Since the launch of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe with this year’s Superman (2025), questions have arisen about whether Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne/Batman could eventually cross over into the wider franchise, despite his films being standalone.
Pattinson first appeared as the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022), which established a grounded, standalone take on Gotham City. That continuity was expanded in the HBO TV series The Penguin and will continue with The Batman — Part II, currently scheduled for release in late 2027. Both films fall under DC’s Elseworlds label, a corner reserved for projects that sit outside the shared cinematic universe known as the DCU.
But despite that clarity, speculation is now likely to start all over again after DC Studios showcased life-size replicas of Pattinson’s Batman alongside David Corenswet’s Superman at Tokyo Comic-Con 2025, courtesy of The Direct, who were in attendance at the event.
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So, does this mean that Robert Pattinson’s Batman will be integrated into the DCU, or is it nothing more than an awe-inspiring display? James Gunn, who also wrote and directed this year’s Superman, has previously addressed the topic directly.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight earlier this year, he said, “I’ve met him [Pattinson] before, we’ve talked about it before,” before adding, “But it’s not what’s happening right now. Everything is in flux, so we’ll figure out what we’re doing next.”
Within the DCU itself, Batman has yet to be formally introduced. The upcoming film The Brave and the Bold is expected to feature a new actor as Bruce Wayne and will exist within the DCU, separate from Matt Reeves’ Batman films.
Matt Reeves, for his part, has indicated a preference for keeping his Batman films self-contained. That approach aligns with the darker tone and grounded realism of Pattinson’s portrayal, which differs sharply from the DCU’s more poppy and vibrant universe, where superheroes, monsters, and aliens have also long been part of public life.
For now, Pattinson’s Batman remains firmly in his own corner of the DC expanded universe. While Multiverse storytelling remains an option in theory, DC Studios has yet to signal any concrete plans to merge the character into its main continuity.
It’s also worth noting that the display featured legacy Batman and Superman iconography: The Pattinson replica is standing in front of the Michael Keaton-era Bat-logo, while Corenswet’s Superman is paired with the Christopher Reeve-era emblem, suggesting the presentation was symbolic rather than continuity-focused.
Would you like to see Robert Pattinson’s Batman integrated into the DCU? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
Warner brothers are in a panic because they know that Gunns vision is a flop. They tried to sell the trite nonsense that was his Superman as a resounding success. It was not. Now they hope that Pattinson can save them. Gunn is a chancer.