James Gunn’s Comments on the DCU’s Batman Only Make Me More Hopeful for a Costume That Has Only Been Seen Once in Live-Action
As the DC Universe’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters gets underway, teases and hints at wider elements of the franchise have been unveiled. The most recent came in the form of a silhouetted cameo in Creature Commandos episode 6, showcasing the DCU’s version of Batman. This appearance sets the stage for the planned Brave and the Bold movie, which is expected to be the first solo adventure for the franchise’s new iteration of Batman.
In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes TV, James Gunn discussed the introduction of Batman to the franchise, detailing how the process went. Gunn explained that the initial animated reels of Creature Commandos episode 6 showed Batman in more detail, but he told the show’s creators to pull back, insisting that he was not ready to commit to many visual elements of the character’s design. Gunn ultimately told the animators to keep Batman’s appearance as silhouetted as possible, leaving no minute aspects of the character’s suit discernible to the audience.
Gunn’s comments have piqued my excitement for the DCU’s Batman and made me more optimistic that an underutilized live-action costume will be used for the franchise. From my perspective, I’m hoping the DCU’s Batman takes on a blue and gray costume, a look that has only been seen once in live-action in 2023’s The Flash.
The DCU is shaping up to present a more fantastical version of Batman, with elements like monsters and sorceresses already introduced in Creature Commandos. The blue and gray suit typifies this tonality, making me hopeful that these themes will translate to the DCU’s Batman stories.
A blue and gray Batman would also differentiate the character from Robert Pattinson’s Batman in the DC Extended Universe, providing an easy way to separate the two franchises. Presenting a distinct look for the Caped Crusader would provide a unique visual identity for the DC Universe, allowing it to utilize a design that has been underutilized in live-action.