they might be playing... especially Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan. So while it's early, hopefully we'll get some concrete information sooner rather than later.

While the first Batman movie hit theaters back in 2022, anticipation for the sequel was buoyed by the TV spinoff The Penguin (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). And with fans debating which villains might appear, it's clear that folks are still invested in Reeves' take on Gotham City.

The Batman: Part II is currently expected to arrive in theaters on October 1st, 2027. Since its not part of the 2026 movie release list, fans are going to have to try and be patient before we get information about whether or not Paul Dano will appear.

While comic book fans can still look forward to one upcoming DC movie hitting theaters in 2026 — James Watkins’ creepy Clayface — we’re still sadly a ways off from reconnecting with Matt Reeves’ Gotham City. That said, The Batman: Part II is filming, and Reeves surprised the fandom by officially confirming some of the new and returning actors starring in the sequel. But no such confirmations were made regarding the new additions’ characters.

Obviously Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne and other established Gothamites will be back for the second feature, but what of the latest recruits: Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Charles Dance, Brian Tyree Henry and Sebastian Koch? Here’s a basic look at what roles fans are thinking these actors are set for, based in part on pre-confirmation rumors.

On the one hand, the assumptions above all make a certain amount of sense, in that none of the speculation seems bizarrely over the top. If someone was trying to say Scar-Jo is actually playing The Joker's daughter, that would be a tad too far for me to buy into it. But on the surface, everything above tracks.

So why didn't Matt Reeves go all the way by confirming each of the roles that the new actors will be taking on? Even if he was intent on keeping Henry and Koch's roles under wraps, surely it would have made sense to the filmmaker to give fans a bone by validating all the predictions and assumptions about the Dent family's casting. Maybe it's because we've been wrong this whole time.

Rumor Suggests Batman Part II Castings Aren't For Roles We Think

The second Reeves' posts started spreading without any specific corroboration about the roles Stan, Johansson and others were playing, I started to think that something was fishy about it all. And I'm not just talking about Oz Cobb's B.O.

Those pangs of disbelief were seemingly justified when noted Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider shared a possible inside scoop on the latest episode of The Hot Mic shared to YouTube. There, Sneider revealed the grain-of-salt update from one of his sources who claimed that the current casting assumptions are off-base.

Sebastian Stan's Role

The insider says Stan is set to play a villain that isn't Two-Face, but doesn't indicate what the role actually is (allegedly). That would absolutely make sense for why the actor has been bulking up recently, since there isn't much of a reason for Stan to bring his muscles to swole levels to play a lawyer. Getting half of one's face/body gnarled up by acid isn't a fast track to buff-dom, and though Two-Face has never been depicted as a weakling, he handles his problems via guns and henchmen, not fistfights.

Given Stan and Robert Pattinson's similar ages (43 and 40, respectively), a lot of fans (like myself) have been holding out hopes that the MCU star is joining Reeves' Bat-verse as Tommy Elliot, otherwise known as the mega-villain Hush. The Batman linked the Elliot family to the Waynes' murders, and The Penguin gave insight into Gotham City's Elliot Bridge and its namesakes. It'd be weird to lay out that groundwork with no payoff in Part II, but we obviously can't say for sure just yet where it's going.

Charles Dance's Role

The other claim made in the grain-of-salt email sent to Jeff Sneider is that Game of Thrones vet Charles Dance will be playing the father of Scarlett Johansson's character. Which one could take in several ways, especially if one believes Stan is playing Hush. So let's take a big swing here.

This switcheroo detail doesn't necessarily negate the previous belief that Dance is playing the father of the District Attorney who becomes Two-Face. It does, however, set up the idea that the Black Widow star could be portraying a gender-swapped version of Two-Face. Or maybe neither actor will be part of the live-action Dent family.

Scarlett Johansson's Role

If Scar-Jo isn't playing Gilda or a would-be Two-Face, could she be taking on the role of Andrea Beaumont, introduced as the titular vigilante in 1993's Batman: Mask of the Phantasm? That would probably get fans generally more pumped than a female Two-Face, especially if Dance would be locked in as Andrea's father Carl Beaumont.

I do still like the idea of Johansson playing The Long Halloween's take on Gilda Dent, given the sordid events that play out in that arc. But I wouldn't complain about seeing her as any of The Batman: Part II's villainous entities.

Sneider and host John Rocha also speculated about whether or not Brian Tyree Henry could be stealthily playing a race-swapped Harvey Dent and Two-Face, which sounds pretty fantastic to me. I'd take Henry as Batman as well. Or whatever role he wanted, really.

Hopefully we'll find out whether or not these speculation sessions were worthy of happening long before The Batman: Part II actually hits theaters on October 1, 2027.

When news broke that one of the upcoming DC movies was a film based on Clayface, I thought, Um, well, that’s certainly a choice. And, it’s not because I don’t like the character (in fact, as you’ll soon see, I actually LOVE the character!). It was more along the lines of me thinking, Why him?

Truth be told, I only learned of the character from seeing two of the best Batman: The Animated Series episodes, “Feat of Clay: Parts 1 and 2” when I was a kid. Because unlike say, The Joker, or The Penguin, or The Riddler, Clayface was always one of the more obscure villains in Batman’s rogues gallery, and often used for Scooby Doo-esque reveals.

But, whoa. After watching that trailer, I can’t WAIT for this movie. So, here’s why I’m now super excited for this upcoming film.

Clayface Was Always My Favorite Villain From Batman: The Animated Series

Despite having no idea who Clayface was until I saw those aforementioned Batman: The Animated Series (B:TAS) episodes, I’ve been a fan ever since! For those who weren’t alive to watch it when it first aired, B:TAS actually introduced a lot of cool Batman villains to kids and adults back then, such as Mad Hatter, Clock King, and Man-Bat. These were all villains who had comic book origins, but weren’t in any of the movies at the time.

However, out of all of the Batman villains that I learned about from the cartoon, the one who captivated me the most was definitely Clayface. A disfigured actor named Matt Hagen, who uses a chemical called Renuyu (Think of it like The Substance) that can transform his face, ends up getting himself into a heap of trouble. In one nightmarish scene, we see silhouettes of men holding him down and pouring the chemical down his throat, which mutates him.

In that way, Clayface - in this animated version, anyway - is a tragic character. Being an actor, he’s obsessed with the fame that came attached to it, and just wants his old face back. He resorts to a life of crime to get what he wants, but once he’s turned into a monster, he’s resentful of the world and just wants to be left alone so that he can continue committing crimes. But, in swoops Batman, messing up his plans. Of course.

That said, I’m interested to see how they could even make a Clayface movie without Batman. But, I wasn’t always interested…

I Actually Didn't Have High Hopes For Clayface At All...Until I Saw That Trailer

Oh, man. From the very first glimpse that we get in the trailer of a man in bandages, I was already unsettled. It’s the eyes. I can’t take how hopeless and scared they look. Not only that, but then there’s that low drone before the song, “Do You Realize?” by The Flaming Lips, which automatically gives me goosebumps (Mainly because it reminds me of the “Winkies” scene in one of my favorite horror movies, Mulholland Drive).

We then get shots of what our protagonist (played by Tom Rhys Harries) looked like BEFORE his disfigurement, only to see a quick shot of his face getting slashed by a razor blade. So, at this point, I’m already like, “I’m out.” But then, we see another quick shot of what looks like the protagonist with a waxy, plastic mask on, followed by injections, and all other matters of mad scientist stuff.

The song then keeps repeating "Beautiful face,” which is juxtaposed by shots of a melting face, lips trying to pry themselves apart as if they’re glued together, and then other haunting images as we’re assaulted (yes, assaulted) with the words “Look” “Fear” “In” “The” “Face.”

They could have just ended there, but THEN we see an inhuman silhouette stretching against a wall, as well as a later scene of Tom Rhys Harries soaking in a bathtub, only to smear his face with his hand. And do you know what? THAT’S how you make a trailer, because now I’m invested. And do you know why? Because…

I Am SO In For A Comic Book-Themed Horror Movie

I like comic book movies. I mean, I used to like them a lot more, but I still watch them…on occasion. They’re fun. That said, one thing that kind of annoys me about them is that a lot of them are still aimed toward a much younger demographic, and that’s fine. Not every movie needs to be geared toward my preferences. I do personally love it when comic book films veer toward hard-R ratings, like my favorite comic book movie, Dredd.

However, do you know what I love even more than comic book movies? Horror flicks! In fact, I’d say that horror is my favorite genre of film. That’s why I’ve seen most of the best horror movies of all time, and I’m always down for a good scare…until I’m not, but, that’s neither here nor there. What is important is that I’ve never yet gotten a film that’s actually melded those two genres together

Which is really cool, since Clayface looks to be leaning in that direction in a major way. Yes, there have been attempts in the past to do comic book horror, such as the Blade movies, and the Disney+ special, Werewolf by Night, but I mean a movie that is primarily a horror movie first, and a comic book movie second. That’s something I’ve never quite seen before.

That is something that I now desperately want after seeing that teaser trailer. Even without having seen the movie yet, it actually gets me pumped for the future.

If It's Successful, It Makes Me Excited For Other Potential Horror Stories In The Universe

You know what didn’t work? The Sony Spider-Man movies without Spider-Man. Now, I’m not talking about the Venom trilogy, which actually did well, all things considered. I’m talking about movies like Morbius, Madam Web, and Kraven the Hunter. These were all films that took Spider-Man villains of sorts, and gave them their own backstory, all to middling results.

However, I’m looking forward to Clayface since I’m really interested in seeing what story they tell, especially with a horror twist. I’m thinking it will employ lots of body horror and really delve deep into the psyche of this man who’s going through a horrific transformation.

And, it just gets me thinking of what other Batman villains could fit the bill for horror. My first thought immediately went to Professor Pyg, and if Clayface does well, I’d love to see a horror story revolve around his character.

Or what about Calendar Man? A story about a serial killer who plans murders on major holidays? Yes, please. A Mister Zsasz film? Terrifying! A Ventriloquist & Scarface movie? Can we greenlight that now, please? The point is, this could be a winning formula and I want to see it happen in the future if Clayface is good.

I Just Want To Be Scared, And Clayface Could Fit The Bill

Most importantly of all, I just want to be scared, and I think Clayface could definitely fit the bill.

For one thing, I hate distorted faces, and we already see that in the trailer. For another, body horror really disturbs me, and that’s what this movie is all about.

Plus, the trailer just has incredible tension throughout, and with the bandaged face, it gives me serious Goodnight Mommy vibes, which is one of the horror movies that I’m too scared to watch.

So, I went from not caring about Clayface to circling October 23rd on my calendar. That’s how good this movie looks. Will YOU be seeing it?

Undoubtedly, when it comes to upcoming DC movies, there’s a ton of excitement about the sequel to The Batman starring Robert Pattinson after his take on the Caped Crusader became a quick favorite take on the hero. And after a long wait, production is finally kicking off ahead of its release date next year. Earlier this week, writer/director Matt Reeves shared a first look at what they’re working on, and fans have a lot of thoughts about one mysterious casting reveal.

On Wednesday, Reeves took to Twitter to introduce the cast of The Batman - Part II with a series of posts. It gave us our first look at who Scarlett Johansson is playing, along with official reveals that the likes of Sebastian Stan (who’s reportedly playing Harvey Dent), Brian Tyree Henry and Charles Dance are joining this time around. One particularly interesting casting update was the addition of German actor Sebastian Koch. A first look at the actor in character was posted, but fans have multiple ideas of who he could be playing. Check it out:

Matt Reeves wrote “Locked and loaded for Gotham… Welcome” with a look at Koch dramatically putting down a gun. The comment section is full of theories about who the actor could be playing, with one being Mr. Freeze, as you can see in the post above. It doesn’t seem like anyone can fully agree on which character he’ll be playing, though. As another fan wrote:

I don’t see this, but there were a few people throwing out the idea that Koch could be playing Jeremiah Arkham, a supervillain in the Batman comics, who’s the head of Arkham Asylum. Here’s another popular idea coming out of Twitter:

For some reason, fans are convinced Koch’s going to play a mad scientist? Hugo Strange is a villain who’s obsessed with Batman and his identity, and he is one of the few foes of his who actually figured out it's Bruce Wayne. Having Hugo Strange in The Batman - Part II definitely would go with the tone of Matt Reeves’ movie, but I’m most inclined to believe the theory I’ve been seeing the most around this reveal. Check out all these comments:

“HARVEY BULLOCK IS THAT YOU?” - @nightswayness

“Idk who this is but i hope he is playing Harvey Bullock” - @Columned

“yeah with that caption it's gotta be bullock” - @AxelTalksFilm

“Sebastian Koch playing Harvey Bullock and Sebastian Stan playing Harvey Dent is just perfect” - @GothamChief

“Bullock? Perhaps a totally new character.” - @BATMANONFILM

Harvey Bullock is a GCPD officer who is a loyal, albeit cynical, ally to Commissioner Gordon. He’s often portrayed as a dirty cop who doesn’t trust Batman. This first look definitely gives those vibes, but we’ll have to wait and see to learn who Koch is actually playing.

Who knows, all of these could be totally wrong! But no matter what, I'm sure Matt Reeves has a good plan in place, and we'll get to see his vision brought to life when the movie hits theaters on October 1, 2027.

Director Matt Reeves continues to share images from The Batman: Part II, and now we have our first look at Scarlett Johansson in her mysterious role. The internet has its guesses, and it looks like they've settled on her playing the spouse of an iconic Batman rogue.

As big names like Sebastian Stan are attached to this upcoming superhero movie, fans think they've cracked the code on Johannson's part in the DC movie. Take a look below at who many believe is Gilda Dent:

For those who may not be familiar, Gilda Dent is the wife of Harvey Dent. Her story is all over the place amongst her various appearances in DC Comics. The common thread is that her loyalty to her husband, even after his transformation into Two Face, is unwavering.

Keep in mind, none of this is confirmed. That said, there's plenty of chatter online about Scarlett Johansson's role. For the time being, it seems there's a small army of people convinced she's playing Gilda:

• That’s gilda dent alright - @Mandevil23
• Scarlett Johansson saying 'I Believe in Harvey Dent' is gonna be so iconic - @_CinemaHub_
• LETS GOOOOOOO. WELCOME GILDA DENT 🙏🔥🦇 - @TheBatmanSagaNW
• Gilda Dent is here and I’m already terrified for Harvey. - @HashimKhanoo7
• Welcome to Gotham, Gilda This cast is stacking impossibly good. Can’t wait for the Dent family drama in Reeves’ world - @al_saudigirl

People seem pretty convinced, but again, we don't know this is for sure who Scarlett Johansson will be playing in The Batman: Part II. That said, her short dark hair does seem to match up with the comic panels that people are sharing online.

This latest look arrives as conversation continues about which villains will appear in The Batman: Part 2. We already know Colin Farrell is back as Penguin, and many believe Sebastian Stan is playing Harvey Dent. There's also whispers of Barry Keoghan appearing as Joker, and the general snow theme surrounding the movie has people wondering if Mr. Freeze may show up as well.

All this to say, adding Scarlett Johansson on top of every other big name that is in the movie is wild. The Batman: Part II is not hurting for talented actors, and I wonder if a role like Gilda Dent could be too small for someone of Johansson's caliber in Hollywood. She has experience in the MCU as a superhero, so maybe her role could be closer tied to something like that?

We still have a long time to find out for sure, as The Batman: Part II is not showing up in theaters until October 1st, 2027. I'm curious to see how much we learn about all of these characters in the lead-up to the next adventure, and if this movie sets the stage for another follow-up.

Sebastian Stan has spent the past few years making career choices that make it hard to pin him down. He played Donald Trump in The Apprentice, disappeared under prosthetics in A24’s A Different Man, returned to Marvel as Bucky Barnes in Thunderbolts* and is now heading to Gotham as Harvey Dent in the upcoming The Batman: Part II. Finally, he’s breaking his silence on joining Matt Reeves second entry in the standalone The Batman franchise, and his comments have me so excited.

In a new interview with Deadline, Stan discussed his upcoming DC movie role, his 2026 movie release, Fjord, fatherhood, masculinity and the immigrant experience. He will soon begin work on The Batman: Part II in London, where he is set to play Harvey Dent, the Gotham district attorney who becomes the villain Two-Face. Asked about joining Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, Stan said:

That is not a plot reveal, of course. The Captain America: First Avenger star is not spilling Arkham files across the table. But for fans waiting to see where Reeves takes Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader next, the word “surprise” is the little green light flickering at the end of a dark hallway.

Reeves’ The Batman was less interested in the new superhero movie spectacle than in mood and in delving into the character's detective angle, which so many adaptations have completely left behind.

Reeves' Gotham felt wet, sick and infected by old money. Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne was still a young vigilante, less polished icon than wounded insomniac in a cape. Dropping Harvey Dent into that world makes a lot of sense, especially if Reeves wants to keep digging into Gotham’s broken institutions.

Dent has always worked best when he is more than a villain. In most iterations of the character, he begins as a public servant, a prosecutor, and a symbol of reform. One of my favorite versions of the character is the groundbreaking Batman: The Animated Series from the early '90s, and in that series, Harvey Dent and Bruce Wayne were great friends before Dent’s fall and turn to crime, which makes the fall more devastating. If Stan is playing the character before the full transformation into Two-Face, there is room for something more tragic than the standard comic-book-movie fare.

That is where Stan feels like such an interesting fit. He has made a career out of characters whose faces don’t tell the whole story. Bucky Barnes is a soldier-turned-weapon who spends years trying to crawl back toward himself. His Oscar-nominated turn in The Apprentice asked him to inhabit a public figure without turning the performance into a simple impersonation. A Different Man and Fjord both point to an actor who seems increasingly interested in discomfort, contradiction and roles that do not flatter him, and that has me so excited to see what he brings to the world of Gotham City.

The bigger question is how much of Two-Face we will actually see in The Batman: Part II. Reeves may be setting up Dent’s downfall rather than rushing straight to it, which could be the smarter move. The first film took its time with Gotham’s sickness. Letting Harvey stand inside that system before it devours him could make the eventual turn nastier.

We still have time to wait and speculate about Dent’s future as The Batman Part II doesn’t hit theaters until October 1, 2027. Fans can return to Reeve’s first take on The Dark Knight by revisiting The Batman with an HBO Max subscription.

The DCU is still in its infancy, but fans are excited for the upcoming DC movies that co-CEO James Gunn is crafting. But Matt Reeves' The Batman franchise isn't set within the shared universe, and therefore operates on its own rules. The highly anticipated sequel will feature Sebastian Stan as Harvey Dent/ Two-Face, and he's looking ripped while training for the forthcoming blockbuster.

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, but he'll be pivoting over to the DC side of things for The Batman Part II. He's getting personal training from Rise Movement, who shared a photo of him fueling up over on Instagram. And the 43 year-old actor's arms are looking ripped, as you can see below:

Holy arms, Batman! It looks like Robert Pattinson's title character might have the odds stacked against him in The Batman Part II, because Harvey Dent is looking swole AF. We'll have to see how much action the actor gets into in the DC blockbuster, and if he actually transforms into the beloved Batman villain Two-Face. But he's clearly taking prep for the sequel seriously.

The comments section of the above post is filled with folks giving Stan his flowers for looking so ripped ahead of filming The Batman Part II. Plenty of folks are comparing him to Pattinson, who is much more slim than most of the Bruce Wayne actors. Although in his defense he was looking very fit in the first movie.

While we didn't actually get to see Sebastian Stan workout in this clip, we can see the fruits of his labor. Both his arms and chest are looking huge, so whatever regimen he's on seems to be working. We'll just have to wait and see if either the trainer or the actor himself put out some thirst traps on social media during their continued collaboration.

The Batman's sequel has been delayed a number of times, but anticipation has been buoyed thanks to its spinoff TV series The Penguin. James Gunn made it sounds like a new Bruce Wayne won't be introduced to the newly formed DCU until Matt Reeves' movie is released, so hopefully it still ends up hitting theaters as currently planned.

The Batman Part II is expected to arrive on the big screen on October 1st, 2027. Since it's not part of the 2026 movie release list, we'll have to practice some patience until the first footage from the highly anticipated title are finally released.

As the new DC Universe continues rolling out its first chapter, Gods & Monsters, Matt Reeves’ The Batman still occupies its own strange little corner of Gotham. Robert Pattinson’s Batman is not part of the main DCU timeline, at least for now and honestly, that separation has become part of what makes Reeves’ world feel so distinct. So, naturally, people keep asking whether Pattinson’s caped crusader should eventually get folded into the larger DCU. Beloved The Batman star Paul Dano was asked about the idea, and I really appreciate his perspective.

Dano, who played the Riddler in The Batman, recently spoke with MovieWeb and was asked whether Pattinson’s Caped Crusader should be brought into the main DCU timeline. He did not give a hard yes or no, which is probably wise. Instead, he focused on Reeves’ point of view as a filmmaker, saying:

That is the exact take I have. Dano isn’t trashing the DCU or acting like shared universes are beneath Reeves’ work. He just seems to understand that The Batman is special because it has a very specific pulse. It feels like a detective story someone left in a damp basement with a stack of Nirvana records. Any attempts to sand that down so it fits neatly beside every other upcoming DC project would feel unnecessary. One of the smartest things DC can do right now is let different corners of the brand actually feel unique.

At this point, that already seems to be part of the plan. Supergirl is set for the 2026 movie schedule, hitting theaters on June 26, with Milly Alcock leading the Craig Gillespie-directed movie. Also, Clayface, for which a trailer was recently released, is also on the DC slate and appears to be aiming for a very different tone altogether. That range is what is making the DCU releases more interesting than other new superhero movies.

Then there’s Batman himself. DC Studios is still developing The Brave and the Bold, the announced main DCU Batman movie, with Andy Muschietti attached to direct. That project is expected to introduce a separate version of Bruce Wayne, meaning DC can have its connected Dark Knight while Reeves keeps building Pattinson’s Elseworlds version without turning every creative decision into a continuity spreadsheet.

That’s why I like Dano’s answer so much. He’s basically arguing for personality. Let Reeves’ Gotham be Reeves’ Gotham. Let Gunn’s DCU have its own Batman. Let weird little pockets of the brand breathe without forcing them to hold hands in the name of an interconnected Universe.

For now, it feels like the right call forThe Batman (which is streamable with an HBO Max subscription) and the forthcoming The Batman Part II to remain in their own Elseworlds lane. Reeves’ sequel is currently set for Oct. 1, 2027, giving everyone plenty of time to speculate about the villains and create fan theories.

Until then, Dano’s take is the one I’m sticking with: bring more point-of-view filmmaking to Gotham and let the rest sort itself out in the Batcave.

It feels like a lifetime since The Batman came out and Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves set the world on fire with their take on the Caped Crusader, but the movie only came out in 2022. I think it's more a sign of how desperate I am to see The Batman: Part II, so I'm thankful that Reeves has finally shared the first images from the anticipated sequel.

Amidst the critical success of The Penguin, Pattinson is hyping up audiences about the upcoming big swings the sequel will take, and teases about The Joker, we now have official photos from the set. Reeves shared some camera shots of cars driving in the snow, which isn't much, but it has me hype all the same:

It's snowing in Gotham City in The Batman: Part II, which already gives me Batman Returns vibes. I would love another Batman movie that takes place around Christmas, though snow can obviously come both before and after the holiday.

Snow draws obvious comparisons to iconic Batman villain Mr. Freeze, who was infamously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the flop Batman & Robin. There's been a lot of speculation that Victor Fries might appear, and fans have a lot of ideas about who could play the character. I'm not 100% convinced we'll see him, though with snow being a part of the story I wouldn't suspect someone like Poison Ivy is going to take center stage in this adventure.

Penguin is also another villain with ties to the cold, and given the success of his series (available to stream with an HBO Max subscription). He's going to appear in The Batman: Part II, but told THR that he expected his role to be role in the movie to be smaller. I guess they need to save screentime for if they can convince Colin Farrell to get back in those prosthetics for The Penguin Season 2, which I'd love to see.

Ultimately, we're still largely in the dark about many details concerning The Batman: Part II, but that feels right given we're still over a year out from its release. Hopefully we'll get a teaser, poster, or some other details before the end of this month, though, because I'm getting even more eager to see this movie after two shots of cars driving in the snow. Is that weird? Absolutely, but those who get it don't need any further explanation.

The Batman: Part II is coming out in October 2027, and I'm sure it'll be a hit for DC and get everyone hype yet again about seeing Batman in live-action. I'm eager to see what's on the way, as well as what may come after.

As The Batman: Part II inches closer to the beginning of principal photography, a number of questions remain regarding the Matt Reeves-helmed movie. One particular detail that’s been heavily discussed by fans is whether Barry Keoghan will reprise his role as the Joker. Unsurprisingly, Keoghan himself has played coy whenever he’s been asked about the prospect of reprising the Clown Prince of Crime. The Irish actor did the same thing during a recent interview, yet I’m still convinced he’ll be returning for the sequel.

Keoghan’s Mr. J only appears briefly at the end of 2022’s The Batman, as his silhouette can be seen while he forms an alliance with the unsuspecting Riddler in Arkham Asylum. However, following the release of the film, Warner Bros. officially released a deleted scene featuring Joker. Keoghan recently took part in Wired’s Autocomplete Interview (which was shared to YouTube), and one of the questions posed was in regard to why his Joker scene was cut. Keoghan didn’t provide an exact reason, but he did share these thoughts:

The scene in question is very entertaining, as it shows the incarcerated clown being interrogated by the Dark Knight (played by Robert Pattinson), who seeks his thoughts on the Riddler’s crimes. Overall, the deleted moment quickly and effectively illustrates the dynamic between the two foes, and it’s a major reason why I want to see Keoghan play the Gotham City rogue again. Keoghan also addressed the prospect of playing the role again:

Considering the Banshees of Inisherin star’s uneasiness and quickness to move away from the topic, I’m more than tempted to believe he’s poised to make a comeback as Joker. It’s definitely not uncommon for actors affiliated with certain projects to deny involvement until something is made official. For example, I can still remember when Paul Rudd tried to brush off the report that he’d been cast as Ant-Man. So, while Keoghan may not have provided any kind of confirmation, his deflection suggests there’s something big he can’t talk about.

Keoghan may not be keen on divulging any details on what lies ahead for his Joker, but he is fully aware of how massive the gig is. He previously referred to the role as being “a big one” and emphasized the “iconic” nature of the character. Considering that Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix are among the actors who’ve played versions of the DC Comics villain over the years, it’s clear that Keoghan is following in the footsteps of some titans. Considering Keoghan’s solid debut as the character, I’d love to see him get a chance to further develop this iteration alongside Matt Reeves.

Of course, the status of the Joker is just one query swirling around this Batman sequel, as fans still don’t even know what the actual plot will be. At the very least, it’s been reported that some newcomers are joining the fold, including blockbuster franchise queen Scarlett Johansson, and she’ll be joined by Sebastian Stan, a fellow MCU alum. Here’s hoping Keoghan is indeed part of the ensemble Reeves is putting together for this film.

The Batman: Part II is set to open in theaters on October 1, 2027. While fans wait for the film, they can stream its predecessor as well as the spinoff series, The Penguin, using an HBO Max subscription.

If you were following the press tour for The Dark Knight Rises back in 2012, you probably remember how much of the conversation around Anne Hathaway centered on her transformation into Catwoman. Unfortunately, the questions tended to drift in one very specific direction: her weight. In one now-infamous moment, an interviewer flat-out asked, “How much weight did you lose?” It clearly caught her off guard, even if she handled it like a pro. Now, years later, she’s opening up about why that question bothered her, and why she’d approach it differently today.

In a clip shared by People, Hathaway revisited that moment, explaining that her preparation for the role had far more to do with getting physically ready for the demands of the part than with losing weight. She said:

At the time, Hathaway was stepping into one of the most high-profile roles of her career, working under director Christopher Nolan and joining a franchise that was already under a microscope. Following the release of The Dark Knight, a film many fans considered the best superhero movie of all time, expectations were high for the conclusion of the Nolan Dark Knight trilogy. Every detail was being picked apart, from the costume to the performance to, apparently, her body.

From her perspective, though, the focus was off. Instead of highlighting the training and strength it took to pull off Catwoman’s stunts, the conversation kept circling back to weight loss. That’s the disconnect she’s pointing to years later. It wasn’t just the question, but what the question assumed going in.

The viral press moment also speaks to how much things have shifted over the past decade. There’s a lot more awareness now around how often actors, especially women, are asked about their bodies, and how those types of questions are handled.

Hathaway’s comment about knowing how to “navigate that much more easily” today really says it all. In that now-infamous moment, the Ella Enchanted star tried to laugh it off, joking, “You did not just ask me that question! What a forward young man you are. My goodness… ‘How much weight?’ … I worked very hard to become Selina Kyle.”

Catwoman wasn’t a role that worked because the actress was thinner; instead, it was built on agility, control, and strength. It was built on her ability to move, fight, and hold her own in a physically demanding environment. That’s what Christopher Nolan asked Anne Hathaway for, and that’s what the Princess Diaries actress was actually doing as she got more svelte for the role.

Now, with some distance and a different perspective, she can look back on that moment with more clarity. It’s also something she seems to be actively addressing in the projects she has more control over. Case in point, recent reports that she pushed for more size diversity among models on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2 after noticing the lineup skewed toward more traditional body types.

Anne Hathaway has a packed 2026 movie schedule, with roles in A24’s new horror movie Mother Mary and a return to the fashion world in The Devil Wears Prada 2, hitting theaters on May 1. She also collaborated with the Dark Knight Rises director for the third time on Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey, hitting theaters on July 17.

I’m as pumped as anyone to see what the live-action Brainiac will look like in James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow, and what kind of drunken bastiches Kara and Lobo will be in Supergirl, the upcoming DC project I’m most jazzed about is absolutely Clayface. Gunn’s history with horror is the perfect set-up for the DCU to embrace the genre, as it already has with Creature Commandos, and James Watkins gets to deliver those live-action goods to theaters later this year. Now, we finally have our first look at the amorphous antagonist.

DC Studios and Warner Bros. have unveiled the debut teaser for Clayface, which was initially shown off for CinemaCon crowds, and it’s a solid blend of setting up familiar elements while also hinting at more mayhem to come. And if I’m not mistaken, the start of all this mayhem seems to have been pulled from the origin story of a different Batman villain. Check out the video below and see if you can spot the key clue, which we’ll get into lower.

This Clayface Teaser Is Haunting Without Spoiling Much

One of the worst things about any movie’s promotional campaign is always the 3-minute trailer that pretty much lays out the story beat for beat while also featuring footage from every single set piece, leaving no surprises unturned. I can only hope that Clayface never goes that route, and that each preview is similarly limited and unnerving as the one above.

Set to the slowed and echoed lyrics of The Flaming Lips “Do You Realize?” the footage is largely locked in on the seemingly injured and bandaged face of Matt Hagen, as portrayed by Tom Rhys Harries. Harries’ uncovered face doesn’t pop up for long, and we mostly see him in…other ways. Gotta love the time-honored classic look where he’s struggling to stretch his mouth back open. That effect will always give me tiny jolts of claustrophobia at the thought of not having a mouth to breathe through.

We also get our first looks at Naomi Ackie as Dr. Caitlin Bates, who’s not only Matt’s love interest, but also a provocative scientist who has been compared to Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. I can only assume that she’ll have a major part to play where Matt’s transformation into Clayface is concerned, and how it seemingly taps into other DC Comics lore.

Clayface's Story Seems To Be Tied To The Creeper's Comic Book Origins

Around the 20-second mark in the teaser, there's this quick-flash image of a computer screen and X-ray imagery:

Certainly, a number of DC Comics stories have centered on nanotechnology over the years, especially when it comes to bots and drones. But The Creeper's revised origin story for the post-Infinite Crisis era specifically involved alter ego Jack Ryder being injected (by scientist Vincent Yatz) with an experimental stem cell treatment involving "nanocells" that allowed for "smart-skin" that could be manipulated and regenerated at will.

Not all of The Creeper's origins went that way, as he's also been depicted as a literal demon from Western culture, as well as a Japanese oni. But the nanocell-created skin gave Jack various superhuman abilities, from heightened strength to powered-up senses and other oddball powers. So not exactly the same as what we're expecting from Clayface's namesake, but close enough that this has to be a knowing wink to DC Comics lore.

What's more, there's even a Joker connection here that could possibly tap into the Joker-related imagery seen in behind-the-scenes photos. It was later discovered that Joker Venom was added into the nanocell serum as a nerve agent, which is what caused The Creeper's abnormal super-skin and other abilities. It'd be a fun way to bring that iconic character's presence into this universe without the need to show him outright. (Although I'd welcome that just as quickly.)

Though Superman was about an alien who at one point in the movie fought a kaiju, James Gunn generally aims to keep the DCU fairly grounded when possible, so it makes more sense to have Matt Hagen's transformation be tied to experimental science as opposed to anything supernatural or demonic. I'm just hoping Dr. Caitlin Bates has an assistant named Jack Ryder, and that he looks directly into the camera while tapping the side of his nose at one point.

Check out one of the cool social posts DC shared ahead of the teaser's release, showing off more of the melty-face effect.

Will the upcoming horror movie feature other nods to The Creeper and more Batman villains, or will this be the most contained and reference-lite DC project yet? Considering Mike Flanagan wrote the script, I'm expecting some brilliant tie-ins.

Find Clayface in theaters (or becoming the theater itself) on October 23, 2026.

Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II is finally nearing the start of filming and, with that, the cast is reportedly being filled out. Over the past few months, it’s been reported that Scarlett Johansson is headed to Gotham City and that fellow Marvel veteran Sebastian Stan is playing Harvey Dent (a.k.a. Two-Face) as well. Now, it would seem Reeves has cast a seasoned Game of Thrones star to take on a key role. Aside from the star himself, what really tickles me here is that the character is so on brand for them.

The one-and-only Charles Dance is reportedly joining the long-awaited sequel to The Batman, according to Deadline. Neither DC Studios nor Warner Bros. have commented on the matter as of this writing. The trade did, however, report that Dance would be taking on the role of Charles Dent, the father of the previously mentioned Harvey. It goes without saying that Dance is a film, TV and stage legend, and he now takes on a role that Daniel Craig and Brad Pitt allegedly passed on. Still, I’m glad Dance now has it.

What I find so humorously ironic about this reported casting, though, is that the character represents a “bad dad” role, which Dance is more than familiar with. Game of Thrones fans surely know Dance portrays the despicable Tywin Lannister between the first and fifth seasons of the acclaimed HBO series. The head of The House Lannister, Tywin is particularly vile towards his youngest son, Tyrion, due to his dwarfism and the fact that his wife died while giving birth to him.

Lannister isn’t the only “bad dad” character Dance has played as of late either. He also portrays the stringent and distant father of the titular character in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. The character of Baron Leopold Frankenstein isn’t as vicious as Tywin, but he does put an incredible amount of pressure on his son, Victor, and doesn’t hide how he favors his younger brother, William. So, needless to say, Dance has a solid amount of experience playing less-than-perfect parental figures.

Harvey Dent’s father is known as Christopher in the comics, and he’s depicted as an alcoholic who also struggles with mental illness. All of that would manifest into abuse that Christopher would inflict upon young Harvey. While the younger Dent eventually becomes a successful attorney, he also deals with psychological issues as an adult. That psyche breaks down entirely after Harvey is disfigured and becomes the mob boss Two-Face. We can only speculate as to how the older Dent might figure into Reeves’ universe, but I’d love to see even a portion of that sordid family history play into Part II.

Unsurprisingly, details on The Batman: Part II have been kept tightly under wraps. So far, Matt Reeves and co. have only teased what they have in mind for the highly anticipated follow-up to his 2022 movie. Lead actor Robert Pattinson also drummed up some excitement recently, though, when he teased that the movie would take some “big swings.”

I’m hoping one of those swings is a strong examination of Harvey Dent’s duality and backstory. On that note, Dance is a firm addition to the cast, and I’m hoping Matt Reeves utilizes him to firm effect. I mean, if you have one of the premier “bad dad” actors to play a bad dad, why not give him a truly meaty role?

Check out The Batman: Part II when it opens in theaters on October 1, 2027. In the meantime, stream the original film with an HBO Max subscription, and, with that same membership, check out Charles Dance’s work on Game of Thrones.

The superhero genre continues to be wildly popular, with both DC and Marvel competing for box office supremacy. While fans look forward to upcoming Marvel movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, they often like to debate which hero would beat whom in a fight. The Drama stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson were recently asked about what would happen if Batman and Tom Holland's Spider-Man came to blows, and their exchange was A+.

These two A-listers star together in the twisty film The Drama, but all things come back to superheroes will doing press. They were asked by LAD Bible about Spider-Man vs Batman, although neither is necessarily unbiased. Zendaya is in a relationship with Tom Holland and stars as MJ in the Spider-Man movies (which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription), while Pattinson is the title character of The Batman. You can see their funny give and take below:

Honestly, I love watching the chemistry between these two. The pair were asked if they agree with the statement "Spider-Man would kick Batman's ass", with the Greatest Showman actress immediately choosing the "strongly agree" option. While Pattinson tried to defend his character from The Batman (which is streaming with an HBO Max subscription), she says simply:

Points were made. Of course, fans who spent years watching the DC movies in order know that Bruce Wayne is a capable hero without powers. What's more, he usually strategizes ways to take down DC heroes in case they turn bad. So maybe the debate is not quite that simple. Although Peter Parker is also a genius who sometimes has technology working on his side.

While Pattinson is originally taken by this argument, he can't betray his character and "strongly agree" with the statement. He joked that he's contractually unable to side with Spider-Man in this debate. And just like that, the DC and Marvel rivalry lives on.

Robert Pattinson made a splash as the title character of Matt Reeves' The Batman, but it's already been years since he's rocked the cowl and cape. What we know about The Batman Part II is super limited, as it's not expected to arrive in theaters until October of 2027. The same can't be said for Zendaya, who will return as MJ in Spider-Man: Brand New Day this summer.

Personally, I'm inclined to agree with Zendaya, as I think that Peter Parker's abilities give him the advantage against Batman. But there are plenty of DC fans who likely would disagree. So just like the two stars of The Drama, coming to an agreement might be easier said than done.

The Drama is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day will follow suit on July 31st. As for The Batman Part II, we shouldn't expect it on the big screen until October 1st, 2027.

The DC side of the superhero genre has been going through changes recently, courtesy of co-CEO James Gunn. A new shared universe has come with the DCU, which is releasing content in theaters and streaming with an HBO Max subscription. While we're a few titles into the first slate of projects called Gods and Monsters, there are plenty who are still looking back at the previous DCEU. Zack Snyder has been fanning those flames with some cool throwbacks, the latest of which makes Ben Affleck look absolutely huge as Batman.

Folks who watched the DC movies in order will recall how Snyder helped kickstart the DCEU, before departing after Justice League. And while audiences are looking forward to upcoming DC movies, others are still hoping that Warner Bros. relents to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. The 300 director took to Instagram to share an epic picture of Batfleck, check it out below:

Seriously, this guy looks huge. Ben Affleck already stands at a whopping 6'4, and he put on a ton of muscle to play Bruce Wayne in Batman v Superman and Justice League. It made the character physically intimidating, especially when breaking Batman's no-kill rule and taking out enemies. And while we wait to see who will be the Dark Knight in the DCU, it's easy to understand why Snyder chose Affleck.

Zack Snyder shared this image with his 714K followers on Instagram, a number that's been steadily building since he joined the social media outlet and posted a photo of Henry Cavill's Superman in the process. The comments section is filled with fans who want to see more of the filmmaker's vision for all things DC, especially the two scrapped Justice League sequels. Some responses read:

• I just rewatched BVS, its such a masterpiece. Incredible film. - btdjokes
• pls bring him back he is an excellent Batman - kingdiamonddotcom
• Restore the snyderverse - pulidop48
• I love the texture on the suit. Also you were the only one to comic accurate adapt the gray suit - joeyfierrodmd
• Still my favourite Batman! - shane.r.lowrie

Unfortunately, Ben Affleck only got to take center stage for two DCEU movies. Although he did have cameos in Suicide Squad and The Flash, helping the former shared universe feel more interconnected. Affleck also did reshoots for Zack Snyder's Justice League, bringing together the new Knightmare scene and the Martian Manhunter sequence in the process.

The DCEU is streaming now on HBO Max. The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list. But with Snyder regularly posting throwbacks, smart money says calls to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse aren't going to slow anytime soon.

Of the many upcoming DC movies that have been announced under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new reign over the comic book franchise, one of the more anticipated ones is the Batman: The Brave and the Bold movie. When CinemaBlend sat down with the filmmakers set to be behind it for their latest movie They Will Kill You, we talked fan casting!

The Muschietti's React To Fan Casts Ahead Of Batman: The Brave And Bold

Since The Brave and the Bold was announced back in 2023, fans have been taking it upon themselves to imagine what actors could embody the leading roles of Batman and Robin. Here’s what happened when our own Hannah Saulic brought up the topic to Andy and Barbara Muschetti:

The Muschettis have made it clear in the past that they need to remain coy about The Brave And The Bold, but they did offer some interesting thoughts about if they pay attention to the fan castings that have been going around. Andy, who’s set to direct this Batman movie, said he’s been “curious” about what people are saying. His sister and collaborator Barbara followed up his comments by showing love to fans, but noting at the end of the day, they’re going to make the decision themselves.

What Are Popular The Brave And The Bold Fancasts?

If you haven’t been following along with the fandom on fancastings, there’s a big one you should know about. Lately, DC fans have been talking a lot about Love Story’s Paul Anthony Kelly as Batman. So much so that the actor was even asked about by GQ last month. Here’s what he said:

There’s plenty of other names in the mix though. Supernatural and The Boys’ Jensen Ackles is a longtime favorite for The Dark Knight, along with Reacher’s Alan Ritchson, The Haunting Of Hill House’s Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and even Wicked’s Jonathan Bailey. And when it comes to the casting for Robin/Damian Wayne, How To Train Your Dragon’s Mason Thames has been a popular pick.

All that being said, it could be awhile before we learn about the casting for The Brave And The Bold. A recent rumor claimed that James Gunn wants to wait for Robert Pattinson’s The Batman trilogy to end before bringing a new Bruce Wayne into the mix. As things stand, The Batman: Part II is expected to come out on October 1, 2027 and Part III would take at least a couple of years to come out. If the rumor is true, we might not see The Brave And The Bold until the 2030s.

In the meantime, you can check out Andy and Barbara Muschetti’s latest movie, They Will Kill You, now in theaters. Supergirl is the next flick from DC Studios, out June 26.

Even though it seems like fans will forever be at least 18-24 months away from ever experiencing Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II, the highly anticipated sequel is coming together slowly but surely. And we’re at the point in the pre-production process where star Robert Pattinson is letting some teasy enthusiasm out while promoting his upcoming A24 movie The Drama, and it sounds like he really digs the script.

Speaking with Deadline in a clip shared on TikTok, Pattinson was asked what he could share about returning to the cape and cowl, and whether or not it the production was currently ongoing. Sharing that it’s expected to kick off in a couple of months, the Die My Love star also shared some carefully crafted thoughts about the script from Reeves and co-screenwriter Mattson Tomlin, and how this upcoming superhero movies will stand apart from everything else. In his words:

Obviously, Matt Reeves & Co. wouldn't take a years-long break between movies just to come back and serve up a warmed-over story that hits all the same beats we've seen before. But it still gets me pretty pumped to hear Pattinson share that praise regardless.

What could some of those big swings be that he's talking about? Let's go through some guesses, from the most likely to the least likely.

• The Batman Part II will be an entirely faithful adaptation of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's The Long Halloween miniseries, with Sebastian Stan and Scarlett Johansson as Harvey and Gilda Dent.

This idea is aligned with a lot of recent rumors and assumptions related to Scarlett Johansson's surprising casting, which preceded Stan joining the franchise by a month, and is based on previous reports that Reeves' sequel would dig into the all-time classic comic book arc.

The storyline includes Harvey going from a friend of Bruce Wayne's to a disfigured and vindictive foe, with his dutiful wife Gilda at his side. It's the likeliest arc adaptation of any, especially when tied into news of A-listers turning down the role of Christopher Dent, Harvey's father.

• The Batman Part II will introduce Dick Grayson and /or the entire Flying Graysons family.

Within Batman's long comic history, The Long Halloween is technically viewed through the prism of it being one of the biggest cases from his early days as a vigilante, which would obviously match up with how long he's been donning the Bat suit in live-action. As such, it's a bit too early for our brooding hero to become a suitable guardian for an orphaned ward. But answer me this: who's swinging bigger than a family of trapeze artists?

Live-action Robins are few and far between, and it might make sense for Reeves to want to give such an important mythos character as much time on the screen as possible for development purposes. I don't necessarily expect this one, given the myriad other new characters reportedly being introduced. But I do expect more of those particular breadcrumbs to be dished out.

• Barry Keoghan's Joker will hit Gotham City's streets as a sub-antagonist.

Within any Batman story, the Joker always looms as the largest and most potentially devious and deadly of everyone in Bats' rogues gallery. So in theory, what bigger swing might there be than introducing the Joker proper, but only having him take on a minor antagonist role, instead of being the big bad? That kind of storyline doesn't happen much in any DC media, so I wouldn't expect this movie to be the exception. But it could be a good way to build the villain's legacy up without turning him into a full-on monster from the jump.

• A multiverse is introduced that allows James Gunn to finally cast his own Batman.

Given that James Gunn wants to let Matt Reeves' Batman-fueled trilogy finish before introducing another Batman into the DCU proper, is it possible that Reeves' sequel could introduce its own multiverse concept that would allow Gunn to get his own Dark Knight cast without it being a confusing situation for fans? It seems less likely than other options, but maybe not as unlikely as "the DCU existing for 4+ years without a Batman reference.

Surely, The Batman Part II will astound audiences in ways I couldn't even hope to predict, so you know I'll be there with bat-bells on when it hits theaters on October 1, 2027.

The DCU is still in its very early days, which means that who will play most of the iconic character roles has yet to be decided. Many fans have an opinion on who they would like to see play their favorite heroes and villains, and we recently saw just how strong many people felt following the suggestion that Megan Fox should play Batman villain Poison Ivy.

A fan of Megan Fox commented on her Instagram page that she should play Poison Ivy in a movie that puts the plant-loving character together with her best girlfriend, Poison Ivy. Fox “liked” the comment, which most have taken as an endorsement of the statement, and confirmation that she would at least be interested in such a role. Fox has said before that she is absolutely interested in playing a Marvel or DC character. That response has in turn elicited strong responses from fans, both for and against the idea on Twitter. Responses include…

• She has the body and bisexuality but not the acting - @MooreChamar
• Honestly I think Megan Fox would be perfect as poison ivy in DCU - @jimmylegends34
• This post has me thinking of the time Megan Fox admitted on a live stream she had a crush on Margot Robbie. Need them as HarleyIvy idgaf - @harleenquinzels
• the way i’ve been saying this for years - @filmbitten
• who’s gonna do the acting tho? - @Mandevil23

Clearly, a lot of people are critical of Fox’s ability as an actress. It certainly isn’t something we haven’t heard before, though I’m not sure I can entirely agree; I’m not sure anybody’s performance in a Transformers movie is an accurate gauge of their ability as an actor. Still, while some may think the role needs a better actress, many others feel just as strongly that Megan Fox would be a fantastic Poison Ivy.

In the comic, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn have become quite the team, and so a lot of people would love to see that on the big screen. At one point during the previous DC franchise, there were plans for a Gotham City Sirens movie that would have brought the pair together, but it was ultimately never made.

At this point, we also don’t know what the official future for Harley Quinn in the DCU will be. Since Margot Robbie played the character in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, there’s a decent chance she could reprise the role eventually, but at this point, what parts of the old DC franchise will carry over and what parts will not is still far from clear.

Whoever would make for the best Poison Ivy, it seems more than likely that we’ll get one at some point. One actress is already campaigning for the role in Matt Reeves' Batman franchise, but since there will be another DCU Batman, Megan Fox may get more than one chance to snag the part if she wants it.

The Batman Part II has been a movie that fans have been waiting for for years, and while the release date of the project has been delayed multiple times, it did appear that production was set to get underway soon ahead of the film’s 2027 release date. However, a new rumor claims there’s a problem as one key role has yet to be cast.

Brad Pitt And Daniel Craig Were Reportedly Offered The same Batman Part II Role

The Batman Part II has been putting together a star-studded cast, which includes Sebastian Stan and Scarlett Johansson. According to World of Reel, there’s at least one more role to fill that is looking for a big name, as both Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig have reportedly considered it, though both have allegedly passed. As such, the role is still unfilled. What’s most interesting is that the part isn’t a major name in the Batman canon; it’s the father of one.

All rumors, and some evidence, point to Stan playing the role of Harvey Dent, the Gotham City DA who becomes the villain Two-Face. This new rumor indicates that Harvey's father Christopher Dent will also be a major character in The Batman Part II. This is the role that both Craig and Pitt have reportedly passed on. While it might be an attempt at stunt casting, it appears that Harvey Dent’s family may actually be significant characters in the movie. It’s suggested in the same piece that Johansson’s role in the film will be as Gilda Dent, Harvey’s wife.

Why Pitt And Craig May Have Passed

It’s maybe not that surprising that both Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig passed on The Batman Part II. One has to imagine that both of them could have been part of almost any superhero movie they wanted, and yet neither of them has been part of the genre to this point. Craig was briefly attached to the Sgt. Rock movie before that film fell apart, but that movie was clearly going to be something unique, coming as it was from director Luca Guadagnino.

However, the reason both stars passed may not be because they didn’t want the part; it may simply be that neither of them is available. Craig is attached to Damien Chazelle's next project, which is expected to start filming in October, and Brad Pitt has his own big project in Ocean's 14. That movie is expected to start filming this year, and even if neither film is technically a scheduling conflict, it's possible that both actors just didn’t want to work on two big projects back to back.

One assumes that, with Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig being considered for the role of Christopher Dent, whoever is next on the list will likely be an equally significant name. Hopefully, that name can be found quickly, preventing any additional delays in production. We’ve all been waiting long enough.

I think I owe Zack Snyder (and his fans) an apology. Because when the Snyderverse ended, I kind of danced on its grave. That’s because I HATED the Snyderverse. I just thought it was awful, and I was glad to see it gone.

But now…well, I’ll have to get back to you on that one. The only movie from the oft-maligned Snyderverse that I’ve rewatched is 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and I don’t hate it anymore! In fact, I actually really like it. I know! I’m just as shocked as you might be.

Or, might not be, because some of you have been saying all along how Batman v. Superman was a “misunderstood” movie, and how the Snyderverse was far superior to the MCU. And, as somebody who isn’t nearly as enamored with the MCU as I once was, I might agree with you. Here’s why.

I Always Liked The Batman Sections In This Movie, But Now I REALLY Like Them

If there’s one thing I’ve always admitted about Batman v. Superman, it’s that I think Ben Affleck makes for a tremendous Batman. It’s why when I ranked all of the live-action Batman movies, I made a point to say that while I didn’t like Batman v Superman itself, I still really liked the Batman sections, as I just loved the concept of an aged and seasoned Batman, who almost looked…tired. Or rather, over it.

Pulling strongly from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, the Batman we get here is older and almost pessimistic. Yes, Batman has always been more of a pragmatist than the vision of hope that is Superman, but in Batman v. Superman, Batman seems like the kind of person who thinks criminals DESERVE to get beaten up, rather than just being a means to an end. This Batman is a total bruiser, and maybe as close to Moon Knight (because, I’m sorry, but that show kind of missed the mark) that I’ll probably ever get.

However, after a rewatch, I REALLY like this version of Batman now. It could be because I haven’t rewatched the other Snyderverse movies like The Justice League, where Batman plays a smaller role, but I really enjoy the focus on him this time around. Yes, they once again go over his tragic backstory of losing his parents, but the result this time around is a much harder Batman than the ones we got in the other Batman movies.

He’s almost misanthropic, which I think Robert Pattinson in The Batman tried to do, but he just ended up seeming emo instead (I still liked it, all the same). I especially love how much Batman hates Superman in this movie, though, which I’ll get into next.

After Seeing The More Recent Superman, I Actually Now Think I Prefer Henry Cavill

Now, I know a lot of people loved the 2025 Superman movie (We even gave it a high review), but I wasn’t impressed. I found this version of Superman to be bland, and I didn’t like the story centered around him. In fact, aside from Nathan Fillion’s smug Guy Gardner and Edi Gathegi’s excellent Mr. Terrific, I thought the movie was pretty mid overall. JUST MY OPINION.

However, I definitely preferred it to 2013’s Man of Steel, which I thought was absolutely abysmal upon its release (I guess I have to rewatch that movie now, too, huh?). Well, here’s the thing about Henry Cavill. I have always (ALWAYS) thought that he was the perfect Superman, but that he was in terrible Superman movies. I actively disliked the overly blue (and overly violent) Man of Steel, and up until my recent rewatch of Batman v Superman, I disliked that as well. But now, I’ve had a change of heart.

For example, I love the contrast between Batman and Superman in this movie. At times, Superman is almost seen as a messianic figure, like in that scene where Superman saves a girl, and people actually take off their hats in his presence.

In this movie, he’s displayed as a god, which is why he pisses Batman off so much. Batman growls later, once he has Superman where he wants him, “You were never a god. You were never even a man!” That contrast between man and god is what makes this version of Superman…I’m going to say great. Yeah, this version of Superman is great, and I like him way better than the one we got in the 2025 film. Sorry, but I do.

I Also Can’t Believe I’m Saying This, But I Even Like Jesse Eisenberg As Lex Luthor Now

Now, here’s a big one, because I actually don’t despise Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor anymore. This is really shocking to me, because besides the whole “Save Martha” thing (Which believe me, I’ll get to), I think the thing I disliked the most about this movie was Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.

Let me back up a bit. Similar to Henry Cavill, I actually like Eisenberg as an actor (and, as a director, as A Real Pain is a true masterpiece). That said, Eisenberg as Lex Luthor? Are you kidding me? The fidgety/nerdy approach worked well in The Social Network, but that’s not at all the way I envision Lex Luthor.

However - and this is the whole theme of this article - I’ve changed my mind about this. Do I now think that Eisenberg is my new favorite cinematic version of the character? Of course not! That will likely always be Gene Hackman. However, I’ve come to like the approach that Eisenberg takes here. Like most well-written bad guys, this Luthor doesn’t view himself as a villain, but as the hero. He sees somebody like Superman as an existential threat (which, you know, is fair), and he wants to put a stop to him before he becomes a true problem.

This is a contrast from Nicholas Hault’s Lex Luthor in the more recent movie, who just seems to hate Superman because the guy has superpowers, and he doesn’t. So, I think it’s the contrast between the two Luthors that has made me change my mind. But now, onto Martha…

I Also Don’t Hate The Whole “Save Martha” Thing Anymore

Okay, so the NUMBER 1 thing I hated about Batman v Superman is the infamous “Save Martha” scene. You know what I’m talking about. Batman has Superman pinned down, and Superman groans, “Saaaave….Martha.” And then Batman’s all like, “WHY’D YOU SAY THAT NAME?!” It’s hilarious, and it’s been meme’d quite a bit, but when I first saw this in theaters, practically the entire audience groaned.

And, yes. I know. It’s silly. And it also probably wouldn’t have been a problem if not for the fact that the whole plot hinges on this moment, as it’s the catalyst for why Batman and Superman eventually work together. That said, like everything else with this article, I’m not even remotely bothered by this anymore. In fact, I look forward to it, now that I know it’s coming up.

Which might have been the reason why I (and so many others) loathed it when we first saw it in theaters. Because looking back, the movie is honestly pretty good until that groan-inducing moment. But, when you know that THAT’S the key scene that turns this movie from being Batman v. Superman to Batman meets Superman (BFFs), then it’s not so bad.

So, overall, I can admit it. I was wrong about Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. I think it’s actually pretty good! (Or, maybe I’m just nostalgic for 2016). What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

The comic book genre is wildly popular, and showing no sign of slowing down. Folks who watched the DC movies in order have endless question about upcoming DC movies, especially since co-CEO James Gunn is crafting a new shared universe for theaters (and streaming with a HBO Max subscription). One big question is what actor might be playing Batman, and now Love Story actor Paul Anthony Kelly has responded to calls for him to be Gotham's Protector.

The new series Love Story has been making a splash on FX (and streaming with a Hulu subscription), quickly making a household name out of Kelly. And as a result of his acting chops and handsome looks, he's become a popular choice by fans to be the next Bruce Wayne. During an interview with GQ the 37 year-old actor addressed that chatter, saying:

There you have it. It sounds like Kelly has seen the chatter online, and would be more than honored to get to play Batman on the big screen. Of course, there's no guarantee this will ever come to fruition; it's unclear when The Brave and The Bold will even begin casting and shooting. We'll just have to see if James Gunn ends up addressing this bit of fan casting.

The first slate of DC projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and Andy Muschietti's The Brave and The Bold is largely expected to be the first time we meet the shared universe's Batman. But it's unclear when filming will begin, with there being rumors it won't be until Matt Reeves' The Batman gets a full trilogy. But considering how popular the Dark Knight is, fans want to see him join the fun sooner rather than later.

Paul Anthony Kelly definitely has the looks to portray playboy Bruce Wayne in the DCU, and I have to assume that his bone structure would look great wearing Batman's cowl. But right now there's no clear indication as to when casting will begin, and how long it'll be until we finally see that new version of the Caped Crusader in the shared universe. Still, the actor's comments are sure to be encouraging for folks who want to see him land the role of a lifetime.

Batman is one of the most beloved comic book superheroes of all time, so he's been adapted countless times over the years. In addition to the various Batman movies, there's also been video games, animated shows, and more. So the pressure is on for James Gunn and company to find the right actor for the DCU.

The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Paul Anthony Kelly, he can be seen in new episodes of Love Story on FX.

Much like the Dark Knight himself, rumors surrounding new DC movies rarely sleep, but this latest swirl had fans especially locked in. According to chatter circulating online, The Brave and the Bold may not be arriving anytime soon. Instead, the claim suggested DC Studios co-head James Gunn is pushing to get The Batman Part 3 moving faster, allegedly wanting Matt Reeves’ trilogy wrapped up before shifting full focus to the new DCU Batman.

A screenshot from insider DanielRPK's Discord and posted to Threads is making the rounds, quoting him as saying “Oh, I am told Brave and the Bold is not coming for years”. The insider adds that Gunn is “pushing to get The Batman 3 out faster… Doesn’t want two Batmans.” Responding directly on Threads to a fan who shared the screenshot, Gunn wrote:

If this rumor were true, that would be a significant shift in DC’s carefully outlined “Elseworlds” versus DCU strategy. As previously announced, Robert Pattinson’s The Batman films exist separately from Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, where The Brave and the Bold is expected to introduce a different, canonical Dark Knight alongside Damian Wayne’s Robin. But, before fans could spiral too far into timeline conspiracies, Gunn stepped in himself and set the record straight.

He followed up in a separate Thread post to another fan, doubling down on the idea that there’s no secret acceleration happening behind closed doors. The Peacemaker helmer added:

The Suicide Squad director has been vocal about prioritizing script quality over speed, often emphasizing that DC Studios will not move projects into production without fully locked, polished screenplays. If anything, his comment suggests the opposite of “fast-tracking.” The focus appears to be on development readiness, not racing one Batman to the finish line.

It’s also worth noting that DC has consistently maintained that Reeves’ Batman trilogy and the DCU’s Brave and the Bold can co-exist. Gunn has previously described Reeves’ universe as part of the “Elseworlds” banner, meaning it operates outside the main continuity but remains a valued creative lane.

For now, it appears there’s no internal mandate to rush Pattinson’s next Bat-installment, currently slated for October 1, 2027, in order to clear the runway for a new Caped Crusader. Nor is there confirmation that The Brave and the Bold has been quietly delayed for “years.” Of course, in the world of upcoming superhero movies and comic book fandom, rumors rarely die quietly.

The mere idea of “two Batmans” still sparks debate about brand confusion and audience overlap. Still, at least according to the DCU Chapter One architect himself, there’s no behind-the-scenes scramble to prioritize one over the other.

As always with DC, the clearest updates tend to come straight from the source. And this time, the source is saying, "Put those bat brakes on." Nothing has been confirmed. In the meantime, stream The Batman as well as DCU fare using an HBO Max subscription.

The superhero genre is showing no signs of slowing, and there are currently countless questions about upcoming DC movies. DC Studios' co-CEO James Gunn has slowly begun crafting a new shared universe, with the first slate of DCU projects, hitting both theaters and streaming with a HBO Max subscription. A new rumor about the that studio recently arrived online, which claims to know Gunn's plans for various Batman projects. And some fans are not going to be happy if it turns out to be true.

Folks who have spent years watching the DC movies in order are super curious about the new shared universe, especially after the first slate of projects Gods and Monsters was revealed. One such title is Andy Muschietti's The Brave and the Bold, which would seemingly bring both Batman and Robin into the new shared universe. But a new report by scooper DanielRPK (via The Direct) claims we might be waiting a while for that movie to come together. He claimed:

Do you hear that sound? It's Robin fans out there letting out a sigh of exasperation. Because, if this rumor is true, it sounds like we'll be waiting a number of years before finally seeing Batman and his protege in the DCU. Instead, Gunn may want Matt Reeves' The Batman trilogy to wrap up before bringing a new version of the Dark Knight to the big screen.

This does seem like a logical choice, so that there aren't two different version of Gotham's Protector competing at the box office. Still, there are folks who would rather see Batman and Robin join the new shared universe sooner rather than later.

A big reason why fans like me are ready to finally see Robin back on the big screen is because no members of the larger Bat-family ever made it into the previous DCEU. The closest we got was a dead Robin's suit in Batman v Superman, although the full story behind Joker killing him was never revealed. Then there was the scrapped Batgirl movie, which was shot and nearly completed before Warner Bros. dropped it in favor of a tax write-off. So it's about time we got to see Batman's sidekicks get their moment in the sun.

Only time will tell if the above rumor will end up coming to fruition, so we'll have to see if James Gunn offers any official comment about The Batman: Part Three and The Brave and The Bold. He's pretty generous about shutting down rumors online, so perhaps we'll get an answer sooner rather than later.

The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Matt Reeves' franchise, The Batman: Part II will be released on October 1, 2027.

Like many other Batman fanatics out there, I’m not exactly over the moon knowing the entirety of 2026 will pass without the Caped Crusader showing up in live-action. (2025 at least had Jason Bateman in the Batsuit, for better or worse.) Without any clear answers about when James Gunn will bring Bruce Wayne into the DCU, the only port to look forward to in this dismal storm is Matt Reeves’ long-awaited sequel The Batman: Part II. Updates have been slow-going but co-writer Mattson Tomlin’s latest comments sent my optimism soaring.

Tomlin has already been quite busy on social media in the aftermath of Netflix cancelling Terminator Zero after one season, which he’s been refreshingly candid and open-minded about, both with his own thoughts and in replies to followers. That same level of earnestness was reflected in his comments about efforts made when scripting The Batman’s sequel with Reeves (which he's getting credit for this time). As he put it on X:

Comments like those are exactly what fans should hope to hear from the minds concocting this and any other IP-driven scripts. Plus, Mattson Tomlin can somewhat uniquely boast having previously told an excellent Batman story outside of these movies. He wrote DC Black Label’s excellent Batman: The Imposter, with his dark and gritty story capitalized on by artist Andrea Sorrentino and colorist Jordie Bellaire. So I can both believe and believe in Tomlin’s comments, since he’s got a vested interest that speaks to more than box office receipts.

(He also wrote and directed 2012's darkly comedic thriller Solomon Grundy, but that was about an invisible friend that won't go away, and wasn't a before-its-time DC villain movie.)

Bringing in a billion dollars at the box office will likely be the easiest way for Warner Bros. to greenlight another movie in this side-verse for Tomlin to potentially take on, so that’s certainly part of the “bar” that he hopes this follow-up film leaps over in a single bound. (Wait, wrong guy.) After a five-year wait, Matt Reeves could have co-written The Batman: Part II with Guy Fieri and fans would turn up in droves, but the added talents of someone on Tomlin’s level could be what gets those fans back for second and third screenings.

The Project Power creator also shared this excitement-stoking declaration, saying:

How often does anyone in the film industry say, "I tried my best," at this point without immediately qualifying that statement with a dozen other points? And within that number, how many of them are being honest? It's impossible to know, and it'd be silly to try and figure it out. Instead, I'm gonna put a Flying Graysons-amount of faith in the sentiment that The Batman: Part II won't let any of us fall to our deaths. Er, our disappointments, rather.

The Batman: Part II will (hopefully) swoop menacingly into theaters on October 1, 2027, presumably after several more Batman-free movies from James Gunn’s DCU are released, from Supergirl to Clayface. Anybody else kinda hoping Sony & Co. call Tomlin up to hear out his Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movie pitch regardless of how Bats does?

Michael Keaton has played a plethora of roles over the course of his career, but his role as Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman remains one of his most iconic characters. For that reason, many were excited when Keaton reprised his role as the Dark Knight in 2023’s The Flash. The veteran actor also played the character in the DC film Batgirl, but that movie was ultimately shelved for tax purposes. With that, I never assumed I’d see Keaton dress up as the Bat again but, just recently, I was proven wrong (and in a very unexpected way).

Over this past weekend, Keaton received quite the honor, as he was named Man of the Year by Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Group. The theatrical group, which is based at Harvard University, is known for putting on musical productions and for honoring actors on an annual basis. The group really put on a show for Keaton, as the actor took part in a bit that saw him adorned in a cape and a Batman mask. Check out WBZ News’ clip of the performance (which is just as delightful as it sounds):

I don’t know what I love more: the sight of Michael Keaton wearing a makeshift Caped Crusader costume or him wearing that ensemble while also going toe to toe with someone dressed as an Oscar. Regardless of that, this is a lovely bit, and this is also a very well deserved honor for Keaton. He’s put in more than a few performances worthy of praise, and he’s also been a major supporter of the arts over the course of his career.

Considering how synonymous Keaton is with the role of Batman, it’s definitely appropriate that the Hasty Pudding bit would nod at the character. Keaton defined that superhero role for a generation, so it’s somewhat ironic now to know that fans initially protested his casting. In 2024, Tim Burton and Keaton recalled that backlash being quite strong, and it still seems to baffle him. Ultimately, Burton apparently wanted Keaton for the role due to his screen presence and the emotion he could convey through his eyes.

Keaton initially played the protector of Gotham City in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and its sequel, Batman Returns (1992), before returning to the role for The Flash. Ahead of that reprisal, the Mr. Mom star spoke about what it was like wearing the Batsuit again, explaining that he found the experience to be “shockingly… normal.” On top of that, the Oscar nominee also said memories began to come back to him after he donned those superhero duds.

The prospect of seeing Michael Keaton reprise his DC role once more in the Batgirl movie was exciting for a number of fans. After the film was shelved, Keaton weighed in and admitted he wasn’t fazed one way or the other since he had a good time making it and was paid. However, Keaton also said he felt bad for directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah given they were disappointed they couldn’t release their film.

With that comic book movie not seeing the light of day, I think there’s a slim chance fans will ever get to see Keaton play the Bat on the big screen again at some point down the road. I’m not complaining, though, as Keaton has surely had his time in the superhero sun. And, of course, as his “suit up” as part of Hasty Pudding bit suggests, his legacy playing the Dark Knight remains firm within the pop culture zeitgeist.

Anyone who wants to see Michael Keaton’s performances as Bruce Wayne should grab an HBO Max subscription and stream Batman, Batman Returns and The Flash.

Although we still have no idea when the DC Universe’s Batman will be properly introduced in The Brave and the Bold following his shadowy cameo in Creature Commandos, one of his most powerful adversaries will soon get the cinematic spotlight for himself. Clayface is one of the two upcoming DC movies to look forward to this year, along with Supergirl. However, we’ll have to wait a little longer for Clayface’s arrival to the 2026 movies schedule, though this delay actually continues a Batman-related film trend I’ve grown to enjoy.

As shared by Variety and other outlets, Warner Bros. Pictures has Clayface out of its September 11, 2026 release slot and shifted it to October 23. It’s taking over the date that WB previously put Remain in, but that movie will now come out in 2027 instead. Clayface’s September 11 slot will now be filled by Practical Magic 2, which was previously supposed to come out on September 18, so this is great news for Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock fans who are eager to see them reprise the Owens sisters.

Clayface only being pushed back a month isn’t too bad, as we could have had to deal with it being moved to 2027, the same year that Man of Tomorrow is released. Honestly, there may still be a chance that Clayface is delayed again, as there’s no shortage of major motion pictures that have repeatedly had their release dates changed. However, I hope that doesn’t happen for one specific reason: I like that October is becoming a good month to deliver Batman-related movies.

Think about it: both Joker movies were released in October, and that’s still the plan for 2027’s The Batman: Part II. Now we have Clayface, and frankly, I wouldn’t mind if October became the standard month for releasing Batman-related movies. It’s like how May is going back to being Star Wars’ month following that period where, between 2015 and 2019, all the movies set in a galaxy far, far away except Solo were slotted in November.

Sure, there are lighter depictions of Batman out there, like the 1960s TV show and The LEGO Batman Movie. But for the most part, the live-action Batman movies have been skewing darker, so I like the idea of them being released during the spooky season. Besides, we’re talking about one of pop culture’s most famous superheroes who more often than not draws in the big bucks at the box office. People are going to turn out to see Gotham City’s Dark Knight on the big screen no matter what time of year, so why not keep him and the characters tied to him in a month befitting that dark tone?

In any case, change your calendar to mark Clayface as a late October release. The third movie set in the DC Universe franchise stars Tom Rhys Harries as the Matt Hagen incarnation of the title character, as well as Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan. James Watkins directed Clayface, and Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini both worked on the script.

When the 2026 Oscar nominations were announced last week, Jacob Elordi made the list for his incredible performance as The Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. While we wait to learn who will win in the Best Supporting Actor category and so forth during the 98th Academy Awards in March, Elordi shared the sweet way the late Heath Ledger inspired him to aspire to the Hollywood stars.

Jacob Elordi is a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (which made it at No. 2 in our best movies of the 2000s list) frequently citing the movie as a formative experience in his life and a “masterpiece.” So when he turned up on Jimmy Kimmel Live following the Oscar milestone, he had this to say about the honor:

A lot of Hollywood actors like to brush off the Academy Awards as no big deal, but Jacob Elordi got honest about his enthusiasm for the honor on the late night talk show. As he continued:

Whoa, that’s pretty wild! It’s true. Heath Ledger died at the age of 28 years old on January 22, 2008, and Jacob Elordi got nominated for Frankenstein on January 22 of this year. Ledger famously was nominated posthumously in the same category as Elordi for his role of The Joker in The Dark Knight on the one-year anniversary of his death, January 22, 2009, before earning the award during the ceremony a month later.

Ledger is clearly a hero of Elordi’s, so for them to have a distinct connection now must be pretty special. Plus, the roles that got them Oscar nominations and their career trajectories share some similar threads as well. Sadly, in Ledger’s case, his death was due to an accidental drug overdose of prescription medication.

Both of them earned their Oscar nominations in roles they did before they were 30, which is something that’s only happened a handful of times over the years. It required them to transform with the distinct work from their movie’s hair & makeup team, and both roles showed them transitioning out of teen heartthrob roles to more serious and layered genre roles. Elordi’s transformation into The Creature has earned him flirty reactions and a funny story from Oscar Isaac about the first time he saw him in the role.

Jacob Elordi is nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category alongside Benecio del Toro and Sean Penn for One Battle After Another, Delroy Lindo for Sinners, and Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value. The 98th Oscars are on the 2026 TV schedule to happen on Sunday, March 15. You’ll be able to watch the show on ABC or with a Hulu subscription.

Robert Pattinson is seemingly one of the busiest actors on the planet, especially when it comes to mega-profile blockbuster projects. The relatively recent past has seen him bounce from Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey (catch the first trailer here) to Denis Villeneuve’s third Dune film to the psychological drama Die My Love to projects we don’t even know about yet. Not to mention another low-key sequel on the way, an upcoming superhero movie no less, in Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II. The dude has hardly any time for his family, much less part-time musical ventures.

That’s right, for those who may not be so aware, the Twilight vet has been dabbling in making music ever since he landed a song on the vampy drama’s soundtrack. When asked by GQ about what kind of tunes he’s been crafting as of late, Pattinson recalled reaching a solid creative peak while filming The Batman, saying that he was essentially a one-man recording act on the set, even while donning the Dark Knight’s headpiece. As he put it:

While I can't say it with 100% certainty, I'm pretty sure that fans have never read, seen or experienced a Batman story where Bruce Wayne's billions were made via his skills as an electronic music producer. (Or any kind of music.) One might have thought Pattinson's brooding Bruce might have penned Nirvana's "Something in the Way," given its prominence in The Batman, but he was apparently working on higher-energy fare.

The actor doubled-down in confirming that he was indeed wearing Batman's signature cowl while grooving and vaping behind the scenes, saying it would have been too much of a hassle to remove it each time. In his words:

Considering how many celebrities are pushing dual careers as both singers and on-screen performers (for better or worse in many cases), it's almost surprising that Pattinson and his publicity team haven't made a bigger push to get his music released. Not that he would have a wealth of time to promote it on tour or anything.

While it's not made clear exactly why Pattinson won't be releasing the music he created, the comments he made about self-assessing his music may have something to do with it. As he put it:

If we could just get that video of him making music in the Batman cowl, that might be all the promotional material needed to get his tracks to the top of Spotify's charts. If one of those tracks happens to land on the soundtrack for Reeves' sequel, that wouldn't hurt a bit.

For The Batman Part II, Pattinson will presumably be reteaming with co-stars Jeffrey Wright, Zoë Kravitz, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell, along with new cast members like Scarlett Johansson and fellow MCU vet Sebastian Stan, who's thought to be playing Two-Face. The film's script has been ready for months now, with Farrell and others giving it high marks, so the wait is on for that production to begin in earnest ahead of its eventual October 1, 2027 release date.

Everyone wants to be Batman, even Chris Pratt. The actor admitted to reaching out to his old buddy, James Gunn, and pitching himself as the Caped Crusader for the upcoming Brave and the Bold in the funniest way possible. However, per usual, fans have some thoughts on the heroes that would be better fits for Pratt. And, quite frankly, some of those are pretty good ideas.

What Did Chris Pratt Say About Batman?

During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Pratt admitted that when Gunn was gearing up to shape DC’s new cinematic future with Chapter One: Gods & Monsters, he couldn’t resist having a little fun with the idea of playing The Dark Knight. Specifically, he photoshopped himself wearing the cowl and sent it directly to Gunn as an impromptu “pitch” for The Brave and the Bold.

According to the Parks & Rec alum, Gunn’s response was immediate and unmistakable. He explained:

That’s about as clear a no as you can get without actually saying no. At the same time, Pratt’s comments underscore his self-awareness of his screen persona. Batman requires a specific kind of intensity and emotional restraint, and the Jurassic World franchise lead has built his career on humor and on portraying very human vulnerability with charming charisma. However, even he seems to know that those instincts might clash with Gotham’s brooding billionaire. Still, how are fans reacting?

How Fans Are Reacting To Chris Pratt's Comments?

If Pratt were hoping the Batman conversation would die quietly, the comment section had other plans. Here are some of the best responses to Pratt’s Dark Knight ambitions:

• @gabriel.amaro.music: “I’d still love to see him as Batman tho.”
• @thejohnnyluu: “He could totally do it.”
• @filipellnunes: “You'd be a good Batman, but the one from '66 🤣🤣🤣🤣”
• @ferlarios: “Please don’t.”
• @nicky3nots: “Batman is kinda like James Bond! U gotta be a certain type of guy to pull it off! And as much as I love [Chris Pratt], I don't think he'd do him justice! Sorry, Chris, but I'd have to agree with [James Gunn] 😕”

However, the best part is how quickly fans started pivoting the Wanted alum into other DC roles that feel more naturally “Pratt-shaped." Check out their thoughts:

• @luisalbertogo5: “Batman nah, but Green Arrow would be cool for Chris.”
• @Itsrafts: “Booster Gold”
• @brentsmailbox: “Animal Man! Right!?”
• @danielvoelkl: “Honestly, I don’t think he would be a good Batman.”
• @misheard: “I want to see [Chris Pratt] do a villain.”
• @ofirassraf__: “Green lantern maybe?”
• @amine.kamel42: “Maybe you could play catman 😅😅”

The crowd is pretty split on Pratt as the Bat, but they do have some interesting ideas of who he could play in a new DCU movie, which got me thinking. If I had my way of things, who would I cast the Mercy star as?

My Take On Who Pratt Could Play In The DCU

I’m firmly in the “no Batman for Prattman, please” camp. That door doesn’t need opening. What stood out to me in this interview, though, was how relaxed Pratt sounded when talking about Star-Lord, specifically, how liberating it was to play a character without decades of live-action baggage. He tends to thrive in roles with room to stretch and surprise people.

So instead of forcing him into a hyper-defined icon, here are a few deep-cut superheroes that deserve more love and that the Star-Lord performer could actually do some interesting work:

• The Question (Vic Sage) – A faceless investigative journalist obsessed with uncovering hidden truths. This would push Pratt into quiet, paranoid, morally rigid territory—less charm, more intensity—a real departure.
• The Creeper (Jack Ryder) – A manic TV personality whose alter ego borders on terrifying chaos. Pratt could weaponize his comedic energy here, letting it spiral into something genuinely unsettling instead of safe.
• Adam Strange (The Burned-Out Version) – A former space hero struggling to live with who he used to be. This version plays directly into themes of relevance, regret, and identity—areas Pratt hasn’t fully explored yet.
• The Human Target (Christopher Chance) – A master of disguise who loses himself by becoming others. Cool, detached, and emotionally hollow. Pratt leaning into restraint instead of likability could be quietly devastating.
• Captain Atom – A god-level being treated like a government asset. Less “superhero power fantasy,” more existential frustration. Think grounded sci-fi tragedy rather than spectacle.
• Wildcat (Ted Grant) – An aging boxer-turned-vigilante mentoring younger heroes while reckoning with his own limits. Pratt playing someone past his prime would hit differently—and work.
• Shade the Changing Man – Psychedelic, emotionally fractured, and deeply weird. This is Gunn territory through and through, and Pratt could surprise people by going introspective and surreal instead of loud.

None of these roles asks Pratt to replace an already established and well-worn icon, but instead gives him the chance to inhabit a new one. And, if James Gunn’s DCU is really about character-first storytelling instead of brand preservation, this is precisely the lane where Pratt still has something new to offer.

For now, fans can catch up with Chris Pratt, who is not a DCU performer, in his new sci-fi thriller Mercy, which hit the 2026 movie calendar on January 23. Be sure to check your local listings for showtimes.

David Mazouz may have played Bruce Wayne for the entirety of Gotham’s five-season run, but he was never once called Batman. However, we did get to see this universe’s Bruce suited up as Gotham City’s Dark Knight in the final moments of the series finale, which jumped forward 10 years after the events of Gotham’s penultimate episode. Looking back, Mazouz admitted that the DC TV show’s final episode felt “rushed,” and I agree with his idea with what would have been better, albeit a big ask.

While appearing on Love It Film to plug the short film he co-wrote, starred in and produced called Money Talks, David Mazouz recalled his involvement in the Gotham series finale, titled “The Beginning.” After mentioning that while he did voice the older Bruce in the episode, his face was CGI’d onto the “Russian stunt guy” who was wearing the Batsuit, he said this about how the show wrapped things up:

Rushed is a fair assessment considering we only got to spend one episode in this 10-years-later setting. Like David Mazouz pointed out, this was done to bring many of Gotham’s characters closer to their comic book counterparts. Bruce debuting as Batman was obviously the biggest example, but we did indeed also briefly get to see James Gordon in a mustache before shaving it off, and Riddler and Penguin also wore their more comic-accurate costumes. Jeremiah Valeska also emerged in his final “J” form, although it was left ambiguous whether he would actually become the Gotham universe’s Joker.

This was a lot to cram into a series finale, and I remember at the time hoping that Gotham’s last episode would be extended to two episodes. The preferable option, however, would be, like David Mazouz suggested, if Gotham had ran for another 10 seasons and we’d gotten to “The Beginning…” at a natural pace. But that unfortunately wasn’t in the cards, so Mazouz understood why the show’s writers went all in on the “fan service,” adding:

As interested as it is to imagine a 15-season Gotham run, the chances of that happening in real life would have been extremely slim. However, considering that Smallville ran for 10 seasons, perhaps there’s a world where Gotham might have lasted that same amount of time and come to a more organic conclusion. In our world, though, Fox decided to wrap up this take on the Batman mythos with a 10-episode fifth and final season, although the network later approved two additional episodes.

Though Gotham’s time has long since concluded, Batman’s onscreen future is looking as bright as ever. The Batman: Part II is still slated for an October 1, 2027 release, and it’s been reported that The Flash’s Christina Hodson has been tapped to write The Brave and the Bold, i.e. the upcoming DC movie that will introduce Batman to the DC Universe continuity.

There are two live-action Batman movies on the horizon. The first is The Batman: Part II, which is still on track to reunite us with Robert Pattinson’s take on the Caped Crusader in late 2027. Then there’s The Brave and the Bold, which will officially introduce the DC Universe franchise’s Batman following a shadowy cameo in Creature Commandos. There’ve been few updates on The Brave and the Bold since it was announced in early 2023, but today the upcoming DC movie has finally taken another step forward amid fan uncertainly about whether it would actually happen.

As originally reported by The InSneider, Christina Hodson has been tapped to write The Brave and the Bold. While it’s unclear how far along she is on the script, THR has a source that says she’s been “working on the project since at least the fall.” Another source claimed that it will a while before Hodson turns in a “definitive draft” of this highly-anticipated Batman movie since DC Studios is “taking a measured approach to its development.”

Of course, Christina Hodson is no stranger to DC movies, having debuted in this corner of the superhero space as the screenwriter of Birds of Prey. She followed that up with 2023’s The Flash, which featured both the Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton versions of Batman. Additionally, Hodson penned the Batgirl movie that was shelved in 2022, where Keaton donned the cape and cowl again, as well as an unmade Batman Beyond movie that reportedly “earned praise inside the studio.”

So for those keeping track, if Christina Hodson’s draft of The Brave and the Bold ends up becoming the actual movie, that means she’ll have written four cinematic versions of Batman, though we’ll never see how she handled Terry McGinnis unless that Batman Beyond script is revived. However, we evidently have a long wait ahead to learn if Hodson’s script is selected or if another writer is hired to do a rewrite. As James Gunn, the creative head of DC Studios, said just a few days ago, with The Batman: Part II beginning production in a few months, he doesn’t “want to cloud the Batsphere until after that.”

When The Brave and the Bold was originally announced, we learned that its Batman would team up with his son, Damian, a.k.a. the current Robin. Then in June 2023, it was announced that The Flash director Andy Muschietti would helm the upcoming superhero movie. However, last October, James Gunn seemingly cast doubt about whether we’ll still see Robin in The Brave and the Bold. Furthermore, THR’s writeup of the Christina Hodson news mentions that while Muschietti is still attached, whether he’ll stay that way depends on factors like time and availability, particularly following the success of his HBO Max subscription-exclusive series Welcome to Derry.

Still, I’m glad the The Brave and the Bold’s script is being worked on, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Christina Hodson is able to crack it so that we can hopefully get this movie before the decade is over. For now, The Batman: Part II is still slated for October 1, 2027, and Batman villain Clayface is set to take the silver screen spotlight on September 11 for his own DCU-set movie.

The superhero genre is showing no signs of slowing down, and fans were recently treated to a new DC shared universe courtesy of co-CEO James Gunn. While we've been treated to the first few titles from the first slate of projects titled Gods and Monsters, filmmaker Zack Snyder has been posting photos from the previous DCEU (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). His latest of these images has fans thinking he's directing another Batman movie, and I think he knows what he's doing here.

Following the release The Snyder Cut, some fans began campaigning for Warner Bros. to restore the SnyderVerse, including his two planned Justice League sequels. There's been no indication this is happening (especially since the new DCU was formed), but his latest post on Instagram has fans holding out hope for him to helm an upcoming DC movie about Gotham's Protector. You can check out the photo in question below:

While this image seemingly shows off some pottery own by Zack Snyder, his 647K followers on Instagram quickly noted a tie to DC. Because behind said pottery there a copy of Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns can be seen. This four-issue comic book plot is wildly popular, and the comments section is filled with fans hoping this was a subtle nod to his future plans to adapt it into a live-action film.

Obviously this isn't any real confirmation about Snyder working with Warner Bros. on another DC project, but folks in the comments section are sounding off. And I have to believe that the visionary filmmaker knew that this was the type of reaction that would come by including a Batman comic in the background of the shot. Some of the responses include:

• THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS 👀😩 - tommcjl
• #MakeTheBatfleckMovie 🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌🙌❤️❤️❤️ - jona_custodio1
• I saw what you did here!! #MakeTheBatfleckMovie - makethebatfleckmovie
• Yes , I am convinced boss is going to direct the dark knight. - brokewayne105
• Miller supports Snyder - dcwireofficial

Fans who watched the DC movies in order saw as Snyder kickstarted the entire DCEU with projects like Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, before assembling an entire team of heroes in Justice League. The latter two projects brought Ben Affleck's hulking and jaded Bruce Wayne to the big screen, and there are plenty of moviegoers who are bummed that Affleck's solo movie never got produced.

Zack Snyder has been methodically posting photos from the DCEU sine joining Instagram, and his following has skyrocketed quickly as a result. Call me a cynic, but I think that including The Dark Knight Returns in the above shot was further reason for fans to click and engage in the post, therefore exposing his profile to more potential followers. Although if he was given another DC movie to direct I'd be there with bells on.

Snyder's superhero movies are streaming over on HBO Max. The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see if Warner Bros. and Snyder ever collaborate again on a comic book project.

The DC side of the superhero genre has been going through some big changes, courtesy of co-CEO James Gunn. He's the architect behind the new shared universe called the DCU, with its first slate of projects called Gods and Monsters. A ton of upcoming DC movies were announced, including the Batman flick The Brave and The Bold. And Gunn recently offered a realistic update about what's going on with that title.

What we know about The Brave and The Bold is limited, but fans are excited that director Andy Muschietti is behind the camera... especially after Welcome to Derry (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). James Gunn recently took to Threads to answer some fan questions, and revealed why we might be waiting for Batman to join the shared universe for a while. In his words:

Points were made. While there were recently rumors that a Brave and The Bold script was completed, it sounds like Gunn hasn't seen a finished version that's ready to film. And as such, there's no plans for when the project will finally start filming. What's more, he doesn't want that project to compete with Matt Reeves' The Batman: Part II, even though it isn't set within the shared universe.

The Batman's sequel faced a number of delays, and is now expected to hit theaters in October of 2027. As such, we should probably not expect The Brave and The Bold to arrive until after that. So The Dark Knight's entrance into the DCU seemingly isn't going to happen for quite some time.

Given Bruce Wayne's wild popularity, a number of live-action Batman movies have already happened throughout the years. But that hasn't quelled fan excitement about a new version joining Gunn's DCU. Alas, we'll seemingly have to try and be patient before waiting for Gotham City's protector to join the fun of the new shared universe.

When it was announced, The Brave and The Bold was billed as a movie about Bruce Wayne and his son Damian aka Robin. Although back in October James Gunn put doubt on whether or not this family story was still going to be the title's focus. This was a serious bummer for certain DC fans, especially since the larger Bat-family was noticeably absent from the entire DCEU during its time in theaters. That is, except for the dead Robin suit in Batman v Superman.

There is currently no release date for The Brave and The Bold, so we'll have to see how its development plays out. The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list.